Newsletter - The Hill Report: Week of July 6 - 10, 2015
Statement
This week the House of Representatives voted to strengthen our education system, modernize and encourage innovation in healthcare, and protect our nation's forests. I am proud of the work that we accomplished this week and I look forward to continuing to pass common sense pieces of legislation that benefit the American people.
Legislation Passed This Week
Voting to Get the Government Out of the Way and Restore Local Control to Our School Systems
When it comes to our children's education, I believe that states know how to address their own needs better than Washington does, which is why I supported H.R. 5, the Student Success Act. This legislation fixes Washington-based education policies by replacing No Child Left Behind -- which I voted against- and limiting the power of the Obama Administration to continue to force Common Core on American teachers, administrators, parents, and students. In addition, this legislation eliminates more than 65 duplicative and ineffective programs, reduces the federal government's footprint in our nation's classrooms, and restores state control so that the students of North Texas are able to achieve a brighter future.
Supporting Medical Innovation and Research
This morning I voted for H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act, which would help ensure that the federal government is doing everything that it can to support medical innovation and eliminate bureaucratic red tape so that Americans can reap the benefits of scientific breakthroughs that can save and improve lives.
I believe that it is vital that Congress work to get our fiscal house in order, which is why I supported Congressman Dave Brat's amendment that would have shifted spending in this bill from mandatory spending to discretionary spending. Although that amendment failed, I voted for the 21st Century Cures Act because I believe that medical research is a rare area in which the federal government can invest funds that can save billions of dollars in the future.
Improving Forest Management and Preventing Wildfires
Throughout the last 20 years, wildfires have been responsible for the loss of hundreds of lives and have had negative impacts on watershed health, wildlife habitats, and man-made structures. As a proud Eagle Scout, I fondly remember the day I earned my forestry merit badge and it is saddening to see such destruction as a result of wildfires. That is why I proudly support H.R. 2647, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015, to improve the health and resiliency of federal forests.
Holding the Administration Accountable and Protecting Our Rule of Law
President Obama's refusal to enforce our nation's immigration laws has come at a high cost to our security, economy, and livelihood of American citizens. Just this past week, an innocent American was murdered in San Francisco by a criminal alien who had been deported five times. This tragic event underscores the need to take serious action to ensure that our immigration laws are enforced and upheld.
I believe that in order to effectively address this problem, it is critical that we understand the full extent of this issue. That is why I have proudly joined my friend from Iowa, Congressman Steve King, in sending a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an update to its 2011 study on criminal aliens. We believe that an update to this study will provide further evidence to hold the Administration accountable for their lawless actions and emphasize the necessity to enforce our nation's rule of law and secure our open borders.
North Texans in Washington, D.C.
This week I was delighted to welcome more than 80 constituents to my office in Washington, D.C. to tour the U.S. Capitol. I always enjoy meeting with North Texas families and learning about the issues that they feel are most important. If you are planning a trip to Washington and would like my office to take you on a Capitol tour you can call my Washington, D.C. office at 202.225.2231 or click here to fill out a request form.
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