Washington Roundup

October 22, 2013 Washington Roundup Late Wednesday night, Congress passed a bill to raise the nation's credit card limit by hundreds of billions of dollars without a single spending reform. The President quickly signed the bill into law. Maybe he popped champagne at the White House afterwards, but America lost because in three short months we're going to be right back in the same spot, without addressing any problems. While House Republicans voted for 20 different bills in the past three weeks to fund all or parts of the federal government, unfortunately the law President Obama signed ensures that we will face yet another crisis and another showdown. It is disappointing that President Obama chose this short term patch to set up yet another debt crisis, rather than working in a bipartisan way to finally address Washington's spending problem and jumpstart our economy. The Pathetic Obamacare Sales Pitch President Obama’s health care law has already impacted millions of Americans, and the rollout has been plagued by countless glitches. President Obama’s health care website is a $500+ million national embarrassment, and top agency officials should be held accountable for this failure that has been three years in the making. The only thing missing from President Obama’s Rose Garden sales pitch yesterday was an offer for free t-shirts to the first 100 callers. President Obama’s signature health care law is clearly not ready for prime time, and it’s time for him to stop re-packaging this failed product and start working with us to end this train wreck before even more taxpayer money is wasted. Stay Connected to the RSC Be sure to stay up to date with how the Members of the Republican Study Committee are working towards our shared conservative values by visiting our various media platforms. Follow our RSC Members on Facebook and Twitter. God bless you, and God bless America. RSC Items and Initiatives: Rep. Broun Seeks Cosponsors for H.Res. 326 to Stop Amnesty in Immigration Reform- House Resolution 326 ensures that any immigration reform adopted by Congress does not offer amnesty, legalize for, or confer any legal status condoning the unlawful entry of any individual into the United States. We made the mistake of passing immigration reform in 1986, where amnesty was granted and the border never got secured. And nearly 3 decades later, we have over 11 million people here illegally instead of 3 million. We must enforce our current laws on the books and secure our borders before we begin any conversation on immigration. Only then will we ever have successful immigration reform.  Rep. Hartzler Seeks Cosigners for Letter to FCC on Lifeline Phone Service Providers- This letter asks the FCC to take action on waste, fraud, and abuse by Lifeline phone service providers. Several contract agents have been accused of fraudulent actions, including forging signatures, using manufactured addresses, and retaining personal information. According to the FCC, each instance of this type of fraud is punishable by a $1.5 million fine. This type of fraud and abuse is unacceptable. Please join Congresswoman Hartzler in signing on to this letter demanding that the FCC provide accountability in how they vet and supervise the companies they rely on to run the Lifeline program. Rep. McCaul Gathers Support for Letter to Farm Bill Conferees On Christmas Tree Tax- This letter to the Farm Bill Conferees requests that the current stay on USDA’s proposed Christmas Tree Tax not be lifted. If Sec. 10015 of the House-passed Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act is adopted by the Conference Committee, consumers could soon face a new tax on the purchase of Christmas trees just as we approach the holiday season. While big wholesale producers support taxing consumers to pay for their industry’s marketing and promotion, smaller choose-n-cut growers are concerned that this new tax will hurt sales without any benefit to their business. RSC Chairman Scalise Encourages RSC Members to Cosponsor the PATH Act- This legislation brings much needed reform to the housing finance market and will help prevent future boom and bust cycles of our economy. The PATH Act winds down Fannie and Freddie over a period of 5-7 years, provides a clear mission to the Federal Housing Administration, increases mortgage competition, and breaks down barriers for private investment capital. RSC Chairman Scalise and RSC Health Care Working Group Chair Phil Roe Seek Cosponsors for the American Health Care Reform Act- Conservatives recognize that patient-centered reforms rooted in free markets are the best way to lower costs and solve problems in our health care system. That is why the Republican Study Committee (RSC) is proud to bring forward a pragmatic, practical, and portable free-market alternative to the current health care system. Simply put, our bill is a better way forward. More information, including bill text and summary, can be found on the RSC Website here. ** Current Cosponsors (87): Rep. Scalise (LA-1), Rep. Price (GA-6), Rep. Fleming (LA-4), Rep. Gosar (AZ-4), Rep. Blackburn (TN-7), Rep. Ellmers (NC-2), Rep. Rokita (IN-4), Rep. Amodei (NV-2), Rep. Bachmann (MN-6), Rep. Barletta (PA-11), Rep. Barton (TX-6), Rep. Bentivolio (MI-11), Rep. Black (TN-6), Rep. Boustany (LA-3), Rep. Bridenstine (OK-1), Rep. Brooks (AL-5),Rep. Bucshon (IN-8), Rep. Cole (OK-4), Rep. Collins (NY-27), Rep. Chabot (OH-1), Rep. Cotton (AR-4), Rep. Cramer (ND), Rep. Culberson (TX-7), Rep. DesJarlais (TN-4), Rep. Duffy (WI-7), Rep. Duncan (SC-3),Rep. Fincher (TN-8) Rep. Flores (TX-17), Rep. Fortenberry (NE-1), Rep. Foxx (NC-5), Rep. Gibbs (OH-7), Rep. Gingrey (GA-11), Rep. Goodlatte (VA-6), Rep. Gowdy (SC-4), Rep. Guthrie (KY-2), Rep. Harper (MS-3), Rep. Harris (MD-1), Rep. Hartzler (MO-4), Rep. Holding (NC-13), Rep. Hudson (NC-8), Rep. Huelskamp (KS-1), Rep. Huizenga (MI-2), Rep. Hunter (CA-50), Rep. Jordan (OH-4), Rep. Kelly (PA-3), Rep. Kingston (GA-1), Rep. LaMalfa (CA-1), Rep. Lamborn (CO-5), Rep. Long (MO-7), Rep. Lummis (WY), Rep. Luetkemeyer (MO-3), Rep. Marino (PA-10), Rep. Marchant (TX-24), Rep. Miller (FL-1), Rep. McCaul (TX-10), Rep. McClintock (CA-4), Rep. McKinley (WV-1), Rep. Meadows (NC-11), Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06), Rep. Mullin (OK-2), Rep. Mulvaney (SC-5), Rep. Nunnelee (MS-1), Rep. Olson (TX-22), Rep. Palazzo (MS-4), Rep. Pearce (NM-2), Rep. Perry (PA-4), Rep. Pittenger (NC-9), Rep. Price (GA-6), Rep. Radel (FL-19), Rep. Ross (FL-15) Rep. Rothfus( PA-12) Rep. Salmon (AZ-5), Rep. Simpson (ID-2), Rep. Smith (TX-21), Rep. Southerland (FL-2), Rep. Stewart (UT-2), Rep. Stockman (TX-36), Rep. Stutzman (IN-3), Rep. Thornberry (TX-13), Rep. Walberg (MI-7), Rep. Wagner (MO-2), Rep. Weber (TX-14), Rep. Wenstrup (OH-2), Rep. Williams (TX-25), Rep. Westmoreland (GA-3), Rep. Wilson (SC-2), Rep. Yoder (KS-3)