Bulletin: Looking Ahead to the 114th Congress Now that we have completed the 113th Congress, it is time to start looking ahead to the next session of Congress. In my last email newsletter, I asked you what issues need to be a priority in the 114th Congress. I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who participated. Your input is valuable to me as we gear up to set the agenda under a Republican-led Senate. I want to share the results with you. The responses from this survey mirror what I’ve heard during my travels across the state. Our border is far too porous, Washington spends way too much, and our nation’s healthcare system is in worse shape as a result of Obamacare. One-third of respondents listed immigration as the first priority the new Congress should address. Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked toward immigration reform that secures our borders, enforces the immigration laws already on the book and does not reward illegal behavior with amnesty. I intend to continue that effort in 114th Congress. Coming in right behind border security in our survey are the number two and three top vote-getters: Stop Washington’s reckless spending and institute real healthcare reform. I couldn’t agree more on either of these. I believe we can find a mechanism, like a Balanced Budget Amendment, that will stop the government from spending beyond its means. If Arkansas can balance its budget, there is no reason that we shouldn’t be able to require Washington to do the same. As for Obamacare, the law is a wet blanket on the economy that drives up healthcare costs, busts our budget, bankrupts Medicare and raises taxes. We need to start over with real healthcare reforms that put patients and their doctors in charge, not Washington bureaucrats. Senate Republicans are eager to tackle these challenges when we gavel in the new session of Congress next month. In January we will regain control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. We can finally take action against the President’s immigration overreach; cut wasteful spending to make government more efficient and effective; and replace Obamacare with reforms that give freedom, choice and control to patients. That’s what this election was about. It wasn’t about a Republican mandate. It had everything to do with the fact that Americans believe our country is headed down the wrong path. We have an opportunity to change course. I’m excited about the opportunity you have given us to lead the Senate in a different direction. I am confident we will meet your expectations. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quick Takes: Government Funding Bill Passes: Its far from perfect, but this funding bill brings discretionary spending to its lowest level in almost a decade and has a number of provisions that adhere to our conservative principles including reigning in the EPA, stopping IRS abuses and reforming Dodd-Frank. Fighting President Obama’s Amnesty: During the debate on government funding, I supported Senator Ted Cruz’s efforts to force a vote on a measure preventing the President from moving forward with his illegal executive action on immigration, but Harry Reid’s ‘last stand’ as Majority Leader was to protect President Obama and his abuses of power one final time. Since the bill only funds the Department of Homeland Security through February, the new Republican controlled Senate will have a chance to take action against the President’s overreach early next year. Advance Funding for Veterans: Arkansas veterans deserve certainty for the programs, services and benefits they earned and depend on. I am pleased that language I authored to protect disability compensation, pension and GI Bill benefits from being used as a political football during budget fights was included in the spending bill. Senate Paves Way for Little Rock Soldiers to Receive Purple Heart: Senate-passed legislation supporting funding for our nation’s military and our military installations includes a provision I sponsored that paves the way for servicemembers attacked outside of a Little Rock Army recruiting center in 2009 to receive the Purple Heart. Earlier this week I joined Senator-elect Tom Cotton and Rep. Tim Griffin sending a letter to the Secretary of the Army showing that the details of this attack meet the criteria established in the bill approved by Congress. National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial: The Senate laid the foundation for our veterans of Desert Storm and Desert Shield to receive recognition for their service and sacrifice with a memorial in our nation’s capital. This language included in the national defense bill was original introduced by Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and myself. No federal funds would be used for the construction of the memorial. Supporting Anti-LRA Mission Included in NDAA: Language I authored that reconfirms the United States’ commitment to remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield and end the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) was included in the National Defense Authorization Act passed by the Senate last week. Boozman Named Friend of Farm Bureau: I was honored to receive the Arkansas Farm Bureau’s ‘Friend of the Farm Bureau’ award for my commitment to our state’s agriculture industry. Duck Stamp Update: Arkansas is a destination for duck hunters from around the world, so passage of legislation to update the price of a duck stamp for the first time since 1991 is good news for our state. The additional resources generated from this program will go a long way toward preserving the habitat so future generations can participate in this exciting activity. Computer for Schools - Students at five Arkansas schools will have additional computers to use as a result of our participation in the U.S. Senates Computers for Schools program.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 06:33:37 +0000
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