{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://cole.house.gov/oklahoman-oklahoman-quotes-year", "The Oklahoman: Oklahoman quotes of the year", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Tom Cole", "C001053", "cole.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Oklahoman - Ken Raymond\nAt the heart of each newspaper article is a voice. It may be an official spokesman, a politician or a protester. It could come from a police officer, a business person, a judge or a philanthropist. It may be the voice of a crying victim or an exultant athlete. It could be as careful as an author\u2019s words or as spontaneous as an artist.\nBut it\u2019s there \u2014 the voice around which the story turns.\nAt the beginning of each new year, The Oklahoman looks back at the previous year\u2019s defining stories, listening, one might say, to those voices yet again.\nThese are our quotes of the year.\nPublic safety\n\u201cIt seemed to me that a grave for that many people should be marked. It seemed a sad testament to how the mentally ill were treated back then that it was not.\u201d\n\u2014 Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey, speaking about the victims of an April 13, 1918, fire that killed 40 patients at the state hospital for the mentally ill in Norman. He was among those who discovered the mass grave in 2014. Plans are being made to place a marker there.\n\u201cI hope they maintain the evidence as we have requested them to do, but the fact that the body arrived without the heart and the larynx is somewhat disconcerting, I guess.\u201d\n\u2014 David Autry, attorney for convicted prisoner Clayton Derrell Lockett, after the Dallas County medical examiner\u2019s office returned Lockett\u2019s body to Oklahoma after an autopsy. Lockett\u2019s April execution was botched, and he died 40 minutes later.\n\u201cI was like, \u2018My God, he came here to kill me.\u2019\u201d\n\u2014 Domestic violence survivor Brandy Moreno, describing in October her thoughts when she was attacked and stabbed in the eye.\n\u201cEverybody will forget about this and nothing will change. This is the northeast side, and that\u2019s the way it\u2019s always been.\u201d\n\u2014 A woman offering in September her grim assessment of the investigation into Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Ken Holtzclaw, who is accused by prosecutors of sexually assaulting women over a six-month period.\n\u201cWe can hear a lot of screaming. We know that he\u2019s loose. He has stabbed someone.\u201d\n\u2014 A caller locked in an office at Vaughan Foods in Moore talking to a 911 operator on Sept. 25, after Alton Alexander Nolen, a 30-year-old ex-convict, is alleged to have stabbed and beheaded one employee and slashed another.\n\u201cThis was judgment day.\u201d\n\u2014 District Judge Lawrence Parish, sentencing Kevin Sweat in October to life in prison without possibility of parole for killing two Weleetka girls in 2008 and his fiancee in 2011.\n\u201cI thought there was supposed to be blanks in the gun.\u201d\n\u2014 Words attributed in February by a witness to the shooter who killed a jogger in Duncan.\n\u201cMe, too. Sorry.\u201d\n\u2014 The reply from the driver to the shooter, according to the witness.\n\u201cShe\u2019d stab you in the heart and watch you bleed to death.\u201d\n\u2014 Chad Noe, on his deceased grandmother, Ida Prewitt, who was implicated in 2014 in the 1992 slayings of two Oklahoma City women and a young girl.\n\u201cI guarantee you I have officers who have biases and racial biases. But we can\u2019t have them acting on those biases because everyone needs to be treated the same. I don\u2019t think the majority of officers are that way, but I\u2019m not naive.\u201d\n\u2014 Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty commenting in the wake of a white police officer shooting and killing a black teenager in Ferguson, Mo.\n\u201cEverything you saw was a ball of fire. I\u2019ve never seen anything like it. I don\u2019t ever want to see another one like it.\u201d\n\u2014 Guthrie resident Tim Saathoff upon seeing a fatal apartment fire in the early morning hours of Nov. 19.\n\u201cIt was completely planned out. This kid is an evil person.\u201d\n\u2014 Stephens County DA Jason Hicks at an October news conference after OU freshman Alan J. Hruby was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents and sister in their Duncan home.\nReligion\n\u201cWe may be provoking the Satanists, but it\u2019s a whole lot better than standing by and doing nothing. I\u2019m going to be a light, a voice in the darkness.\u201d\n\u2014 Albert Storz of Tulsa, who preached in protest of a \u201cblack mass\u201d held outside the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City in September.\n\u201cOur family is overjoyed by the Supreme Court\u2019s decision. Today the nation\u2019s highest court has reaffirmed the vital importance of religious liberty as one of our country\u2019s founding principles. The Court\u2019s decision is a victory, not just for our family business, but for all who seek to live out their faith. We are grateful to God and to those who have supported us on this difficult journey.\u201d\n\u2014 Barbara Green, co-founder of Hobby Lobby, the day the Supreme Court ruled the company did not have to provide contraceptive coverageUnder the Affordable Care Act.\nCharity\n\u201cIn the past, we\u2019ve told the homeless you have to clean up, not drink, get a job \u2014 a whole laundry list of things they had to do before we would place them in housing. But if they could do those things, they wouldn\u2019t be homeless.\u201d\n\u2014 April Heiple, director of Food and Shelter Inc., explaining in October Norman\u2019s philosophical change in its Housing First program.\nEducation\n\u201cThey\u2019re not getting the candidate they think they\u2019re getting. They will see soon. I suspect, if she does prevail, they will see that very quickly.\u201d\n\u2014 State schools Superintendent Janet Barresi with a message for voters after being defeated in the Republican primary election in June by state schools Superintendent-elect Joy Hofmeister.\n\u201cMy fingers know what the inside of a horse feels like. My arm has to go into his bottom all the way up to my shoulder.\u201d\n\u2014 Lyndi Gilliam, associate professor of veterinary medicine, speaking at an alumni event at Oklahoma State University in June.\n\u201cWe spend so much time seeing our differences and so little time rejoicing in the things that we share. We\u2019ve got a lot to do to put aside those differences in our everyday lives and find that which make us one America.\u201d\n\u2014 U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor at a talk at Oklahoma City University in September.\n\u201cI\u2019m not in favor of anyone having guns on campus except the police and Pistol Pete. It just creates a tension that we don\u2019t need. It\u2019s fraught with risk. If we want to experiment with this idea, I recommend that we start right here in this Capitol.\u201d\n\u2014 OSU President Burns Hargis to Oklahoma lawmakers in October.\n\u201cPublic service is not about power. It\u2019s about service. I don\u2019t think anything can exceed the sense of satisfaction that comes from investing your life in the next generation.\u201d\n\u2014 David Boren on serving 20 years as OU president.\n\u201cI\u2019d say 98 percent of them know they need remediation. They aren\u2019t the least bit surprised.\u201d\n\u2014 Debbie Quiery, vice president of Northern Oklahoma College, on the high number of college students who aren\u2019t prepared for higher education. Four of 10 Oklahoma students begin college in need of remediation.\nGovernment\n\u201cI accept that legislative change comes slowly at the Capitol. What I cannot accept is to stand idly by while another 500 husbands, wives, sons and daughters lose their lives to preventable drug overdoses. I plan on using every tool at the state\u2019s disposal to fight this scourge and to help save lives.\u201d\n\u2014 Gov. Mary Fallin in May after a bill that would have required doctors to check an online database before writing narcotic prescriptions failed to pass.\n\u201cSome of these raises had merit, but I\u2019m skeptical that 48 directors absolutely had to have raises immediately above all the other needs at their agencies.\u201d\n\u2014 Fallin commenting on pay raises granted to state agency directors, including raises of $10,000 or more granted to 30 of those agency heads.\n\u201cThey aren\u2019t asking our input. They aren\u2019t asking our advice. This is way above our payscale.\u201d\n\u2014 Lawton City Councilman Keith Jackson in July on the federal program that placed unaccompanied immigrant children for months at Fort Sill.\n\u201cThis Court does not believe that attempts to provide notice via Facebook comport with the requirements of due process.\u201d\n\u2014 Supreme Court Justice Douglas Combs commenting in a parental rights case where a mother notified a man he was the father of her baby through a Facebook posting.\n\u201cMy students normally made good decisions until they consumed alcohol. Then their decisions weren\u2019t so good anymore.\u201d\n\u2014 State Rep. Jerry McPeak, a former Connors State College dean, debating against a campus gun bill.\n\u201cI just felt horrible about it. I felt sick.\u201d\n\u2014 Rep. Steve Vaughn, R-Ponca City, a pro-gun legislator, speaking in April about accidentally shooting another hunter in the head with a single, .12-gauge shotgun pellet during a pheasant hunt.\n\u201cI am sickened that the only way someone can win a race is to run negative ads against them.\u201d\n\u2014 Retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn in regard to ads run last summer against U.S. Rep. James Lankford, who eventually won Coburn\u2019s seat.\n\u201cI would say you\u2019re not going to beat James Lankford in 2016 and maybe not ever.\u201d\n\u2014 GOP political consultant Trebor Worthen, of Oklahoma City, who has tried twice to beat Lankford.\n\u201cIn the days and months ahead, I hope that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will engage in discussion on the immigration issue, restore order to the legislative process and rein in White House overreach.\u201d\n\u2014 U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, after President Barack Obama announced executive order to halt deportations of some undocumented aliens.\n\u201cIn the absence of a coherent plan to deal with ISIS and meaningful U.S. assistance, the direct threat to the homeland and American citizens will grow, and the likelihood is more Americans will be savagely killed.\u201d\n\u2014 U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, of Tulsa, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services, on threat of the Islamic State.\n\u201cMarriage equality is now a reality in Oklahoma. Same-sex couples are no longer second-class couples in our state, and their children as well may now enjoy all the benefits, protections, and dignity of marriage thanks to our clients\u2019 courage in fighting for a decade to vindicate the fundamental right of all Oklahomans to wed.\u201d\n\u2014 Joseph Thai, attorney on legal team for Mary Bishop and Sharon Baldwin, the Tulsa County couple who challenged Oklahoma\u2019s ban on same-sex marriage.\n\u201cThe truth is you get what you pay for.\u201d\n\u2014 The reaction of House Speaker Jeff Hickman, of Dacoma, to a bill that would cut pay for Oklahoma legislators.\nSports\n\u201cYou the real MVP.\u201d\n\u2014 Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant in May, addressing his mother in his acceptance speech after being named the NBA\u2019s most valuable player.\n\u201cI just don\u2019t want nobody blocking my shot. That\u2019s why I dunk so hard.\u201d\n\u2014 Russell Westbrook explaining the ferocious hammer dunk that ignited the Oklahoma City Thunder\u2019s offense in a December game against the Detroit Pistons. Teammate Kevin Durant called the dunk \u201cone of the best I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d\n\u201cIf everything is firing on all cylinders, it\u2019s almost going to be an unfair advantage to be born in Oklahoma City. These kids are going to be standing on podiums winning medals within the next decade. It\u2019s that big of an advantage.\u201d\n\u2014 Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist Joe Jacobi in September on the upcoming construction of a whitewater park on the Oklahoma River.\nEntertainment\n\u201cI\u2019m the representative Oklahoman that every band should have. Every band needs an Oklahoman, I don\u2019t care who it is. Aerosmith. Aerosmith would be doing a lot better if they had a Travis Linville in their band.\u201d\n\u2014 Roots musician J.D. McPherson speaking in November about why musical acts should feature Oklahomans.\n\u201cWe do weddings. We played a wedding for people who met at one of our shows; it\u2019s a part of their story. That\u2019s kind of insane. It\u2019s a good crew. Everyone in the band gets along. We\u2019ve played a cage fight.\u201d\n\u2014 A member of 1990s tribute act My So Called Band in September on playing music wherever possible.\n\u201cThere was a guy the other day on a plane. I was in first class, and he was chewing tobacco, and he was spitting his tobacco juice into an empty orange juice bottle. I was seated right across the aisle from him, watching the tobacco juice ooze down the sides of the bottle. I thought, \u2018How much would he have to pay me to drink that?\u2019 Thirty years ago, I would\u2019ve drunk it for $100. ... Now you\u2019d have to pay me $100,000 to drink it.\u201d\n\u2014 Comedic essayist David Sedaris, discussing how success has changed his life.\n\u201cI\u2019ll just have to feel it out and hope for the best. Ideally, I could just play venues with a Babybjorn on my back and a guitar in the front.\u201d\n\u2014 Musician Camille Harp, talking in December about whether she\u2019ll take time off when her baby is born in January.\n\u201cWhat I love about Oklahoma is the peace and quiet. I also like the freedom and opportunities that are offered here. I came here because I wanted to paint freely with no limitations or censors.\u201d\n\u2014 Iranian painter Behnaz Sohrabian, speaking in July about why she loves the U.S.\n\u201cIt\u2019s just a fictional world. ... It\u2019s not real. There are no vampires. It\u2019s fiction.\u201d\n\u2014 Tulsa author P.C. Cast in February after being unsuccessfully sued by a woman with the same name as one of Cast\u2019s fictional characters.\n\u201cWhen I put the phone up to my head, my son said, \u2018DAD DAD DAD!\u2019 He was so excited I could barely understand him. And then he yelled, \u2018I WON THE PULITZER, I WON THE PULITZER!\u2019 ... While he\u2019s yelling it to me, his wife Alison ... was screaming, \u2018DAN YOU WON THE PULITZER, YOU WON THE PULITZER!\u2019 We were all laughing, crying and happy.\u201d\n\u2014 Edmond attorney Arnold Fagin describing the April morning when his son, Dan Fagin, won the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction for his book, \u201cToms River.\u201d\nHealth\n\u201cObviously, with the number of deaths we have, we have a problem.\u201d\n\u2014 Dr. Eric Frische, medical adviser to the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, talking about the state\u2019s prescription drug epidemic.\n\u201cHere we\u2019re thrust into the spotlight because of that monument, and it has put a spotlight on mental health, and it really needs to be there \u2014 on mental health \u2014 because that\u2019s what this is about. It\u2019s not about that monument. It\u2019s about a human being. ... His mind has been broken.\u201d\n\u2014 Crystal Tucker, speaking in November about her son, Michael Tate Reed II, who drove his car into the Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol.\n\u201cDo I want health care or do I want my education right now? And I feel like finishing up without student loans is going to be a better benefit to me than getting in debt with student loans to have health care right now.\u201d\n\u2014 Stephanie James, 28, a restaurant server who lives in Edmond.\n\u201cYou\u2019re beautiful in your own way, and don\u2019t let anybody get you down just because you don\u2019t look as beautiful as everybody else.\u201d\n\u2014 Bri Johnson, 8, a Special Care student diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, offering words of wisdom in July.\nWeather\n\u201cI\u2019m used to seeing photos in a paper or magazine and thinking \u2018wow that\u2019s sad\u2019 \u2026 but that was my life. I think we are still healing and I think we\u2019ll be healing for a long time.\u201d\n\u2014 LaDonna Cobb, reflecting a year later on surviving the tornado that struck Briarwood Elementary School in Moore.\n\u201cHe was the one closest to me that didn\u2019t make it. I had my hand on him. He\u2019s been a little hard to let go.\u201d\n\u2014 Former Plaza Towers Elementary School teacher Jennifer Doan discussing her decision to give her newborn son the middle name of Nicolas to honor her former student, Nicolas McCabe, who died in the May 20, 2013, Moore tornado.\nThe President\n\u201cBut Don did something truly extraordinary \u2014 he reached down and he picked that grenade up. And he turned to throw it, but there were Americans in front of him and behind him \u2014 inside the kill zone. So Don held on to that grenade, and he pulled it close to his body. And he bent over it. And then, as one of the men said, \u2018all of a sudden there was a boom.\u2019\u201d\n\u2014 President Barack Obama, on Sept. 15, awarding the Medal of Honor posthumously to Coweta native Donald P. Sloat, who was killed in 1970 in Vietnam.\n\u201cI have to be honest, in a battle and daring escape that lasted four days, Bennie performed so many acts of bravery we actually don\u2019t have time to talk about all of them.\u201d\n\u2014 Obama, on Sept. 15, awarding the Medal of Honor to Waurika native Bennie G. Adkins for actions in Vietnam in 1966.\n\u201cBecause of Suzan, more young Native Americans are growing up with pride in their heritage, and with faith in their future. And she has taught all of us that Native values make America stronger.\u201d\n\u2014 President Obama, on Nov. 24, presenting the Medal of Freedom to Oklahoma native Suzan Shown Harjo.\nGeneral\n\u201cThis is such a surreal feeling. The only thing I\u2019ve seen for the past five years is concrete, a little bit of grass, fence and razor wire. So this morning when they took me to see my family and all the people I truly care about, it\u2019s a day I won\u2019t forget.\u201d\n\u2014 U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna in March, speaking exclusively to The Oklahoman upon his release from prison after serving five years for the 2008 killing of an Iraqi man in Iraq.\n\u201cI can be No. 1 in something.\u201d\n\u2014 Deanne R. Baker, whose divorce from Julie L. Baker in October was likely the first same-sex divorce in state history.\nContributing: Staff writers Graham Lee Brewer, Jane Glenn Cannon, Chris Casteel, Nolan Clay, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Randy Ellis, Adam Kemp, Kathryn McNutt, Phillip O\u2019Connor, Jennifer Palmer and Nathan Poppe; editors Nick Trougakos and Mike Sherman\nOnline: The Oklahoman", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cole.house.gov/roll-call-year-according-rep-tom-cole", "Roll Call: The Year According to Rep. Tom Cole", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Tom Cole", "C001053", "cole.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Roll Call - Matt Fuller\nRep. Tom Cole, the unofficial spokesman of the GOP rank and file in the House, has never been shy about telling the truth \u2014 at least the truth as the Oklahoma Republican sees it \u2014 with anyone who\u2019ll listen.\nContinuing a tradition that began last year, Cole got on the phone recently with CQ Roll Call for more than an hour to review the ups and downs of 2014 (something he also did in a recent column). Like last year, the 65-year-old former history professor thinks Republicans \u2014 and especially Speaker John A. Boehner \u2014 enter the new year with momentum.\n\u201cThe Boehner coalition is the largest coalition in the conference, and it\u2019s not even close,\u201d Cole said, dismissing ongoing anti-Boehner grumblings among some of the conference\u2019s most conservative Republicans.\nRep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., recently said there were roughly 16 to 18 Republicans planning to vote against Boehner for speaker when the 114th Congress convenes in January. While that\u2019s nearly enough Republicans to throw the contest to a second ballot, Cole said the number of Republicans who would only vote Boehner for speaker was \u201chigher than 130,\u201d meaning he believes there is no other Republican who could feasibly take the gavel.\nBoehner was vindicated by the government shutdown and the November election results, Cole said.\nBut Cole, who begins his seventh term in the 114th, also thinks Boehner was \u201cstrengthened\u201d by former Majority Leader Eric Cantor losing his primary. There\u2019s now no \u201clogical alternative\u201d to the Ohio Republican.\nWhile Cole said he didn\u2019t want \u201capply anything critical\u201d to Cantor \u2014 \u201dI think he was pretty selfless\u201d \u2014 the Oklahoma Republican thought that, in Cantor, \u201dyou had a ready-made backup, you had a guy who could clearly step in.\u201d\nWith Cantor gone, members seem satisfied with the new leadership team of Boehner, California\u2019s Kevin McCarthy at majority leader, Louisiana\u2019s Steve Scalise at majority whip, and Washington\u2019s Cathy McMorris Rodgers at GOP Conference chair. \u201cI feel pretty good about our top four,\u201d Cole said. \u201cThere\u2019s clearly less tension.\u201d\nCole acknowledged there was \u201cno question\u201d that there are some who remain unhappy with Boehner, but he called the anti-Boehner crowd a \u201cvery small gathering.\u201d\n\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s any threat to denying him the speakership,\u201d he said.\nInstead, he had stern words for those planning to register that discontent in the form of a protest vote during the speaker election. \u201cYou\u2019re not attacking John Boehner; you\u2019re attacking the Republican Conference,\u201d Cole said, adding that it was \u201ca great way to marginalize yourself.\u201d\n\u201cYou\u2019re just embarrassing yourself in my view,\u201d Cole continued, \u201cand undermining the unity of the conference.\u201d\nCole called Cantor\u2019s primary loss to Dave Brat a \u201cprofound moment\u201d and \u201cthe most single unexpected, shocking political moment of the year.\u201d\nBrat ran to the right of Cantor on issues like immigration, but Cole said that doesn\u2019t mean an immigration overhaul is out of the question in 2015.\n\u201cIf we don\u2019t put a border security bill on the president\u2019s desk in this year, I\u2019ll be amazed and disappointed,\u201d Cole said.\nHe added that there were things Republicans and Democrats generally agree on, like seasonal labor visas, that Congress could move \u201cpiecemeal.\u201d It\u2019s just a question, he said, of whether President Barack Obama, who has promised to implement his own sweeping executive action that would defer deprtations for millions of immigrants, will accept a step-by-step approach from Congress.\n\u201cHe\u2019s got to decide if he\u2019s willing to take half a loaf, or if he\u2019s going to try to shove the whole loaf down our throats,\u201d Cole said.\nThe president has long maintained that he would take the piece-by-piece approach. Up to this point, it has been House Republicans who have had difficulty coalescing behind any portion of the immigration issue. But they will have a chance soon. As Cole noted, Congress has to deal with the president\u2019s immigration action and Department of Homeland Security funding when they get back; DHS funding runs out Feb. 28.\nCole did see some positive signs, with House Republicans passing a border supplemental bill before leaving for the August recess \u2014 something he said was a major 2014 accomplishment, particularly when you consider that lawmakers, while dealing with the influx of children crossing the U.S. border, also passed \u201cthe largest reform of the VA system in a generation\u201d and provided emergency money for Israel to fund their Iron Dome missile defense system.\n\u201cCongress has gotten a little better,\u201d he said.\nCole saw the year-end \u201ccromnibus\u201d deal as the crowning achievement in 2014. He said it was \u201cpretty unusual\u201d to see the White House and the speaker \u201ccooperating\u201d to pass such a sweeping spending bill, and he thought it portended well for 2015.\nCole himself had a pretty good year. He\u2019s shot up through the ranks on the Appropriations Committee, and will serve as the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee chairman in the 114th, this after becoming an Appropriations cardinal just late last year.\nCole, who was chairman of Legislative Branch Appropriations, explained that his office thought he might have a choice to be chairman among four subcommittees. \u201cLet\u2019s just say Labor-H\u201d \u2014 as it\u2019s often called among those in the appropriations know \u2014 \u201dwasn\u2019t the preferred path of choice.\u201d\nLabor-HHS is notoriously the most controversial subcommittee, and it\u2019s one of the most difficult bills to get on the floor, with members looking to avoid tough votes on issues like abortion riders.\nBut when Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky., came to Cole late this year to discuss subcommittee assignments, Rogers asked Cole to take Labor-HHS. \u201cI said, \u2018I thought I had a choice,\u2019\u201d Cole recounted. And when Rogers said he did have a choice, Cole replied, \u201cWell, in that case, my choice is to do what my chairman wants.\u201d Which resulted in a \u201cbig grin\u201d from Rogers.\nCole\u2019s realistic about getting the Labor-HHS bill to the floor next year \u2014 \u201cI don\u2019t know, I think it is a difficult and complex bill\u201d \u2014 and he\u2019s first concentrated on getting the measure to through the full committee. \u201cWe haven\u2019t done that in four years,\u201d Cole noted.\nHe said his plan was to try to create opportunities for moments of bipartisanship, whether it be working on a bipartisan issue like Native American affairs (Cole\u2019s a member of the Chickasaw Nation himself) or by taking some time with fellow members to enjoy a cigar. (At one point in the conversation, Cole evidenced Rep. David Joyce\u2019s worth by noting that, \u201cHe smokes cigars, so he\u2019s a great guy.\u201d)\nBut Cole is realistic about what Congress can accomplish, even with Republicans controlling the Senate. In one of his extended sports metaphors \u2014 in which he also worked in conservative Republicans who are discontent with Boehner \u2014 Cole said every player had a role to play for the team\u2019s success.\n\u201cSometimes it\u2019s better to be the left guard than the quarterback, no matter how much you want to be the quarterback,\u201d he said, noting that, over the course of his own football career, there were \u201cplenty of times I held the dummy.\u201d\nIt\u2019s that team attitude that has endeared Cole with many in leadership, despite some past conflicts with Boehner. But, even though many reporters pretend Cole is a sanctioned spokesman for Boehner, Cole made it clear that he speaks just for himself, never for the speaker.\n\u201cEvery time I hear that, I think that\u2019s somebody who hasn\u2019t been here very long,\u201d Cole said.\nOnline: Roll Call", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gosar.house.gov/press-release/rep-gosar-year-review-most-effective-member-113th-congress", "Rep. Gosar Year in Review: \"Most Effective Member of 113th Congress\"", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Paul Gosar", "G000565", "gosar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement recapping his legislative accomplishments from the 113th Congress: \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      \r\r\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tFor Immediate Release\r\r\t\t\t\t\tDate: December 31, 2014\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\u00a0\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tContact: Steven D. Smith\r\r\t\t\t\t\tSteven.Smith@mail.house.gov\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\r\r\r\r Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04)\u00a0released the following statement recapping his legislative accomplishments from the 113th Congress:  \u201cI am extremely grateful for a productive and fulfilling year representing Arizona\u2019s Fourth Congressional district during the 113th Congress. After dozens of town halls and meetings, thousands of calls and letters, my constituents made their legislative priorities clear. I am proud to have delivered on the important issues my constituents identified including cutting waste, fraud and abuse from government spending, building a better environment for private job creation and holding the Obama Administration accountable for its actions and overreaching polices.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWith six bills signed into law by the president, 12 other of my legislative efforts becoming law, and 24 of my amendments passing the House, I am honored and very proud to have been the most effective member of this Congress. In a time of gridlock where few things were enacted, my team and I focused on commonsense policies and the economy to get America back on track. However, these legislative successes would have not occurred without the cooperation and support of my fellow lawmakers, countless staff members and an endless number of local Arizona groups who share in the belief of building a more prosperous nation for all Arizonans. I am constantly inspired by\u00a0the citizens of the great state of Arizona\u00a0and will continue to listen to their ideas and perspectives while delivering solutions to improve their lives.\u201d\r\r\r\r  \r\r\tAdditional:\r\rYou can find a comprehensive list of Congressman Gosar\u2019s legislative accomplishments from the 113th Congress\u00a0HERE.\r\r\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jones.house.gov/press-release/media-advisoryjones-lynch-and-graham-host-press-conference-resolution-declassify-911", "***MEDIA ADVISORY***JONES, LYNCH, AND GRAHAM TO HOST PRESS CONFERENCE ON RESOLUTION TO DECLASSIFY 9/11 REPORT", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Walter Jones", "J000255", "jones.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 On Wednesday, January 7, Representatives Walter B. Jones (NC-3), Stephen Lynch (MA-8), and Senator Bob Graham (FL) will hold a bipartisan press conference on H. Res. 428, a resolution that calls on President Obama to declassify the 28 pages of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 2001 that were initially classified by President George W. Bush and have remained classified under President Barack Obama. Senator Graham was the chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence when the Joint Inquiry was written and has repeatedly called for the 28 pages to be declassified.\u00a0 H. Res. 428 states that declassification of the pages is necessary to provide the American public with the full truth surrounding the tragic events of September 11, 2001, particularly relating to the involvement of foreign governments. Congressmen Jones, Lynch, and Massie will introduce H. Res. 428 into the 114th Congress.\nAlso attending the press conference will be representatives from 9/11 Families United for Justice Against Terrorism, and family members of victims killed in the 9/11 attacks.\nWednesday, January 7 at 9:30 AM:\nWHAT:  \n\tPress conference on the status of H. Res. 428 in the new Congress\nWHO:  \n\tCongressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3)  \n\tCongressman Stephen Lynch (MA-8)  \n\tSenator Bob Graham (FL)  \n\tRepresentatives from 9/11 Families United for Justice Against Terrorism  \n\tFamily members of victims killed in the 9/11 attacks\n\n\tWHEN:  \n\t\tWednesday, January 7 at 9:30 AM\n\tWHERE:  \n\t\tCannon House Office Building, Room 121", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-releases-2014-year-end-report-constituents", "Rep. Kelly Releases 2014 Year-End Report for Constituents", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Mike Kelly", "K000376", "kelly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (PA-03) released the following report today, to be e-mailed to his constituents throughout Pennsylvania\u2019s Third Congressional District, to serve as a year-end overview of his office\u2019s legislative achievements and constituent relations throughout 2014.\nDear Constituent:\nOver the past twelve months, I had the extraordinary privilege of continuing to represent you in our nation\u2019s capital during the second and final session of the 113th Congress.\nNext week, I will be sworn in for a third time as the Representative of Pennsylvania\u2019s Third Congressional District. As with my first two terms in office, all of my work in the House of Representatives will be guided by Western Pennsylvania values\u2014hard work, common sense, and straight talk. I see my service as bringing Western Pennsylvania\u2019s voice to Washington, and never the other way around.\nAs I prepare to enter the 114th Congress with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, please remember that your priorities are my priorities, and that every day I will continue to work as hard as possible to accomplish them for you.\nWith every new challenge that 2014 brought us, there also came many great opportunities. My staff and I worked diligently to meet all of them head-on with the best results for you and your neighbors. The following report is meant to provide you with an overview of the most important legislative business that we conducted on behalf of Western Pennsylvania from last January until now.\nMeeting the Needs of Our Constituents All Year Round\nHere is a run-down of how my offices and staff were able to help me assist and communicate with my constituents in 2014. We\u2026\n Toured 30 local businesses and factories to meet with employers and employees about issues affecting their industries;\n  Helped 2,130 constituents with navigating the federal bureaucracy;\n  Answered more than 46,300 pieces of mail, e-mail, faxes, and calls;\n  Maintained 3 full-time constituent offices and 3 satellite offices;\n  Hosted 5 tele-town hall meetings to address a range of issues including health care concerns, help with filing tax returns, and Medicare\u2019s Open Enrollment Period; overall, the tele-town halls included 30,397 participants from the Third District; we left a total of 108,252 messages on constituents\u2019 answering machines to invite them to join us;\n  Attended/organized more than 200 constituent outreach meetings with different individuals, groups, schools, hospitals, etc. throughout the Third District;\n  Sent 1,544 American flags to constituents;\n  Assisted with 150 tours of the U.S. Capitol; 60 tours of the White House; 37 tours of the U.S. Supreme Court; 20 tours of the Library of Congress; and dozens of other tours to popular Washington destinations including the Kennedy Center, the FBI Education Center, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing;\n  Expanded my social media presence, ending the year with more than 11,650 fans and 4,940 followers on Facebook and Twitter respectively; and\n  Conducted hundreds of interviews with local, regional, and national newspapers, radio shows, and television programs.\n Strengthening Our Economy &amp; Paving the Way for New, Family-Sustaining Jobs\nSince my very first day in office, my main priority has been to help foster an environment that strengthens our economy and generates more jobs with family-sustainable wages for our region and our country. I\u2019ve proudly supported every measure to achieve this outcome, and opposed any obstacle to reaching it.\nOf course, having to deal with an obstructionist Senate has not been easy, since most of the jobs bills that we passed in the House \u2013 usually with bipartisan support \u2013 have ended up getting trapped on (soon-to-be-former) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid\u2019s desk. That said, my House colleagues and I still did not hesitate to pass as many pro-jobs initiatives over the past year as possible.\nOne of these was H.R. 4,\u00a0the Jobs for America Act, which included a package of 15 commonsense, bipartisan bills to rebuild our economy by removing government barriers to private-sector job creation. I was proud to be a co-sponsor of many of these bills, a full list of which can be viewed here.\nDefending Coal &amp; Promoting American Energy\nWhen President Obama ramped up his war on coal by commanding the Environmental Protecting Agency (EPA) to roll-out a controversial new regulatory plan for coal-fired power plants, a call to action was sounded.\nIn addition to supporting more than 40,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, coal also provides 40 percent of America's electricity\u2014more than any other fuel. The Associated Press has rightly called coal \u201cthe workhorse of the U.S. power system\u201d that \u201chelps keep prices stable and power flowing even when demand spikes.\u201d When federal regulations force mines and power plants to shut down, as is already happening at a historic rate, manufacturing costs rise, employment plummets, and electricity bills skyrocket.\nIn response to the EPA\u2019s radical proposal, I joined with Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky to introduce H.R. 4808, the Coal Country Protection Act. The legislation would halt any new regulations by the EPA on America\u2019s power plants until the following four outcomes are guaranteed: 1.) No job losses; 2.) No loss in GDP/economic growth; 3.) No higher electric rates; 4). No interruption in energy delivery. This bill was just the beginning.\nIn addition to touting the need to defend coal multiple times on television, in a speech at the Heritage Foundation, in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, and at a public press conference with Sen. McConnell and dozens of other leaders from both parties, I formally extended an official invitation to President Obama to visit a Western Pennsylvania coal mine himself. Such a trip would allow him to meet and speak with the hardworking men and women whose livelihoods are most in jeopardy under his administration\u2019s anti-coal crusade. When the EPA held a public hearing on its proposal in Pittsburgh, I made sure coal had its day in court.\nEven though the Coal Country Protection Act was not able to pass Congress this year, and despite the fact that President Obama declined my personal invitation to don a hard hat, I pledge to you that the fight for coal\u2019s future will continue. After all, this battle is not just about coal country\u2014it\u2019s about our whole country.\nSpeaking of our whole country, I spent much of 2014 continually promoting the possibility of a 21st century American energy renaissance\u2014and the critical need to achieve it. In September, I was particularly thrilled to support H.R. 2, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act. This bipartisan legislation included 14 separate bills to expand domestic energy production, including a bill to finally approve the construction of the widely popular Keystone XL Pipeline. A full list of these commonsense measures can be viewed here.\nMaking the Tax Code Work for Western Pennsylvania\nAs a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I am strongly committed to making our nation\u2019s outdated tax code fairer, simpler, and less costly for individuals and families of all sizes.\nPro-growth tax reform would simplify the tax code, lower tax rates, and make the United States the most attractive place to do business once again. This would no doubt strengthen our economy, which in turn would mean new jobs, higher pay, and more money in the pockets of American families and workers.\nWhile the momentum for major tax reform is still building, this past year I was able to introduce and/or co-sponsor the following individual bills to improve taxes especially for Western Pennsylvanians:\n The America Gives More Act (H.R. 4719), which was passed by a bipartisan vote of 277-130. The legislation includes a package of five bipartisan charity-related bills, including the text of H.R. 3134, the Charitable Giving Extension Act, which I originally introduced in September 2013. (According to Independent Sector, Pennsylvania is home to more than 68,500 non-profit organizations which employ 727,200 people, almost 13.3 percent of the state\u2019s workforce; generate $96.8 billion in annual revenues; and hold assets of $208 billion. Pennsylvania foundations give a total of $1.3 billion annually.)\n  The Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2013 (H.R. 2807). This bill was included in the passage of the America Gives More Act. (Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, one of the largest land trusts in the country, has conserved more than 235,000 acres of farm and natural lands throughout Western Pennsylvania. H.R. 2807 would help the Conservancy continue preserving open spaces in the Third District and throughout Pennsylvania.)\n  The Child Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2014 (H.R. 4935), which was passed by a bipartisan vote of 237-173. The bill would modify the child tax credit in several meaningful ways to help hardworking Pennsylvania families keep more of their hard-earned money.\n  The Powering American Jobs Act of 2014 (H.R. 5775). This bipartisan legislation extends certain expiring tax incentives for the energy sector, including important propane and biodiesel provisions. Many of these extenders were included in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2015 that was signed into law on December 16, 2014.\n  The Kelly-Kind Retirement Provision, which was included in the Omnibus budget, and which codifies the definition of \u201cnormal retirement age\u201d as either 30 years of service or the current tax code\u2019s definition of 62 years old. Because the IRS changed its retirement definition to include only the latter description, 10,000 rural electric coop beneficiaries throughout the nation would have otherwise lost their retirement benefits, including 16 in the Third District.\n Pushing Back Against the Imperial Presidency\nThis year saw President Obama take executive power to a frightening new level, from making unilateral changes to Obamacare, environmental policies, and immigration laws\u2014all without any involvement from Congress, where laws are meant to be decided.\nAt the beginning of the year, after President Obama pledged to use his \u201cpen and phone\u201d to \u201ctake executive actions and administrative actions,\u201d I sent a letter co-signed by 20 Members of Congress to Attorney General Eric Holder seeking Constitutional justification for the president\u2019s plans. In February, I discussed the letter with host Megyn Kelly on The Kelly File on Fox News.\nIn March, the House took legislative action to rein-in the imperial presidency in the form of H.R. 4138, the Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of (ENFORCE) the Law Act, and H.R. 3973, the Faithful Execution of the Law Act of 2014, both of which I was proud to co-sponsor.\nIn July, the House took another stand against President Obama\u2019s lawlessness by approving litigation against him. The system of checks and balances within our Constitution is far too precious and important to maintaining the freedom of our republic for any president to ever ignore or diminish. Speaker Boehner was left with no other option than to introduce H.\u00a0Res. 676, a resolution to sue President Obama for his breach of authority. You can read more about it\u00a0here.\nAfter President Obama announced his plan to grant amnesty to 5 million illegal immigrants in November, I publicly condemned it as outrageous and unconstitutional. I consider it a direct challenge to our system of government that must be opposed. That is why I voted to pass the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act (H.R. 5759) and co-sponsored an amendment to the Omnibus appropriations bill which would have banned any funding for the president's order. Because of the unlawful nature of the president's unilateral action, the House ultimately ensured that the budget only funds the Department of Homeland Security \u2013 which handles immigration \u2013 until the end of this coming February. By then, conservatives will fully control both houses of Congress and will have the stronger ground necessary to stop the president's illegal order without Harry Reid thwarting our actions.\nMost recently, I was proud to co-sign an amicus brief filed by the American Center for Law and Justice in support of the lawsuit brought by 24 states against President Obama's executive order earlier this month.\nFighting Ebola Before It\u2019s Too Late\nAs you know, the second half of this past year saw the deadly Ebola virus finally reach our shores and claim American life. From the onset, I argued that this was a Paul Revere moment for the American people, and that every citizen from coast to coast should be alert, informed, and totally engaged in our nation\u2019s fight to thwart this horrific disease.\nOn October 7th, I sent a letter to President Obama urgently requesting information regarding his administration\u2019s handling of the Ebola outbreak and details of a comprehensive strategy to stop the virus from affecting Americans. On October 9th, I sent a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Sylvia Burwell, and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Tom Frieden, expressing my deep concern about the possibility of the Ebola virus spreading to Pennsylvania. (The letter was copied to Governor Tom Corbett.)\nOn October 20th, I called on President Obama to finalize a rule proposed under the Bush administration in 2005 to update and revise regulations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to \u201cprevent the introduction, transmission or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the United States from one State or possession into another.\u201d According to the federal register, the code of federal regulations that deals with foreign arrivals has not been updated since 1985. According to USA Today, the Obama administration scrapped the proposal in 2010 after objections by the American Civil Liberties Union over \u201cpotential passenger privacy rights violations and the proposal's \u2018provisional quarantine\u2019 rule.\u201d\nOn October 21st, I had an in-depth phone conversation with Dr. Peter Piot \u2013 the doctor who first discovered the Ebola virus in 1976 in the Republic of Congo \u2013 about necessary action to stop the virus and protect Americans. As a result of our discussion, I joined with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida to introduce H.R. 5746, the Keeping America Safe from Ebola Act, on November 20th (the same day Sen. Rubio introduced his Senate companion). Simply put, the bill would prohibit any alien from a country with a widespread Ebola virus outbreak from obtaining a visa to enter the United States. An extended list of the bill\u2019s provisions can be viewed here.\nStanding Up for the Great Lakes\nAs co-chairman of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition, I am constantly involved in making sure the Great Lakes are properly cared for by the federal government. I consider the Great Lakes a gift from God\u2014one that is directly tied to 128,000 American jobs, more than $33.6 billion in annual revenue, and three percent of our nation\u2019s gross domestic product.\nIn May, my House colleagues and I passed the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, by an astounding bipartisan vote of 412-4. Through WRRDA, Congress authorizes the key missions of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, including developing, maintaining, and supporting the nation\u2019s economically vital waterway infrastructure and supporting effective and targeted flood protection and environmental restoration needs.\nThis major package will guarantee that our port in Erie is dredged, which in turn will make sure that the workers at Donjon\u2019s shipyard in Erie can keep doing their job. It will ensure that Presque Isle\u2019s pristine beaches are protected, which will keep tourists coming and commerce flowing for generations to come. Overall, three of the Third District\u2019s most important industries \u2013 tourism, manufacturing, and agriculture \u2013 are directly improved by this incredibly important bill. That\u2019s why Ray Schreckengost, Executive Director of the Erie-Western PA Port Authority, referred to WRRDA as \u201cgroundbreaking legislation for the Great Lakes.\u201d\nOn July 10th \u2013 the same day President Obama signed WRRDA into law \u2013 I introduced an amendment to H.R. 4923, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act, 2015, to ensure that the bill complies with a provision in WRRDA that requires 10 percent of federal dollars allocated for harbor maintenance funding be prioritized for the Great Lakes Navigation System (GLNS). The amendment, co-authored by Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), was passed unanimously.\nEarlier this month, I was proud to co-sponsor H.R. 5764, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2014, which was also passed by the House unanimously. This bipartisan legislation amends the Clean Water Act to authorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) for Fiscal Years 2015 \u2013 2019.\nThe GLRI was an inter-agency program launched by President Obama in 2009 to implement a regional collaboration strategy developed in 2005 through a process established by an executive order from then-President George W. Bush in 2004. The GLRI had not previously received congressional authorization. Without increasing federal spending, this bill would authorize the GLRI at $300 million (the amount already appropriated over the past four fiscal years) each year for the next five years.\nLast year, with the help of GLRI, Presque Isle Bay was removed from the EPA\u2019s list of Areas of Concern. Additionally, the GLRI has been instrumental in keeping Asian Carp from invading the Great Lakes and threatening its world class fisheries.\u00a0\nKeeping the Internet Free, Our Sovereignty Secure, &amp; Our Rights Protected\nMuch like last year, 2014 saw the First and Second Amendments of our Bill of Rights \u2013 along with the spirit of liberty they represent \u2013 come to the forefront of some very important legislative initiatives.\n* * * * *\nIn March, the Obama administration announced that it will not renew the National Telecommunications and Information Administration\u2019s (NTIA) contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), thereby turning over America\u2019s stewardship of the Internet\u2019s crucial functions to \u201cthe global multistakeholder community.\u201d\nAccording to media expert Gordon Crovitz, writing in The Wall Street Journal, \u201cRussia, China and other authoritarian governments have already been working to redesign the Internet more to their liking, and now they will no doubt leap to fill the power vacuum caused by America's unilateral retreat.\u201d\nIn June, I authored a guest op-ed for Red Alert Politics describing the stakes of surrendering American stewardship of the Internet to a multinational body or any other entity. In July, I hosted a policy briefing on Capitol Hill on the future of Internet governance in light of the Obama administration\u2019s announcement. The hearing was attended by dozens of Congressional staffers and featured professional analysis by three field experts.\nOn November 19th, I introduced H.R. 5737, the Defending Internet Freedom Act of 2014. The legislation would prevent the Obama administration, or that of any future president, from relinquishing the critical functions of the Internet to any other entity without enhanced congressional oversight and until explicit, freedom-protecting requirements are met. It is being co-sponsored by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who also serves as chairman and co-founder of the Congressional High Tech Caucus.\nUnder our care and our values, the Internet has been able to safely expand to unthinkable horizons, enabling new ideas to spread and new markets to grow all over the world. Keeping the Internet free and safe from hostile powers overseas who by their very nature despise freedom is not just a moral responsibility\u2014it is a thoroughly American duty.\n* * * * *\nOver the summer, I joined with Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming to introduce H.R. 5285, the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2014, which would ensure that all faith-based institutions and individuals can continue to provide child welfare services to those who need them.\nFor decades, faith-based organizations have played a downright heroic role in caring for the most vulnerable among us, including infants, expectant mothers, children, teens, and needy families in Western Pennsylvania and across our country. Our bill would simply prevent these service providers from ever being denied federal assistance based on their sincerely held religious beliefs. Ultimately, it is about defending religious liberty as well as ensuring that everyone who wants to help provide foster or adoptive care to our nation\u2019s children is able to have a seat at the table\n* * * * *\nIn September, the House passed three new pieces of legislation to limit the power of the IRS in the wake of ongoing investigations into the agency\u2019s unlawful targeting of conservative organizations. As a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, I was very proud to be the sole original co-sponsor of each bill.\n* * * * *\nJust last week, the dangerous United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) went into effect on Christmas Eve, 90 days after it was ratified by 50 nations. Thanks to our opposition in Congress, the United States is not one of them (even though the Obama administration misguidedly signed the treaty in 2013).\nAs I have long argued, the ATT is an outrageous agreement that would force the United States \u2013 the world\u2019s most important defender of peace and democracy \u2013 onto equal footing with the world\u2019s worst dictatorships and terror-sponsors. Ominously, the treaty excludes any specific protection for, or even mention of, the fundamental right of individuals to keep and bear arms, which only opens the door wider to future gun control impositions.\nMost recently, I was able to secure a provision in the final version of the FY 2015 Omnibus budget that bans any federal funding for the implementation of the treaty for one full year.\n* * * * *\nAs I\u2019ve said time and again, representing you and your neighbors in the House of Representatives has been the honor of my lifetime. Any time my staff can help you with a federal matter in any specific way, please do not hesitate to contact me via the information and locations listed below.\nI humbly thank you for the opportunity to serve you, and look forward to having your back in Congress in 2015.\nHappy New Year!\nSincerely,\nMike Kelly\n\u00a0\nERIE DISTRICT OFFICE\n208 E. Bayfront Parkway\nSuite 102\nErie, PA 16507\nPhone: (814) 454-8190\nFax: (814) 454-8197\n\u00a0\nBUTLER DISTRICT OFFICE\n101 East Diamond St\nSuite 218\nButler, PA\u00a0 16001\nPhone: (724) 282-2557  \n\tFax: (724) 282-3682\n\u00a0\nSHARON DISTRICT OFFICE\n33 Chestnut Street\nSharon, PA\u00a0 16146\nPhone: (724) 342-7170\nFax: (724) 342-7242\n\u00a0\nWASHINGTON, DC OFFICE\n1519 Longworth HOB\nWashington, DC 20515\nPhone: (202) 225-5406\nFax: (202) 225-3103\n\u00a0\nCRAWFORD COUNTY OFFICE\nBy appointment on Wednesdays\n9:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.\n908 Diamond Park\nMeadville, PA 16335\nPhone: (814) 454-8190\n\u00a0\nARMSTRONG COUNTY OFFICE\nBy appointment on Thursdays\n9:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.\n300 South McKean Street\nKittanning, PA 16201\nPhone: (724) 282-2557\n\u00a0\nLAWRENCE COUNTY\nEvery Friday\n9:00 a.m. \u2013 4: 00 p.m.\nLawrence County Courthouse\n430 Court Street\nNew Castle, PA\u00a0 16101", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=3DF04EBC-8E9A-48DA-95E1-63CE1C8FD653", "Weekly Column: Keeping Resolutions", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Making New Year\u2019s resolutions seems to be as much of a tradition as breaking New Year\u2019s resolutions.\u00a0 We commit ourselves to getting in shape or quitting bad habits, but by January 5, many have already strayed.\u00a0 We blame it on self-discipline or holiday leftovers, but research suggests it has more to do with how we go about setting goals.\r\nStudies show we\u2019re more likely to achieve our resolutions if we set specific goals, such as \u201cI will lose five pounds by March 1.\u201d\u00a0 And once those goals are set, we ought to tell someone so we don\u2019t go it alone.\u00a0 With this approach to goal setting in mind, I sat down and put together a list of specific and public resolutions that will move us toward the larger goal of reigniting the promise of opportunity in America.\u00a0\r\nFirst, I will work to update and simplify the tax code, which hasn\u2019t been done since gas cost less than 90 cents a gallon.\u00a0 Over the last 25-plus years, special interest groups have manipulated the tax code time and again, carving out so many loopholes that we now have a 73,954-page-long tax code.\u00a0 As a friend of mine says, that\u2019s 10 times longer than the Bible with none of the Good News!\u00a0\r\nI want to strip out those loopholes, protect folks from an abusive IRS, and lower the tax rate for hardworking Americans, and I\u2019m optimistic there\u2019s positive momentum behind such changes.\u00a0 We won\u2019t likely rewrite our entire tax code in a single year, but we must make progress toward creating something that\u2019s simpler and fairer.\r\nSecond, I want to open new markets for trade between South Dakota and the world.\u00a0 The United States is currently in negotiations with 11 nations to create a Trans-Pacific Partnership and with the European Union to create the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.\u00a0 South Dakota already exports around $1 billion annually to markets involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and $125 million to the European Union, but there is room to grow if we can level the playing field for U.S. exporters.\u00a0 Both the President and Congressional leadership are optimistic this is an area where we can put partisanship aside, find common ground and make progress on these negotiations.\r\nFinally, I want to target government agencies and programs that inhibit our liberties and lives.\u00a0\u00a0 One of the most significant impediments to our individual liberties today is the Affordable Care Act.\u00a0 While I would like to see the legislation fully repealed, there is little-to-no hope that President Obama will sign legislation doing so and there isn\u2019t enough support from Democrats in Congress to override the certain veto.\u00a0 Nonetheless, I\u2019ll do all I can to weaken the law and give relief to those most impacted until we can get the support needed for a full repeal.\u00a0 Already, we\u2019ve reduced the law\u2019s funding and repealed the onerous 1099 requirements.\u00a0 This year, I\u2019m hopeful we\u2019ll also be able to repeal the law\u2019s medical device tax and further limit its Independent Payment Advisory Board, a panel of 15 unelected bureaucrats who are charged with making decisions that could limit Medicare recipients\u2019 access to coverage.\r\nOnerous federal regulations and roadblocks have also made energy more expensive than it has to be.\u00a0 I fully expect that one of the first votes I\u2019ll take in the new Congress will be to move forward on the Keystone XL Pipeline \u2013 a pipeline that would create jobs and generate over $20 million in property taxes in South Dakota.\u00a0 I\u2019ll also be looking to rein in unnecessary EPA regulations, which could help make energy more affordable for South Dakotans.\r\nI know I\u2019ve outlined a very aggressive agenda.\u00a0 Some of these items can be settled in the next 12 months.\u00a0 Others, like simplifying the tax code and expanding trade, may take longer if we want to do it right, but this is the year to get started on these larger goals as well.\u00a0 I am optimistic though and I believe we have a new Congress that is prepared to govern and ready to take the tough votes that are necessary to restore the American Dream.\u00a0 I for one can\u2019t wait to tackle all that 2015 has in store.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://paulryan.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398181", "Chairman Ryan Names Ways and Means Communications Staff", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "paulryan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC - Incoming Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Paul Ryan (R-WI) today named the Committee's full communications staff for the 114th Congress. \u00a0The group will join a team headed up by previously-announced Communications Director Brendan Buck.\r\n\r\nDoug Andres, Press Secretary - Andres comes to Ways and Means from the House Rules Committee, where he currently serves as Communications Director. Before joining the Rules Committee, he served in various roles for then-House Republican Whip Eric Cantor. Andres will begin his appointment at the Ways and Means Committee on February 1st. \r\nBrian Bolduc, Senior Communications Advisor - Bolduc, Chairman Ryan's chief speechwriter, is moving from the House Budget Committee to join the Ways and Means staff. Before coming to Capitol Hill, Bolduc was a writer at National Review, the Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Crimson. He was also a member of the speechwriting staff on the Romney for President campaign in 2012. \u00a0\r\nVanessa Day, Digital Director - Day, a long-time aide to Chairman Ryan, has led his digital efforts for\u00a0eight years.\u00a0 A Wisconsin native, she will be joining Ways and Means from the House Budget Committee, where she played an important role advancing the Path to Prosperity. Day also served on the Romney for President campaign in 2012. \r\nMolly Edwards, Press Assistant - Edwards has been a member of the communications staff at the Ways and Means Committee since July 2014. In 2012, she was part of the Romney for President campaign, working\u00a0out of\u00a0the Virginia field office.\u00a0Edwards got her start on Capitol Hill in the office of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/weekly-column?ContentRecord_id=34E3B324-91E0-4817-8044-4580889F62C0", "Renacci Report: Looking Back At The Past Year In Washington", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Jim Renacci", "R000586", "renacci.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Looking Back At The Past Year In Washington\r\nIt is a great honor to serve you in the United States Congress. Though we have much work ahead of us, I want to take this opportunity to highlight my work on behalf of Ohio\u2019s 16th District in Washington this past year.\r\nAddressing The Problems At The VA\r\nLike many living in Ohio\u2019s 16th District, I was deeply troubled to learn of the systematic failures at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We can and must be doing more to keep our promise to those who have served our country.\r\nIn July, the House passed the\u00a0Veterans\u2019 Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act. Highlights from this legislation include providing $10 billion for veterans to seek private care at hospitals and clinics outside the VA, and $5 billion to allow the department to hire more doctors, nurses, and medical staff. It was signed into law on August 7, 2014.\r\nReducing the Negative Effects of the President\u2019s Health Care Law\r\nAs I travel throughout Ohio\u2019s 16th District, I continue to hear Ohioans speak of the negative effects of the President\u2019s health care law. Whether it\u2019s higher premiums or a small business grappling with the law\u2019s employer mandate, the broken law\u2019s unintended consequences are significant.\r\nThis past year, the House passed the\u00a0Employee Health Care Protection Act. It allows American workers who receive coverage through their employer the opportunity to keep their health plans through 2019. Additionally, I introduced the\u00a0Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality (STARS) Act\u00a0to clarify the employer mandate\u2019s seasonal worker exemption provision so that our small businesses can focus their resources on doing what they do best: create jobs.\r\nBringing Transparency to the Federal Government\r\nIn Washington, we know that our current path is unsustainable, but do we really know where we stand fiscally? The answer is that we don\u2019t, thanks to the federal government\u2019s incomplete financial statements.\r\nThat is why I introduced the\u00a0Federal Financial Statement Transparency Act.\u00a0This bill will encourage the federal government to clean up its balance sheet, lead to a more honest depiction of our nation\u2019s finances, and ultimately allow Congress to balance the budget and more effectively address our growing debt.\r\nReining In The EPA\r\nAt a time when Americans are in need of a strong economic recovery, Ohio simply cannot afford to suffer more job losses as a result of this administration\u2019s attack on coal and the affordable domestic energy that it creates. This abundant natural resource generates over 50 percent of our state\u2019s electricity and the industry employs thousands of Ohioans.\r\nI was proud to support the\u00a0Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act. Not only will this bill curb this administration\u2019s wasteful spending, it also removes the threat of new job-crushing federal regulations.\r\nTax-Free Savings Accounts For Individuals With Disabilities\r\nMany parents living in Ohio\u2019s 16th District have expressed the challenges they face when it comes to covering the costs associated everyday living expenses for their children. The challenge is even greater for parents with a child who has a disability.\r\nThat is why I was a proud cosponsor of the\u00a0Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) Act,\u00a0a bill that allows individuals with disabilities and their caregivers to set up tax-free savings accounts in order to save for their own costs of medical care, housing, transportation, and continued education. It passed the House in July and was signed into law earlier this month.\r\nCreating Conditions For Economic Growth\r\nOver the past several months, we have seen unemployment reports that show our labor force participation rate is the lowest it\u2019s been in decades. We must be doing more to incite growth and innovation.\r\nThat is why the House passed the\u00a0Jobs for America Act, a bill that changes federal law to improve the conditions necessary for economic growth. Additionally, I introduced the\u00a0Flexibility to Promote Reemployment Act, a bill that increases states\u2019 flexibility to help unemployed individuals find employment by reducing the unnecessary Washington red tape that continues to stand in the way of job growth.\r\nThese are just a few of the more than 300 House-passed bills that remain stalled in the Senate. Though gridlock in Washington is frustrating, I am more than hopeful that come January we can work together to advance these bipartisan solutions. As we enter 2015, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get our country back on the path to prosperity.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/found-wwii-pilot-be-laid-rest-montgomery-saturday", "Found WWII Pilot to be Laid to Rest in Montgomery Saturday", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MONTGOMERY, Ala. \u2013 An Alabama World War II pilot who was missing for decades after his plane went down on Guadalcanal Island will finally be laid to rest this week with full military honors.\nMaj. Peyton Mathis, Jr., commander of the 44th Fighter Squadron, will be buried in his hometown of Montgomery, Ala. Saturday, January 3rd. He was 28 years old on June 5, 1944 when the P-38J Lightning he was piloting went down over Guadalcanal Island after returning from a mission.\u00a0\nRescue and recovery attempts at the time of the crash were unsuccessful due to the heavy jungle. It wasn\u2019t until 2013, when local islanders informed Department of Defense crews of a nearby crash site, that the downed P-38 was found, Maj. Mathis still strapped into the cockpit.\u00a0\nWhen Peyton Mathis III, Maj. Mathis\u2019 nephew, learned his uncle\u2019s lost plane and remains had possibly been found, he contacted U.S. Representative Martha Roby\u2019s office for help expediting the identification and return process. Maj. Mathis\u2019 widow, Evelyn, is now in her 90s, and the family understandably wanted the remains to be identified and returned as soon as possible.\u00a0\nThe Pearl Harbor-based Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is a special\u00a0Department of Defense division whose mission is to bring America\u2019s fallen soldiers home, no matter how long it takes and no matter the cost.\u00a0When JPAC learns of possible remains, it deploys a team of researchers and scientists. From the jungles of Vietnam, the deserts of North Africa, or the depths of the Pacific Ocean, \u00a0these recovery missions require complex diplomacy and can be difficult and dangerous.\nIn the case of Maj. Mathis, JPAC crews worked with local police to gain custody of the remains, which were sent to a special laboratory for DNA testing. Researchers used various forensic tools, including DNA provided by the family, to finally confirm Maj. Mathis\u2019 remains.\u00a0\nRep. Roby thanked the Mathis\u00a0family, JPAC, and all others who played a part in ensuring this fallen airman was returned home.\u00a0\n \n\t\u201c70 years ago, a brave pilot from Montgomery, Alabama went down in the\u00a0jungles of the Pacific trying to save the lives of his fellow airmen,\u201d Rep. Roby said.\u00a0\u201cThose who witnessed it said Maj. Mathis was circling the airfield, allowing the planes in his command to land safely, even though he was running low on fuel.\n\t\u201cIt has taken decades, but Major Mathis is finally returning home to Montgomery to be laid to rest alongside his father and brother.\u00a0I\u00a0appreciate the\u00a0diligent efforts of the Mathis family, JPAC, and local islanders to find, identify, and return Major Mathis, and\u00a0I was honored for my office to play a small role in seeing a fallen hero laid to rest.\n\t\u201cStories like this are what makes our country great, because no other country does this.\u00a0The United States is the only nation in the world that devotes such resources to the mission of bringing our lost servicemen home. No matter how long it takes, no matter how much it costs, we are going to bring our fallen home.\u00a0\n\t\u201cLike so many in his generation, Major Peyton Mathis, Jr. made the\u00a0ultimate\u00a0sacrifice fighting to defend this country and preserve the very freedom we enjoy today. This week, he will be laid to rest with the full military honors he deserves. I hope his story will serve as a reminder of the sacrifices our\u00a0military\u00a0personnel and their families have made over the years, and still make today.\"\u00a0\n \nMore information on Maj. Mathis is available from the Department of Defense Prisoner of War / Missing Personnel Office at\u00a0https://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/news/news_releases/2014/documents/release_mathis.pdf.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/all-us-funds-palestinian-authority-must-be-immediately-suspended-after-pa-signs-rome", "All U.S. Funds to the Palestinian Authority Must Be Immediately Suspended After the PA Signs Rome Treaty, Says Ros-Lehtinen", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Ileana Ros-Lehtinen", "R000435", "ros-lehtinen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "All U.S. Funds to the Palestinian Authority Must Be Immediately Suspended After the PA Signs Rome Treaty, Says Ros-Lehtinen                                            \n              Dec 31, 2014      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    All U.S. Funds to the Palestinian Authority Must Be Immediately Suspended After the PA Signs Rome Treaty, Says Ros-Lehtinen \n\u201cCongress must do everything in its power to block funds to the PA to make it clear to Abu Mazen that there will be consequences to his schemes at the United Nations and other international organizations like the International Criminal Court.\u201d\n(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, made the following statement after the Palestinian Authority signed the Rome Statue, the founding treaty to join the International Criminal Court. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:\n\u201cThe latest destructive actions by Abu Mazen and the Palestinian Authority reaffirms, once again, that Abu Mazen is not a real partner for peace. By attempting to bring a flawed resolution to the UN Security Council and by signing the Rome Treaty, Abu Mazen only reiterates that he is not willing to return to direct peace negotiations with Israel without pre-conditions. It's time for the Obama administration to show Abu Mazen and the PA that there will be consequences for their irresponsible behavior and continued efforts to undermine the peace process. Congress must do everything in its power to block funds to the PA and to any UN entity that recognizes a non-existent State of Palestine to make it clear to Abu Mazen that there will be consequences to his schemes at the United Nations and other international organizations like the International Criminal Court.\u201d \u00a0\n#####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2159", "Rep. Gosar Year in Review: \"Most Effective Member of 113th Congress\"", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Paul Gosar", "G000565", "gosar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement recapping his legislative accomplishments from the 113th Congress: \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      \r\r\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tFor Immediate Release\r\r\t\t\t\t\tDate: December 31, 2014\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tContact: Steven D. Smith\r\r\t\t\t\t\tSteven.Smith@mail.house.gov\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\r\r\r\r Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04)released the following statement recapping his legislative accomplishments from the 113th Congress:  I am extremely grateful for a productive and fulfilling year representing Arizona's Fourth Congressional district during the 113th Congress. After dozens of town halls and meetings, thousands of calls and letters, my constituents made their legislative priorities clear. I am proud to have delivered on the important issues my constituents identified including cutting waste, fraud and abuse from government spending, building a better environment for private job creation and holding the Obama Administration accountable for its actions and overreaching polices. With six bills signed into law by the president, 12 other of my legislative efforts becoming law, and 24 of my amendments passing the House, I am honored and very proud to have been the most effective member of this Congress. In a time of gridlock where few things were enacted, my team and I focused on commonsense policies and the economy to get America back on track. However, these legislative successes would have not occurred without the cooperation and support of my fellow lawmakers, countless staff members and an endless number of local Arizona groups who share in the belief of building a more prosperous nation for all Arizonans. I am constantly inspired bythe citizens of the great state of Arizonaand will continue to listen to their ideas and perspectives while delivering solutions to improve their lives.\r\r\r\r  \r\r\tAdditional:\r\rYou can find a comprehensive list of Congressman Gosar's legislative accomplishments from the 113th CongressHERE.\r\r###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/leahy-grassley-press-administration-use-cell-phone-tracking-program", "Leahy & Grassley Press Administration on Use of Cell Phone Tracking Program", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Charles Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) pressed top Obama administration officials on the use of cell-site simulators, which can unknowingly sweep up the cell phone signals of innocent Americans. Recent news reports have chronicled the use of such simulators by law enforcement, explaining that the simulators have the potential to capture data about the location of thousands of cell phones in their vicinity. Leahy and Grassley previously pressed the FBI about the use of this technology. In a joint letter sent last week to Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, the Senators raised questions about exceptions to a new FBI policy to obtain a search warrant before using a cell-site simulator. The Senators also asked about other agencies' use of the technology. It remains unclear how other agencies within the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security make use of cell-site simulators and what policies are in place to govern their use of that technology, Leahy and Grassley wrote.  Outlining privacy concerns for innocent individuals, the letter continues: The Judiciary Committee needs a broader understanding of the full range of law enforcement agencies that use this technology, the policies in place to protect the privacy interests of those whose information might be collected using these devices, and the legal process that DOJ and DHS entities seek prior to using them.  A signed copy of the December 23 letter to Attorney General Holder and Secretary Johnson is available Here. Text of the letter can be found below. December 23, 2014 The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr. The Honorable Jeh Johnson  Attorney General Secretary of Homeland Security   Department of Justice Department of Homeland Security  950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20528  Washington, D.C. 20530 Dear Attorney General Holder and Secretary Johnson: In recent months, media reports have detailed the use of cell-site simulators (often referred to as IMSI Catchers or Stingrays) by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Most recently a November 14, 2014, Wall Street Journal article (Americans' Cellphones Targeted in Secret U.S. Spy Program) reported that the United States Marshals Service regularly deploys airborne cell-site simulators (referred to as DRT boxes or dirtboxes) from five metropolitan-area airports across the United States. Like the more common Stingray devices, these dirtboxes mimic standard cell towers, forcing affected cell phones to reveal their approximate location and registration information. The Wall Street Journal article reports that dirtboxes are capable of gathering data from tens of thousands of cellphones in a single flight.  We wrote to FBI Director Comey in June seeking information about law enforcement use of cell-site simulators. Since then, our staff members have participated in two briefings with FBI officials, and at the most recent session they learned that the FBI recently changed its policy with respect to the type of legal process that it typically seeks before employing this type of technology. According to this new policy, the FBI now obtains a search warrant before deploying a cell-site simulator, although the policy contains a number of potentially broad exceptions and we continue to have questions about how it is being implemented in practice. Furthermore, it remains unclear how other agencies within the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security make use of cell-site simulators and what policies are in place to govern their use of that technology. The Judiciary Committee needs a broader understanding of the full range of law enforcement agencies that use this technology, the policies in place to protect the privacy interests of those whose information might be collected using these devices, and the legal process that DOJ and DHS entities seek prior to using them.  For example, we understand that the FBI's new policy requires FBI agents to obtain a search warrant whenever a cell-site simulator is used as part of a FBI investigation or operation, unless one of several exceptions apply, including (among others): (1) cases that pose an imminent danger to public safety, (2) cases that involve a fugitive, or (3) cases in which the technology is used in public places or other locations at which the FBI deems there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. We have concerns about the scope of the exceptions. Specifically, we are concerned about whether the FBI and other law enforcement agencies have adequately considered the privacy interests of other individuals who are not the targets of the interception, but whose information is nevertheless being collected when these devices are being used. We understand that the FBI believes that it can address these interests by maintaining that information for a short period of time and purging the information after it has been collected. But there is a question as to whether this sufficiently safeguards privacy interests. Accordingly, please provide written responses to these questions by January 30, 2015: 1. Since the effective date of the FBI's new policy:  a. How many times has the FBI used a cell-site simulator?  b. In how many of these instances was the use of the cell-site simulator authorized by a search warrant?  c. In how many of these instances was the use of the cell-site simulator authorized by some other form of legal process? Please identify the legal process used.  d. In how many of these instances was the cell-site simulator used without any legal process?  e. How many times has each of the exceptions to the search warrant policy, including those listed above, been used by the FBI? 2. From January 1, 2010, to the effective date of the FBI's new policy:  a. How many times did the FBI use a cell-site simulator?   b. In how many of these instances was the use of a cell-site simulator authorized by a search warrant?  c. In how many of these instances was the use of the cell-site simulator authorized by some other form of legal process? Please identify the legal process used.  d. In how many of these instances was the cell-site simulator used without any legal process?   e. In how many of the instances referenced in Question 2(d) did the FBI use a cell-site simulator in a public place or other location in which the FBI deemed there is no reasonable expectation of privacy?  3. What is the FBI's current policy on the retention and destruction of the information collected by cell-site simulators in all cases? How is that policy enforced? 4. What other DOJ and DHS agencies use cell-site simulators? 5. What is the policy of these agencies regarding the legal process needed for use of cell-site simulators?  a. Are these agencies seeking search warrants specific to the use of cell-site simulators?   b. If not, what legal authorities are they using?   c. Do these agencies make use of public place or other exceptions? If so, in what proportion of all instances in which the technology is used are exceptions relied upon?   d. What are these agencies' policies on the retention and destruction of the information that is collected by cell-site simulators? How are those policies enforced? 6. What is the Department of Justice's guidance to United States Attorneys' Offices regarding the legal process required for the use of cell-site simulators? 7. Across all DOJ and DHS entities, what protections exist to safeguard the privacy interests of individuals who are not the targets of interception, but whose information is nevertheless being collected by cell-site simulators? Please number your written responses according to their corresponding questions. In addition, please arrange for knowledgeable DOJ and DHS officials to provide a briefing to Judiciary Committee staff about these issues following the provision of these written responses, but no later than February 6, 2015.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/az?ContentRecord_id=f78c1ee3-a6f6-4594-a19f-c272e411b269", "GLENDALE, AZ - FIESTA BOWL", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tucson Office Office \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t407 West Congress Street Suite 103 Tucson, AZ 85701 Main: (520) 670-6334 Fax: (855) 952-8702", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/explore-arizona?ContentRecord_id=a0874e71-efd0-4432-8056-ba7843712ace", "Arizona Hike: Yavapai Point Trail, Lake Pleasant", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Yavapai Point Trail, one of three new hiking paths that debuted in November at Lake Pleasant Regional Park, adds a moderate climb and sweeping vistas to the park's six-trail, 8.3-mile system.\r\nThe hike begins at the Cottonwood Day Use Area with a 0.2-mile walk on Pipeline Canyon Trail to the Yavapai Point junction. Here the trail swerves toward the water, following the cliffs above the lake. A scenic viewpoint at roughly the half-mile point serves as an appetizer for what awaits at trail's end.\r\nFrom here, the hike becomes an edgy, switchback-moderated ridgeline climb with views of Cottonwood Creek, Fireman's Cove and Pipeline Canyon. The big payoff is a panorama of the lake and surrounding desert mountains on the breezy summit.\r\nFrom here, you can return the way you came and pick up the new Cottonwood Trail or connect with Pipeline Canyon, hike 1.9 miles south and step out on the third new route, Wild Burro Trail.\r\nLength:\u00a03.4 miles round trip for the Yavapai Point out-and-back.\r\nRating:\u00a0Moderate.\r\nElevation:\u00a01,782-2,178 feet.\r\nWhere:\u00a041835 N. Castle Hot Springs Road, Morristown.\r\nAdmission:\u00a0$6 per vehicle.\r\nDetails:\u00a0928-501-1710, www.maricopa.gov/parks/lake_pleasant.\r\nThis article was originally published in The Arizona Repbulic.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://barletta.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/barletta-statement-on-the-new-year-of-2015", "Barletta Statement on the New Year of 2015", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Lou Barletta", "B001269", "barletta.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today issued the following statement regarding the New Year of 2015:\n\"The year that has just passed has presented the people of this country with many challenges \u2013 some unique to our current circumstances, and some with which we have continued to struggle.\u00a0 In the end, I have faith that we, the people of the greatest nation the world has ever known, will pull together and overcome whatever adversity we encounter.\n\"The new year presents us with a fresh start, and hopefully a chance to build on our successes.\u00a0 But we can also learn from our mistakes.\u00a0 Each victory is a mark in the win column, and each failure is a chance to do better.\u00a0 The great Babe Ruth once said, \u2018Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.\u2019\u00a0 The Babe was right to be optimistic about life.\u00a0\n\"On behalf of my wife, Mary Grace, our four daughters, and two beautiful grandchildren, I wish the people of Pennsylvania\u2019s 11th District a healthy and prosperous new year.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://barletta.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-lou-barletta-2014-year-in-review", "Rep. Lou Barletta: 2014 Year in Review", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Lou Barletta", "B001269", "barletta.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today looked back on the year 2014 in the United States House of Representatives and highlighted some notable improvements and achievements.\u00a0 Among the important issues covered during the year were fighting illegal immigration, protecting volunteer firefighters from Obamacare, saving billions of taxpayer dollars on federal office space, reducing regulations, and promoting domestic energy.\u00a0 Most of those policy advancements encouraged private sector job growth.\u00a0 Barletta indicated that he would continue the fight on those and other important issues as the 114th Congress begins in January.\n\u201cWe made a lot of important advances in the last twelve months, all with the idea of improving the lives of everyday citizens,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cGovernment can sometimes solve problems, but in many cases, the best thing government can do is get out of the way.\u201d\nBattling Illegal Immigration\nThe United States has immigration laws for two primary reasons: to protect national security and to protect American jobs.\u00a0 For too long, the immigration laws that we currently have on the books have been ignored, and there remain too many holes in the system.\u00a0 Throughout 2014, Rep. Barletta fought to fix the system.\nBy his unlawful executive action on amnesty, the president is introducing five million more competitors into an already tight job market, at a time when 20 million Americans are either unemployed or underemployed.\u00a0 Barletta is looking forward to fixing the problems in the next Congress.\n\u201cI have been personally assured by Speaker Boehner that I will play an integral role in crafting new, strong national immigration policies beginning in January,\u201d Barletta said.\nBarletta proposed or supported a variety of pieces of legislation to strengthen immigration laws, and protect national security and American jobs:\nDefense of Legal Workers Act\nBarletta\u2019s legislation removes a $3,000 per job incentive created by President Obama for employers to hire amnesty recipients over legal American workers.\u00a0 Obamacare and the president\u2019s recently announced amnesty program for illegal immigrants combine to make it financially more attractive for businesses to choose illegal immigrants when making hiring decisions.\u00a0 Barletta\u2019s bill removes the incentive by clarifying that illegal immigrants granted amnesty by executive action cannot be issued work permits.\u00a0\nUnaccompanied Alien Minors\nIn response to the illegal immigrant surge at the southern border over the summer, Barletta introduced legislation to empower governors and local elected officials to control whether or not the federal government can place unaccompanied minors, who have illegally entered the country, into their communities.\u00a0 H.R. 5409, the \u201cUnaccompanied Alien Children Transparency Act\u201d would require the federal government to inform states and localities of relocation plans in advance, and would require the federal government to certify to the states that the minors will not pose a health or public safety risk to the community.\u00a0 It would also require the federal government to provide information such as the costs associated with the housing and education of these minors.\u00a0\nOver the summer, Rep. Barletta learned of a proposal by the non-profit U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants to house unaccompanied minors in Hazleton.\u00a0 Once Barletta released this information to the public, the organization cancelled its plans following community opposition.\u00a0 Had Barletta not been informed of the situation by Hazleton officials, the plan would have proceeded without public notice.\nDACA\nBarletta was key in the House passage of legislation to stop President Obama\u2019s policy of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), under which the administration has refused to deport illegal immigrants up to the age of 30, if they claim they have been present in the country since the age of 16, among other factors.\u00a0 Obama\u2019s DACA policy is a key reason for the recent influx of illegal immigrants, who believe that if they arrive safely in the United States, they will be allowed to stay.\n\u201cFrom the first day I came to Congress, I have been asking that we do something about illegal immigration,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cFor a long time I got nowhere, but with the situation growing worse, and with the president acting unilaterally, more and more people now understand the scope of the problem.\u201d\nIn the 114th Congress, Barletta will continue to fight for these improvements, such as making it a criminal offense for someone to overstay a visa, and instituting a biometric entry and exit system.\nProtecting Volunteer Firefighters\nOne of the many side effects of Obamacare was the public safety impact it could have on thousands of communities because of its treatment of volunteer firefighters.\u00a0 After being alerted to a potential problem in 2013, Barletta investigated and discovered that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had been counting volunteer firefighters as employees for federal tax purposes, which could trigger the Employer Mandate Provision of Obamacare.\u00a0 Under pressure from Barletta, the IRS relented and issued a new set of regulations in February that included a section using the same definition of a \u201cbona fide volunteer\u201d as Barletta\u2019s bill.\u00a0 Unwilling to leave such an important public safety issue in the hands of unelected bureaucrats at the IRS, Barletta continued to pursue his legislation.\u00a0\u00a0In a rare unanimous vote, the House approved the bill 410-to-0 on March 11, 2014.\nDisappointingly, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) added controversial unemployment benefits language to the bill, effectively killing its chances for the full approval of Congress.\u00a0 Barletta, however, said he has not yet given up the fight and plans to reintroduce the measure in the 114th Congress.\n\u201cWhile we have won the short-term battle and shielded volunteer firefighters and the communities they protect, there is still work to be done,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cThis is a public safety issue that is too important to be left to the whims of a federal agency like the IRS.\u201d\nCombating Obamacare\nBarletta and the House of Representatives voted more than 50 times in the 113th Congress \u2013 not just in 2014 \u2013 to delay, defund, or dismantle all or parts of Obamacare, because it failed to live up to its name.\u00a0\nPresident Obama has signed ten pieces of legislation defunding or repealing parts of Obamacare into law. \u00a0\u00a0\nThe bipartisan spending bill passed by Congress continues Republican efforts to:\n Provide no new funding for Obamacare.\n\tRequire Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Treasury to report to Congress on improper payments of ObamaCare tax subsidies.\n\tReduce funding to the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).\n\tMaintain all existing pro-life policy and funding provisions.\n\tInclude three new pro-life provisions:\u00a0\n  Obamacare Transparency - requires Obamacare healthcare plans to inform customers if they provide abortion services.\n\tConscience Protection - requires HHS Office of Civil Rights to address complaints of violations.\n\tProvides $12 million in unused abstinence education funds.\n Reining in the EPA\nBarletta supported legislation that curbs proposed expansion of the federal definition of Waters of the United States, and defends the relationship between federal and state governments established by the Clean Water Act.\u00a0 He co-sponsored H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act, which blocks the expansion proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.\u00a0\n\u201cFor four decades, the Clean Water Act has worked as a strong partnership between the federal government and the states,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cHowever, the new definition of federal waters is so vague that it\u2019s impossible to know what standards you need to prove.\u00a0 The result would be higher legal fees, increased costs to farmers and builders, and fewer jobs.\u00a0 Local farmers I have talked to said the legal fees alone would probably run them out of business.\u00a0 Simply put, sometimes a mud puddle is just a mud puddle.\u201d\nIn addition, the bipartisan spending bill adopted by Congress:\n Cuts EPA by $60 million, representing the 5th consecutive year of cuts \u2013 a total reduction of 21 percent since Fiscal Year 2010.\n\tReduces EPA staffing by 2,000 positions, which is equivalent to 1989 levels.\n\tProhibits regulation of farm ponds and irrigation ditches.\n\tProtects Second Amendment rights and prohibits EPA from regulating lead content in ammunition or fishing tackle.\n Restraining the IRS\nThe bipartisan spending bill adopted by Congress continues Republican efforts to:\n Cut IRS funding by $345.6 million ($1.5 billion below the president\u2019s request and below Fiscal Year 2008 levels).\n\tProhibit IRS targeting of organizations based on their ideological beliefs or for exercising their First Amendment rights.\n\tProhibit the White House from ordering review of tax-exempt status.\n\tProhibit use of IRS funds for inappropriate videos and conferences.\n \u201cNo federal agency strikes more fear into the hearts of citizens than the IRS,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cIt is time to stop the use of federal tax collectors as political enforcers.\u201d\u00a0\nSaving Billions on Federal Office Space\nRep. Barletta used his position on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to save taxpayers more than $2 billion by more efficiently using federal office space.\u00a0 Barletta is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.\u00a0 In some cases, the changes involved reconfiguration or alteration of existing federal sites.\u00a0 In others, it involved better leasing arrangements.\n\u201cThis can really be just the beginning,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cAs these decisions are made, we ought to be asking every time: can we do this better, and how can we save the taxpayers money?\u201d\nPromoting Domestic Energy\nBarletta supported measures designed to ease American dependence on foreign sources of oil and create private sector jobs:\n Barletta cosponsored legislation to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, a project which has been more than six years in the works through many studies, delays, and rejections from the Obama Administration.\u00a0 The pipeline, which would run from Alberta, Canada to Nebraska, would allow crude oil to flow all the way to the Gulf Coast.\u00a0 The completion of the pipeline is expected to create tens of thousands of construction jobs in the United States and establish a reliable supply of energy.\n\tConstruction of the Keystone XL pipeline will increase manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania.\n\tThe bipartisan spending bill passed by Congress requires the Department of Defense to use anthracite coal to heat the Army and Air Force Barracks in Kaiserslautern, Germany.\u00a0\n Improving Transportation\nHighway Bill\nCongress passed the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014, which addressed a potential expiration of surface transportation authorization and the Highway Trust Fund shortfall predicted to occur.\u00a0 Barletta still supports a highway bill of at least five years to allow for contractors and employers to better plan for the future.\n\u201cThere are more than 5,000 bridges in Pennsylvania that are structurally deficient, and countless roadways that are in desperate need of repair,\u201d said Barletta, who is a subcommittee chairman in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.\u00a0 \u201cIf Congress had failed to act, the money to fund surface transportation projects would have run dry.\u00a0 That could have resulted in the stoppage of more than 7,000 projects and the loss of countless jobs across the country, including Pennsylvania.\u201d\nSafer Trucks and Buses\nBarletta introduced the Safer Trucks and Buses Act (H.R. 5532), which halts the publication of flawed safety scores for carriers and directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to revamp its scoring system.\u00a0 The legislation addresses a problem with the Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) program, which was rushed into usage, and often does not reflect changes made by carriers to improve their approaches to safety.\n\u201cAs a father of four daughters, I worry every day about the safety of my girls, and I strongly believe that unsafe vehicles should not be on the road,\u201d Barletta said. \u201cUnfortunately, companies across the country and in Pennsylvania are being unfairly misrepresented by their safety scores, causing economically devastating impacts to these bus and truck companies, many of which are small businesses.\u201d\nKeeping Promises to Veterans\nBarletta supported legislation that overhauls the Veterans Administration and provides veterans with more responsive and accessible health care.\u00a0 The legislation follows revelations of long wait times at VA medical facilities, falsified records, and the resulting deaths of veterans.\u00a0\nThe legislation:\n Allows veterans to seek medical attention outside the VA system if an appointment is not available within 30 days, or if a veteran resides more than 40 miles from the nearest VA medical facility.\n\tProvides funding to hire additional doctors, nurses, and medical staff.\n\tExtends several existing pilot programs, including those increasing access to care for veterans with traumatic brain injuries and victims of sexual assault.\u00a0\n\tRequires an independent assessment of VA medical care and establishes a Congressional Commission on Care to evaluate access in the VA health system.\n\tPermits the VA Secretary to fire or demote employees in an expedited fashion based on performance or misconduct, while also including due processes rights.\n\tRequires public colleges to provide in-state tuition to veterans and eligible dependents in order for the school to remain eligible to receive G.I. Bill education payments.\n\tExpands the Sgt. Fry Scholarship Program to provide full post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits to spouses of service members who died in the line of duty after 9/11.\n \u201cThe problems discovered in the VA system needed to be addressed, and we are addressing them now,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cFrom the beginning, this was not a Republican or Democrat issue.\u00a0 This was an American issue.\u201d\nMaintaining Waterway Infrastructure\nBarletta backed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which promotes American competitiveness and economic growth by maintaining an effective waterway infrastructure, while also supporting strong flood protection.\u00a0 The legislation originated in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where Barletta is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.\u00a0 It passed the House by a vote of 412-to-4.\n\u201cThis strengthens Congressional oversight, restricts executive overreach, cuts red tape, and provides transparency in the selection of projects,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd critically for our part of Pennsylvania, WRRDA helps with flood risk management.\u201d\u00a0\nHelping the Disabled\nBarletta supported the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which amends the IRS code to establish tax-exempt accounts for individuals with disabilities to assist in paying for certain expenses, including higher education, primary residence, transportation, employment assistance, health and wellness, and other personal support expenses. \u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cSo many times, families have been left in the difficult position of choosing between taking care of children\u2019s special needs and planning for their future,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cThe ABLE Act helps families avoid that predicament and lets them plan ahead.\u201d\nServing the 11th District\nContained within the bipartisan spending bill passed by Congress are a number of items that directly benefit the 11th District of Pennsylvania:\n $900 million to address military funding shortfalls, including depot maintenance at facilities such as Tobyhanna Army Depot.\n\tRestored funding zeroed out under President Obama\u2019s budget request for State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which reimburses localities who house criminal illegal immigrants in local jails (increases funding from $180 million to $185 million rather than president\u2019s request of $0.)\n\t$200 million more than original budget request for Community Development Block Grants.\n\t$75 million increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).\n\tIncrease for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).\n\tIncrease funding for flood prevention under the Streamflow Information Program.\n Connecting to Main Street\nIn 2014, Congressman Barletta continued his Main Street Tours, during which he visited local businesses and heard the concerns and ideas of small employers and citizens.\u00a0 Barletta has conducted more than twenty Main Street Tours since 2013, including stops this year in Tunkhannock, Elizabethville, Plymouth, Carlisle, Danville, Kingston, Millersburg, Sunbury, Bloomsburg, Mechanicsburg, Linglestown, and Berwick.\u00a0\n\u201cAs a former mayor, I know without question that all wisdom does not reside in Washington, D.C.,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cMost of the best ideas come from the people who are dealing with real issues in their real lives every day.\u00a0 I will always continue to be accessible and listen to the people whose lives are affected by the laws we pass.\u201d\nWhile Barletta indicated that while he was pleased with the successes of 2014 and the 113th Congress, which has concluded, he will continue to fight for the 11th District of Pennsylvania.\n\u201cIf 2014 taught us anything, it\u2019s that it is much better to get half a loaf of bread than no loaf at all\u201d, Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cWith the new Congress taking shape in January, I am optimistic about even more advancements in the coming months.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cramer.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressional-watchdog-group-nd-radio-managers-recognize-cramer-town", "Congressional Watchdog Group, ND Radio Managers Recognize Cramer Town Hall Record", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "ND", "Kevin Cramer", "C001096", "cramer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BISMARCK, N.D. \u2013 Today North Dakota radio managers joined national Congressional watchdog group Legistorm in recognizing Congressman Kevin Cramer for holding the most town hall events with constituents, both in person and on the airwaves. According to Legistorm, Cramer participated in more town halls than any other member of the U.S. House or Senate in 2014, with 81 events.\nDuring the past year, Rep. Cramer continued to hold \u201cCoffee with Cramer\u201d events around North Dakota in larger cities and smaller communities. These discussions offer a chance for constituents to ask their questions in a relaxed and informal setting.\nCongressman Cramer also conducts a weekly hour-long radio town hall on the What\u2019s On Your Mind program, which can be heard statewide Wednesday mornings at 10:00am central on five North Dakota stations: KFYR 550 AM (99.7 FM) in Bismarck, AM 1100 The Flag in Fargo, KLTC 1460 AM in Dickinson, KCJB 910 AM in Minot, and KTGO 1090 AM in Tioga.\n\u201cOur listeners appreciate having a weekly platform to interact with their sole Representative in the U.S. House. In addition to taking live questions during the time on the air, we also have a dedicated voice mailbox which listeners can call anytime to leave a question for the next show,\u201d said Todd Mitchell, Operations Manager for Clear Channel Radio in Bismarck.\nIn addition to his Wednesday radio town hall, Cramer also appears for segments each Thursday on News/Radio 1310 KNOX in Grand Forks and KHND \u201cThe Mix\u201d in Harvey. His weekly interviews can be heard on KNOX\u2019s The Jarrod Thomas Show at approximately 10:10am central, and KHND\u2019s \u201cGet It Off Your Chest\u201d program at approximately 10:45am central.\n\u201cHaving Rep. Cramer as a guest on such a regular basis has generated a lot of positive reactions from our listeners. I don\u2019t think they ever expected to have this kind of access to a member of North Dakota\u2019s Congressional delegation,\u201d said Jarrod Thomas, host of the Jarrod Thomas Show and operations manager at News/Radio 1310 KNOX in Grand Forks.\nCramer plans to continue offering a high level of access to his constituents both in person and on the air into 2015.\n\u201cThe most important part of being a public servant is the public. I appreciate every opportunity I have to interact with North Dakotans because it helps me do a better job representing them in Washington,\u201d said Cramer.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398170", "Rep. Gohmert: Obama Admitted Democrats Were 'Party of No'", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Barack Obama admitted it was Democrats, not Republicans, that had been the \"party of no,\" Rep. Louie Gohmert told Fox News' \"America's Newsroom.\" Gohmert said Obama made the admission during an NPR interview that aired Monday when he said he rarely had to veto bills, because legislation he objected to was \"typically blocked in the Senate\" with Nevada Democrat Sen. Harry Reid as majority leader.\r\n\"Now the president has finally admitted they've been lying \u2014 Harry Reid, all those folks that have been saying Republicans were the party of no. He's basically admitted in this statement, 'yeah, we've been the party of no, but I've been able to rely on Harry Reid to say no so I didn't have to,' \" the Texas Republican said Tuesday. \"That's what I'm hearing in that statement.\" Gohmert, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, explained Republicans often tried to discuss ideas with Obama, but said even though the president communicated he wanted to work with GOP lawmakers, he would follow up by \"going to the golf course and not talking to anybody.\" \"He said, 'I have an open door, if you've got any ideas.' A bunch of us tried. They never had any indication that they would let us in. We kept asking, 'Hey, we've got some good ideas.' Never would hear from us. So, that was all for the camera, all for television, but not so much for reality,\" he said.\r\nWith a majority in both houses of Congress, Republicans would now be able to move legislation to the president's desk, such as changes to healthcare, approving the Keystone XL pipeline, and defunding amnesty, Gohmert said, adding voters expected lawmakers to \"follow through and do what we said we would do\" when running for office.  \"This lets voters see who it is that's representing them,\" he said. \"The best thing to do for an open government is get votes on bills.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gosar.house.gov/press-release/icymi-arizona-game-fish-votes-cost-share-repairs-willow-beach-fish-hatchery", "ICYMI: Arizona Game & Fish Votes to Cost-share Repairs to Willow Beach Fish Hatchery", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Paul Gosar", "G000565", "gosar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For Immediate Release\r\r\t\t\t\t\tDate: December 30, 2014\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\u00a0\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tContact: Steven D. Smith\r\r\t\t\t\t\tSteven.Smith@mail.house.gov\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\r\r\r\r Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04)\u00a0released the following statement after the Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted this past Tuesday 5-0 in favor of funding up to $389,000 to fix a broken pipeline for the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery which amounts to about 50 percent of the cost of the repairs:\r\r\u201cThis unanimous vote by the Commission is very good news. Rainbow trout stocking operations are one step closer to resuming at Willow Beach.\u00a0I was honored to lead the charge, along with Senator McCain, to hold the Fish and Wildlife Service accountable when they arbitrarily terminated the rainbow trout stocking program and inflated cost estimates to repair the broken water line. The attempt to justify terminating this worthwhile program was extremely short sighted and\u00a0I\u00a0am happy to see that decision reversed.\u201d\r\rCommission Vice-Chair Kurt Davis said \u201cThis is a great pre-New Year\u2019s present for the people of Mohave County and anglers across the state... Sportfishing recreation contributes $1.47 billion to Arizona\u2019s economy annually, with much of that money going to rural communities, and Game and Fish is proud to be part of the solution keeping Willow Beach in business.\u201d\r\rFrom the Arizona Game and Fish Department press release: The vote by the Commission to cost-share the Willow Beach hatchery repairs comes after much work by Arizona\u2019s congressional delegation, particularly Senator John McCain and Congressman Paul Gosar, who championed a repair to the hatchery. Infrastructure problems at the hatchery began nearly five years ago, when broken pipelines and low water levels threatened trout production at the facility. The loss of the trout stocking would continue to have a devastating economic effect on the communities in Mohave County, Arizona. The state\u2019s sport fishing industry relies on the national hatchery system for more than 97 percent of sport fish stocked in Arizona.  \r\r\tThe agreement approved by the Commission will, if executed, commit the Department to share the costs of repairs, and institutionalize a recreational fishing partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into the next decade. It calls for the Service to annually provide 2 million fertilized triploid rainbow trout eggs from Ennis National Fish Hatchery, 160,000 fertilized Apache trout eggs from Williams Creek National Fish Hatchery and 150,000 catchable 11-inch rainbow trout stocked annually into Willow Beach and below Davis Dam.\r\rAdditional\r\rCongressman Gosar has created an informational page on his website about his efforts to protect the trout stocking program at the Willow Beach Fish Hatchery which includes introducing the Fish Hatchery Protection Act, H.R. 5026 that would protect propagation fish hatcheries and propagation programs within the National Fish Hatchery System. That page can be found HERE.\r\r\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/newsletters/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-new-years-2015", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of New Year's, 2015", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nA busy and productive year is drawing to a close and I would like to share some of the highlights from 2014. It was a year of reaching out, listening to, and responding to the concerns of the good citizens of Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District. I would like to share just a few of this year\u2019s memorable moments.\nA number of the year\u2019s events were tied to the defense of our nation. With tensions mounting in the Middle East, I joined several of my House Armed Services Committee (HASC) colleagues on a fact-finding mission to the region, visiting Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Morocco \u2013 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and President Abdel al-Sisi of Egypt. In each country we visited, we also met with United States Embassy staff and U.S. Defense officials.\nAmong the many issues we discussed was terrorism, in general, and the march of ISIL toward an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East. I shared these concerns with MO-4 citizens at a series of presentations in Harrisonville, Sedalia, and Waynesville. These events were well-attended as residents of our district are rightly concerned about the terrorist threats to our homeland and to Americans abroad and they wanted to hear the latest.\nI have spoken of the great pride we all have in the men and women serving at Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood. This summer I had the privilege of speaking, via telephone, to members of the 442nd Fighter Wing deployed to Afghanistan. What these Airmen did was so important to the troops on the ground - and I thanked them for the job they were doing. The crews spent precious time away from their families, and were looking forward to the return home. I was honored to be invited to take part in the \u201cwelcome home\u201d celebration. It was rewarding to see these Airmen reunited with their families. We cannot thank them enough for their service and their sacrifice.\nStill with defense matters in MO-4, I had the opportunity to welcome Secretary of the Air Force Rebecca James to Whiteman Air Force Base. I also welcomed Chief of Army, General Ray Odierno, to Fort Leonard Wood. I am honored to represent the district that is home to these fine military installations and to represent the interests of the brave men and women stationed there and serving our country.\nOn another matter, I took on a number of social issues affecting our district and our country. In Columbia, our Summit on Human Trafficking helped increase awareness of this horrific crime. All too often, many of us think of human trafficking as something that takes place only in big cities or in other countries when, in fact, this appalling crime is taking place right in our own backyard. This forum followed House approval of a series of bills aimed at preventing or eliminating the spread of trafficking and protecting the victims of this crime against humanity. Many of these victims are pre-teens and young teenagers, with 80 percent of the victims being female. My hope is that the information shared at this summit will help educate and take awareness and prevention to the next step so someday we do not have this abomination occurring in our country.\nI later took a step toward improving child welfare in our state and throughout the nation by hosting a Congressional Listening Tour for Children, in Columbia, with fellow Member of Congress Karen Bass (D-CA), children\u2019s services experts, and community leaders. The goal of our time in Columbia was to highlight both the positive aspects and challenges of the child welfare system here in Missouri. Participants shared their on-the-ground experiences and their perspectives on the best practices and concerns with our child welfare system. An issue of this importance crosses political lines, and my Democratic colleague as well as other participants share my interest in promoting adoption, encouraging family permanency, and stopping child trafficking.\nThis year also included a number of events that we are doing on an annual basis. The third annual Lebanon Job Fair was a success for unemployed Missourians as well as those looking to advance their careers. I was pleased to help bring together employers and those looking for work through the Job Fair and to see some hired that day. It is a tangible action I can take, in addition to legislative action in Washington, to help the good people I am privileged to represent by facilitating the job search process.\nThe fourth Missouri Business Conference at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg once again brought together small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and students with experts on business success. Five issue-specific panels featured more than two dozen entrepreneurs\u00a0who have lived the vision of starting a business and offered their insights.\nThe University of Central Missouri was also the host location for my inaugural Veterans Summit. The goal was to provide veterans with timely information on issues they care about such as how to overcome the challenges of reintegration after deployment, strengthening the family, and succeeding in the workplace. At the same time, we wanted to connect veterans with the many resources they have earned and deserve. Panels hosted by experts included discussion of personal, emotional, spiritual, family and career issues of returning veterans; continuing education and career opportunities for returning veterans; and discussion of VA health care and benefits.\nState Fair Community College in Sedalia hosted the Fourth District\u2019s inaugural Youth Leadership Summit. More than 200 students from 48 high schools were able to participate in this all-day event and have the opportunity to hear from dynamic speakers who shared tips for success in school and in reaching their goals. I am hopeful the time spent will help MO-4 students reach their potential and help make a difference in their communities and schools. I look forward to seeing the great things they are going to do in the future and am glad I could be a small part of it.\nAn \u201cAll-of-the-Above\u201d Energy Tour and our annual Farm Tour rounded out this year\u2019s ambitious schedule of events throughout our district.\nOn a personal note, I was honored to have been chosen to deliver the commencement address to students graduating from the University of Missouri\u2019s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). My message to these young people as they go forward is that they have been blessed with a world class education \u2013 and the world is going to need them. These graduates will advance the cause of feeding the world while protecting our resources as they work together and speak with one voice, advocating the positive message of agriculture and embracing wise use of technology. I was proud to be there on this historic day in the lives of these young people.\nFinally, I would like to close with a few quick facts and figures from 2014. During the year, I sponsored or co-sponsored several bills, including 14 which were signed into law; 1,240 constituents were helped by our caseworkers \u2013 with issues including veterans\u2019 benefits, Medicare questions, visa and passport applications, and many more; More than 655 tours of the U.S. Capitol were given to MO-4 citizens who visited us this year; and 155,970 letters and emails were sent to constituents.\nMy desire is to provide the best representation and service possible for the good people of our district. While we have done much, there is much more to accomplish in 2015. I look forward to working with you to move our district forward, to get America back on track, and to make a difference in the lives of the families in our district. Together, with the Lord\u2019s help, we can do it.\nHave a blessed and happy New Year!\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jones.house.gov/press-release/jones-cosponsors-more-bills-help-veterans-any-other-member-congress", "JONES COSPONSORS MORE BILLS TO HELP VETERANS THAN ANY OTHER MEMBER OF CONGRESS", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Walter Jones", "J000255", "jones.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In the 113th Congress, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) cosponsored a career record of 86 bills to help veterans by providing better access to more transparent healthcare, access to educational opportunities, affordable housing, and job opportunities.\u00a0 In fact, Congressman Jones cosponsored more bills to help veterans than any other member of the 113th Congress, spanning from January of 2013 through December 2014.\n\u201cI am honored to do all I can to help those who\u2019ve worn the uniform,\u201d said Congressman Jones.\u00a0 \u201cOur veterans have made incredible sacrifices to defend our freedom, and it is imperative to ensure that they have access to quality healthcare, educational opportunities, and job opportunities.\u00a0 I will continue to do everything I can in the 114th Congress to help our veterans, mindful of the great sacrifices they have made to keep our country free.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly%E2%80%99s-legislative-priorities-2015-featured-pittsburgh-tribune-review", "Rep. Kellys Legislative Priorities for 2015 Featured in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Mike Kelly", "K000376", "kelly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pro-growth tax reform, energy main focuses for congressman \nWASHINGTON \u2014 The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review published a story on December 28, 2014, following an exclusive interview with U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) regarding his legislative priorities for 2015 and the upcoming 114th Congress. The full article can read here.\nHighlights from the article:\nThe 114th Congress gets under way Jan. 3, and with Republicans set to control the House and Senate, it's time to show the American people that the federal government can govern, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly said.\n\u201cI'm excited about this next year,\u201d said Kelly, a Butler Republican. \u201cWe have not had a Senate we could work with in six years. I'm hoping that the results of (the general election) sent a message to both sides, that the American people want to see a body that can govern.\u201d\nDuring an interview with the Tribune-Review, Kelly outlined his priorities for the upcoming session. He will continue to serve on the influential Ways and Means Committee, which is the chief tax-writing committee of the House, and serve on the [select revenue], oversight and Social Security subcommittees.\n\u2026\nThe country needs tax reform, he said, including simplifying the tax code into \u201csomething much flatter and much fairer,\u201d while also offering corporate tax reform, saying that U.S. companies have \u201cthe highest corporate tax in the world,\u201d at about 39 percent, factoring in state taxes.\n\u2026\nKelly, who owns a Butler car dealership, was first elected to Congress in 2010. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio picked him to deliver the Republican weekly address Dec. 20 in response to President Obama's, an assignment of which Kelly said he was \u201csincerely honored.\u201d\n\u201cThere's no doubt his stature is growing in Congress. People are really starting to pay attention to the issues he espouses,\u201d said Jeff Brauer, a professor of political science at Keystone College in Lackawanna County. Brauer added that energy independence is Kelly's biggest issue.\n\u201cHe's really made a name for himself in that sphere,\u201d Brauer said. \u201cHe's giving great speeches, getting standing ovations. To have a spokesperson like that, the (Republican) leadership is appreciative of that and is rewarding him accordingly.\u201d\n\u2026\nKelly told the Trib he supports the Keystone XL Pipeline project, which he said could create upward of 50,000 construction jobs and many ancillary jobs. A pipeline would run between Canada and Nebraska, connecting with existing pipe. Delays may have hurt it, Kelly added.\n\u201cWe're running against the clock as the cost of energy goes down,\u201d he said.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pittenger.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-pittengers-first-term-in-review", "Congressman Pittenger&#039;s First-Term In Review", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Robert Pittenger", "P000606", "pittenger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\u00a0\n CONGRESSMAN PITTENGER\u2019S\u00a0FIRST-TERM IN REVIEW \n  CHARLOTTE \u2013 Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) is committed to serving North Carolina\u2019s 9th Congressional District, with unprecedented regular office hours in 7 locations throughout the district while hiring caseworkers with many years of experience to assist constituents.\u00a0 Our office breaks from standard Capitol Hill procedure with 24/7 staff availability for emergencies and accessible to answer questions about legislation and public policy.\u00a0 Serving on The Financial Services Committee and Chair of the Congressional Taskforce on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, Congressman Pittenger maintains one of the top committee attendance records in all of Congress. During Congressman Pittenger\u2019s first term (2013-2014):  \n\t\u00a0\n Nearly 2200 constituents received assistance with issues including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans benefits, passports, and the IRS.\n\t62,429 letters/e-mails regarding legislation and policy issues were answered.\n\t79,179 constituents received a personal phone call as staff reached out to ensure constituents had access to services and resources.\n\tCongressman Pittenger hosted more than 30 town hall meetings.\n   \u201cServing you is my number one priority,\u201d said Congressman Pittenger.\u00a0 \u201cWhether you need assistance cutting through federal red tape, have questions about how legislation impacts your daily life, or would like to share your thoughts or concerns or ideas, we are ready to serve you in every way possible.\u201d While more than 380 bills passed by the House of Representatives, many with bipartisan support, were blocked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Congressman Pittenger was successful in leading the Kilah Davenport Child Protection Act to passage in both the House and Senate and signed into law by President Obama.\u00a0 The House of Representatives also unanimously passed Congressman Pittenger\u2019s legislation to modernize outdated regulations which hinder online banking and overdraft protection transactions. \u201cIn 2015, I will remain committed to excellent constituent service, working in a bipartisan fashion to advance common sense legislation which improves the economy, helps create jobs, and cuts unnecessary red tape, and working every day to faithfully represent the people of Mecklenburg, Union, and Iredell counties.\u201d  \n\t\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://thompson.house.gov/press-release/thompson-issues-statement-moshannon-valley-correctional-facility-contract-renewal", "Thompson Issues Statement on Moshannon Valley Correctional Facility Contract Renewal", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Glenn Thompson", "T000467", "thompson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bellefonte, PA \u2013 U.S. Representative Glenn 'GT' Thompson (PA-5) issued the following statement upon news that the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has awarded Moshannon Valley Correctional Facility (MVCF), in Philipsburg, Clearfield County, as the BOP\u2019s preferred facility for the Northeastern United States. \u00a0\n\t\u201cThis announcement is tremendous news for our community and the Commonwealth,\u201d stated Rep. Glenn Thompson. \u201cThe Moshannon Valley Correctional Facility has been an economic engine for our region, providing jobs for area residents, new tax revenue to support local services, including investments in our schools, and a host of other opportunities that have benefited all area residents. I am proud of the work we have done, including efforts at all levels of government and within the community, to protect local jobs and ensure the Moshannon Valley facility remains in operation for years to come.\u201d\n\tOver the past year, Rep. Thompson has led efforts at the federal level to help secure the contract\u2019s renewal.\u00a0 In January of 2014, Thompson garnered the support of 12 Members of Congress from Pennsylvania and Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, in sending a letter to BOP, urging the bureau to renew the contract with MVCF.\n\tThe BOP\u2019s existing contract with MVCF, which is set to expire in 2016, has been renewed for a period of 5 years, with one year renewal options for the following five years, according to Rep. Thompson.\n\tBOP\u2019s Criminal Alien Removal Procurement Regulations, require one facility in the Northeastern U.S. and another facility to be located anywhere in the country.\u00a0 MVCF, which is operated by the GEO Group, Inc., has served as the region\u2019s preferred facility since 2006.\n\tThe MVCF currently employs approximately 260 area residents and provides approximately $600,000 each year in local property taxes, $445,000 of which directly benefits local schools.  \n\t\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1765", "ICYMI: Arizona Game & Fish Votes to Cost-share Repairs to Willow Beach Fish Hatchery", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Paul Gosar", "G000565", "gosar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For Immediate Release\r\r\t\t\t\t\tDate: December 30, 2014\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tContact: Steven D. Smith\r\r\t\t\t\t\tSteven.Smith@mail.house.gov\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\r\r\r\r Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04)released the following statement after the Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted this past Tuesday 5-0 in favor of funding up to $389,000 to fix a broken pipeline for the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery which amounts to about 50 percent of the cost of the repairs:\r\rThis unanimous vote by the Commission is very good news. Rainbow trout stocking operations are one step closer to resuming at Willow Beach.I was honored to lead the charge, along with Senator McCain, to hold the Fish and Wildlife Service accountable when they arbitrarily terminated the rainbow trout stocking program and inflated cost estimates to repair the broken water line. The attempt to justify terminating this worthwhile program was extremely short sighted andIam happy to see that decision reversed.\r\rCommission Vice-Chair Kurt Davis said This is a great pre-New Year's present for the people of Mohave County and anglers across the state... Sportfishing recreation contributes $1.47 billion to Arizona's economy annually, with much of that money going to rural communities, and Game and Fish is proud to be part of the solution keeping Willow Beach in business.\r\rFrom the Arizona Game and Fish Department press release: The vote by the Commission to cost-share the Willow Beach hatchery repairs comes after much work by Arizona's congressional delegation, particularly Senator John McCain and Congressman Paul Gosar, who championed a repair to the hatchery. Infrastructure problems at the hatchery began nearly five years ago, when broken pipelines and low water levels threatened trout production at the facility. The loss of the trout stocking would continue to have a devastating economic effect on the communities in Mohave County, Arizona. The state's sport fishing industry relies on the national hatchery system for more than 97 percent of sport fish stocked in Arizona.  \r\r\tThe agreement approved by the Commission will, if executed, commit the Department to share the costs of repairs, and institutionalize a recreational fishing partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into the next decade. It calls for the Service to annually provide 2 million fertilized triploid rainbow trout eggs from Ennis National Fish Hatchery, 160,000 fertilized Apache trout eggs from Williams Creek National Fish Hatchery and 150,000 catchable 11-inch rainbow trout stocked annually into Willow Beach and below Davis Dam.\r\rAdditional\r\rCongressman Gosar has created an informational page on his website about his efforts to protect the trout stocking program at the Willow Beach Fish Hatchery which includes introducing the Fish Hatchery Protection Act, H.R. 5026 that would protect propagation fish hatcheries and propagation programs within the National Fish Hatchery System. That page can be found HERE.\r\r###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mckinley.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=680", "Rep. McKinley Congressional Work by the Numbers for 2014", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WV", "David McKinley", "M001180", "mckinley.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. McKinley Congressional Work by the Numbers for 2014 \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 30, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-W.Va.) released the following breakdown of his Congressional work over the past year.  Here's a look at his work, by the numbers:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-W.Va.) released the following breakdown of his Congressional work over the past year. Here's a look at his work, by the numbers: Cast 563 roll call votes in the House and missed no votes.Introduced 14 bills, bringing his total number of bills introduced to 53 in the 113th Congress.Successfully offered 13 amendmentson the House floor or in committee.Participated in 38 hearings and legislative markups with the Energy and Commerce Committee.Held just under250 meetings in the district in all 20 counties.Organized 78 roundtable meetingsin the First District with veterans, seniors, small businesses, manufacturers, labor, teachers, farmers, elected officials, and others.Conducted 4 telephone town halls reaching over 40,000 constituents.Opened 853 constituent casework cases and closed 862 cases.Sent over 34,000 emails and letters to constituents.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7c9c5d64-d278-4768-8103-41babcfff4e0", "Your Tax Dollars...Down the Drain: Over-Budget Project for an Already Cancelled Program", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Rob Portman", "P000449", "www.portman.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today released the latest example in a monthly series highlighting Washington\u2019s wasteful spending during a time of record debt:\r\nIt doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that it's wasteful to spend money building a facility that will never be used. It does take Washington to fund the construction anyway.\r\nThe Washington Post recently reported that, last June, NASA marked completion of a $350 million tower (\u201cA-3\u201d) built to test a cutting-edge rocket engine (\u201cJ-2X\u201d) that would help send astronauts to the International Space Station, the moon, and even Mars.\u00a0\r\nAs part of President George W. Bush\u2019s Constellation program in 2004, the J-2X engine would power the Ares I and Ares V rockets that would transport astronauts and cargo separately to their destinations. Since the engine would be ignited only after the rockets were already in space, A-3 was made to withstand the blast of a rocket engine and create a vacuum inside similar to the conditions in space.\r\nThe project was originally projected to cost $119 million and be finished by 2010. But in 2010, A-3 was well over-budget and behind schedule. After President Obama proposed abandoning the Constellation program, Congress ended funding for the Ares rockets and the J-2X engine \u2013 yet inexplicably reauthorized the final $100 million to complete A-3 despite no longer developing rockets that could use it.\r\nThis pushed the final cost to $349 million, or nearly triple the original estimate. And even after this additional spending, the A-3 vacuum is still not operational for testing, and would require as long as three more years of work to finish if NASA ever decides to use the tower for its original purpose.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis egregious example of spending shows that Washington continues to operate in its own vacuum, diverting $100 million additional taxpayer dollars into an over-budget project that had already been cancelled,\u201d said Portman. \u201cDuring a time of already limited resources, this is exactly the type of spending that must be eliminated in order to become responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.\u201d\r\nAs of now, the door is locked and the area shut down. A NASA tour guide tells visitors that the tower is \"just hanging out right now.\" NASA has no existing rockets or plans for the future to develop a rocket that would need the tower to test.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=ba07fa5f-e344-47f4-9c56-c51235887893", "Rubio Comments On Castro Regime's Latest Wave Of Repression", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Marco Rubio", "R000595", "www.rubio.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement today regarding\u00a0news reports\u00a0of the Castro regime's efforts to suppress Cuban activists and independent journalists attempting to attend a rally in Havana:\r\n   \r\n\"The Castro regime's latest acts of repression against political dissidents in Cuba make a mockery of President Obama's new U.S.-Cuba policy. The fact that the regime continues to violate the human rights of Cubans like this shows that it has even less incentive to change its ways since President Obama intends to give the Castros numerous unilateral concessions in exchange for zero steps towards more political freedom.\r\n   \r\n\"This is the real human tragedy of the President's new Cuba policy. President Obama should be ashamed of legitimizing and empowering the Castros while abandoning courageous Cuban dissidents like the ones who have been on the receiving end of the regime's repressive tactics in recent days.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://adriansmith.house.gov/year-review", "Year in Review", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As 2014 winds to a close it is a good time to review and reflect on what we have accomplished this year, and what remains to be done.\u00a0 While much of the work done in the House to advance positive solutions to put America on a better path was blocked by the Democrat controlled Senate, we did make progress on priorities for Nebraskans and in pushing back against overreaching and harmful red tape.\nThis year I launched the Regulation Rewind project to make it easier for Third District constituents to identify, and weigh in on the federal rules which hurt economic growth, limit opportunities for rural Americas, are inconsistent with the law, or are unfair.\u00a0 Based on your feedback we have selected a number of regulations and proposed rules, and posted what I am doing to fight back on my website at: https://adriansmith.house.gov/regulationrewind.\nTogether, we have made progress on several issues.\u00a0 After voicing your concerns, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration dropped plans to regulate small farms.\u00a0 The Internal Revenue Service decided to rethink rules which would limit First Amendment rights of political groups.\u00a0 And the economically disastrous Waters of the United States rule, which would allow the federal government to regulate small ponds and streams, was blocked for ag producers through September.\nAfter hearing your concerns about the many flight cancelations at Nebraska airports, I worked to give small airports more flexibility in implementing new pilot regulations.\u00a0 I also introduced legislation to ensure small airports get the appropriate level of funding and are not double penalized by these new rules.\nAccess to health care remains a challenge for rural Americans.\u00a0 In February, I introduced the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act to repeal the burdensome 96-hour precertification requirement.\u00a0 This arbitrary regulation requires physicians at small remote hospitals to certify Medicare and Medicaid patients will not be there more than 96 hours.\u00a0 This legislation along with two other bills I sponsored was included in a draft legislative package to improve the Medicare.\u00a0 I am hopeful this proposal will be considered during the next Congress.\u00a0\nMy staff and I have also helped a number of Nebraskans address individual problems and cut through the red tape of dealing with the federal government.\u00a0 We successfully closed hundreds of federal casework issues.\u00a0 I started the Caseworker in Your Community program to better serve constituents unable to make it to one of my offices, and we expanded our annual Senior Services Fair to Scottsbluff and Grand Island.\nClearly, there is much more to be done during the upcoming Congress. \u00a0Even with Republican control of both the House and Senate, we will need to work to get bills to the President\u2019s desk and signed into law.\u00a0 I am optimistic we can make progress by using the system designed by our founders.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cole.house.gov/year-review", "A Year in Review", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Tom Cole", "C001053", "cole.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As we prepare for the new Congress that assumes office on January 6 of 2015, it is important to think back on the full year behind us and remember what it meant for our country. While there were numerous challenges both at home and abroad, I believe that this year proved productive and set a positive example of bipartisanship. Despite inevitable differences on both sides of the aisle, there were several legislative achievements that proved government can function\u2014even when it is divided. \u00a0\nWe began this year with the passage of the omnibus appropriations bill. This compromise measure followed the top-line number set in the Ryan-Murray budget deal and funded the government for fiscal year 2014, and lawmakers did so while also reducing discretionary spending for the fourth consecutive year. Tough decisions like these have helped to lower the deficit from $1.4 trillion, when the GOP took control of the House in 2010, to less than $500 billion today. While that figure is still much too high, it represents real progress in dealing with the deficit.\nAlso toward the beginning of the year, both chambers of Congress supported the farm bill conference report, which saved taxpayers $23 billion in mandatory federal spending. Not only did the farm bill save hard-earned tax dollars, but the five-year extension that was signed into law by the president restored certainty to farmers, ranchers and consumers.\nDuring the spring, I am pleased that both chambers of Congress and the Administration saw the value of legislation that would redirect taxpayer dollars that were being wasted to instead do some real good. Signed into law in April, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which I co-authored with my colleague Congressman Gregg Harper, redirects taxpayer dollars used for political party conventions and instead funds pediatric disease research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). With these additional dollars to NIH, there is new potential for researchers to discover treatments and cures that could change and save lives.\nJust before August, lawmakers passed legislation to address the internal mismanagement at the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and require greater accountability there in the future. There is no obligation more sacred than to provide for our service members and their families, both during and after service to their country. Especially when our veteran heroes require special care, they should never receive less than the best treatment. Swift passage of the VA conference report, addressing the problems at the VA, proved both Republicans and Democrats agree that we should take care of our veterans.\nWith another government shutdown looming at the end of the year, I am pleased that lawmakers came together to vote on legislation that fully funded the government. This omnibus was the product of months-long negotiations between leadership in the House and Senate to reconcile differences on previously passed funding legislation for fiscal year 2015. While the negotiations were certainly tough, I believe that the omnibus reflected common sense and conservative priorities, and it did so by using the terms already set out in the Ryan-Murray budget agreement.\nOf great importance to the Fourth District of Oklahoma and following recent passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, I am pleased that the omnibus fully funded our military and prevented the Administration\u2019s recommended deactivation of seven AWACS aircraft stationed at Tinker Air Force Base. Such a move by the Administration would significantly impact the readiness and ability of our Armed Forces to combat current and future conflicts. Also addressed in the military funding, the omnibus acknowledged the need to maintain our national security by dealing with threats that currently include the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the growing terrorist threat posed by ISIL in the Middle East.\nAs we begin the 114th Congress in the coming days with a fresh Republican majority, I remain optimistic that we will continue to find common ground with each other. I hope lawmakers will take note of our bipartisan successes from 2014 and find similar reforms that benefit the American people. Certainly, we will face obstacles in the future, but I believe we can continue to find agreement.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397914", "World War II Veteran to Receive French Legion of Honor", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Robert Latta", "L000566", "latta.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) will join with French Colonel Nicolas Auboin on January 5 at the Wyandot County Courthouse to present Fifth Congressional District of Ohio resident and World War II veteran, Clyde Shull, with the French Legion of Honor. The award is the highest accolade given by the French government and will be presented to Mr. Shull in recognition of his service during World War II. Mr. Shull was also recognized by French Ambassador Fran\u00e7ois Delattre during his visit to Northwest Ohio earlier this year.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIt is an honor to have been able to work with the French government to recognize Mr. Shull with this long-deserved decoration,\u201d said Latta.\u00a0\u201cMr. Shull exemplifies his generation and the monumental sacrifices they made during World War II, and in receiving the French Legion of Honor, he will be rightfully recognized for his service and dedication to our country.\u201d\r\n\"Bestowing a Legion d'Honneur in the name of the President of the French Republic is always something special,\" said Colonel Auboin. \"The circumstances here and now are even more specific. Mr. Shull is awarded the highest French decoration in recognition of his sacrifice and his support to the liberation of France, as well as for his contribution to establishing a long lasting peace in Europe. Through him, the French government wants to address the message to an entire generation of World War II veterans and the United States of America that France will never forget what they did in 1944. France also wishes that through this ceremony, this example of dedication and service will be an example for generations to come.\"\r\nMedia are invited to attend the event, but must RSVP to\u00a0Sarah Criser. Details for the event include the following:\r\nWHO:\u00a0Congressman Bob Latta, French Colonel Nicolas Auboin and World War II Veteran Clyde Shull\r\nWHAT:\u00a0French Legion of Honor Presentation\r\nWHEN:\u00a0Monday, January 5, at 10 a.m.\r\nWHERE:\u00a0Wyandot County Courthouse, Common Pleas Courtroom, 109 S. Sandusky Avenue, Upper Sandusky, Ohio 43351\r\nAbout Mr. Shull\r\nMr. Shull was drafted into the military on February 9, 1942, and was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. His service is the only time he has lived outside of what is today\u2019s Fifth Congressional District of Ohio. He served in the Ninth Infantry Division, 34th\u00a0Field Artillery Battalion \u2013 one of the first to go onshore in North Africa.\r\nDuring the D-Day invasion, Mr. Shull landed on Utah Beach, from where he fought through France, Belgium and Germany. His division participated in eight major battles throughout the war.\r\nMr. Shull was honorably discharged on June 21, 1945, and has remained active in the veterans community ever since. He is one of American Legion Post 225\u2019s oldest members and has held numerous positions within the Post, including Commander and Finance Officer. He also served for 40 years on the Post\u2019s Honor Guard and continues to serve on the Wyandot County Veteran Service Commission, of which he was selected and appointed in August 1985.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://marino.house.gov/press-release/rep-marino-backs-amicus-brief-challenging-president%E2%80%99s-amnesty", "Rep. Marino Backs Amicus Brief Challenging the Presidents Amnesty", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Tom Marino", "M001179", "marino.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington D.C.\u2014Congressman Tom Marino, PA-10, Lycoming County signed on to support the amicus brief filed by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) last week. The brief is supported by more than two dozen states and 68 Members of Congress in challenging President Obama\u2019s recent Presidential Memorandum -- Modernizing and Streamlining the U.S. Immigrant Visa System for the 21st Century dubbed \u201cexecutive amnesty.\u201d ACLJ also created the Committee to Defend the Separation of Powers of which more than 60,000 citizens joined in an additional effort to halt Obama\u2019s unconstitutional move towards illegal immigrant legalization.\nThe case, State of Texas v. United States of America, argues the president\u2019s directive to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is in contradiction with Congress\u2019 authority to create immigration policy. It states Congress has a standing classification system for aliens and DHS\u2019s new directive changes those laws and sets new policy without the authorization of Congress which has interrupted the balance of power among the three branches of government.\nIt further argues the executive branch has abdicated one its chief responsibilities to \u201cfaithfully execute the law\u201d and thereby \u201cexceeded the bounds of their prosecutorial discretion.\u201d\nCongressman Marino said the following of the brief:\n\u201cI have said it before and I will say it again; the best way to stop President Obama\u2019s executive overreach in our immigration policies, and even healthcare for that matter, is through the courts. I firmly believe through our legal system we will achieve the results Americans demand. We have the best legal system in the world. The public trusts decisions made in courts through rigorous analysis and interpretation. What they do not trust is the relentless political jockeying over serious issues that have detrimental impacts on our nation\u2019s future. I am grateful for the opportunity to register my support of ACLJ\u2019s efforts with the court as a result of my longstanding legal background and I am confident we can move this forward in conjunction with additional congressional actions coming soon in the 114th.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398382", "Ninth District Traveling Staff Office Hours for January", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Griffith\u2019s Ninth District STAFF will be available at the following locations during the month of January.\u00a0 In the event of inclement weather (heavy snow, sleet, icy rain, etc.), traveling office hours may be rescheduled to avoid putting constituents at risk.\u00a0 Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions or to confirm that traveling hours are still in effect.\r\n\r\nJanuary 6, 2015\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nRichlands Town Hall  \r\n200 Washington Square  \r\nRichlands, VA\r\nBuchanan County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nGrundy Town Hall  \r\n1185 Plaza Drive  \r\nGrundy, VA\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nDublin Town Hall  \r\nRoute 100, 1 mile North of I-81  \r\nDublin, VA\r\nJanuary 7, 2015\r\nSmyth County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nTown Council Chambers  \r\n138 West Main Street  \r\nMarion, VA\r\nCovington:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nCovington City Hall  \r\nCity Hall Conference Room  \r\n333 W. Locust Street  \r\nCovington, VA\r\nCraig County:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nCraig County Administration Building  \r\n108 Court Street  \r\nNew Castle, VA\r\nBristol:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nBristol VA Public Library  \r\nUpstairs Conference Room  \r\n701 Goode Street  \r\nBristol, VA\r\nJanuary 8, 2015\r\nGrayson County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nGrayson County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room \u2013 Suite 206  \r\n129 Davis Street  \r\nIndependence, VA\r\nRussell County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nSouthwest Virginia Technology Development Center  \r\n141 Highland Drive  \r\nLebanon, VA\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm   \r\nBluefield Town Hall \u2013 Council Chambers  \r\n112 Huffard Drive  \r\nBluefield, VA\r\nGalax: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nGalax Municipal Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n111 E. Main Street  \r\nGalax, VA\r\nJanuary 13, 2015\r\nGiles County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nPearisburg Town Hall  \r\n112 Tazewell Street  \r\nPearisburg, VA\r\nDickenson County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nDickenson Center for Education &amp; Research  \r\n818 Happy Valley Drive  \r\nClintwood, VA \r\nSalem: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nSalem Library  \r\n28 East Main Street  \r\nSalem, VA\r\nWise County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nBig Stone Gap Federal Courthouse  \r\n3rd Floor Room 303  \r\n322 Wood Avenue E  \r\nBig Stone Gap, VA\r\nJanuary 14, 2015\r\nRadford: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nRadford Public Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n30 West Main Street  \r\nRadford, VA\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nPulaski County Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n60 3rd Street NW  \r\nPulaski, VA\r\nJanuary 15, 2015\r\nAlleghany County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nClifton Forge Library  \r\nConference Room  \r\n535 Church Street  \r\nClifton Forge, VA\r\nScott County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nCommunity Services Building  \r\nCommunity Room  \r\n190 Beech Street  \r\nGate City, VA \r\nRoanoke County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nRoanoke Library Hollins Branch  \r\n6624 Peters Creek Road  \r\nRoanoke, VA\r\nWise County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nBig Stone Gap Federal Courthouse  \r\n3rd Floor Room 303  \r\n322 Wood Avenue E  \r\nBig Stone Gap, VA\r\nJanuary 20, 2015\r\nCarroll County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nCarroll County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room  \r\n605 \u2013 1 Pine Street  \r\nHillsville, VA\r\nFloyd County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nFloyd County Library  \r\n321 W. Main Street  \r\nFloyd, VA\r\nJanuary 21, 2015\r\nHenry County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nBassett Historical Society  \r\n3964 Fairystone Parkway  \r\nBassett, VA  \r\nBland County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm  \r\nBland County Courthouse  \r\nAdmin. Office Room 200  \r\n612 Main Street  \r\nBland, VA\r\nWythe County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nWythe County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n245 South 4th Street  \r\nWytheville, VA\r\nPatrick County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm  \r\nPatrick County Administration Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n106 Rucker Street  \r\nStuart, VA\u00a0 \r\n** Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398383", "Congressman Griffiths 2015 Congressional Issues Survey", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As your Congressman, I am committed to making sure that your views and positions are heard when key issues are debated in Washington.\u00a0 Please share with me your perspective about some the issues and proposals that may come before the Congress in 2015.\u00a0 To take the 2015 Congressional Issues Survey, please click here or visit http://morgangriffith.house.gov/2015issuessurvey/ .\nWith concerns, comments, or to request a physical copy of the 2015 Congressional Issues Survey, you can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pittenger.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-pittenger-announces-five-appointments-to-united-states", "Congressman Pittenger Announces Five Appointments to United States Service Academies", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Robert Pittenger", "P000606", "pittenger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\u00a0\n CONGRESSMAN PITTENGER ANNOUNCES FIVE APPOINTMENTS TO UNITED STATES SERVICE ACADEMIES \n\u00a0\nCHARLOTTE \u2013 Five outstanding local students had extra reason to be thankful this holiday season as Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) personally called to announce their appointment to United States service academies.  \n\t\u00a0\n Mr. Riley Brosnan, a senior at Charlotte Catholic, received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.\u00a0 The son and grandson of United States Marines officers, he told Congressman Pittenger that \u201cAmerica allowed my mother and her family to emigrate from Vietnam and start a new future away from that war torn country. Our nation has granted me freedom and opportunity that can best be repaid through a period of military service.\u201d\u00a0 Mr. Brosnan is the son of John and Kim Brosnan and lives in Matthews.\n\tMr. Jackson Dunn, a senior at Myers Park High School, received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy.\u00a0 Mr. Dunn began his life in a Russian orphanage, which forced him to develop a strong work ethic, leadership, and teamwork skills at a young age.\u00a0 \u201cThe early years of my life were different than most people I know, but for that, I am now thankful.\u201d\u00a0 Mr. Dunn is the son of Kimberly and Bradley Dunn and lives in Charlotte.\n\tMs. Sydney Frankenberg, a senior at Cannon School, received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.\u00a0 Profoundly impacted by 9/11, she remembers \u201ca sense of bewilderment at how there could be people full of such hatred for others . . . and a sense of respect for those who valiantly risked their lives that day to serve their country and help others.\u00a0 Responsibility is and always has been the price of freedom.\u201d\u00a0 Ms. Frankenberg is the daughter of Brett and Sara Frankenberg and lives in Charlotte.\n\tMs. Sera Martorelli, a senior at Grace Academy, received an appointment to West Point and quoted General MacArthur to Congressman Pittenger. \u201cDuty, Honor, Country . . . those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.\u00a0 Those three words inspire me.\u201d\u00a0 Ms. Martorelli is the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Martorelli and lives in Matthews.\n\tMr. Sheppard Wilson, a senior at Charlotte Country Day, received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy.\u00a0 He told Congressman Pittenger that \u201cto be able to serve my country and defend the ideals of democracy and freedom would be the highest honor for me.\u201d\u00a0 Mr. Wilson is the son of Tom and Laurie Wilson and lives in Charlotte.\n   \u201cOur nation and our community are blessed by these outstanding local students who chose a life of service and sacrifice in defense of our freedom.\u00a0 Thank you, as well, to all the other local students who volunteer to serve in so many important ways,\u201d said Congressman Pittenger.\n  \n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/paul-simon-water-for-the-world-act-signed-into-law", "Paul Simon Water for the World Act Signed Into Law", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) is pleased to announce that the President signed the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act into law on December 19. Shimkus was a cosponsor of the bill, which passed the House December 8 and then passed the Senate on December 15.\n\u201cWhile this legislation does not have a direct effect on Southern Illinois, Senator Simon\u2019s legacy lives on through this initiative to utilize water, sanitation, and hygiene as tools for foreign assistance,\u201d Shimkus noted. The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act was originally established in 2005, and this law amends that legislation.\nSpecifically, this law directs the Secretary of State:\n To develop a strategy every five years to further U.S. foreign policy objectives by providing affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation in developing counties; and\n\tTo develop a complementary strategy to further U.S. foreign assistance to provide affordable and equitable drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in developing countries.\n Shimkus added, \u201cFirst, it is noteworthy that both the House and the Senate passed this bill on voice votes \u2013 without any objections, which is quite amazing in today\u2019s political world. Second, this law helps make the water programs be more focused, efficient, transparent, and better monitored.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=2d1d364e-1c38-4df1-ac8f-6875d772a2e7", "STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON AGREEMENT ADVANCED TODAY BY ARIZONA GAME AND FISH COMMISSION TO RESTORE TROUT STOCKING AT WILLOW BEACH HATCHERY IN MOHAVE COUNTY", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u00ad\u2013 U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) released the following statement on the agreement advanced today by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission negotiated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to restore trout stocking at Willow Beach Hatchery in Mohave County, Arizona. Under the agreement, the Commission would work with USFWS to split the costs of repairing the hatchery\u2019s water intake system and secure a supply of trout eggs that will guarantee production for at least the next five years \u2013 and likely more.\r\n\u201cI am very pleased that an agreement to restore trout stocking at Willow Beach Hatchery has been approved today by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission,\u201d said Senator McCain. \u201cThis is an important development for the Mohave County/Clark County stretch of the Lower Colorado River, where trout fishing supports some 1,700 jobs and generates $75 million in economic activity. The endless opportunities for outdoor recreation are among the most unique aspects of life in Arizona, and I am proud that our state and local officials took a leadership role on this issue with the federal government, which has a longstanding responsibility to mitigate for lost fishing opportunities resulting from the construction of the Hoover Dam.\u201d\r\nThe Chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Mohave County leaders commented on today's action:\r\n\u201cWe are proud to approve the motion for our Director to finalize a cooperative agreement providing vital assistance to an important industry in Arizona, and grateful to Senator McCain for his staunch support of returning trout propagation to Willow Beach,\u201d said Commission Chairman Robert Mansell. \u201cWith the execution of this agreement, Arizona will retain its reputation as one of the finest sport fishing destinations in North America.\u201d\r\n\u201cMohave County wants to thank all the people who recognized the devastating economic impact that ending the 50-year trout stocking program at the Willow Beach Hatchery would have had on local communities,\u201d said Hildy Angius, Chair of the Mohave County Board of Supervisors. \u201cThis agreement could not have happened without our partners at Arizona Game and Fish, most notably Chief of Fisheries Chris Cantrell along with Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar. My biggest thanks is reserved for Senator John McCain, who stood with me at Willow Beach Fish Hatchery last August and promised he would do everything in his power to fix this problem and then delivered on that promise. Mohave County is, and will now continue to be, the finest place to sport fish in the country.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe fishing industry is a multi-million dollar business for Mohave County, where we host nationally-recognized angling tournaments that increase our tourism,\u201d said Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson. \u201cWithout the hatchery, the food chain in our river and lake would suffer and bring an end to the world-class fishing and economic benefits it sustains.\u00a0I thank Senator McCain for his leadership in helping to resolve this important issue.\u201d\r\nIn August of this year, Senator McCain toured the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery near Bullhead City, Arizona, and was briefed on a variety of engineering plans to repair the hatchery\u2019s damaged pipelines. Preliminary cost estimates for repairs totaled up to $9 million dollars. Senator McCain urged USFWS to coordinate with Mohave County and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to develop a single affordable and reasonable solution to move repairs forward.\r\nIn a letter to USFWS Direct Dan Ashe, dated September 12, 2014, Senator McCain praised the parties for identifying an engineering plan with an estimated cost of $776,000 which called for installing a floating pump platform that would adjust with fluctuating river elevations. In his letter, Senator McCain commended USFWS for their efforts and requested that the Director \u201cconsider the utility of entering into an intergovernmental agreement with those entities offering to assist with the project.\u201d\r\nAccording to an analysis provided by AZGFD, trout-fishing supports around 1,700 jobs and generates approximately $75 million in economic activity along the Mohave County/Clark County stretch of the Lower Colorado River. Trout-stocking is important to the area\u2019s angling community and falls under the federal government\u2019s longstanding responsibility to mitigate for lost fishing opportunities resulting from the construction of the Hoover Dam.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=50bc3b27-2a2d-456c-8590-a10c60ac2ca1", "STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON AFGHANISTAN", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u00ad\u2013 U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) released the following statement today on the Obama Administration\u2019s formal declaration of end to combat operations in Afghanistan:\r\n\u201cNo one should mistake the Administration's declared end of combat operations in Afghanistan with an end of our mission there. While our troops and civilians are making steady progress in supporting our Afghan partners in securing their country and defeating our common terrorist enemies, the truth is, this work remains unfinished. Indeed, steady reports of Taliban offensives are a painful reminder of that fact.\r\n\u201cIn order not to squander the hard-fought gains that our fellow citizens have made in Afghanistan, the Administration needs to give the thousands of U.S. forces that will remain in the country beyond this year the authorities they need to train, advise, and assist our Afghan partners in finishing the mission that we undertook together after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Administration must also replace its calendar-driven draw-down of U.S. forces with a plan based on conditions on the ground. If this is not done, and if the Administration insists on pulling all U.S. forces out of the country for political reasons, Afghanistan will deteriorate just as Iraq has since 2011. That would not just be a tragedy for the Afghan people; it would put the American people in far greater danger.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1bf9411a-ef10-4504-8063-50d4d5904cfd", "Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Sen. Ron Johnson announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the senator\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.\r\nNote: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press.\u00a0 Recording devices of any kind are not allowed.\u00a0 These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist.\r\nTuesday, Dec. 30, 10 a.m. \u2013 11 a.m.  E. Troy Village Hall, Meeting Room B  2015 Energy Drive, E. Troy\r\nTuesday, Dec. 30, 12:30 p.m. \u2013 1:30 p.m.  Germantown Village Hall  N112 W17001 Mequon Road, Germantown\r\nTuesday, Dec. 30, 2 p.m. \u2013 3 p.m.  Menomonee Falls Village Hall, Board Room  W156N8480 Pilgrim Road, Menomonee Falls\r\nTuesday, Jan. 6, 3 p.m. \u2013 4 p.m.  Fond du Lac Municipal Building  160 S. Macy St., Fond du Lac\r\nWednesday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m. \u2013 10 a.m.  Ashwaubenon Village Offices  2155 Holmgren Way, Ashwaubenon\r\nWednesday, Jan. 7, 11:30 a.m. \u2013 12:30 p.m.  Door County Government Center, Peninsula Room C112  421 Nebraska St., Sturgeon Bay\r\nWednesday, Jan. 7, 2 p.m. \u2013 3 p.m.  Marinette Municipal Building  1905 Hall Ave., Marinette\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://byrne.house.gov//media-center/columns/year-in-review", "Year in Review", "2014-12-28", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "When I was elected to Congress last December, I vowed to hit the ground running from day one to make Southwest Alabama a better place to live, work and raise a family. In honor of the New Year, I wanted to take this opportunity to look back at some of the highlights from my first year in Congress.\nMy first legislative action was to cosponsor H.R. 3121, the American Health Care Reform Act, which repeals ObamaCare and replaces it with common-sense, market based reforms. Throughout the past year, I have repeatedly supported legislation designed to repeal and reform ObamaCare and actually make health care more affordable and accessible for middle class families.\nI received positions on two committees vitally important to our area: the Armed Services Committee and the Natural Resources Committee. These assignments were a victory for South Alabama jobs. After speaking with friends and neighbors in our community, we concluded that these were the two avenues where we could do the most good for our home.\nIn March, I voted in support of H.R. 3370, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. This bill slowed down the pace of rate hikes for coastal Alabama residents, allowing time to ensure that sound science is being used to create federal flood maps.\nA few weeks later, I accepted a position on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Education is an issue that is a passion of mine, and I have seen firsthand how the federal government\u2019s intrusions can hamper student success. The Committee also put me on a strong position to promote job training programs and fight back against the activist National Labor Relations Board.\nIn April, after it was announced the Red Snapper season in federal waters would only last nine days, I introduced my first standalone piece of legislation: the SNAPR Act. The legislation would repeal Section 407(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which mandates inflexible quotas on recreational and commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico.\nIn May, following the heartbreaking scandal at VA medical facilities around the country, I joined many of my colleagues in calling on VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign. Weeks later, Secretary Shinseki resigned and was replaced by Robert McDonald. Around the same time, Congress passed the Veterans\u2019 Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act. Most importantly, the bill included reforms to increase veteran access to private care, but more work is certainly needed.\nIn June, I held my 25th town hall meeting in Lillian. Since then, we have held even more town hall meetings brining to the total number to over 30. In addition to holding the in-person town hall meetings, I also held telephone town halls and answered questions from constituents during a Facebook town hall.\u00a0\nIn response to many outrageous executive overreaches by President Obama and his administration, I supported a lawsuit against the President in July. Everywhere I go, I hear the same thing over and over again: This President will not stay within the bounds of the Constitution of the United States or the laws passed by this body and the Senate. I wish a lawsuit wasn\u2019t necessary, but I believed it was one of the best ways to rein in the out-of-control executive.\nAlso in July, the Federal Highway Administration finally released the draft Environmental Impact Statement on the I-10 Mobile River bridge project. This step was almost ten years in the making, and it represented a significant breakthrough in the process of getting a bridge built. I will continue pushing for this project which is critically important to our entire region.\nIn August, in response to a dangerous influx of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border, I voted for legislation that would boost border security and end one of President Obama\u2019s amnesty programs. President Obama\u2019s continued threat of executive action has only exacerbated the problem of illegal immigration, and I look forward to a serious debate early next year on the immigration issue.\nThis fall, I traveled to the Middle East to meet with United States military personnel and visit with foreign leaders. During the trip, I made stops in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Morocco. One common theme I picked up on during the trip was the lack of United States leadership and a clear strategy in the region. Whether it is ISIS in Iraq, Hamas in Gaza, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Boko Haram in Africa, or al-Qaeda throughout the Middle East, Islamic extremists are on the rise.\nMost recently, we were able to secure funding for the construction of four new Littoral Combat Ships, which are built in part by Austal in Mobile. The same week, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced that the current LCS variants will be modified instead of creating a new ship design. This means the Navy will continue building ships in Mobile for a long time.\nThere is no doubt many challenges remain, but I am proud of the many accomplishments from my first year in Congress. As we head into the New Year, I will continue advocating for our shared conservative values and fighting for Alabama jobs. It is an honor to represent you in Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsletter?ContentRecord_id=51f81a13-fcaf-4020-a8a0-e2d8e92e242e", "Kansas Common Sense - Kansas Listening Tour Continues", "2014-12-28", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Jerry Moran", "M000934", "www.moran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hello,\r\n\u00a0\r\nWelcome to \u201cKansas Common Sense.\u201d I hope you and your family are enjoying this holiday season. Robba and I enjoyed a peaceful Christmas with our family and we wish you and yours a very Happy New Year. In January, Capitol Hill begins to forge a new path and I am hopeful 2015 will bring a Congress better capable of working together for the well-being of our nation. I look forward to advocating for pro-growth policies that create jobs and more economic opportunity for every American.\r\nOn Friday, I spoke with Kelly Lenz on the Kansas Ag Network to discuss trade with Cuba, my new committee assignments for the 114th Congress and the Farm Bill. Click here to listen.\r\nThank you for your continued interest in receiving my weekly newsletter. Please feel free to forward it on to your family and friends if it would interest them.\r\n\u00a0\r\nKansas Listening Tour Continues\r\nThis week, I continued my Kansas Listening Tour with four stops in Harper, Barber, Edwards, and Stafford Counties. The issues I focus on and work I do in Washington, D.C., are largely based on the conversations I have with Kansans so making certain I am home to visit with folks is my top priority. I was proud to learn this week that I led my Senate colleagues in hosting the most town hall meetings in 2014\u00a0with 80 Listening Tour Stops throughout Kansas. You can visit my website for upcoming Kansas Listening Tour stops in your community.\r\nOn Monday, about 15 residents in Harper County joined me at Chaparral High School in Anthony to share feedback on a number of issues facing our country. Topics of discussion included rural access to health care, getting veterans the health care they need, the farm bill and regulatory issues related to agriculture and the oil &amp; gas industry. Thanks again to all those who took the time to share their thoughts and concerns with me, and thank you to Dana Craig for helping to organize my visit.  \r\nFrom Harper County, I headed to Medicine Lodge in Barber County where I visited with folks at People's Bank, including Dennis Ricke, Barber County Farm Bureau President, who discussed the Lesser Prairie Chicken. While in Medicine Lodge, I also had the opportunity to visit Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital and Physician's Clinic where I met with\u00a0CFO Tom Lee and his wife Suzanne Lee, Executive Director of the Medicine Lodge Community Health Foundation, and received a tour of the hospital. Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital recently completed Phase 2 of its renovations and I was very impressed with the new facility. Finally, I visited with Sloane Freeman at the pharmacy in Medicine Lodge and saw their newly renovated drug store in an old grocery store. In addition to providing patients with advice and filling prescriptions, locals like to come in and grab coffee at the pharmacy. The Freeman\u2019s truly provide a great service to the community.  \r\nMy third Listening Tour stop this week was in Edwards County where I held a town hall meeting at St. Bernard Parish Hall in Belpre. The folks in attendance were interested in discussing a range of topics including changes to U.S. relations with\u00a0Cuba, the importance of approving the Keystone XL pipeline in the next Congress, the sanctity of life, immigration, and tax reform. The community expressed thanks for the efforts to protect local Post Offices. I appreciated their kind words. Thanks again to former County Commissioner Marge Scheufler for helping organize my visit and to all who shared their thoughts and concerns.  \r\nMy final stop Monday was in Stafford County at the Courthouse Annex in St. John. Topics of discussion ranged from concerns with Obamacare and access to rural health care, to the Marketplace Fairness Act and the importance of agriculture\u00a0and water to our state. Thanks again to the concerned citizens who attended. And thank you to the Stafford County Kansas Farm Bureau for hosting and Sharilyn McNickle for helping to organize.  \r\nI appreciate these opportunities to hear from Kansans. I have upcoming Listening Tour stops next Monday in Burdett at the Burdett Senior Center, in Jetmore at King Center, and in Ness City at the Ness County Courthouse. On Wednesday, I will be at the Community Building in Fairview. Friday I will be hosting town halls at the Scott County Hospital meeting room and then in the community room of the Lane County Courthouse. On Tuesday Jan. 6th I will be in Lenexa at Firehouse #3 auditorium.\u00a0 You can find out more about these town hall meetings in the sidebar of this newsletter. As I continue to schedule Listening Tour stops, I look forward to hearing from folks across the state.\r\n\u00a0\r\nThanks to Fall/Winter 2014 Interns\r\nMy own interest in public service was sparked by an internship for Kansas First  District Congressman Keith Sebelius in 1974. As an intern, I had the chance to  learn firsthand how a Congressional office operates and how the legislative  process works.\r\nI am proud to be able to offer this same opportunity in my Senate office today  where I have interns year-round who have a unique opportunity to work closely  with my staff on behalf of Kansas. Thanks to the fall/winter 2015 interns \u2014 Nathan Yunker of Hays, Fort Hays State University; and Jakob Provo of El Dorado, KansasWesleyan University \u2014 for all of your hard work. I wish you the best of luck as you pursue your dreams and begin your careers.  \r\nApplications are already being accepted for internships in my Washington, D.C., office for the summer 2015 term. Congressional internships are open to qualified undergraduate and graduate students who have an interest in public service and have achieved academic excellence.\r\n\u00a0\r\nHonored to Serve You in Washington\r\nIt is an honor to serve you in Washington, D.C. Thank you to the many Kansans who have been calling and writing in to share their thoughts and opinions on the issues our state and country face. I appreciate the words of Kansans, whether in the form of a form of letter, a Facebook comment or a phone call, who wish to make their voice heard.\r\nPlease let me know how I can be of assistance. You can contact me by email by clicking here. You can also click here to contact me through one of my Kansas offices or my Washington, D.C., office.\r\n\u00a0\r\nVery truly yours,\r\nJerry", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/opinion-editorials?ContentRecord_id=cf46ab68-8175-4643-b387-660f087ec547", "McCain in The Arizona Republic: \"Copper Mine Will Boost Economy, Protect Sacred Sites\"", "2014-12-28", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Arizona Republic \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tThis month,\u00a0Congress approved and the president signed\u00a0into law legislation that paves the way for the expansion of the Resolution Copper Mine in Superior. I'm extremely proud to have worked as a team with my Arizona colleagues in the Senate and House, most notably Sen. Jeff Flake and Reps. Paul Gosar and Ann Kirkpatrick, to advance this legislation.\r\nThe Resolution Copper Mine is a tremendous opportunity for Arizona and the United States, economically and strategically. This project will tap the largest copper deposit ever discovered in North America. Over time, it will produce 25 percent of U.S copper demand.\r\nPerhaps most importantly, the mine will create an estimated 3,700 mining and mining-related jobs and generate over $61 billion in economic activity over 60 years, according to an independent study by Elliot D. Pollak &amp; Company. That is the economic equivalent of Arizona hosting two Super Bowls every year for more than half a century.\r\nArizona is the nation's top copper-producing state and Superior is part of that legacy. The Resolution Copper Mine is built on top of Superior's old Magma Mine.\r\nThe mine site was reopened in 2004 as the Resolution Copper Mine after billions of dollars in capital investment brought new technologies that made it possible to bore deeper into the ore body. However, in order to maximize production and job growth, the mine must expand its footprint onto adjacent Forest Service property.\r\nNearly 10 years ago, Sen. Jon Kyl and I first introduced a bill known as the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act, which proposed to transfer approximately 2,400 acres of Forest Service land to Resolution Copper so the mine could grow. In exchange, the company would transfer to the federal government about 5,000 acres of the company's most environmentally significant land throughout the state.\r\nUnfortunately, our bill was stalled for many years over concerns raised by environmental groups, some of whom take a hard-line position against mining. Native American tribes began voicing speculation about the mine's potential to damage nearby areas. While the land exchange does not involve any Indian lands or federally recognized sacred sites, tribes worried that the majestic Apache Leap Cliff \u2014 celebrated by Apache folklore \u2014 could somehow be impacted by the mine.\r\nYears of congressional hearings examined these and other concerns. After much negotiation, a bipartisan, bicameral compromise bill was added to the National Defense Authorization Act. This was entirely appropriate, given that copper is the second most-utilized metal by the Defense Department.\r\nBut it is important to note that the land exchange bill contains several key bipartisan concessions that make it fundamentally different from the original bill.\r\nFirst, the mine will be required to undergo a full environmental impact study before any land is traded.\r\nSecond, the bill mitigates Native American concerns over the loss of Oak Flat Campground, where traditional activities are occasionally organized. As a condition of the land exchange, tribes can continue to use Oak Flat for many years until the company needs to mine underneath it.\r\nFinally, the bill forbids the mine from damaging Apache Leap and designates the cliffs as a Forest Service special management area, placing it under permanent federal protection.\r\nI respect the views of environmental advocates and Native Americans. But I also believe this legislation strikes the right balance in allowing the mine to move forward while addressing their concerns.\r\nArizona is ready for this mine, and Resolution Copper is ready to hire from surrounding communities and tribal members whenever possible, as they've publicly pledged. I'm very proud that by working together, we were able to advance this crucial project, one that will contribute to Arizona's economic prosperity throughout the 21st century.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cole.house.gov/oklahoman-what-others-said-reaction-us-sen-tom-coburns-retirement-private-life-oklahoma", "The Oklahoman: What others said in reaction to U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn's retirement to private life in Oklahoma", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Tom Cole", "C001053", "cole.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Oklahoman\u00a0\nState and federal officials gave their thoughts on the retirement of U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn:\nU.S. Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City:  \n\t\u201cDr. Tom Coburn has been the leading voice in Washington for fiscal responsibility since the first day he stepped onto the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. His retirement from the Senate will leave a huge void. Dr. Coburn has been a consistent and articulate voice for the American taxpayer and the next generation. No one was more effective fighting for responsible spending and against government waste in both the House and Senate. In the three years I have served in the House, I looked to Dr. Coburn as the epitome of a citizen legislator. He kept his eye on the ball and worked relentlessly to bring sanity to government fiscal policy. His leadership and wise counsel will be missed. I join Oklahomans across the state in thanking Dr. Coburn for his sacrificial years of public service, and I will pray that he and Carolyn enjoy many years together in the next chapter of their lives.\u201d\nU.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa:  \n\t\u201cI regret to say that there are times in our service together when we have not been in agreement on specific issues and I think we have a characteristic in common. I think we\u2019re both kind of bull-headed and that has created some temporary hard feelings, but there\u2019s one thing that overshadows that. You know Jesus has a family and his family has a lot of people in it. Some are here in this room. Tom Coburn and I are brothers. ... I want my junior senator to know that I sincerely love him and I\u2019m going to be hurting with him in the troubles that he has right now and might have in the future and will sorely miss him in this body.\u201d\nOklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin:  \n\t\u201cSenator Coburn is one of the most influential voices in American politics today and will most certainly be missed in Congress. He has been a relentless advocate for responsible spending and has worked endlessly on ways to reduce our country\u2019s deficit and to warn policymakers and citizens of its increasing threat to our economy. He has been a tough fiscal conservative during his years in Congress, and he will be remembered as a vigilant watchdog for all of America\u2019s taxpayers. Tom Coburn is a true hero to the American taxpayer. No one has done more to stop wasteful spending in Washington than he has.\u201d\nU.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.:  \n\t\u201cI\u2019m going to miss a lot my colleague from Oklahoma. I\u2019ve always admired his strength of convictions and the courage and candor with which he expresses them day after day. The No. 1 thing people should do in Congress, Tom once said, is stay true to their heart. No one in the history of this institution has ever followed that injunction more faithfully than Tom Coburn has. Tom Coburn has an unshakeable faith in the goodness of America and he has worked diligently with others when he could and alone if necessary to make sure government respects the people we serve, respects their hopes and aspirations, their concerns and sacrifices.\u201d\nU.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore:  \u201cDuring his 16-year congressional career, Tom Coburn established himself as an Oklahoma original \u2014 conservative in his thinking, populist in his rhetoric and independent in his operating style. Coburn raised awareness of the dangers of overspending and inadequately funded entitlement programs. And he was relentlessly critical of both the voters and those in the political elite who were unwilling to make the hard choices required to confront America's deficit and long-term debt.\u201d\nOnline: The Oklahoman", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://culberson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398202", "Culberson Stands With Texas in Fight Against Amnesty", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Culberson", "C001048", "culberson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Culberson Stands With Texas in Fight Against Amnesty \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Houston, TX,\r\n        December 27, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \nCulberson Stands With Texas in Fight Against Amnesty\n\u00a0\n\n\n\nHouston, TX\u2014Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) joined an amicus brief\u00a0supporting the State of Texas\u2019s lawsuit against President Obama\u2019s illegal executive actions on amnesty. Twenty-three other states have already joined the lawsuit, and more than sixty\u00a0Members of Congress have signed onto the amicus brief filed by the American Center for Law and Justice.\n\u00a0\n\"President Obama's overreach is unprecedented. From Obamacare to the IRS scandals to his executive amnesty, no president has shown less regard for the rule of law.\u00a0This week, I signed onto an amicus brief led by the State of Texas challenging President Obama's\u00a0unconstitutional amnesty. I'm proud to stand with Texas as we work to restore our Constitution and the rule of law.\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0  \n\u201cThe structure and stability of our constitutional system depends on the President enforcing the laws Congress enacts\u2014not ignoring or rewriting them.\u00a0I applaud Governor-elect Abbott and the twenty-three\u00a0other states for their efforts in holding the Obama administration accountable. Elected officials have a duty to defend the Constitution and represent their constituents, and this legal challenge does both. I'm proud that Texas is taking the lead, and I will support Governor-elect Abbott's efforts in every way possible.\u201d\n\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398497", "With his star hitched to Boehner, Stivers on the rise", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Steve Stivers", "S001187", "stivers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 When Rep. Steve Stivers begins his third term in the House next month, the Columbus Republican will have a new spot at the center of the legislative action.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      WASHINGTON \u2013 When Rep. Steve Stivers begins his third term in the House next month, the Columbus Republican will have a new spot at the center of the legislative action.That's because GOP leaders, in a surprise move, awarded Stivers a seat on the powerful House Rules Committee in the 114th Congress. The panel sets the terms of debate for nearly every piece of legislation that goes to the House floor and decides which amendments, if any, will receive a vote. Also known as \"the speaker's committee,\" it's how the House speaker controls a bill's fate. Stivers' new assignment, announced in mid-December, comes after he was tapped for a second stint in the GOP leadership, as a deputy to House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. As a member of Scalise's \"whip team,\" Stivers is one of a half-dozen lawmakers charged with making sure GOP leaders have enough votes to get their legislative priorities passed in the House. The two positions will be \"a very powerful combination,\" said former GOP Rep. Deborah Pryce, who represented Ohio's 15th district for 16 years before retiring in 2009. Stivers, she said, will be \"right in the middle of everything.\" Stivers said he had been pursuing a spot on the House Budget Committee but switched gears when House Speaker John Boehner, R-West Chester, asked him if he would fill an opening on the Rules Committee instead. \"It's a chance to really influence the process,\" said Stivers, a soldier who serves in the Ohio Army National Guard. He said he'll be involved in every major issue that comes before the House -- including health care, tax policy and national security. Others echoed that assessment and said Stivers' elevated role is a sign he's become one of Boehner's most trusted allies. \"It's a reflection of confidence from leadership,\" said Norman Ornstein, a congressional expert at the American Enterprise Institute, a centrist Washington think tank. Kara Hauck, a spokeswoman for Boehner, said he sees Stivers as a \"leader who works hard to get the job done, and the speaker looks forward to having him serve in this new role.\" Stivers has long been on Boehner's radar. When Pryce announced her retirement in 2008, Boehner recruited Stivers, then a state lawmaker, to run for the open seat. Stivers narrowly lost narrowly lost that race to Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy. But he tried again in 2010, again at Boehner's urging, and won the rematch. Raised in Ripley, Stivers is a garrulous, well-liked lawmaker with a relatively moderate voting record. He earned a 57 percent conservative score in 2013 from the National Journal, a nonpartisan Washington magazine that analyzes key votes. Dubbed a \"rising GOP star\" by some political pundits, Stivers also has a reputation as a Boehner loyalist, sticking by the speaker as he dealt with conservative revolts and tea party attacks. Stivers voted with GOP leaders 92 percent of the time in the 113th Congress, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. Conservatives may not be so smitten with him. The Club for Growth, a right-leaning advocacy group, gave Stivers a 56 percent score for his votes in 2013. That's well below other central Ohio Republicans such as Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, who scored 97 percent. Club for Growth spokesman Barney Keller declined to comment on Stivers' votes or his leadership ties, saying his scorecard \"speaks for itself.\" Given his long-time friendship with Boehner, it's no surprise Stivers is starting his third term with a seat at the leadership table. It comes at a critical moment for the GOP, with Boehner and other leaders desperate to prove they can govern and break the gridlock that has paralyzed Congress. \"I hope to be able to actually make a difference,\" said Stivers. \"It's been really frustrating to be in Congress the last four years.\" In his role on the whip team, Stivers is charged with finding out how Republicans are going to vote on key bills and stamping out any opposition before the legislation hits the floor. \"He's one of the hardest workers I know,\" Scalise said. \"Steve is one of those guys, he sets his mind to it and goes and get things done. I've always wanted him on my team (for) anything I've done.\" On the Rules Committee, Stivers faces a different challenge -- fielding pleas from colleagues for votes on their provisions. \"An awful lot of members from both parties who want amendments come to you, and you can help them or not help them,\" Ornstein said. At the same time, Stivers will be under pressure from GOP leaders who want to avoid contentious votes and drawn-out floor fights. Stivers said he's knows he'll face competing demands. He said he'll use the committee post to focus on \"what's right for the bill and what's right for America and what can pass.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cramer.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rail-companies-issue-new-status-reports-on-grain-car-backlog-8", "Rail Companies Issue New Status Reports on Grain Car Backlog", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "ND", "Kevin Cramer", "C001096", "cramer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BNSF\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNumber of outstanding cars\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tAverage number of days late\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNumber of new car orders\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNumber of car orders filled\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNumber of orders canceled by shipper\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNumber of orders canceled by railroad", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398120", "Forbes: Huizenga's Subcommittee Appointment Shows Hope For Fed Reform", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MI", "Bill Huizenga", "H001058", "huizenga.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Earlier this week, Forbes published a piece detailing why it is important for the Federal Reserve to adopt a rule to determine how it will make decisions regarding monetary policy.\u00a0 Congressman Huizenga has been an advocate for the Federal Reserve to adopt\u00a0such a rule and\u00a0has introduced legislation to increase transparency and accountability\u00a0at \"The Fed.\"\u00a0In January, Congressman Huizenga will chair the subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade that has direct jurisdiction over how the Federal Reserve operates and conducts business. Below are highlights from the Forbes piece - the full piece if available by clicking on the link below.A Case For A Monetary RuleThe Federal Reserve has long been the world\u2019s most powerful central bank and has become even more so since the 2008 financial crisis. The Fed chairman not only has wide discretion over the course of monetary policy but also over financial regulation. ... In an uncertain world, rules are necessary to limit power and bring about order. The institutional and property rights structure comprise the rules of the game. To be effective, rules must be enforced and widely accepted. This is as true for rules of the road and sports as it is for monetary rules. ...The Fed has a dual mandate to promote price stability and full employment, but there is no monetary rule. Monetary policy depends on forecasting the real economy\u2014and the Fed\u2019s forecasting record is dismal. Not one of the Fed\u2019s large staff of top university PhD economists forecast the Great Recession. The Fed chairman did not predict the subprime crisis or the Great Recession, and the Fed\u2019s army of sophisticated models didn\u2019t predict it either.\nActual data is always backward looking, no one knows the future. Yet, Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen and her Federal Open Market Committee base their decisions about the course of monetary policy\u2014that is, their stance on the benchmark federal funds rate\u2014on guesses about the path of the economy. ...\n\u00a0\nGiven the Fed\u2019s poor history, now is the appropriate time to have a national debate on the issue of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy, to consider the limits of monetary policy, and to explore alternatives to the current regime. That is why it is essential to reintroduce the \u201cFederal Reserve Accountability and Transparency Act\u201d (H.R. 5018) in the new Congress and for Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, to continue his \u201cFederal Reserve Centennial Oversight Project.\u201d\u00a0\nWith Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) heading the Financial Services Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade in January, there is an opportunity to have a meaningful discussion on the role of the Fed, its powers as delegated by Congress, and the case for a rules-based approach to monetary policy.Read the full article from Forbes.com HERE", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jasonsmith.house.gov//media-center/weekly-capitol-report/capitol-report-the-year-ahead", "Capitol Report: The Year Ahead", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Jason Smith", "S001195", "jasonsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The House and Senate will officially be sworn in for their\u00a0next term in January and there is a lot of work to be done. In the next Congress, I will be working with a larger House majority and new Senate majority, and we\u00a0will hit the ground running on day one\u00a0to\u00a0provide relief to Americans throughout the country, especially in rural America.\nWith the House and Senate\u00a0finally\u00a0working together, I anticipate many more bills going to the president\u2019s desk. He has been able to hide behind the Democrat-dominated Senate for\u00a0far too long. With\u00a0good bills and\u00a0conservative solutions coming to the president\u2019s desk, he will soon have to decide if he is\u00a0more interested in moving\u00a0America\u00a0forward\u00a0or continuing his \u201cmy way or the highway\u201d style.\nOne of the first bills we\u00a0plan to\u00a0send the president will be a repeal of Obamacare. Though\u00a0it is unlikely\u00a0the president\u00a0will\u00a0repeal his namesake bill, Republicans in the House and Senate will have many opportunities to send the president legislation that will fix some of the most disastrous portions of the law. I continue to hear\u00a0story after story of\u00a0folks\u00a0being dropped from their plans, their premiums skyrocketing, and businesses\u00a0laying\u00a0off employees just to comply.\u00a0In the 114th\u00a0Congress we\u00a0are going to work diligently to repeal this atrocity and offer people some relief.\u00a0Hopefully our president will also be interested in alleviating the burdens that Obamacare has produced.\nI am also working to make The SCRUB Act another bill that comes across the president\u2019s desk in the 114th\u00a0Congress.\u00a0I'm hearing more and more stories of government\u00a0regulations strangling businesses as I travel throughout the district. They are facing potential\u00a0EPA regulations on every puddle of water, new ozone standards not even national forests can achieve, and the list goes on. This flood of regulations makes it difficult to do business, but The SCRUB Act offers some hope for relief. The SCRUB Act would identify and eliminate outdated and ineffective regulations. It would create a bipartisan commission to review regulations and make recommendations for repeal. The bill has also been introduced in the Senate, and I am committed to getting it passed and sent to the president for signature.\nOur tax code is entirely too long and complex. Working to make the tax code fairer and simpler has been a long-standing goal of mine and is a priority of the\u00a0Ways and Means\u00a0Committee I will be serving on next Congress. I am pushing to make rural issues a priority when it comes to the tax code. For example there is an equipment depreciation credit which allows individuals to deduct the cost of the equipment they use on their farms and in their businesses from their taxes. It was just extended for the 2014 tax year, but making it permanent will give folks more certainty in planning for the future. Reforming the individual income tax is also important, because that is how 96 percent of farms are taxed. With a tax code as difficult to understand as ours, it\u2019s no wonder that more than three in five Americans pay for help preparing their taxes.\nThere is a lot of work to be done in the next Congress. The priorities I am pursuing in the 114th\u00a0Congress are the priorities of our district and rural America. We are going to have to make up for lost time while more than 387 House solutions, including almost 50 jobs bills, have been stuck in the Senate, but I have confidence we can get it done.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398511", "Blaine's Bulletin: Looking Ahead to the 114th Congress", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "With the new year right around the corner, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about pieces of legislation that I am excited to reintroduce and regulations that I will continue to monitor and combat that are coming down from the administration.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      With the new year right around the corner, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about pieces of legislation that I am excited to reintroduce and regulations that I will continue to monitor and combat that are coming down from the administration.\r\nSince I\u2019ve been in Congress, I have been a strong advocate for more transparency in the federal government. So often I hear from you wondering what stage certain agencies are at in a particular rule-making process or you need clarification of what exactly a proposed rule means. With the hundreds of proposed rules coming monthly out of the administration, I wanted to introduce legislation that would require agencies to create a plain language summary to provide more transparency and clarity.\r\nSpecifically, my legislation, the Providing Accountability through Transparency Act would require each government agency, in providing notice of a rule making, to include a link to a 100 word plain language summary of the proposed rule. Government agencies have a habit of creating long-winded rules that don\u2019t make sense unless you are an expert in that field. My legislation would require a short summary and states the agency must provide a web link at regulations.gov to make it accessible so Americans can easily find and understand the proposed rule.\r\nOne rule in particular that I have closely monitored is out of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and would require costly new standards for wood burning stoves and heating systems that would effectively prohibit the manufacture and sale of 85 perfect of wood burning heaters currently on the market. Earlier this year, I introduced legislation that would halt this attempt by the EPA called the Wood Stove Regulatory Relief Act. \r\nThe final rule from the EPA is supposed to be announced early next year. With nearly 90 percent of wood stove manufacturers that operate as small businesses and with many homes in the 3rd District that use wood burning stoves as the primary source of heat, it is my hope this proposed rule is reversed.\r\nLastly, another piece of legislation that will help Americans in our rural areas is the Mobile Mammography Promotion Act. My legislation would increase access to breast cancer screening by providing relief from the federal fuel excise tax for \u201cmammovans,\u201d vehicles designed exclusively to provide mobile mammography services that travel to underserved areas. I have sponsored this legislation for the past two Congresses and it is my hope that in the 114th Congress, this bill will make it to the House floor so that regular mammography screenings become a reality for those many underserved individuals.  It is my hope the 114th Congress can put a halt to many of the regulations that are burdening our nation\u2019s small businesses and families and we can work together to address not only the topics just discussed but all of your priorities as well.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sanford.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sanford-issues-statement-on-passing-of-governor-jim-edwards", "SANFORD ISSUES STATEMENT ON PASSING OF GOVERNOR JIM EDWARDS", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SC", "Mark Sanford", "S000051", "sanford.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Martha Morris Main: 202-225-3176 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\nSANFORD ISSUES STATEMENT ON PASSING OF GOVERNOR JIM EDWARDS\nWASHINGTON, DC  Today, Representative Mark Sanford released the following statement on the passing of Governor Jim Edwards:\nSouth Carolina lost today a great leader, a visionary Republican, and an even more remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. Governor Edwards has always been extraordinary not only for all that he has accomplished but the way in which he did so. He had an ever-warm spirit that was infectious for the way that he showed concern and care for so many of us in the Lowcountry and across the state, and in that regard, he will be particularly missed. My prayers and thoughts go to Ann and the family.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/weekly-columns?ContentRecord_id=30345af0-25b8-4164-9e9f-47395948e03d", "Keystone A Jumpstart for Economy", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AR", "John Boozman", "B001236", "www.boozman.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a recent survey sent to more than 30,000 Arkansans, I asked what issues the new majority in the Senate should focus on in the upcoming 114th Congress. Participants told me that one of their top priorities is an all-of-the-above energy policy that addresses current and future energy needs.\u00a0\r\nThere is bipartisan agreement in the Senate that our energy policy must include the construction of the Keystone Pipeline. Unfortunately for more than six years, the President has refused to approve the permit to allow its construction. This is a commonsense plan to help reduce our dependence on oil from unstable regions and help create jobs in Arkansas.\u00a0\r\nOfficials at Welspun Tubular, the Little Rock based company hired to produce hundreds of miles of pipe for the project, estimate that 150 jobs will be created just to load pipe onto rail cars for shipment when the project gets the green light.\u00a0\r\nInstead of being used to transport oil, the pipe is collecting dust. I saw the pipe that was created for the project during a tour of Welspun earlier this month. The longer the project is stalled, the more likely additional work will have to be done to the pipe including added inspections and recovering the pipe with a special anti-corrosive coating.\u00a0\r\nThe economic impact has wide reach in our state. Blytheville\u2019s Nucor Corporation was slated to make some of the steel for the pipe. A central Arkansas Caterpillar employee wrote to me about the importance of this project to his job because of its impact on his livelihood. \u2018The Keystone pipeline project would be a huge boost to us,\u201d he wrote.\u00a0\r\nOnce built, the pipeline will provide a safe and reliable supply of energy. The project will help maintain lower fuels prices, which is good for all Arkansans -- at the gas pump, at the store, and for job creation.\u00a0\r\nI have repeatedly urged the administration to stop delaying the permit, and I have voted for legislation to expedite the pipeline\u2019s construction.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t until November that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally allowed a vote on this important legislation. Unfortunately it was for political reasons and the legislation fell one vote short of passing. I\u2019m confident that the Republican-controlled Senate will be able to pass this legislation.\u00a0\r\nThis proposed 1,700 mile pipeline would transport 700,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada to U.S. refineries along the Gulf Coast. Tapping into these oil sands will offer us a reliable source of energy from our strongest ally and trading partner and according to the Department of Energy will provide enough oil to, for example, offset imports from Venezuela.\u00a0\r\nOpponents of the project point to environmental concerns, but the Obama Administration has conducted several environmental studies and each has concluded there would be no significant environmental impact along the proposed route. A new, modern pipeline poses less risk to the environment than other modes of transportation.\u00a0\r\nWhile the administration continues to reject this project, the next Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, says Keystone will be the Senate\u2019s first order of business in the next Congress. I will continue to support this plan because it will put Arkansans to work and provide a reliable source of energy for our future.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/az?ContentRecord_id=24c3a0dc-6bf1-4f5e-9448-ffe79916c1e5", "PHOENIX, AZ - ARIZONA LIVESTOCK SHOW", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WHAT:\u00a0Arizona Livestock Show\r\nWHERE:\u00a0Phoenix\r\nWHEN:\u00a012/26-12/31\r\nDESCRIPTION:\u00a0The Arizona National Livestock Show is the largest livestock show in the Southwest, an annual Phoenix tradition since 1948. Exhibitors travel from over 19 states across the country, bringing nearly 1,700 head of the nation's best cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine and poultry to enter the competition.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/explore-arizona?ContentRecord_id=1e742fde-89e8-482e-97cc-a204e9aa66a8", "Arizona Scenic Drive: Dos Cabezas Mountains", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "There may be no better way to sample the sights of southeastern Arizona than a circumnavigation of the Dos Cabezas Mountains. (Geologically, the mountains are simply the northernmost extension of the Chiricahuas, but, historically, they are a range unto themselves.)\r\nThe trip takes you past an old Army fort, a rugged wilderness, a charming little museum dedicated to one of Arizona's native sons and a winery tasting room. Part of the route is unpaved, but the road is in generally good condition and, unless the weather's bad, you can make the trip in a sedan.\r\nThings to note along the way:\r\nFort Bowie National Historic Site:\u00a0History seems tangible at Fort Bowie, the Army's center of operations in southeastern Arizona from 1862 to 1894. The fairly easy, 11/2-mile walk to the old fort transports you back in time, giving you a real appreciation for how the soldiers who once lived here must have felt. Along the way you'll see an old Butterfield Stage Station, the Post Cemetery, the site of the Chiricahua Apache Indian Agency and Apache Spring, the life-giving source of water at the center of the area's many conflicts.\r\nGuests who can't make the walk can check the website to see how they can drive there. (Click on Directions.)\r\nDetails: 520-847-2500, www.nps.gov/fobo.\r\nDos Cabezas Mountains:\r\nIf you've ever driven past Willcox or Bowie, you've seen the \"two heads\" from which the mountains derive their name. The granite peaks, nearly identical in appearance from most angles, are about 8,350 feet high. The nearly 12,000-acre Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness has a few springs but no developed hiking trails.\r\nKeeling Schaefer Vineyards:\u00a0This winery has created award-winning wines, including a Grenache and a Chardonnay that were rated 86 by\u00a0Wine Spectator\u00a0magazine. This producer offers tastings at its room in what used to be the Willcox Bank and Trust building.\r\nDetails: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays. 154 N. Railroad Ave., Willcox. Tastings cost $7 and include a commemorative glass. 520-824-2500, keelingschaefervineyards.com.\r\nDon't miss:\r\nThe Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum honors one of the great singing cowboys. Allen, born on a ranch about 40 miles from Willcox, played guitar and sang at local events as a child before gaining fame on the WLS radio show \"National Barn Dance.\" He starred in the TV series \"Frontier Doctor\" and narrated a number of Disney pictures and TV shows. Be sure to check out the park across the street from the museum. The statue of Allen there has a bronze, anatomically correct heart in it, a request Allen made as a symbol that his heart would always be in Willcox. There's also a monument to Allen's beloved horse, KoKo, who is buried in the park.\r\nDetails: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. 150 N. Railroad Ave., Willcox. 520-384-4583, www.rexallenmuseum.org.\r\n\r\nTotal miles:\u00a0About 460 miles, round trip. From central Phoenix, take Interstate 10 east about 115 miles to Tucson, and then continue east about 105 miles. At Bowie (Exit 362), take Apache Pass Road south about 13 miles to Fort Bowie National Historic Site. After your visit, continue southwest on Apache Pass Road about 8 miles. At Arizona 186, turn northwest (right) and go about 22 miles to Willcox. Return to the Valley via I-10.\r\nThis article was originally published in The Arizona Republic.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-statement-on-passing-of-governor-james-edwards", "Senator Scott Statement on Passing of Governor James Edwards", "2014-12-25", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SC", "Tim Scott", "S001184", "www.scott.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Thursday | December 25, 2014\n\t\t\t Senator Scott Statement on Passing of Governor James Edwards \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tCharleston, SC - U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) released the statement below following news of the death of Governor James Edwards, South Carolina's first Republican Governor since Reconstruction.\r\n\"My thoughts and prayers go out to Anne and Governor Edwards' entire family. Jim was an early mentor of mine as I entered public service, and I am forever thankful for his advice and encouragement.\r\nFrom the dedication of Patriot's Point during his time as Governor to his efforts expanding MUSC while serving as President, Governor Edwards has left an important legacy in our state. No matter if he was serving as a Cabinet member for President Reagan or on a board for President George H.W. Bush, we always knew that Jim's heart was here at home with the people of South Carolina.\"\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRelated Issues:\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397800", "<span class =\"kicker\">Smith on Fox News Channel</span>Congressman Calls for Extradition of Convicted Murderer of NJ State Trooper to the U.S.", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), a vocal critic of President Obama\u2019s decision to embrace the Castro regime after decades of human rights abuses, including the harboring of fugitives, appearred on Fox News Channel today reiterated his call to Cuba to extradite Joanne Chesimard, the convicted murderer of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith noted the long record of human rights violations of Fidel Castro and Raul Castro,\u00a0and has said the Castro brothers should be tried at The Hague for their brutal crimes against humanity\u2014including mass murder, torture and unjust incarceration.Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith and Rep. Albio Sires (NJ-08) unveiled the\u201cWalter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act\u201d (H.R. 3585) in 2013. The bill, sponsored by Smith, would require the executive branch to report to Congress on the number of fugitives in Cuba and other countries which our government is seeking to extradite, the efforts it has undertaken to secure their return, how often it is successful, and factors that have prevented their return. The information would allow Congress to evaluate and strengthen the executive branch\u2019s efforts to extradite fugitives.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The bill is also named after Walter Patterson who was also brutally murdered by a killer who had been convicted, escaped prison and simply moved abroad beyond the reach of U.S. justice. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0For years Smith has been active in advocating for Cuban political prisoners, including Dr. \u00d3scar El\u00edas Biscet, M.D., a courageous human rights advocate who has spent over 11 years in jail. Biscet testified via telephone at a hearing chaired by Smith in 2012. Smith nominated Biscet for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 and again in 2011, when he led an international movement nominating him. Shortly after the nominations were made, Biscet was released. He remains in Cuba, today. It was reported he was beaten and shortly detained earlier this year.  \n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In 2001, Smith offered an amendment to pressure the Cuban government to return fugitives killers, including Chesimard, as well as release political prisoners languishing in Cuban prisons. The amendment would have required that before the U.S. allows unrestricted leisure travel to Cuba, the Castro regime return fugitive killers living in Cuba, and that political prisoners be released.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/merry-christmas", "Merry Christmas", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "harper.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year                  \n            \n            \n                                \n                    Dear Friend,\nAs we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus, let us remember that the holiday season is also about family and the love we share for each other. It\u2019s about gathering together to share in the traditions that we hold dear, not only as a family or a community, but as a nation. As we do that, let us not forget to express\u00a0our gratitude to the men and women who serve or have served our country in the protection of our freedoms.\nAnd as we celebrate the most important reason\u2014the Christ child who was born in a stable and brought forgiveness and peace, take a moment to help\u00a0the\u00a0people around you who may be having a difficult time and please extend your generosity.\nScripture reminds us in 1 John 4:9, \u201cIn this way the love of God was revealed to us; God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.\u201d\nI, along with Sidney, Livingston, Maggie, and my Congressional staff, wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.\nGod Bless,  \n  \nGregg Harper  \nMember of Congress\n                \n                \n                    Posted: \n                    December 25, 2015", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=6C8A1306-6E3B-442C-B4A0-CB836BD18904", "Fischer Applauds Grant Release for Nebraska Veterans Home", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement after the announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs of $5 Million in Grants for the new Central Nebraska Veterans Home:\r\nLast night I was pleased to learn that Nebraska has been allocated $5 million in federal grants to begin construction of the new VA facility in central Nebraska. This is an important first step in a process that has been years in the making.\r\nOur veterans deserve the finest care and treatment after sacrificing so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. That's why I'm grateful to DHHS Director of Veterans Homes John Hilgert for his leadership in this effort. Ensuring that our veterans receive the quality benefits they earned will always be a top priority and I look forward to seeing this effort through to its completion.\r\nLast night, the Department of Veterans Affairs informed the Nebraska DHHS Division of Veterans Homes that they have been awarded the first of a series of grants for the new Central Nebraska Veterans Home. Nebraska will receive partial funding for this project this year and see additional funds allotted over the coming years.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=a4ad26bc-0510-464f-a5e0-ca468663b8cf", "Merry Christmas from Senator Orrin G Hatch", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Orrin Hatch", "H000338", "www.hatch.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friends,\r\nAs we gather this holiday season, it is natural to reflect on all those who bless our lives, our families, and our communities.\u00a0\r\nThousands of volunteers across our state and nation feed the homeless and help make Christmas a reality for needy\u00a0children\u00a0and families. Even strangers stand on street corners singing carols for peace. Acts of kindness and examples of service give grateful hearts a chance to flourish.\u00a0\r\nMy year has been filled with wonderful moments shared with family, friends, and Utahns from every corner of our state. You have uplifted me and strengthened my\u00a0convicition\u00a0that we live in a state and nation filled with wonderful people dedicated to preserving the freedoms we cherish.\u00a0\r\nOur liberties are defended by the brave men and women who serve in our nation\u2019s\u00a0armed forces\u00a0and are often far away from their homes and families during this holiday season. I honor and revere our nation\u2019s\u00a0service-members\u00a0and commend their dedication and sacrifice.\r\nOne of the greatest\u00a0privleges\u00a0I have as a United States Senator is to bestow military honors on deserving veterans, or their family members, who for some reason have not received the medals they have earned.\r\nThis week, I had the opportunity to give a long-overdue Silver Star Medal to Jeff Roberts, son of World War I veteran Corporal Jeremiah Roberts, who fought in the battle of Soissons France on July 18-19, 1918.\r\nCorporal Roberts was a runner in that battle, which has been credited as a pivotal turning point in the First World War. I was thrilled to present this medal to the Roberts family as a testament of the courage and heroism their father displayed during combat. Corporal Roberts\u2019 sacrifice is the real gift that keeps giving.\u00a0\r\nCorporal Roberts is not alone\u2014millions of Americans have bravely served our country in countless ways and sacrificed\u00a0mightily\u00a0for our nation to remain free.\u00a0\r\nThe holidays are\u00a0a season of forgiveness, they inspire acts of peace and love, and they present opportunities to celebrate renewed hope.\r\nSo as the cookies are eaten, the gifts unwrapped, and the decorations enjoyed, may we all also reflect on the goodness of our neighbors, the sacrifice of many on our behalf, and the strength of our nation.\r\nElaine and I send our very best wishes to you for a Merry Christmas and joyous New Year!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/explore-arizona?ContentRecord_id=35115eb6-3203-4155-8767-3d926f6f32d9", "2 Southern Arizona Scenic Drives", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Not every scenic mountain drive need be a torturous ascent. Some skirt the flanks of high peaks, giving you great views with less white-knuckle navigating. Here are two flatland favorites in southeastern Arizona.\r\nCouncil Rocks\r\nThere are mountains. There are hills. And then there are the Dragoons.\r\nOfficially a mountain range, the rugged and enticing Dragoons defy easy categorizing. Some mountains soar. The Dragoons seem to roll over the landscape. A collection of sharp-slanted cliffs and tumbled boulders rises abruptly from shaggy grasslands and slice north to south across Cochise County near Tombstone. For 30 miles the Dragoons \u2014 surging, falling, cresting and curling \u2014 appear as if a pounding surf had somehow turned to stone.\r\nOne of the best ways to see this haunting terrain, once the stronghold of Cochise and other Chiricahua Apaches, is to drive to Council Rocks. This is where Cochise signed a peace treaty in 1872 that allowed his people to remain in the mountainous region. Along the way you'll ramble across a golden savannah dotted with mesquite, yucca and agave. Sprawling oaks with bowed limbs gather at the stony base of the Dragoons.\r\n\r\nThe drive begins on Middlemarch Road, just north of Tombstone, which served as a supply and patrol route between Fort Bowie and Fort Huachuca. Follow Middlemarch, a wide gravel road, for 10 miles and turn north on Forest Road 687. As you parallel the mountains on this rutted dirt track you'll see what made the Dragoons such perfect shelter for the Apaches. The slopes jut upwards in a snarl of rocky chaos. Granite spires, sheer cliffs and slashing chasms create maze and fortress.\r\nThe mountains provided Cochise with food and medicine and year round water. High vantage points yielded excellent views of the valleys on either side of the mountains. The people could see the army coming two days before it arrived. The angular peaks and labyrinth of canyons were ideally suited for the Apaches' guerilla tactics. No wonder then, after 11 years of bloody warfare on the Arizona frontier, the government was eager to make peace.\r\nTurn east onto FR 687K, which leads to the Council Rocks parking area. A short but steep trail clambers into a cluster of house-size boulders and shallow caves. Ancient footholds carved into the rocks offer assistance. Evidence of fire pits and metates, where corn was ground, can be found. Dozens of pictographs adorn boulders and overhangs. Archaeologists believe the original pictographs were created by the Mogollon people nearly 1,000 years ago and were augmented by Apaches.\r\nNot much seems changed by the passage of time. Views stretch for miles across the deep-grass valley. A soothing quiet settles and it's easy to drift through eras. Don't be surprised to find yourself staying alert and vigilant, scanning the horizon for dust clouds. After all, it could be the cavalry.\r\nLength:\u00a016.8 miles one way. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended. FR687 may be rough and rutted after heavy rain.\r\nDirections:\u00a0From Phoenix, take Interstate 10 east about 156 miles to Benson. Turn south on U.S. 80 and drive 22 miles to Middlemarch Road, which begins about a mile north of Tombstone. Turn east (left) on Middlemarch and go 10 miles. Turn north (left) onto Forest Road 687 for 6.5 miles. Turn east (right) onto FR 687K and drive 0.25 mile to a small parking lot.\r\nDetails:\u00a0520-364-3468, www.fs.usda.gov/coronado.\r\nStockton Pass\r\nSometimes big things do come in small packages. And big scenery comes on little roads.\r\nState Route 266 is one of the shortest state highways in Arizona, with just under 20 miles of pavement cutting across the rugged rangeland south of Safford. But every mile dishes up dramatic vistas as it rambles westward along the fringe of the Pinale\u00f1o Mountains.\r\nThe Pinale\u00f1os are sudden mountains, an abrupt thrust. They rise in a cloud-piercing hulk with over 7,000 feet of vertical relief, more than any other mountains in the state. Yet SR 266 doesn't venture into the higher reaches like some mountain roads. Instead it rambles across the broad flanks of the hills, a relaxed and easy drive of swooping curves and gentle terrain. At about the halfway mark, it climbs through Stockton Pass at 5,600 feet and drops into broad, flat Sulphur Springs Valley.\r\nThe Pinale\u00f1o Mountains are among the famed \"sky islands\" of southern Arizona. The high elevations are covered in subalpine forests, creating an isolated habitat surrounded by Sonoran Desert. The foothills are sprinkled with mesquite, soaptree yucca, prickly pear and chain-fruit cholla, a drooping tree-like cactus that is an unrepentant snagger of clothing and skin. The barbed segments break off so easily that they're often called jumping cholla.\r\nThe road passes through a jumbled cluster of boulders and soon enters Coronado National Forest. Ocotillos line the slopes, limbs raised in a sort of spindly celebration. After crossing Gillespie Wash, you'll begin seeing scars of a lightning-sparked 2012 fire. The blaze was fortuitous, as it struck an area slated for a prescribed burn. Overgrown chaparral got cleaned out and the big cottonwoods and sycamores were spared. Good monsoon rain rolled in on the heels of the fire and the restoration of native grasslands is well under way.\r\nAt Stockton Pass, a picnic area and campground are nestled amid the oaks and chaparral on the north side of the road. Views splash across rolling hillsides and the sprawling basin of Sulphur Springs Valley framed by the Galiuro Mountains beyond.\r\nThe road descends through the grassy savannah, past the turnff to Fort Grant state prison. As you approach the small ranching outpost of Bonita, a few cottonwoods crowd in. The pavement ends at Bonita, in front of the shell of the old country store, built in 1882.\r\nLength:\u00a020 miles one way. The road is paved to Bonita.\r\nDirections:\u00a0From Safford, drive 17 miles south on U.S. 191 to State Route 266. Turn west (right) onto Arizona 266.\r\nDetails:\u00a0928-428-4150, www.fs.usda.gov/coronado.\r\nThis article was originally published in The Arizona Republic.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/explore-arizona?ContentRecord_id=f8044c1e-6593-4e93-ba4b-8ebb206c3d3e", "Arizona Hike: East Wing Mountain Trails, Peoria", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "John McCain", "M000303", "www.mccain.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "If you're new to hiking or looking for a way to build stamina, the East Wing Mountain cluster of trails in Peoria offers three options ranging from easy to difficult.\r\nAlthough none of the trails strays very far from suburban backyards, the difficult-rated summit loop gains enough elevation to provide a good workout backed by excellent views. The trail is very well constructed with hairpin switchbacks and staircase-like rock slabs that make climbing the steep chutes manageable for even novice hikers.\r\nThe trek is a surprisingly quiet journey and, save for the occasional yapping of Yorkshire terriers guarding their patios, the soundtrack is one of breezes through paloverde trees and the hum of wind-rustled saguaro needles.\r\nLength:\u00a02.4 miles.\r\nRating:\u00a0Moderate to difficult.\r\nElevation:\u00a01,476-1,916 feet.\r\nWhere:\u00a0Sonoran Mountain Ranch Park, 7098 W. Miner Trail, Peoria. From Phoenix, take Interstate 17 north to Happy Valley Road. Go west for 5 miles to 67th Avenue, then turn right and drive 2.8 miles (the road becomes Pyramid Peak Parkway) to Sonoran Mountain Ranch Road. Veer left and go 0.5 mile to Chalfen Boulevard, turn left, continue 0.1 mile to Miner Trail and follow the signs to Sonoran Mountain Ranch Park. From the post near the restrooms, hike 0.1 mile south on Chalfen to the official trailhead. Do not park along residential streets.\r\nDetails:\u00a0www.peoriaaz.gov/NewSecondary.aspx?id=51551.\r\nThis article was originally published in The Arizona Republic.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cramer.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/cramer-welcomes-sugar-agreement-between-us-and-mexico", "Cramer Welcomes Sugar Agreement Between U.S. and Mexico", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "ND", "Kevin Cramer", "C001096", "cramer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BISMARCK, N.D. \u2013 Today Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement concerning the settlement of the American sugar farmers' trade challenge against Mexico's dumping of heavily subsidized sugar imports onto the U.S. market:\n\u201cI am pleased by the agreement, which reflects the agriculture and trade policies I have consistently advocated. Mexico has been swamping the market with heavily subsidized sugar. Clearly, the U.S. International Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce recognized this action violated the spirit and letter of the North American Free Trade Agreement. This decision is good news for the economy of the Red River Valley and other sugar producing areas.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gosar.house.gov/press-release/rep-gosar-christmas-keep-fallen-arizona-soldier-your-thoughts-prayers", "Rep. Gosar: This Christmas, Keep Fallen Arizona Soldier in your Thoughts, Prayers", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Paul Gosar", "G000565", "gosar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement in anticipation of the Christmas holiday:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      \r\r\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tFor Immediate Release\r\r\t\t\t\t\tDate: December 23, 2014\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\u00a0\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tContact: Steven D. Smith\r\r\t\t\t\t\tSteven.Smith@mail.house.gov\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\r\r\r\r Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04)\u00a0released the following statement in anticipation of the Christmas holiday:\r\r\u201cThe Christmas season offers us all a chance to not only celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but also to gather with family and friends and cherish the ones we love most. Unfortunately, many of our brave men and women serving in the military will be celebrating away from their loved ones while they protect our freedoms abroad. This Christmas, I will be keeping them in my heart and my prayers, including one Arizona soldier in particular.\r\r\u201cArmy Specialist Wyatt J. Martin from Mesa, Arizona was killed in action on Friday, December 12, 2014, in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Specialist Martin was the ideal soldier who exemplified the best of what Arizona has to offer. This Christmas, I will be remembering Wyatt Martin, his family and the heroic sacrifice he made so that we may live in the land of the free. I am eternally grateful for his service and the service of all of our men and women in uniform. Without their sacrifices, we would not have the liberties and freedoms we enjoy today. I ask that all Arizonans join with me in keeping Wyatt Martin and his family in our sincerest thoughts and prayers.\u201d Additional:\r\rYou can read more about Army Specialist Wyatt J. Martin in a recent Arizona Republic article HERE.\r\r\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/newsletters/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-christmas-2014", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of Christmas, 2014", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nAs 2014 draws to a close, Team Hartzler is saying \u201cfarewell\u201d and \u201cgood luck\u201d to a dear friend who has been an integral part of our operation since we began in January of 2011. As the MO-4 Special Events Coordinator, Donna Spickert coordinated many of our annual events, including the Missouri Business Conference in Warrensburg, the Veterans Summit in Warrensburg, the Lebanon Job Fair, and the annual process by which students are nominated for the U.S. Service Academies. Donna\u2019s public service began in 1989, working for such notables as Senator John Ashcroft, Senator Jim Talent, and Congressman Kenny Hulshof. I have known Donna since my days as a State Representative in Jefferson City in the 1990s and have thoroughly enjoyed having her as part of our team for the last four years. Donna and Terry are looking forward to enjoying their retirement, hopping into the car and visiting their grandchildren when the travel bug strikes.\nBest wishes, Donna. I thank you for all your hard work and wish you and Terry a very lengthy, fruitful, and active retirement.\nThis is Christmas week when Christians throughout our country and around the world celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a time that gives us hope and fills our hearts with joy.\nLuke\u2019s account of how the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in the field that special night sums up the good news we celebrate:\nAs we gather with our families and pray for our men and women in uniform both at home and abroad, we are reminded that the light Jesus brought to the world is needed now more than ever. My wish this Christmas is that this light shines upon you and our brave troops around the world, bringing you comfort and peace while bringing them home quickly and safely.\nFrom my family to yours, we wish you the merriest of Christmases. God bless.\nHave a blessed Christmas with friends and family,\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-hartzler-releases-christmas-greeting", "Congresswoman Hartzler releases Christmas greeting", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has released the following Christmas greeting:\n\u201cChristmas is a time for family and friends to gather, enjoy the time together, reminisce about old memories and make new ones. As we reflect on 2014 and look ahead to 2015, it may be easy to get lost in the trials and tribulations of our day-to-day lives.\u00a0 We must keep in mind that, as Americans, we have much to be grateful for this holiday season.\u00a0 But first and foremost, we must remember the reason for a celebration such as Christmas \u2013 the birth of Jesus Christ.\nLuke\u2019s account of how the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in the field that special night is familiar to so many of us:\n\u2018And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.\u2019\nAs we gather with our families and pray for our men and women in uniform both at home and abroad, we are reminded that the light Jesus brought to the world is needed now more than ever.\u00a0 My wish this Christmas is that this light shines upon you and our brave troops around the world, bringing you comfort and peace while bringing them home quickly and safely.\nFrom my family to yours, we wish you the merriest of Christmases. God bless.\u201d\nCongresswoman Hartzler serves on the House Agriculture, Armed Services, and Budget Committees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-sends-annual-christmas-message-constituents-third-district", "Rep. Kelly Sends Annual Christmas Message to Constituents in Third District", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Mike Kelly", "K000376", "kelly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kelly Sends Annual Christmas Message to Constituents in Third District                                           \n              Dec 23, 2014      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    \nWATCH HERE\nWASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (PA-03) released the enclosed video today as his annual Christmas greeting to his constituents in Pennsylvania\u2019s Third Congressional District.\u00a0\nRep. Kelly: \u201cI wanted to take a few moments just to wish you all a very merry Christmas. \u2026 I\u2019ll be thinking of you on Christmas morning. And again, I want to thank you for the honor and the privilege to serve you.\u201d\nThe full video message can be viewed here.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397907", "President Signs Lattas Propane Bill into Law", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Robert Latta", "L000566", "latta.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Obama has signed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee\u2019s Energy and Power Subcommittee, into law. H.R. 5705, the Propane Education and Research Enhancement Act, addresses some of the winter heating challenges experienced in Ohio and throughout the Midwest last year to prevent future propane price spikes.\r\n\u201cAs we head into another winter, it is imperative that Americans across the country have access to heat,\u201d said Latta. \u201cLast year, we were faced with propane shortages that threatened the lives and livelihoods of many living in Ohio and throughout the Midwest. With the Propane Education and Research Enhancement Act now signed into law, the industry can help prevent future propane supply issues and price spikes, so residents are not negatively impacted.\u201d \u00a0\r\nThe Propane Education and Research Enhancement Act of 2014 clarifies Congress\u2019 intent in the Propane Education and Research Act (PERA), requiring the Department of Commerce to use proper data to calculate consumer prices. It would also allow the Propane Education and Research Council to improve training for distributors and consumers to help mitigate the negative effects of propane prices spikes.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://nunes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398272", "What I saw in the Middle East", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "CA", "Devin Nunes", "N000181", "nunes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I recently returned from a trip to the Middle East that included visits to the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Erbil. There was some good news out of Iraq recently, as Kurdish fighters \u2013 helped by U.S. airstrikes \u2013 pushed back ISIS forces around the town of Sinjar. This advance broke ISIS\u2019s siege of Mount Sinjar, where thousands of civilians had fled after ISIS launched a calculated campaign of mass murder. Despite this progress, ISIS\u2019s recent publication of a manual approving the beating and trading of Christian and Jewish sex slaves, alongside harrowing reports of the widespread murder and forced conversion of Christians \u2013 including the killing of children \u2013 should remind us of the terrible fate that will befall millions if these depraved zealots are not defeated. Not many Americans would want to live amid this dangerous war. Yet in Iraq, I met U.S. servicemen and women who are risking their lives to assist the battle against ISIS. I am in awe of their selfless courage. These Americans are spending Christmas there \u2013 in a warzone far from friends and family \u2013 so that we can celebrate Christmas in safety here. So I\u2019d like to offer my gratitude and appreciation to military veterans as well as active duty, reserve, and national guard servicemembers, especially those now on deployment, and wish my friends and constituents a Merry Christmas.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/weekly-column?ContentRecord_id=4F8CE8D1-C658-4D5B-85EE-802D3D97E5B3", "Renacci Report: Working To Reduce The Negative Effects Of The Presidents Health Care Law", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Jim Renacci", "R000586", "renacci.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The open enrollment period for health care coverage in 2015 began in November, and with it came stories from people all across Ohio. Whether in Ohio\u2019s 16th District or any other part of the state, the negative impact of the President\u2019s health care law continues to be widespread.\r\nMany are facing higher premiums and deductibles. People are losing access to their doctors whom they like and trust. Sadly, I have heard from people living in my district who have had their hours reduced at work due to the law\u2019s employer mandates \u2013 turning full-time work into part-time work at a time when they can least afford it.\r\nA small business owner from North Canton contacted me to inform me of the law\u2019s negatives effects on his business. He said that if 75 percent of his eligible employees participate in the company\u2019s health insurance plan, he will be put out of business within 3-6 months. Though he\u2019s planning on growing his company, the 30-hour definition of full-time employment within the President\u2019s health care law threatens the company\u2019s very existence. A retired constituent told me that his monthly premiums have tripled and his deductible has doubled - forcing him to re-enter the workforce to cover the significant increase in his health care costs. A woman living in Massillon said that though she has insurance now, she can\u2019t go to the doctor because she can\u2019t afford her deductible. Another said that her health care costs are so high she is forced to choose whether to buy food or pay her utility bill to stay warm. People all across my district are growing more and more frustrated with the narrow networks and higher costs of their health care since the implementation of the law.\r\nThat is why we in the House of Representatives have worked to reduce this broken law\u2019s harmful\u00a0 effects. Earlier this month, we passed a continuing resolution-omnibus bill that reined in the President\u2019s health care law by eliminating new funding for it. Additionally, it cut funding for the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) by $10 million.\u00a0It also prevents a taxpayer bailout of the risk corridor program within the President\u2019s health care law, and requires the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to report to Congress on improper payments of subsidies.\u00a0\r\nAs we approach the 114th Congress, I am hopeful that our work in the House will be matched by the newly Republican-controlled Senate. I expect us to work together on legislation that repeals the medical device tax, provides relief to Ohioans by repealing the individual mandate, and ensures patients and their families, not unelected bureaucrats, are in charge of their treatment decisions by repealing IPAB.\r\nI have made clear that there are parts of the law that I support such as eliminating lifetime or annual spending caps on essential benefits, preventing insurers from unjustly cancelling policies, and closing the Medicare Part D \u201cdoughnut hole,\u201d but this law does not effectively address any of the cost issues that already prevent Americans from seeking or receiving appropriate healthcare. We need to work toward real health care reform that protects the doctor-patient relationship and lowers costs while increasing choices. I look forward to building upon our work in the next Congress and working with the Senate to provide relief for Ohioans who are grappling with the consequences of the President\u2019s failed health care law.\r\nIf our office can be of assistance to you, please don't hesitate to call us at our Wadsworth office: (330) 334-0040, Parma office: (440) 882-6779, or Washington office: (202) 225-3876. I also encourage you to visit our website at\u00a0renacci.house.gov\u00a0and subscribe to our\u00a0\u00a0Facebook,\u00a0\u00a0Twitter, and\u00a0\u00a0YouTube\u00a0pages to get the latest updates on my work in Washington and Ohio's 16th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://thompson.house.gov/press-release/thompson-joins-bipartisan-effort-rescind-proposed-rule-electric-power-generation", "Thompson Joins Bipartisan Effort to Rescind Obama Admin. Proposed Rule on Electric Power Generation", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Glenn Thompson", "T000467", "thompson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bellefonte, PA \u2013 U.S. Representative Glenn \u2018GT\u2019 Thompson (PA-5) has joined with nearly one hundred fellow Members of Congress in sending a letter to President Obama to express concerns regarding the proposed rule announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on June 2, 2014, entitled \u201cCarbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units.\u201d\n\t\u201cThe EPA\u2019s new rule on electric power generation is yet another unworkable policy from the Obama Administration that will threaten America\u2019s access to affordable and reliable energy,\u201d stated Rep. Thompson.\u00a0 \u201cWhile protecting the environment is a shared goal, this must be attained realistically and not by burdening families with rate hikes and potential brownouts. It is my hope the Obama Administration will rescind this rule and work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to address the concerns that we\u2019ve outlined.\u201d\n\tIn the letter, the Members assert the rule would negatively impact the nation\u2019s ability to reliably generate and transmit electric power sources.\u00a0 \u201cDue to market factors and existing environmental requirements, significant power plant shutdowns are already underway across the country, and these closures raise concerns about the continued reliability of the grid and electricity rates in the absence of EPA\u2019s recently proposed rule. Under the proposed rule, EPA projects there would be additional power plant retirements and electricity rate increases,\u201d the letter states.\u00a0 \u00a0\n\tIf this were to occur, the Members stress, it would \"threaten electricity reliability and drive up energy costs for consumers, including the elderly, poor, and those on fixed incomes, at a time when over 50 million Americans are currently living in poverty.\u201d\n\tThe Members conclude the letter by recognizing that although some of their own views may vary on the statutory authority of the regulations they are \"all concerned that this rule is simply unworkable as proposed and, if finalized, would effectively give EPA control over a state\u2019s generation, supply, and consumption of power. Accordingly, we respectfully ask that you direct the EPA to withdraw its proposed rule.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2196", "Rep. Gosar: This Christmas, Keep Fallen Arizona Soldier in your Thoughts, Prayers", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Paul Gosar", "G000565", "gosar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement in anticipation of the Christmas holiday:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      \r\r\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tFor Immediate Release\r\r\t\t\t\t\tDate: December 23, 2014\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\t\tContact: Steven D. Smith\r\r\t\t\t\t\tSteven.Smith@mail.house.gov\r\r\t\t\t\r\r\t\t\r\r\t\r\r\r\r Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04)released the following statement in anticipation of the Christmas holiday:\r\rThe Christmas season offers us all a chance to not only celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but also to gather with family and friends and cherish the ones we love most. Unfortunately, many of our brave men and women serving in the military will be celebrating away from their loved ones while they protect our freedoms abroad. This Christmas, I will be keeping them in my heart and my prayers, including one Arizona soldier in particular.\r\rArmy Specialist Wyatt J. Martin from Mesa, Arizona was killed in action on Friday, December 12, 2014, in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Specialist Martin was the ideal soldier who exemplified the best of what Arizona has to offer. This Christmas, I will be remembering Wyatt Martin, his family and the heroic sacrifice he made so that we may live in the land of the free. I am eternally grateful for his service and the service of all of our men and women in uniform. Without their sacrifices, we would not have the liberties and freedoms we enjoy today. I ask that all Arizonans join with me in keeping Wyatt Martin and his family in our sincerest thoughts and prayers. Additional:\r\rYou can read more about Army Specialist Wyatt J. Martin in a recent Arizona Republic article HERE.\r\r###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=ADC670EA-3521-4543-84DF-43734DC38CD9", "Governor Beshear, Congressman Hal Rogers Launch Statewide Broadband Initiative, Beginning in Eastern Kentucky", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "KY", "Harold Rogers", "R000395", "halrogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FRANKFORT, Ky.  A new public-private partnership will develop a robust, reliable, fiber backbone infrastructure to bring high-speed Internet connectivity to every corner of the Commonwealth  with the critical first components scheduled to be operational in less than two years. \r\nGovernor Steve Beshear and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers announced the partnership with Macquarie Capital today. \r\nWe are on an aggressive timeline and believe that the Macquarie team's technical capabilities and history of innovative solutions are the best fit for this important project, said Gov. Beshear. Kentucky's Internet speed and accessibility have lagged behind the rest of the nation far too long. This partnership puts us on the path to propel the Commonwealth forward in education, economic development, health care, public safety and much more.\r\nThis infrastructure project is unlike any other seen in Kentucky in the last 50 years. Broadband, now considered an essential utility service, will improve Kentucky's dismal connectivity and slow speeds to some of the fastest and highest capacity service in the U.S.  all with the potential to lower consumer costs and improve coverage as well.\r\nJust as important, this project will be paid for up front by leveraging private capital at no additional cost to Kentucky taxpayers. \r\nIf we were to rely solely on state government funding to get this project off the ground, it would take years, if not decades. Those kinds of tax dollars just aren't available, said Gov. Beshear. In this technology-dependent economy, we can't afford to wait another minute. That's why this partnership is so valuable  it ramps up this project to the speed of the private sector without any additional burden on our taxpayers.\r\nState to oversee main broadband lines \r\nThe first stage of the project is to build the main broadband fiber lines across the state. These major fiber lines are called the middle mile. The open access network will allow the private sector to use the fiber to deliver services into communities. Once complete, other Internet service provider companies, cities, partnerships, or other groups may then tap into those middle mile lines to complete the last mile  the lines that run to individual homes or businesses. \r\nWhere already in place, the project will take advantage of existing infrastructure, thus partnering with local telecommunications companies, municipalities and major carriers to deliver the network more quickly and reduce construction costs.\r\nImproved cell phone coverage is anticipated as part of the initiative. Cell phone companies may choose to use the state's middle-mile fiber network to add capacity and broaden coverage areas throughout the Commonwealth that have traditionally had poor cell phone reception.\r\nEastern Kentucky to be first priority\r\nWhen completed, the more than 3,000 miles of fiber will be in place across the state. This middle-mile fiber infrastructure is key to reaching much of Kentucky's large rural population.   \r\nFiber will be available in all 120 counties, and the underserved eastern Kentucky region will be the first priority area for the project. The Center for Rural Development in Somerset will partner with the Commonwealth, focusing on communities east of Interstate 75. The Center will also host education workshops to help communities learn how to connect to the new network.\r\nThe push for reliable, accessible high-speed broadband is one recommendation that emerged from SOAR, the Shaping Our Appalachian Region initiative. \r\nWe're laying the first bricks for what could be Silicon Holler.' This new Super I-Way is the cornerstone of SOAR's mission to diversify the economy in eastern Kentucky with improvements in business recruitment, fast-tracking telemedicine in the mountains, and adding high tech advancements in education, said Congressman Rogers. I commend all of our federal, state and local partners for working together on this project that will undoubtedly chart the course for a better future in the coalfields and across the Commonwealth. \r\nOver the past several months the Commonwealth, in conjunction with the Center for Rural Development, released the request for proposal solicitation and negotiated with private sector vendors including Macquarie Capital.\r\nWork on design, scope of fiber system to start right away\r\nMacquarie Capital has assembled a team of market-leading specialists to design, develop and operate the network over the next 30 years. While the private sector partners will bear developmental and operational risks of the project, the Commonwealth will retain ownership of the network. \r\nMacquarie will begin work immediately on phase one to design the overall statewide system and determine the project's scale. The design and cost estimates are due by the end of February 2015 with construction of the first segments expected to begin in the summer and completed by April 2016. The total cost of the project will depend upon the ability to leverage existing infrastructure versus deploying new routes, which will be determined during the design phase. Overall, the project is estimated to cost between $250 million to $350 million, and will be supported by approximately $30 million in state bonds and $15 to $20 million in federal grants.\r\nWork along I-75 from northern Kentucky to Williamsburg will form the spine of the network, with work in the priority region of southeastern Kentucky occurring simultaneously. More than 100 key facilities will be connected, including universities, state government buildings and community and technical colleges.\r\nPublic-private partnership leverages private market, lowers costs\r\nThe initiative will be a partnership of government at all levels and the private sector. The public-private partnership  often referred to as a P3  allows the state to leverage resources to fill service gaps. In this case, private capital will be used to build the network at no additional cost to Kentucky taxpayers. This project likely would never be undertaken with traditional state financing methods.\r\nThe state chose to use a P3 for several reasons. The P3 model is well-established and enables projects to be completed on an accelerated timetable while transferring risk to the private sector partners. These partners also bring expertise, innovation and flexibility to the project.   \r\n  \r\nBringing private sector investment to build the network significantly decreases the time needed for design and construction, making broadband access available sooner for families and businesses. Finally, with the state's oversight of the main broadband lines, consumer costs may be lowered by eliminating the need for private providers to build duplicate network infrastructure; that means Internet service providers can instead invest in cell phone service or last-mile service.\r\nMacquarie Capital and its partners are extremely excited about the opportunity to develop this network under the public-private partnership model, bringing together a team of market leading specialists focused on implementing the network as quickly as possible, said Nick Hann, senior managing director at Macquarie Capital. We believe that this project will be the centerpiece of Kentucky's long-term economic infrastructure, demonstrating the core principles of value for money and risk transfer to the private sector that will translate into a successful long-term partnership with the Commonwealth.\r\nMacquarie's consortium partners include First Solutions, Fujitsu Network Communications Inc., Black &amp; Veatch, and Bowlin Group. \r\nBroadband is an essential public utility; project expected to lower consumer costs\r\nIn today's economy, high-speed Internet is no longer a luxury, but is as essential to a community as water or electricity. \r\nA modern, high-capacity fiber infrastructure allows businesses to compete globally, educators to expand their use of rich teaching resources, students to access the knowledge of the world, health care entities to collaborate and first responders to communicate easily in emergency situations.\r\nThe project scope is similar to building other public utilities. Consider the broadband fiber lines to be like the main water lines in a community. The largest water lines are built in central community areas, and then smaller lines branch off the main line. Finally, someone connects the street line to an individual home or business. The broadband project will act in much the same way. The first phase of the project is to build the main broadband fiber lines across the state, then construct branches off the main line to deliver into communities. These major fiber lines are the middle mile, and other Internet service provider companies, cities, partnerships, or other groups may then tap into those lines to complete the last mile  the lines that run to individual homes or businesses. \r\nThe project will leverage state government's existing Internet networks to build a kind of high-speed delivery line throughout the state.\r\nOne of the most important features is that the network will be truly open access, meaning many other Internet and cell phone service providers can lease portions of the network. More important, those leases will not be limited to one provider per county or community; several groups may lease the network, which will give consumers a choice in purchasing their broadband. By partnering with the network, providers will be able to reduce their costs when building out last mile service to customers. That competition should result in lower consumer costs.\r\nInternet access isn't high-speed broadband\r\nKentucky ranks 46th in broadband availability and 23 percent of rural areas in Kentucky do not have access to broadband. \r\nMost households in the state have access to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), but that's not the same as high-speed broadband. High-speed broadband is capable of carrying much larger amounts of information to a larger group of users at much faster speeds.\r\nAs the federal definition of broadband changes, and minimum speed increases (often in megabits per second, or MBS), Kentucky falls further behind because the service available to citizens does not meet these minimum qualifications.\r\nToday, only about half of the state's households use broadband service, and nearly one-quarter can't access broadband at all. Click here to watchvideo of thebroadband contract announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYDwOWxz9qY  \r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2063", "The Christmas Spirit is Alive in Texas", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, released the following statement in advance of Christmas Day: \u201cAs Christmas approaches, we celebrate the most precious gift, that in the humblest of circumstances, Christ came to save the world. We pause to remember that night in Bethlehem, and to give thanks for the blessings the Lord continues to bestow upon each of us.  \u201cAcross the Lone Star State, Texans are sharing the hope of the season.  \u201cFrom Waco\u2019s Christmas Toy Store filling more than 2,700 kids\u2019 trees with presents, to the Harlingen\u2019s Salvation Army clothing 1,000 children; From Eveline Rivers Christmas Project delivering 12,000 books to families in the Panhandle, to Santa\u2019s Workshop bringing gifts to 3,200 children at Fort Hood, these are just a few examples of the communities in our great state that have come together to care for those in need.  \u201cTheir generosity, and that of millions of other Texans across the state, is a powerful example of Christ's faithfulness in times of need. It is also an important reminder, as Mark 10:45 says, that \u2018even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.\u2019  \u201cI hope and pray your Christmas season is filled with joy and restful time with family and loved ones. May God bless you, may He continue to bless our great state of Texas and the United States of America.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=a2e3a569-1203-4933-b3d5-353d4d64048a", "Enzi: New Congress in new year brings hope", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WY", "Michael Enzi", "E000285", "www.enzi.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a recently recorded video, U.S Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., expressed his optimism that the new Senate majority in the 114th Congress would bring real progress on important issues. Enzi also reflected on the importance of spending time with family and friends around the holidays. Click the picture above to watch a special end-of-the-year message from Senator Enzi. The full transcript from the video is included below.\r\n\u201cAs we come to the end of the year, it\u2019s time again to look back and be thankful for all the wonderful moments that we were blessed to be a part of. It\u2019s been a challenging year at times, but things are looking up for our country.\r\n\u201cOnly a few days after the holidays season ends, Congress will come back to work with a new Senate majority ready to take action and seriously address the pressing issues facing our country. I am optimistic that we will be able to make some real progress on the issues that matter. It is an honor to serve our state in the United States Senate for the next six years.\r\n\u201cAs Diana and I prepare to celebrate the holiday season with our family in Wyoming, we send our best wishes to all those who are spending this special time of year with their loved ones.\u00a0Being back home means so very much to us. There\u2019s no greater family tradition than being home for the holidays.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWe want to thank our veterans and those currently serving overseas, who continue to protect and preserve our way of life. The holidays can be difficult for those separated from their families and we pray that when they have completed their service God will bring them all safely home again.\r\n\u201cWherever you are spending your holiday season, Diana and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The sound of those special words always help to brighten the day and lift my spirits. God Bless.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=c3b38878-aef0-4c17-b566-2362531dff98", "Op-Ed for The Daily Caller: The Conservative Case For A New Cuba Policy", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Jeff Flake", "F000444", "www.flake.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Sen. Jeff FlakeDec. 23, 2014\r\n\r\nSince the U.S. first implemented a policy of isolation against Cuba over 50 years ago, it\u2019s been enforced and defended by Republican and Democratic presidents alike. It\u2019s not an issue that breaks neatly along party lines. In fact, when President Obama announced plans last week to ease trade and travel restrictions with Cuba, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), usually a fervent supporter of the president, was among the harshest critics of the move. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), hardly a fan of this administration, said he agreed with the policy change.\r\nI too don\u2019t find myself agreeing with President Obama often, particularly on foreign policy, but he was right to begin the process of normalizing relations with Cuba. For conservatives, there is much to recommend about this new way to address Cuba.\r\nFirst and foremost, for over 50 years the policy of isolating Cuba has failed to achieve any democratic reforms. It has, however, succeeded in giving the Castros a convenient excuse for the failures of socialism. While there may have been a compelling case for the embargo during the height of the Cold War, those arguments clearly no longer apply.\r\nEasing trade and travel should not be viewed as a concession or reward to the Castro regime. I believe that it\u2019s actually a true \u201cget tough\u201d policy. It\u2019s been no accident that in the past a warming in U.S. posture has been met with Cuban provocation. The Castros know that while increased contact with the U.S. may have a positive impact on their economy, it comes at a cost. The island\u2019s fledgling private sector strengthened by these changes will pose a greater challenge to any future tightening the regime may seek to pursue. Far from rewarding the Cuban government, we are saddling them with entrepreneurs who will soon wield real economic power.\r\nAnd when I joke that a \u201cget tough\u201d policy with the Castros would be forcing them deal with Spring Break, I\u2019m only half joking. Sure, some Americans will simply travel to Cuba for sunshine and mojitos, but many will have more lasting intentions \u2013 and they will bring with them flash drives, cell phones, books, and other items that we may take for granted but the Castros know will erode the control that they currently maintain over the island.\r\nThis is, fundamentally, an issue of freedom. U.S. trade and travel restrictions with Cuba aren\u2019t restrictions on Cubans \u2014 they are restrictions on Americans. I\u2019ve long said if a government is going to tell its citizens where they can and can\u2019t travel, it ought to be a communist country, not the greatest country in the world.\r\nThere\u2019s an added benefit for conservatives when we allow Americans to travel freely. We have a veritable museum of the failures of socialism just 90 miles from our shores. Every American ought to see what happens when government controls not just the commanding heights of the economy, but all aspects of society. It isn\u2019t pretty, and it makes on better appreciate the freedoms we often take for granted.\r\nU.S. foreign policy ought to embody American ideals \u2013 freedom, democracy, and free enterprise. By isolating Cuba we\u2019ve ignored the power of those ideals. After 50 years, it\u2019s time for a change. Click here to view the original op-ed.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-nominates-iowa-students-us-service-academies-0", "Grassley Nominates Iowa Students to the U.S. Service Academies", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Charles Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Senator Chuck Grassley has nominated 37 outstanding Iowa students for consideration for appointments to the U.S. service academies. Young Iowans who want to enter the academies and serve our country are remarkable for their accomplishments and leadership. These candidates are an impressive reflection on our state and signal continued excellence in the U.S. armed forces, Grassley said. Each year Grassley has the opportunity as a U.S. senator to nominate either current or future Iowa high school graduates for a select few service academy placements. The Air Force, Military, and Naval academies all select at least one qualified student from Grassley's nominations. The Merchant Marine Academy makes selections in proportion to states' representation in Congress. Grassley said he encourages Iowa students to consider applying to more than one service academy due to the highly competitive nature of admissions. The academies offer some of the best options for higher education, and they offer an outstanding way to serve our country, Grassley said. It's a tremendous opportunity for young Iowans. Students interested in academy appointments should begin the application process in the spring of their junior year of high school. The academies select students based on the number of vacancies available for the next school year. Iowa Representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives also make nominations in addition to both of Iowa's U.S. Senators. Traditionally, the high quality of Iowa nominees results in several Iowa students being selected to attend each of the service academies. More information about service academy nominations can be foundhere. Grassley said he will make announcements as appointments to the academies are offered to Iowans.  The lists below include the names and hometowns of Grassley's nominees for the 2015-2016 school year. U.S. Air Force Academy  Yair Abramoff, Iowa City  Jessica Brown, Sioux City  Jean Etnyre, Pella*  Mark Farlinger, Cresco*  Jeffrey Giannettino, West Burlington  Adrianna Hines, Missouri Valley  Jacob Orr, Johnston  Spencer Silver, Ankeny  Haley Steele, Muscatine  Graham Zomermaand, Sioux Center U.S. Military Academy at West Point  Payton Boylston, Ames  Harrison Gudorf, West Des Moines  Zachary Hoffman, Ankeny  Jaryd Huffman, Letts  Alexander Jones, Council Bluffs  Jonas Mason, Cedar Rapids  Ethan Pieper, Norwalk*  Buchanan Waller, Maquoketa  John Worthington, Hudson  Tobey Yates, Underwood U.S. Naval Academy  Caroline Ascherl, Granville  Robert Beardsley, Bettendorf  Diana Carney, Coggon  Luke Donnelly, West Des Moines  Madeline Gehrke, Clive  Dane Livengood, Treynor  Griffin Lorenz, Marion*  Luis Martinez, Des Moines  Molly Sanders, Ames  Gabrielle Taht, St. Donatus U.S. Merchant Marine Academy  Joseph Budde, La Motte  Jean Etnyre, Pella  Mark Farlinger, Cresco  Nicholas Fox, Clive  Trever Huss, Orange City  Griffin Lorenz, Marion  Ethan Pieper, Norwalk Students denoted with an asterisks(*) were also nominated for appointments to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in addition to the Air Force, Military or Naval Academies.    -30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=b5ffd728-927f-436d-b452-bab232c67a24", "Thune Announces Staff Changes", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and likely incoming chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today announced several staff changes on his Washington-based team. Should Thune be elected Commerce Committee chairman in January, he will be the first senator in 30 years to hold a third-ranking leadership office or higher, while also holding a chairmanship of an \u201cA\u201d committee.\r\nBrendon Plack, Thune\u2019s deputy chief of staff, has been named staff director of the Senate Republican Conference. Plack will also continue to oversee operations in Thune\u2019s DC-based personal office. Plack, a South Dakota native, has served on Thune\u2019s team in various capacities for the past 10 years, including Thune\u2019s legislative director, policy director for the Senate Republican Conference, and energy analyst at the Senate Republican Policy Committee.\r\n\u201cBrendon is an experienced leader in the United States Senate,\u201d said Thune. \u201cWith ties to South Dakota and a deep policy background, I am pleased he will be running my leadership office while continuing to oversee day-to-day operations in my D.C. personal office.\u201d\r\nAnn Marie Hauser has been named deputy staff director of the Senate Republican Conference. Most recently, Hauser handled public affairs strategy for the financial regulatory consulting firm Patomak Global Partners. Prior to that, she served as managing vice president at JDA Frontline; communications director for Gov. Tim Pawlenty\u2019s presidential bid; vice president of corporate communications at JPMorgan Chase; communications director for Senator Mike Johanns (R-N.E.); and director of public affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce and spokesperson at the U.S. Department of Treasury in the George W. Bush administration.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to welcome Ann Marie to my team,\u201d said Thune. \u201cAnn Marie brings a valuable perspective as someone who has served in senior positions in government, campaigns, and the private sector. Her wealth of experience will help strengthen member services provided by the Senate Republican Conference and ensure my offices coordinate seamlessly as Republicans in the Senate work advance pro-growth policies.\u201d\r\nAshLee Strong, Thune\u2019s national communications director, has been promoted to senior communications director. She will continue to serve as Thune\u2019s chief spokesperson and will coordinate Thune\u2019s national message in his leadership office and across his committee assignments. Previously, Strong served as press secretary for Thune; press secretary for Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.); communications aide for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and an aide at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in the George W. Bush administration.\r\n\u201cAshLee is one of my most trusted advisers and played a critical role in crafting a communications strategy that helped Republicans in the Senate make our case to the American people,\u201d said Thune. \u201cAs she takes on this expanded role, I will continue to rely on her insights as we articulate Senate Republicans\u2019 policies and vision in the next Congress.\u201d\r\nFrederick Hill has been named Thune\u2019s communications director for the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.\u00a0Hill most recently served as deputy staff director for communications to Chairman Darrell Issa (R-C.A.) on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Hill has worked for Issa for the past 13 years.\r\n\u201cFrederick\u2019s many years of communications experience on one of the most active committees in the House of Representatives will make him a valuable member of my Commerce team. I look forward to utilizing Frederick\u2019s communications ability as I roll out my agenda for the Commerce Committee in the 114th Congress.\u201d\r\nIn addition, Rachel Millard will continue to serve as Thune\u2019s communications director for state press.\u00a0Millard, a native of Chamberlain, South Dakota, and graduate of Creighton University, has served on Thune\u2019s personal staff for over five years and previously served as press secretary for Thune, internal communications adviser at the Senate Republican Conference, and legislative correspondent for Thune.\r\n\u201cServing the people of South Dakota is and always will be my primary focus, and Rachel\u2019s role will only grow in importance in the new Congress as our legislative goals and accomplishments are communicated to all South Dakotans,\u201d said Thune.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cole.house.gov/time-doesn%E2%80%99t-change-past", "Time Doesnt Change the Past", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Tom Cole", "C001053", "cole.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Certainly, we always celebrate the safe return of one of our own. Especially before the holidays, we understand the relief felt by the family, friends and loved ones of Alan Gross, the U.S. citizen who was held captive in Cuba for five years after entering the country as a contractor. On the same day as the release of Gross last week, the Obama Administration announced a plan to \u201cnormalize relations\u201d with the corrupt Castro regime responsible for the imprisonment. The steps ahead include efforts to re-establish diplomatic relations and open commerce by lifting sanctions. While the president insisted that Gross was released for humanitarian reasons, it appears that the policy change unveiled last week is yet another prisoner exchange slanted heavily in favor of a known enemy.\u00a0\nThe United States has always shown strength against terrorism and commitment to combating threats around the world. Since 1982, Cuba has been designated by the U.S. Department of State as a state sponsor of terrorism. This has guided America\u2019s distant, rightly-cautious relationship with Cuba. Now more than three decades after Cuba was first recognized as a terrorist sponsor, it appears that the president has forgotten the danger or naively supposed that time equals a changed regime. Apparently some in his administration don\u2019t remember what caused our limited relationship with Cuba in the first place. Regardless, the reality is that Cuba is still led by the same family that mistreats and oppresses its own citizens and associates with other corrupt governments.\nWithout question, Americans feel for the Cuban people, who hunger for a return to democracy and are desperate to taste the sort of freedom we often take for granted. Over the years, many Cubans have embarked on journeys to flee oppression and live freely in America\u2014revealing the true state of the country and the dangers posed by Communism. Certainly, the oppression they experience on a daily basis at the hands of their own government is unacceptable. Americans should want to break that bondage and prepare the pathway for the Cuban people to build their own free society. Unfortunately, this policy change doesn\u2019t help the Cuban people; it further imprisons them to an oppressive government.\nThe timing of the Obama Administration seeking to normalize and rebuild diplomatic relationships with Cuba hardly makes sense. Like his brother, Cuba\u2019s current dictator Raul Castro maintains close relationships with some of America\u2019s worst and most dangerous enemies. Since the country is located just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, the possibility of harm at our own shores is uncomfortably close. Instead of being discouraged or forced to feel consequences, the intentions of the Castro regime are further emboldened and will likely empower other enemies of the United States to test a similar course of action. \u00a0\u00a0\nTime doesn\u2019t change the past or the intentions of the same Cuban dictatorship. I am very disappointed that the president believes he can reason with a nation ruled by a corrupt dictator. In the process, he is setting a dangerous precedent that welcomes future negotiations with our proven enemies that are of little benefit to the United States.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cook.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-paul-cooks-bill-to-rename-29-palms-post-office-for-col-mac-dube", "Rep. Paul Cook&#039;s Bill to Rename 29 Palms Post Office For Col. Mac Dube Signed by President", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "CA", "Paul Cook", "C001094", "cook.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Rep. Paul Cook (R-Apple Valley) today issued the following statement after the President signed HR 5331, renaming the post office in Twentynine Palms, located at\u00a073839 Gorgonio Drive, as the \u201cColonel M.J. \u2018Mac\u2019 Dube, USMC Post Office Building:\n\u201cI am pleased to honor Mac\u2019s legacy by renaming the post office in his honor. Mac served his nation honorably and left a legacy for all those who come after him. He\u2019ll always be remembered in Twentynine Palms for his hard work, dedication, and patriotism.\u201d\nA member of the House Armed Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Foreign Affairs Committees, Cook served as an infantry officer and retired as a Colonel after 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal with valor device and two Purple Hearts for actions in combat.\u00a0\nFor a copy of the press release when\u00a0HR 5331 passed the House of Representatives, please click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cramer.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/us-army-reverses-separation-policy-following-legislation-cosponsored-by", "US Army Reverses Separation Policy Following Legislation Cosponsored by Cramer", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "ND", "Kevin Cramer", "C001096", "cramer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BISMARCK, N.D. \u2013 The Secretary of the Army John McHugh has announced a change in retirement policy which echoes a bill Congressman Kevin Cramer cosponsored. Under the new rule, prior-enlisted military officers selected for involuntary separation from the service will be allowed to remain on active duty, or retire at their current commissioned rank with full benefits. The policy reversal follows the Proudly Restoring Officers of Prior Enlistment Retirement (PROPER) Act, which was introduced on December 10 with Congressman Cramer as an original cosponsor.\nUnder the Obama Administration\u2019s restructuring plan, many prior-enlisted commissioned officers were being forced to involuntarily retire at their highest enlisted rank, despite years of service in commissioned status. The policy requires soldiers serve at least 20 years to be eligible for retirement, and at least eight years after receiving a commission in order to retire with officer rank. The misguided eligibility requirement caused soldiers who served over 20 years total, but less than eight years as commissioned officers, to be involuntarily retired at their highest enlisted rank instead of their commissioned rank. This equated to forced demotions and large reductions in retirement benefits.\nThe PROPER Act, cosponsored by Cramer, would have enabled soldiers to keep their commissioned rank upon retirement by lowering the eligibility requirement from eight to four years. The decision by Secretary McHugh waives the eight year requirement entirely.\n\u201cI am pleased the Army Secretary has acted to change a misguided policy for this group of dedicated military officers. While we must make every effort to fund our national defense wisely, this does not mean shortchanging those who have served their country,\u201d said Cramer.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://donyoung.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398013", "E-Newsletter: Merry Christmas From Congressman Young", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AK", "Don Young", "Y000033", "donyoung.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friends,\nAs we approach the final days of 2014 and the close of the 113th Congress, it\u2019s important to reflect back on the year we\u2019ve had. There\u2019s no question that as Alaskans and Americans we\u2019ve faced significant challenges and opportunities. I\u2019ve heard from countless Alaskans \u2013 school teachers, business owners, fisherman and doctors \u2013 all expressing their frustration and concern for the direction this nation is headed and for the massive expansion of federal policies that harm our local economies and threaten our way of life. Alaskans deserve better and I look forward to tackling these many issues when Congress returns in January.\nI am once again grateful to the Alaskan people for the responsibility you\u2019ve entrusted in me to serve the people and state I love so dearly. I thank you for your continued support and for always speaking your mind and making your voices heard as Congress takes up the many difficult decisions to move this country forward.\n\nMerry Christmas From Congressman Young\nCongressman Young wishing Alaskans a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (click here to watch).\nAs friends and families gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the holiday season, I would like to take a moment to recognize the hardworking men and women of our military. These guardians of freedom and stewards of peace sacrifice so much for this nation and deserve the utmost gratitude and thanks from all Americans.\nTo everyone in the state of Alaska and beyond, I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May this time of happiness and joy be a reminder of the many blessings God has given us \u2013 the love of friends and family, good health, and our undeniable Alaskan spirit and determination. \u00a0\u00a0\nMerry Christmas, Happy New Year, and God Bless you all!\nThe Capitol Tree lighting ceremony, one of the many Christmas traditions in the nation\u2019s capital. Next year\u2019s tree will be cut and transported from Alaska\u2019s Chugach National Forest.\nHappy Hanukkah to all those in Alaska celebrating the Festival of Lights!\nAn annual Christmas tradition of mine, ringing the Salvation Army bell at the 5th Avenue Mall in Anchorage.\n\u00a0\nHappy Winter Solstice Alaska! Yesterday, we celebrated the shortest day of the year. Check out this wide range of daylight across the state: Juneau: 6 hours 22 minutes; Anchorage: 5 hours 28 minutes; Fairbanks: 3 hours 42 minutes; Barrow: Darkness until January 23rd, 2015\n\"A Christmas Story\" from Congressman Young\nI was recently asked to describe my favorite childhood Christmas gift. Here is what I said:\n\u201cThe best gift I ever received was a BB gun when I was six years old \u2013 a Red Ryder BB gun. It cost $2.50. My brother and I both got one that year. He shot his off in front of the family on Christmas day and shot a hole in the ceiling. His was taken away from him and I got to keep mine. That was my first of many guns, one I\u2019ll always remember.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\n113th Congress in Review\nOne of the most important responsibilities I have as Alaska\u2019s sole Representative is assisting and helping individuals, groups and organizations with the many problems they face when dealing with the federal government. This often challenging task is particularly important as the size and scope of federal government continues to encroach on our everyday lives. While there are countless numbers to share over the last two years, I am most proud of the work my office has done to ensure individual Alaskans are getting the response and treatment they deserve from the federal government.\nIt\u2019s no secret that the 113th Congress in considered one of the least productive since before WWII \u2013 having passed only 296 bills into law. While legislation isn\u2019t always the answer to our nation\u2019s problems, this number is an indication of the nation\u2019s vast differences and the polarizing climate that has plagued our nation for too long. \u00a0\nEven in these divided times, my efforts to protect Alaska\u2019s interests and achieve success for our people didn\u2019t go unanswered. \u00a0In the 113th Congress, I am proud to report that three pieces of legislation I wrote and introduced were signed into law, in an addition to numerous other bills, amendments and provisions that passed in larger pieces of legislation.\n \n    H.R. 588, the Vietnam Veterans Donor Acknowledgment Act of 2013 (Public Law No: 113-121)\n \n \n    H.R. 623, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act Public Law No: 113-68)\n \n \n    H.R. 3110, the Huna Tlingit Traditional Gull Egg Use Act (Public Law No: 113-142)\n \n\u00a0\nLooking Forward\nWhen Congress reconvenes in January, I will be returning as the longest serving Republican and 3rd most senior member of the House of Representatives. This seniority, combined with the leadership of Senator Lisa Murkowski as the Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, will bring significant opportunity for the Alaskan people and our many interests.\nI will once again serve as the Chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, responsible for overseeing legislation that impacts more than 100,000 Alaskan residents. This tremendous honor has yielded a number of successes for Alaska and I look forward to serving in this capacity again.\nAs Congress moves forward, I will also be taking the lead on the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, legislation that sets federal fisheries policies across the nation. With a commitment from my House colleagues, I look forward to hitting the ground running and introducing MSA legislation that addresses the concerns of all our fishermen. \u00a0\nWith that said, my top three legislative priorities for the 114th Congress are:\n1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ensuring access to our federal lands and resources;\n2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Building Alaska\u2019s infrastructure;\n3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ensuring a strong national defense and providing the resources to care for our veterans.\nThe biggest battle related to the first two priorities is the ongoing fight against the Obama Administration\u2019s cascade of regulations pouring out of federal agencies in Washington D.C. Without access to our resources and the infrastructure necessary to support industry and our population, Alaska\u2019s economy will contract and we will cease to thrive as a state.\nIn regard to the third priority, the Obama Administration is proposing to shrink our military at levels not seen since the early 20th Century. Without adequately providing for the defense of this nation, the United States will cease to be the beacon of freedom we are today. I will continue to work towards passing legislation that promotes a vibrant economy and strong military for all Americans.\u00a0\nLegislative Roundup\n In the final days of the 113th Congress, the House and Senate made a significant push to move a number of outstanding bills. While a number of House passed bills \u2013 meant to spur economic growth, reduce burdensome regulations, and hold the federal government accountable for their actions \u2013 failed to receive consideration in the Senate, I was proud to see the passage of important Alaskan legislation and provisions. \u00a0 \nHere\u2019s a list of Alaska specific bills and provisions recently signed into law by the President:\nH.R. 5069, the Federal Duck Stamp Act of 2014\nCongress recently sent legislation to the President that adjusts the price of the federal duck stamp, an annual permit required to hunt ducks across the nation. I was proud to include language in this legislation that exempts subsistence hunters in rural Alaska from purchasing these annual stamps. This was a major victory for rural Alaska and our many residents who have faced hardships in obtaining the federal duck stamp.\u00a0Click here\u00a0to read more.\nCongressman Young discussing the passage of H.R. 5069, the Federal Duck Stamp Act (click here to listen)\n\nS. 2444, the Howard Coble Coast Guard Transportation Act of 2014\nAs the former Chairmen and senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I was proud to see the passage of a one year Coast Guard reauthorization that advanced a number of important Alaskan causes, including a 3-year moratorium on overbearing EPA regulations facing fisherman and vessel owners, improvements to USCG lands and housing infrastructure, raises for our service members and improvements for veteran employment opportunities. \nAs Alaskans, we understand the critical role the Coast Guard plays in protecting our waterways and securing our coastlines, and this legislation represents a firm commitment by Congress to strengthen and support the Coast Guard\u2019s mission, which includes more than 2,500 active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel in Alaska.\u00a0Click here\u00a0to read more.\nS. 1847, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 (NDAA)\nCongress recently moved legislation to provide a number of key military reforms across the country, including efforts to protect Alaskan military operations and service members, prevent military sexual assault and suicide, reaffirm the F-35 basing at Eielson Air Force Base, and convey federal lands to local entities.\nWhile I would have preferred to see passage of this important legislation months ago, I\u2019m pleased to see the House and Senate come together in our final days to find common ground. In these divided times, it\u2019s often difficult to achieve perfect legislation, but this bipartisan, bicameral agreement works to put our military men and women first and provide them with the resources and reforms they need to train, fight, and protect our country.\nThe legislation included a number of important public land provisions in Alaska, items I worked on and supported in the House. \u00a0Click here\u00a0to read more.\n \n    Olgoonik Land Transfer: The conveyance of 1,518 acres of federal land at the former Distant Early Warning Site near Wainwright, Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation.\n \n \n    Sealaska Land Transfer: The Sealaska land entitlement finalization, which conveys 70,075 of acres of land to Sealaska.\n \n \n    3 Parcels of Anchorage Land: The removal of a federal reversionary clause on three parcels of land previously conveyed to the Municipality of Anchorage. Under the existing title, the reversionary clause would have required the land\u2019s ownership to revert back to the federal government if the Municipality of Anchorage no longer used them for \u201cmunicipal purposes.\u201d\n \n \n    \u00a0Nome Land Transfer: Transfers seven acres of federal land \u2013 the West Nome Fuel Tank Farm \u2013 from the Air Force to the City of Nome for future economic purposes.\n \n\u00a0  \nS.1474, Legislation to Repeal Section 910 of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013\nIn the many conversations I had with Alaska Native leaders and families since the reauthorization of VAWA last year, I heard a consistent, clear, and powerful message: Section 910 was\u00a0an error and must be repealed.\u00a0 I was proud to work with Senator Murkowski in the final moments of the 113th Congress to ensure that one of the final acts was to empower Alaska\u2019s tribes and uplift Alaska Native women.\u00a0Click here\u00a0to read more.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://duffy.house.gov//media-center/enewsletters/a-few-things-worth-writing-home-about", "A few things worth writing home about", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Sean Duffy", "D000614", "duffy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear friends,\nAs the year draws to a close, I am glad to report that, despite constant\u00a0obstruction from the Democrat controlled Senate, we were still able to pass\u00a0principled, Conservative legislation this year. In January, when Republican majorities are sworn-in in both the House and the Senate, Congress will be in\u00a0the strongest possible position to block and defund the President\u2019s Executive\u00a0Order on immigration (a.k.a. \u2013 \u201cExecutive Amnesty\u201d). We will also finally have\u00a0the ability to make meaningful headway on the issues the American people\u00a0sent us here to focus on, specifically to pass a budget AND appropriations bills, make sure\u00a0our Veterans and military are taken care of\u2026even allow Paul Ryan and the Ways &amp; Means\u00a0Committee to get true tax reform in place.\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Here\u2019s a few things we accomplished that are worth writing home about: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\n\u00a0\nWishing our elected leaders a productive, principled and fiscally responsible\u00a02015. And, to the constituents of Wisconsin\u2019s 7thCongressional District:\u00a0Rachel, the kids and I wish you and your families a very blessed holiday season and a safe new year.\u00a0\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Merry Christmas!\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Sean", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/good-news-about-your-taxes", "Good news about your taxes", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nIn January, I first wrote to you about an important tax deduction that would expire at the end of this year if Congress didn\u2019t act.\nIn Texas, since we don\u2019t have a state income tax, we are able to deduct state and local sales taxes when filing federal income tax returns. This provides some parity with other states who can deduct their state and local income taxes when filing their returns.\nOver the past two weeks, the House and Senate both passed an extension of this deduction, and President Obama signed it into law on Friday. While this is not a permanent solution, it does prevent a tax increase on Texans.\nI believe that when the new Congress convenes in January comprehensive tax reform needs to be part of the agenda, including making this deduction permanent. By doing so, it will erase future uncertainty about whether or not Texans will face a tax increase.\nIn addition to extending this tax deduction, Congress passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. This bill will help those with disabilities to save money for education, housing, and medical expenses to use at a future time. By allowing those with disabilities and their caretakers to set up a tax-free savings account, they will be able to better manage the cost of care.\nSincerely,  \n\tKay Granger", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/how-congress-could-stymie-obama%E2%80%99s-cuba-plan", "How Congress Could Stymie Obamas Cuba Plan", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Barack Obama\u2019s plans to seek a normalization of relations with Cuba split lawmakers, and those on the opposing side vowed to use whatever means available to stand in the way of the policy shift. Mr. Obama said he looked forward to engaging with lawmakers on ways to further his policy aims, but top Republicans signaled they would have little appetite for a rapprochement.\n\t\u201cRelations with the Castro regime should not be revisited, let alone normalized, until the Cuban people enjoy freedom \u2013 and not one second sooner,\u201d House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio).\n\tFor those hoping to halt, or at least slow, the president\u2019s efforts, there are a handful of legislative paths that are could present themselves once lawmakers return to Washington. They fall in three general areas:\n\t* * *\n\tSPENDING BILLS: The most powerful tool available to Congress is its power of the purse: the ability to fund\u2013or more importantly, defund\u2013government programs, initiatives and other policies that lawmakers don\u2019t like. The $1.1 trillion spending bill enacted last week, for example, contains Cuba-related provisions in its roughly 1,600 pages, including a prohibition against funds for U.S. agriculture programs from being used to directly finance or provide assistance to Cuba and a handful of other countries.\n\tCritics of Mr. Obama\u2019s normalization plans have already signaled they plan to use the appropriations process to try to slow the process. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) tweeted on Wednesday that \u201cI will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba.\u201d That\u2019s no idle threat; Mr. Graham is slated to become chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee\u2019s subcommittee on state and foreign operations next year. That not only puts him in charge of a bill that included $49.3 billion in discretionary spending for\u00a0 fiscal 2015, but also oversight of the State Department\u2019s budget.\n\tRep. Kay Granger (R., Texas), who chairs the state and foreign operations subcommittee on the other side of the Capitol, criticized the administration\u2019s decision to act unilaterally.\n\t\u201cCongress has a vital role to play in our country\u2019s foreign policy and how American taxpayer dollars are used,\u201d Ms. Granger said.\n\tBeyond preventing funds for the establishment of a U.S. embassy in Havana, appropriators have yet to tip their hands as to how they might try to use their appropriations power to slow Mr. Obama\u2019s plans. Aides suggested one approach would be for critics to explicitly single out Cuba as ineligible for funds appropriated to various government agencies and programs on a broader scale than is currently employed.\n\t* * *\n\tNOMINATIONS: Another easy avenue available to Cuba critics would be to block or slow Mr. Obama\u2019s nominations to the State Department and other international posts as a protest against the attempt to normalize relations with Havana. The White House is already going to face a tougher process getting its executive branch appointments confirmed under the new GOP-controlled Senate, but the addition of a hot-button political issue such as Cuba could make it harder.\n\tSen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), Cuban-American himself, said as much on Wednesday at a news conference criticizing the Obama administration\u2019s move. \u201cI anticipate we\u2019re going to have a very interesting couple of years discussing how you\u2019re going to get an ambassador nominated and how you\u2019re going to get an embassy funded,\u201d he said.\n\tLike Mr. Graham, Mr. Rubio will be in a position to follow through on his promises. He\u2019s slated to chair a key subcommittee on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next year, giving him the ability to challenge the White House and State Department in both hearings and when the panel considers nominations.\n\t* * *\n\tEMBARGO ACTION: In his announcement Wednesday, Mr. Obama said he hoped to engage Congress \u201cin an honest and serious debate\u201d about lifting the current embargo that restricts most travel and trade with Cuba. That is not expected to happen any time soon. In fact, strong anti-Cuba lawmakers will want to tighten the embargoes.\n\tThe current U.S. embargo dates back to the 1960s and has been cemented into U.S. law through a number of legislative actions over the years. Mr. Obama acknowledged that Wednesday but said he hoped to work with Congress to reverse course.\n\tCritics said the opposite \u2013 an attempt to reverse the action \u2013 is more likely. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R., Fla.), a vocal critic of the Castro regime, said in a Wednesday statement that it was possible that the actions by the White House violated a number of Cuba-related laws passed previously by Congress.\n\t\u201cThe White House attempts to normalize relationships with Cuba without the approval of Congress may be in direct violation of Helms-Burton that specifically states that all political prisoners must be released and free and fair elections must be held before establishing a diplomatic relationship,\u201d she said.\n\tThe biggest challenge to this approach would be Mr. Obama himself. While the Republican-led Congress could seek to pass legislation targeting the normalization effort, the president would probably veto anything lawmakers were able to pass. Additionally, with bipartisan support for the White House\u2019s plan to establish diplomatic ties, it\u2019s unclear whether any punitive legislation could even make its way through both the House and Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/press-release/granger-announces-new-staff-hire", "Granger Announces New Staff Hire", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Granger Announces New Staff Hire                                           \n              Dec 22, 2014      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Kay Granger (TX-12) today announced the hiring of Randi Mitchell to serve as District Director. Randi will be based in Fort Worth and will oversee the daily operations of the district office of the 12th Congressional district.\u00a0 \u00a0\n\t\u201cI am proud to have Randi join my office as district director,\u201d said Granger. \u201cHer strong background and connection to our community will be a great addition to our already great team. I place a high value on the constituent services we provide from our district office and Randi will build on our record of success.\u201d\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s great to be a part of such a dedicated team,\u201d said Mitchell. \u201cI have a passion for giving back to my community and I look forward to working alongside Congresswoman Granger to support the constituent services that are provided by our district office.\u201d\n\tRandi brings with her over 15 years of experience with a specialty in marketing management. A lifelong resident of the Fort Worth area, Randi is active in the community and has been recognized for her achievements. In 2009, she was honored as a 40 Under 40 recipient by the Fort Worth Business Press as a woman who has helped shape the future of Tarrant County. Randi is a graduate of Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas and a 2012 Leadership Fort Worth graduate. She is an incoming board member of Camp Fire First Texas and serves as a Marketing Task Force member. Additionally, she is a member of The Ladder Alliance Marketing Committee and is a Breakfast Club member with Lena Pope.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-pledges-continued-opposition-un-arms-trade-treaty", "Rep. Kelly Pledges Continued Opposition to UN Arms Trade Treaty", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Mike Kelly", "K000376", "kelly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Treaty will enter into force on Christmas Eve \nWASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) issued the following statement today regarding the imminent entry into force of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which will occur on December 24, 2014 \u2014 90 days, as required, after the 50th nation ratified the treaty. The United States signed the treaty on September 25, 2013, but has never ratified it.\n\u201cAs the ATT soon enters into force, the United States Congress continues to stand with the American people in total opposition to this dangerous treaty. I applaud my colleagues for continuing to prohibit federal funding for the treaty\u2019s implementation, and am glad to see the president once again sign legislation affirming this important ban. However, even with the ban in place, there are still plans being proposed for the US to pay up to 22 percent of UN \u2018activity\u2019 to manage the treaty \u2014 even though our Senate (rightly) refuses to ratify it! Going forward, vigilance is crucial. Congress must maintain its strong opposition while ensuring that the Obama administration is not tempted to act unilaterally in the treaty\u2019s favor. We must not stand by and allow the ATT to threaten our constitutional rights at home or our closest allies abroad, as the world\u2019s worst actors are surely counting on.\u201d\nBACKGROUND: \u00a0Rep. Kelly is a national leader of the movement to stop the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). On March 15, 2013, he introduced H. Con. Res. 23, a bipartisan concurrent resolution expressing opposition to the treaty on behalf of members of Congress. The resolution currently has 149 co-sponsors in the House and 36 supporters in the Senate.\nOn May 30, 2013, Rep. Kelly submitted a bipartisan letter with 130 co-signers from Congress to both President Obama and Secretary Kerry urging them to reject the treaty. He sent a similar bipartisan letter to the president following Secretary Kerry\u2019s signing of the treaty on October 15, 2013, which was signed by 181 members of Congress, including multiple committee chairmen. A follow-up letter was sent to the White House on April, 20, 2014.\nOn June 14, 2013, Rep. Kelly introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 to prohibit federal funding for the implementation of the ATT for one year by the Department of Defense. The amendment was adopted unanimously by a voice vote and included in the final passage of the NDAA by the House of Representatives. The House-Senate compromise NDAA, which included an updated version of the Kelly amendment, was passed by the House on December 12, 2013; passed by the Senate on December, 19, 2013; and signed by President Obama on December 26, 2013.\nOn July 24, 2013, the House Appropriations Committee approved the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2014 which imposes a one-year ban on the use of federal funds for the implementation of the ATT by the State Department. The ban is based on language from a bipartisan letter which Rep. Kelly authored and submitted to the State and Foreign Operations subcommittee on April 18, 2013. A version of this ban was integrated into H.R. 3547, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, which temporarily funded the government between October 1, 2013 and January 15, 2014.\nOn April 1, 2014, Rep. Kelly authored and submitted four separate letters to the bipartisan leaders of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies requesting updated and strengthened language prohibiting federal funding of the ATT in each of the subcommittees\u2019 respective appropriation bills for fiscal year 2015, including an explicit ban on the use of funds to engage in domestic prosecutions on the basis of the ATT. Each letter was co-signed by more than 80 members of Congress.\nOn May 22, 2014, the House passed H.R. 4335, the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2015, which included Rep. Kelly\u2019s amendment to continue the Defense Department\u2019s ban on funding for the ATT.\nOn May 30, 2014, the House passed the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2015, which included language requested by Kelly to ban ATT funding by the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies.\nOn June 20, 2014, the House passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2015 by a bipartisan vote of 340-73, which included language requested by Rep. Kelly to prohibit any funding by the Department of Defense for the implementation of the ATT for one year. On June 24, 2014, the full Appropriations Committee approved language to ban ATT funds in the FY 2015 State and Foreign Ops bill following Rep. Kelly\u2019s letter to the subcommittee.\nOn September 5, 2014, Rep. Kelly submitted a letter to President Obama voicing opposition to the planned First Conference of State Parties (CSP) to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) \u2013 a UN-backed gathering to shape the future of the ATT \u2013 due to its exclusion of any organizations critical of the treaty.\nOn December 16, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Omnibus Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2015, which includes a ban on federal funding for the ATT\u2019s implementation. The president signed the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2015 (H.R. 3979) on December 19, 2014, which included a similar ban.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398381", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.22.14", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "God Bless Us, Every One! 171 years ago in 1843, well-loved English writer Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol.\u00a0 Even if they don\u2019t know of Charles Dickens by name, many Americans are familiar with the story of bitter, curmudgeonly old Ebenezer Scrooge and the redemptive journey that ultimately transforms him into a warmer, gentler, and more generous human being. A Christmas Carol is a timeless tale that remains popular to this day \u2013 particularly this time of year \u2013 whether in print or adapted to stage, film, or other types of media. \u00a0 Far lesser known is Dickens\u2019 first novel, The Pickwick Papers, published in 1837.\u00a0 In The Pickwick Papers, Dickens wrote a chapter similar in nature to the plot of A Christmas Carol, evidently developing what would in a few years become the classic. Among other stories in The Pickwick Papers is \u2018The Goblin and the Sexton,\u2019 in which Dickens tells of the morose, melancholy and lonely Gabriel Grub (who was a gravedigger and \u2018sexton,\u2019 or one who looks over a church).\u00a0 On Christmas Eve, as he was finishing digging a grave, Gabriel was met by a goblin sitting on a tombstone. \u00a0 \u201cWho makes graves at a time when all other men are merry, and takes a pleasure in it?,\" the goblin asked.\u00a0 The goblin soon continued, \u201cWe know the man with the sulky face and grim scowl, that came down the street to-night, throwing his evil looks at the children, and grasping his burying-spade the tighter.\u00a0 We know the man who struck the boy in the envious malice of his heart, because the boy could be merry, and he could not.\u00a0 We know him, we know him.\" Soon after, a number of goblins poured into the graveyard, which also filled with the lively music of an organ.\u00a0 The goblins proceed to take Gabriel Grubb away and show him the past and the future, much like in A Christmas Carol. As the story goes, \u201cAbove all, [Gabriel] saw that men like himself, who snarled at the mirth and cheerfulness of others, were the foulest weeds on the fair surface of the earth; and setting all the good of the world against the evil, he came to the conclusion that it was a very decent and respectable sort of world after all.\u201d\u00a0 Soon after this realization the goblins faded from view, and Gabriel Grubb fell asleep in the empty graveyard. \u00a0 When he awoke, \u201c\u2026he was an altered man, and he could not bear the thought of returning to a place where his repentance would be scoffed at, and his reformation disbelieved.\u00a0 He hesitated for a few moments; and then turned away to wander where he might, and seek his bread elsewhere.\u201d\u00a0 The whereabouts of Gabriel Grubb were unknown for some ten years, until he returned a ragged, though content, old man. \u00a0 Even though Dickens was a great, master storyteller, the role of The Pickwick Papers in developing the message of A Christmas Carol is clear.\u00a0 His story of holiday human redemption was a work in progress for a number of years before he saw it fit to publish A Christmas Carol. Not only do storylines and plots develop and progress with time, but we as people do so as well and, ideally, we improve with each passing year.\u00a0 The moral of Dickens\u2019 stories is that there is redemption.\u00a0 Like Gabriel Grubb and Ebenezer Scrooge, we all can become better.\u00a0 Doing so often requires patience and resolve, should our initial attempt be flawed or unsuccessful.\u00a0 However, I hope that neither you nor I require visits from goblins or the ghosts of Christmas to recognize we can improve.  Returning to Dickens\u2019 famous A Christmas Carol, we recall the beloved Tiny Tim and his famous line, \u201cGod bless us, every one!\u201d\u00a0 As we celebrate this holiday season and the birth of Christ, many celebrate with the giving of gifts, among other traditions.\u00a0 Particularly for Christians such as myself, we celebrate the gift that Jesus brought us with his birth, life, crucifixion, and resurrection. This holiday season, I wish for you and your loved ones progress, success, health, and serenity.\u00a0 Best wishes for a safe and merry Christmas. \u00a0 And so I echo the words of Tiny Tim: God bless us, every one! As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397800", "Roe: The Sacrifice of Those Who Served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm will Forever be Remembered", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement after President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. Roe\u2019s bill to create a memorial for those that served in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield was included in the package. \u00a0\r\n\u201cI am so proud this memorial will finally move forward. After working on this for the last two years, it\u2019s an exciting day for myself and my staff. I\u2019d like to thank Senator Boozman for championing this cause in the Senate, and Scott Stump for his service to our country and tireless efforts on behalf of the veterans of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. This is a win for these heroes, and I look forward to the day I\u2019ll have the honor of visiting this memorial. Every soldier who honorably served our nation should be recognized, and the sacrifice of those who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm will forever be remembered with honor and gratitude.\u201d\r\nNo federal funds will be spent to build this memorial; all funds will be raised privately by the National Desert Storm Memorial Association.\r\nBackground:\r\nIn 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and, in less than 24 hours, dominated nearly 30% of the world\u2019s oil supply. This brutal dictator then set his eyes on Saudi Arabia. Recognizing Saudi Arabia\u2019s important role in the region, President George H.W. Bush launched Operation Desert Shield, the deployment of American combat forces to Saudi Arabia, and issued a mandate to Hussein stating all Iraqi troops must be out of Kuwait by January 15, 1991. With Kuwait still occupied after the deadline passed, the United States led coalition forces in the liberation of Kuwait, a mission known as Operation Desert Storm.\r\nThese operations\u2014a major coalition victory\u2014resulted in the removal of all Iraqi forces from Kuwait, imposition of sanctions against Iraq and a significantly weakened Iraqi Army. Of the roughly 600,000 American troops who were deployed in both Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 293 died in theater, of which 148 were killed in action.\r\nThe United States currently lacks a national memorial dedicated to the valor and sacrifices made by those members of our Armed Forces who honorably fought in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Roe\u2019s original bill, H.R. 503, passed the House unanimously as a stand-alone measure on May 28th. The bill has more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/weekly-newsletters?ContentRecord_id=F56CDD2C-4230-4160-816B-360F22A4B660", "The Hill Report: Week of December 15 - 19, 2014", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday Chairman Kevin Brady of\u00a0the\u00a0Ways and Means Committee introduced HR 1,\u00a0the\u00a0Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which represented\u00a0the\u00a0first public unveiling of legislation that could lead to tax reform this Congress.\u00a0 \u00a0According to\u00a0the\u00a0Wall Street Journal, this bill \u201cis, on net, about a $1.5 trillion tax", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398487", "Stivers Nominates Area Students to Military Academies", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Steve Stivers", "S001187", "stivers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Steve Stivers (R \u2013 OH) today announced his nomination of students from across Ohio\u2019s 15th Congressional District to the United States military academies. Stivers nominated the following students:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Steve Stivers (R \u2013 OH) today announced his nomination of students from across Ohio\u2019s 15th Congressional District to the United States military academies. Stivers nominated the following students:\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Lydia LaRue was nominated to West Point. LaRue attends Amanda Clearcreek High School and is the daughter of Dean and Wendy LaRue. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0John Lemaster was nominated to the United States Naval Academy, West Point, and the Air Force Academy.\u00a0 Lemaster attends Amanda Clearcreek High School and is the son of Brent and Rosalinda Lemaster. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Kristin Riggs received a nomination to West Point.\u00a0 She attends Canal Winchester High School and is the daughter of Kent and Pam Riggs. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Bryce Bailey received a nomination to the Air Force Academy. He graduated from Columbus Academy and currently attends the Air Force Academy Prep School and is the son of Shawn and Deborah Bailey. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Benjamin Tobin was nominated to the United States Naval Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, West Point, and the Air Force Academy. He graduated from Fairfield Christian Academy and currently attends Ohio University.\u00a0 He is the son of Michael and Resa Tobin. \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Tazz Ashbaugh was nominated to the United States Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. He attends Fairfield Union High School and is the son of Chad and Denese Ashbaugh. \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Carlos Rodriguez received a nomination to West Point. He attends Fairfield Union High School and is the son of Carlos and Suzanne Rodriguez.  \r\n\u00a0   \r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Rachel Hawthorn was nominated to the United States Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy.\u00a0 She attends Liberty Union High School and is the daughter of Marc and Lisa Hawthorn. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Tearence Lane was nominated to the United States Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy.\u00a0 He attends Pickerington Central High School and is the son of Dredrick and Stacey Lane. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Matthew Musso was nominated to the United States Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy.\u00a0 He attends Pickerington Central High School and is the son of Joseph and Rebecca Musso. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Durkin Ross received a nomination to the Air Force Academy.\u00a0 He graduated from Pickerington North High School and currently attends The Ohio State University and is the son of Donald and Lisa Ross. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Eli Frazier received a nomination to West Point.\u00a0 He attends William V. Fisher Catholic High School and is the son of David Frazier and Bridget Kuhn. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Trevor Parker received nominations to the United States Naval Academy and West Point. Parker graduated from Hilliard Darby High School and currently attends Capital University and is the son of Jeffrey Parker and Michelle Rutledge-Parker. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Benjamin Radcliff received nominations to West Point, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. Parker attends Hilliard Darby High School and is the son of George and Dodie Radcliff. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Brienne Walker was nominated to the Air Force Academy.\u00a0 She attends Hilliard Bradley High School and is the daughter of Mark and Leslie Walker. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Sarah Sprague was nominated to the United States Naval Academy.\u00a0 She attends Hilliard Bradley High School and is the daughter of Wallace and Lisa Sprague. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0William Brooks received a nomination to the United States Naval Academy, West Point and\u00a0 the Merchant Marine Academy.\u00a0 He attends Logan High School and he is the son of Jason and Kristin Brooks. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0William Merrill received nominations to West Point and the United States Naval Academy.\u00a0 He attends Logan Elm High School and is the son of Frank and Lisa Merrill. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Caleb Welch was nominated to the United States Naval Academy, West Point and the Air Force Academy. He attends Teays Valley High School and is the son of Timothy and Kimberly Welch. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Nicholas Klitzka was nominated to the United States Naval Academy, West Point and the Air Force Academy.\u00a0 He attends William V. Fisher Catholic High School and is the son of Thomas and Patricia Klitzka. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Daniel Hummer received a nomination to the United States Air Force Academy.\u00a0 He graduated from Upper Arlington High School and currently attends the Air Force Academy Prep School.\u00a0 He is the son of Mark and Jeanine Hummer. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Brandon Jones was nominated to the United States Air Force Academy. Jones is a graduate of Upper Arlington High School and currently attends the Air Force Academy Prep School.\u00a0 He is the son of John and April Jones. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Coleson Carmell was nominated to the United States Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. He attends Upper Arlington High school and is the son of Cavin Carmell and Melloni DeMuth. \u201cIt is an honor to nominate these outstanding students to\u00a0 the U.S. military academies,\u201d Stivers said.\u00a0 \u201cAs a Colonel in the Ohio Army National Guard, I thank these students for their interest in serving our nation in such a meaningful and important way. I also would like to thank Ohio\u2019s 15th District Academy Review Board for their thoughtful recommendations and assistance in interviewing the students.\u201d In pursuit of a nomination to a U.S. military academy, students submit an application and are interviewed by Congressman Stivers\u2019 Military Academy Review Board. The board evaluates the students on the basis of academic performance, leadership ability and community involvement. To receive a service academy nomination from Congressman Stivers, candidates must be an unmarried resident of Ohio\u2019s 15th Congressional District, a United States citizen and between the ages of 17 and 23. Qualified persons interested in pursuing a nomination to one of the United States Service Academies should visit www.stivers.house.gov for more information, or contact Congressman Stivers\u2019 Lancaster Office at (740) 654-2654. -30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://susanwbrooks.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/mental-health-funding-could-get-boost-in-states-budget", "Mental-Health Funding Could Get Boost in State&#039;s Budget", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IN", "Susan Brooks", "B001284", "susanwbrooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In 2012, Indiana cut more than $24 million, or 9 percent, from its mental health budget, according to a report published by the National Alliance on Mental Health.\nIt was the second biggest state cut to mental health funding in the country, next to Illinois.\nSince then, state legislators haven\u2019t upped funding, making Indiana one of only eight states that didn\u2019t increase mental-health spending in 2014, according to a NAMI state legislation report.\n\u201cThe state has not been good at adding to the federal dollars that we get for mental health,\u201d said Stephen McCaffrey, president and CEO of Mental Health America of Indiana. \u201cWe don\u2019t put a lot of money into mental health and substance abuse in Indiana.\u201d\nBut the state\u2019s withering mental-health spending could see a boost in the upcoming budget, which will be voted on next year.\nRep. Mike Karickhoff, R-Kokomo, who will serve as the Budget Subcommittee Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said most of the funding for mental-health services will come out of the $11 million appropriated to enact criminal sentencing reform, which legislators passed last year.\nHe said the question now is how and where to allocate that funding to provide local authorities the resources they need to properly treat mental-health problems.\n\u201cSeveral discussions have taken place about what the needs of our local facilities might be, because different counties require different resources,\u201d he said. \u201cThe challenge the legislature always faces will be how to equitably deploy those resources, and what best practices are available in other counties that can be replicated statewide.\u201d\nRep. Steve Davisson, R-Salem, who served as chairman of a mental health summer study committee and was appointed to the Ways and Means Committee, said he anticipates more money will be budgeted for mental health spending next year, beyond the money allocated for sentencing reform.\n\u201cWe\u2019ve got to put money into this. There doesn\u2019t seem to be any other option,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we can get to the root of our mental-health problems, we can prevent a lot of crime and recidivism in the state. Every dollar we invest will probably pay us huge dividends down the road.\u201d\nMental Health America\u2019s McCaffrey said his organization will be pushing legislators to not only increase funding, but look at restructuring how the state\u2019s mental-health system operates to provide proactive treatment.\n\u201cIn mental health, we always treat people like they\u2019re in stage four,\u201d he said. \u201cIn cancer, it\u2019s bad news if you wait to get treatment until stage four, but that\u2019s what we do in mental health. We get bad results, and then we\u2019re surprised.\n\u201cWe need to be smart in the way we put our systems together so that they\u2019re integrated and do what we want them to do, and we\u2019ve never done that.\u201d\nDavisson said he\u2019s working on some bills aimed at bolstering the state\u2019s mental-health services, including one that would give clinicians and psychiatrists an incentive to offer telemedicine \u2014 a way to provide clients with counselling and treatment via online video conferencing.\nHe said teleconferencing allows people in rural communities, where there aren\u2019t any mental-health services, to access care from mental-health providers in cities like Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.\nMost insurance providers don\u2019t pay for telemedicine appointments, Davisson said, which deters clinicians from offering the service.\nHis bill would require insurance companies to pay out the same amount for telemedicine appointments as regular, face-to-face sessions with a counselor or psychiatrist.\n\u201cTelemedicine is really expanding,\u201d Davisson said. \u201cThere\u2019s lots of opportunities there for getting more mental-health treatment to people.\u201d\nOn the federal level, a proposed House bill that would have brought sweeping changes to the nation\u2019s mental-health system failed to get a vote, but U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks, who serves Greentown and Tipton, said she hopes to get the bill back onto the floor next year.\n\n\tThe Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act aimed to increase access to inpatient psychiatric care, clarify privacy rules for families of the mentally ill and promote alternatives to long-term inpatient care, such as court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment.\n\tThe 135-page document was written and sponsored by Pennsylvania Rep. Tim Murphy, who worked for three decades as a psychologist.\n\tBrooks, who will serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which would oversee the legislation, said she\u2019ll push to get the bill back into the committee and work to see it become law.\n\t\u201cThis is really important legislation that we need to continue working on,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen you have bills that are this significant and this transformative to national systems, sometimes it can take a couple of sessions of Congress to change, and that can be frustrating. A lot of work has been done on this bill, and I want to help strengthen it.\u201d\n\tBrooks said the bill wouldn\u2019t just create more access for people suffering from a mental illness. In the end, she said, it would save money by keeping people out of jail, probation and other federally subsidized programs.\n\t\u201cIf we can put more funding into mental-health programing and mental-health systems, at the end of the day, it will save us money,\u201d she said. \u201cIf people get to a stable place where they can maintain jobs and take care of themselves, as they want to do, that\u2019s going to help decrease funding in other areas.\u201d\n\tCarson Gerber can be reached at 765-854-6739,carson.gerber@kokomotribune.com\u00a0or on Twitter @carsongerber1.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=49f90101-1e07-43f6-97dc-777207e70b48", "Sen. Moran Statement on Removing Trade Barriers with Cuba", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Jerry Moran", "M000934", "www.moran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MANHATTAN, KAN. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) released the following statement regarding his support for modifying U.S.-Cuba trade policy:\r\n\u201cI have long fought to change the unilateral U.S. sanctions and regulations that restrict the ability of our farmers and ranchers to sell their products to Cuba. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cCuba is only 90 miles from our border, making it a natural market for U.S. agricultural commodities, including Kansas wheat. Cuba imports approximately 80 percent of the food they consume. Wheat is Cuba\u2019s largest food commodity import and second-largest import overall, only behind oil. While the United States has unilaterally erected trade barriers that harm our own farmers, other countries are more than happy to fill this market.\u00a0For example, this year Cuba has purchased $150 million worth of wheat from the European Union alone.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIt simply does not make sense to continue policies and regulations blocking U.S. farmers from this market only for it to be filled by our competitors. Industry experts believe that U.S. wheat could grow to 80-90 percent of the market share in Cuba if the trade restrictions are eased, similar to our market share in other Caribbean nations. Considering it costs an average of $20-25 per ton to ship grain from Europe to Cuba versus about $6-7 per ton from the United States, it makes economic sense for U.S. commodities to make up the lion\u2019s share of the Cuban market.\r\n\u201cWheat is especially important to me since Kansas leads the nation in wheat milling and production. However, many other U.S. and Kansas commodities would benefit from opening the Cuban market. A 2010 Texas A&amp;M study estimates that easing restrictions and lifting the travel ban could result in $365 million in additional sales of U.S. agricultural commodities, boost the U.S. economy by $1.1 billion, and create 6000 new jobs.\u00a0\r\n\u201cBeyond providing a new market for U.S. farmers, easing restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba may bring about reforms in the repressive Cuban government \u2013 reforms that more than 50 years of the current policy have not achieved. Current U.S. policy only serves to limit American\u2019s freedom to trade and travel with the island nation while contributing to the ongoing misery of the Cuban people. A change in our nation's approach that can open Cuba up economically and politically through the exchange of commodities and ideas is necessary.\r\n\u201cI have often said, in Kansas we will try anything once \u2013 sometimes twice or even three times. However, if we have been trying something for over five decades and it has yet to work, it is time to change direction. It is time to change our Cuba policies. It is time for U.S. farmers and ranchers to truly have market access to Cuba\u2019s 11 million consumers.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\r\nBackground:\r\nSen. Moran has long fought for commonsense changes to U.S. trade policy with Cuba \u2013 which must import nearly 85 percent of its food \u2013 in order to open up more markets for American farmers. On July 20, 2000, an amendment (H.Amdt.1031 to H.R.4871) offered by then Rep. Moran prohibiting funds being used to enforce sanctions for food, medicine and agriculture products in a sale to Cuba passed the House of Representatives (301-116) The adoption of this amendment opened another needed market to farmers throughout the country. Unfortunately, changes in regulations by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 2005 once again severely restricted this market. \u00a0\r\n\r\nIn February 2010, then-Congressman Moran introduced \u2013 and the House Agriculture Committee passed \u2013 H.R. 4645, legislation to expand agricultural trade with Cuba\r\n\r\nIn Sept. 2011, Sen. Moran\u2019s legislation to remove a trade barrier with Cuba by allowing direct cash payments from Cuban buyers to U.S. financial institutions during the 2012 fiscal year (FY), was adopted by the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations as an amendment to the FY2012 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill. By allowing direct cash payments, Sen. Moran\u2019s amendment will fuel economic growth and enable agricultural producers to compete on a level playing field.\r\n\r\nNearly 150 U.S. organizations have voiced their strong support for doing so, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Association of Wheat Growers and the National Farmers Union.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsletter?ContentRecord_id=38b2ece2-f387-44fb-a933-9048c0f1a9df", "Kansas Common Sense - Proposal to Modify U.S.-Cuba Trade Policy", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Jerry Moran", "M000934", "www.moran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hello,\r\nWelcome to \u201cKansas Common Sense.\u201d Thanks for your continued interest in receiving my weekly newsletter. Please feel free to forward it on to your family and friends if it would interest them.\u00a0\r\nI hope you and your family enjoy this holiday season. I send you my best wishes for the year ahead and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. This week, Jewish families in Kansas and around the world are observing the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah. I wish my Jewish friends and neighbors a very happy Hanukkah. I hope the new year brings a Congress better capable of working together for the well-being of our nation.\r\nProposal to Modify U.S.-Cuba Trade Policy On Wednesday, American Alan Gross was released by the Cuban government and allowed to return to the United States. For five years, Alan and his family have endured pain and profound injustice amid his detainment in Cuba. News of Alan's release brings great relief to his loved ones and to every American who has called for his freedom. I admire Alan\u2019s strength and that of his wife Judy, who has worked tirelessly for years to free Alan and reunite her family. During my time in the Senate, I had the opportunity to meet Judy Gross and authored legislation calling on both the American and Cuban governments to expedite his release. I am glad that Alan is finally home and that the Gross family can celebrate this holiday season together.\r\nFollowing Alan\u2019s release, the Administration proposed to alter America\u2019s policy concerning Cuba in a positive step toward improved economic ties that could benefit citizens of both nations. I have long fought to change the unilateral U.S. sanctions and regulations that restrict the ability of our farmers and ranchers to sell their products to Cuba.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nCuba is only 90 miles from our border, making it a natural market for U.S. agricultural commodities, including Kansas wheat. Cuba imports approximately 80 percent of the food they consume. Wheat is Cuba\u2019s largest food commodity import and second-largest import overall, behind only oil. While the United States has unilaterally erected trade barriers that harm our own farmers, other countries are more than happy to fill this market.\u00a0For example, this year Cuba has purchased $150 million worth of wheat from the European Union alone.\r\nIt simply does not make sense to continue policies and regulations blocking Kansas farmers from this market only for it to be filled by our competitors. Industry experts believe that U.S. wheat could grow to 80-90 percent of the market share in Cuba if the trade restrictions are eased, similar to our market share in other Caribbean nations. Considering it costs an average of $20-25 per ton to ship grain from Europe to Cuba versus about $6-7 per ton from the United States, it makes economic sense for U.S. commodities to make up the lion\u2019s share of the Cuban market.\r\nKansas leads the nation in wheat milling and production, but many other U.S. and Kansas commodities would also benefit from opening the Cuban market. A 2010 Texas A&amp;M study estimates that easing restrictions and lifting the travel ban could result in $365 million in additional sales of U.S. agricultural commodities, boost the U.S. economy by $1.1 billion, and create 6000 new jobs.\r\nBeyond providing a new market for U.S. farmers, easing restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba may bring about reforms in the repressive Cuban government \u2013 reforms that more than 50 years of the current policy have not achieved. Current U.S. policy only serves to limit American\u2019s freedom to trade and travel with the island nation while contributing to the ongoing misery of the Cuban people. A change in our nation's approach that can open Cuba up economically and politically through the exchange of commodities and ideas is necessary.\r\nI have often said, in Kansas we will try anything once \u2013 sometimes twice or even three times. However, if we have been trying something for over five decades and it has yet to work, it is time to change direction. It is time to change our Cuba policies. It is time for U.S. farmers and ranchers to truly have market access to Cuba\u2019s 11 million consumers.\r\nKey Committee Appointments in New Congress  In the new Congress I will serve on several key U.S. Senate committees whose jurisdictions have a direct impact on our nation\u2019s economy and the lives of Kansans:\r\n \r\nU.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation\r\nU.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee\r\nU.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations\r\nU.S. Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs\r\nU.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs\r\n \r\nIn January, we begin to forge a new path. As a member of the Commerce, Banking and Appropriations Committees I look forward to advocating for pro-growth policies that create jobs and more economic opportunity for every American.\r\nIn my role on Commerce, Science and Transportation, I will work to provide valuable oversight on a wide range of issues including communications, highways, aviation, rail, shipping, transportation security, fisheries, science, space, interstate commerce and numerous others.\u00a0\r\nAdditionally, there is no group of Americans I hold in higher regard than our veterans, who bravely put their lives at risk to protect the freedoms and liberties we all enjoy. They kept their promise to us and we must keep our promise to them. I am humbled to have the opportunity to continue working on behalf of those who have honorably served our country.\r\nPassage of Tax Extenders and ABLE Act  Late Tuesday night, the U.S. Senate passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, legislation that enables the creation of tax-exempt ABLE Accounts to assist individuals with disabilities and their families to save and pay for qualified disability expenses. I have been a sponsor of this legislation since 2012, and it will allow individuals with disabilities or the parents of a child with a disability to save money\u00a0to cover expenses such as education, housing, transportation, employment training, and assistive technology. This new policy will encourage personal responsibility and eliminate barriers to work that can exist within federal entitlement programs. I encourage President Obama to swiftly sign this bill into law as it overwhelmingly passed the House earlier this month. Thanks to Jawanda and Rachel Mast of Olathe, the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City, and the Down Syndrome Society of Wichita for their insight on this important legislation over the past few years. Click here to learn more about Rachel's story. The ABLE Act was passed in conjunction with H.R. 5771, legislation to extend several temporary corporate and individual tax provisions through 2014. Retroactive to January 1 of this year, H.R. 5771 allows taxpayers to claim these credits for the upcoming tax filing season, which include the restoration of Section 179 financing to its previous $500,000 limit. Critical to the ability of Kansas farmers and small businesses to replace old equipment and stay competitive, the Section 179 limit abruptly fell to $25,000 at the end of 2013 \u2013 barely enough to buy a new pickup. Having passed both chambers of Congress, this legislation now heads to the President\u2019s desk for signature.\r\nDiscussing Unique Challenges Facing Kansas Hospitals and Health Care Providers  I spoke on the Senate floor last week about the unique challenges Kansas hospitals and health care providers face caring for patients in our state\u2014often in very rural settings across wide areas. During my time representing Kansans in Washington, D.C., I have had the opportunity to visit each of the 128 community hospitals. Almost every visit involves concerns about the harmful impacts and massive uncertainty caused by the Affordable Care Act, as well as the ever increasing federal regulatory burdens hospitals face as they work to provide quality health care to their local residents. There will be a renewed opportunity in the new Congress to undo the damage caused by Obamacare and present real solutions to problems facing the Kansas health care providers and patients.\r\n\r\nUSDA Listens to Producers, Will Not Create New Beef Checkoff Program  Friday morning, I was pleased to learn that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not move forward with a new, separate beef checkoff. I believe that changes to the checkoff should be supported by producers, not forced upon them by the federal government. Cattle producers I visited with from across Kansas were loud and clear in their objections to USDA administratively creating a new checkoff.\u00a0  \r\nLast month, I sent a letter to USDA expressing my concern that they were acting against the clear wishes of producers. I was concerned that creating a new checkoff would be duplicative and add administrative costs. Perhaps most importantly though, I felt that the concerns of Kansas cattle producers were being ignored. I appreciate that Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack ultimately listened to cattle producers from across the country who objected to this new checkoff. Click here to learn more.\r\nImportance of Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act  The invisible wounds of war plague thousands of veterans across our country and there are some who feel the only choice to deal with their wounds is to take their own life. The average suicide rate among veterans is a staggering 22 deaths each day. With epidemic-levels of suicide afflicting veterans, the VA has a fundamental duty to not only provide them the best quality mental health care services but the VA must also do everything necessary to save their lives. I took to the Senate floor on Wednesday evening to share the story of Clay Hunt and discuss legislation that was created in his name to make certain the VA is capable of supporting veterans battling the same struggles he did before tragically taking his own life.\r\nDuring a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing last month, I was privileged to hear Clay\u2019s story directly from his mom, Susan Selke. Susan shared her son\u2019s troubles of reliving the traumatic experiences of war and his disappointment when the VA failed to offer the care he needed to treat his despair. Although it had to be extremely difficult for Clay\u2019s mom to share his story, her courage and willingness to explain what happened to her son gives us the opportunity to identify what the VA must change to save others like Clay in the future.\r\nAs a sponsor of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, I was hopeful the Senate would pass this critical legislation after it unanimously passed in the House earlier this month. This bill would be instrumental in developing a VA system capable of offering first-rate mental health care services, as well as utilizing the expertise of outside organizations to provide support for those struggling from their wartime experiences. It would also provide for a new website that offers veterans information regarding available mental healthcare services; create a pilot loan repayment program for VA psychiatrists; and improve the exchange of training, best practices, and other resources among the VA, Veteran Service Organizations (VSO), and nonprofit mental health organizations to enhance collaboration of suicide prevention efforts.\r\nI was disappointed the legislation was blocked from consideration this week in the Senate. It is critical that the VA follow through on its commitment to our nation\u2019s veterans \u2013 especially so families who have lost loved ones know the VA is committed to suicide prevention to care for others who served our country. There should be no excuse for the VA bureaucracy, push back and delays, or acceptance that this is just the way the VA system works. I will urge and sponsor reintroduction of Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act in the new Congress, and will keep working to find solutions and to hold the VA accountable when it comes to providing our nation\u2019s veterans with the timely, high-quality and dedicated care they earned.\r\n\r\nKansas Listening Tour Stops in Howard and Winfield  On Thursday I continued my Kansas Listening Tour with two stops. First I met with Elk County residents in the community of Howard. The folks who attended wanted to discuss getting back to a normal functioning Senate \u2014 passing appropriations bills so Congress has power and authority over our country and it's not governed by executive order. We also talked about maintaining a strong military, taking care of our veterans and making sure our children are getting a well-rounded education. A group representing RSVP from several counties were present and thanked me for my support of their programs throughout the state. Thanks again to Lynne Thompson and the Elk County Farm Bureau for hosting the town hall.\r\n\r\nNext, in conjunction with Winfield Kiwanis Club, I hosted a Kansas Listening Tour stop at Baden Square. Thanks to all the area residents who came out to discuss a number of issues including the Affordable Care Act\u2019s impact on community hospitals, the new veterans\u2019 health care law, and how to make certain small businesses survive in rural communities. Thanks to Winfield Kiwanis Club President Ruth Gordon and club member Glen Sambolte for hosting the conversation.\r\n\r\nVisits to Johnson County Businesses  On Friday I visited several business in Johnson County. My day started at Black &amp; Veatch where I met with CEO Steven Edwards and other senior leaders at their company\u2019s global headquarters in Overland Park. Black &amp; Veatch was founded in 1915 by two KU grads and today is one of the largest private companies in the country, employing about 10,000 professionals and with completed projects in more than 100 countries.\r\nNext, I headed to PQ Corporation in Lenexa where I met with Mike Boyce and other members of the PQ team to discuss federal regulations. PQ Corporation manufactures chemicals that make the products we use every day safer or more effective.\u00a0From ingredients in toothpaste and facial cleaner to water treatment and paint, PQ Corporation work impacts our lives. Thank you again to the PQ team for the informative visits.\r\nI ended my day Friday with a visit to McCarthy Chevrolet in Olathe which also serves Overland Park, Kansas City, Lee's Summit, Independence, Blue Springs, Shawnee, Mission, Topeka, and Lawrence. My meeting with John McCarthy focused on the state of the economy and the type of pro-growth policies Washington can put into place to make certain Kansas business can continue to thrive. It is always inspiring to hear about the innovation and success of great Kansas companies. Thanks again to Black &amp; Veatch, PQ Corporation and McCarthy Chevrolet for the good conversations.\r\nKansans in the Office  Kay Brada of Lawrence  Don Brada of Lawrence\r\nKansas Farm Bureau  Terry Holdren of Manhattan  Ryan Flickner of Manhattan\u00a0\r\nCapitol Tour  Colby Markham of Thayer  Christopher Bowling of Salina\u00a0\r\nHonored to Serve You in Washington  It is an honor to serve you in Washington, D.C. Thank you to the many Kansans who have been calling and writing in to share their thoughts and opinions on the issues our state and country face. I appreciate the words of Kansans, whether in the form of a form of letter, a Facebook comment or a phone call, who wish to make their voice heard.\r\nPlease let me know how I can be of assistance. You can contact me by email by clicking here. You can also click here to contact me through one of my Kansas offices or my Washington, D.C., office.\r\nVery truly yours,  Jerry", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mckinley.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=481", "McKinley: Coal Ash Announcement Is a First Step, But Legislation Still Needed", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WV", "David McKinley", "M001180", "mckinley.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For the past four years we have sought to find a workable solution for the regulation of coal ash that will maintain hundreds of thousands of jobs, keep electricity prices low, encourage recycling, protect the environment, and provide certainty. Today's announcement by the EPA shows that our work has made a difference and the EPA has listened, but there is still more to be done.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV) issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency released its final rule regarding coal ash, theunavoidable byproduct of burning coal: For the past four years we have sought to find a workable solution for the regulation of coal ash that will maintain hundreds of thousands of jobs, keep electricity prices low, encourage recycling, protect the environment, and provide certainty. Today's announcement by the EPA shows that our work has made a difference and the EPA has listened, but there is still more to be done. The decision not to regulate coal ash as a hazardous material means it can continue to be recycled and used in everyday products, such as concrete, bricks, and wall board. A hazardous designation would have severely limited the ability to recycle coal combustion byproducts, costing 316,000 jobs and causing electric rates to skyrocket. We're proud to have played a role in helping avoid this outcome. However the EPA falls short of offering a functional regulatory system, fails to address key issues, and still leaves uncertainty for both industry and environmental groups. A legislative answer is still necessary to close many of the open-ended questions and provide greater certainty a future EPA won't overrule this decision. The plan we laid out in H.R. 2218 calls for federal standards for coal ash disposal and requires the states to develop disposal programs that meet those standards. This approach was developed in consultation with states, utilities, recyclers, and the EPA, and remains the best way to ensure coal ash can continue to be disposed and recycled in a safe and economical manner. This solution has received strong bipartisan support and passed the House on multiple occasions since 2011, but has consistently been blocked in the Senate. Early next year we plan to introduce a similar bill to address this problem once and for all. With new leadership in the Senate, we expect our common sense plan can finally pass the Senate and be signed into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mckinley.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=720", "Rep. McKinley Nominates Impressive Group of West Virginia Students to Service Academies", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WV", "David McKinley", "M001180", "mckinley.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-W.Va.) has nominated 15 West Virginia students to United States service academies including the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S Military Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy.  Congressional nomination is the first step in a process toward appointment to a military academy. Nominated students must also meet the stringent admission requirements of the academies to earn an appointment. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-W.Va.) has nominated 15 West Virginia students to United States service academies including the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S Military Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy. Congressional nomination is the first step in a process toward appointment to a military academy. Nominated students must also meet the stringent admission requirements of the academies to earn an appointment. These students are the future leaders of America, said Rep. McKinley. To earn this nomination they have excelled both inside and outside the classroom and shown strong leadership potential. Their hard work and exemplary character make me proud to be a West Virginian. These young men and women have a strong desire to serve their country, said McKinley. I wish them the best for the future and look forward to seeing what they accomplish. The following students were nominated by Rep. McKinley based on their academic performance, extracurricular activity in their school and community, and personal recommendations: Alexander Baumgartner (Parkersburg) attendedParkersburg High School and graduated 7th in his class. Alexander was a member of the Key Club, ran cross country, and played soccer. He is planning to enroll at West Virginia University at Parkersburg. Nominated to U.S. Military Academy at West Point and U.S. Air Force Academy. Nicholas Cheuvront (Parkersburg) attends Parkersburg High School. While maintaining a challenging course load of Advanced Placement classes, Nicholas has been active in Scouting and community service. He is an all-state member of the track team, runs cross country, and is on the PHS swim team. Nominated to U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Air Force Academy. Issac Ike Childers (Fairmont) attends Fairmont Senior High School. He is active in student government and is a member of the National Honor Society. Issac was named 1st Team All-State in soccer and plays basketball. Nominated to U.S. Air Force Academy. Ethan Goldcamp (Morgantown) attends Morgantown High School. Ethan is ranked in the top ten percent of his class and has excelled as a leader in student government and Boys State. He plays football and was selected as captain of the lacrosse team. U.S. Military Academy at West Point and U.S. Naval Academy Hanna Hill (Parkersburg) attends Parkersburg High School. She has earned a high GPA while taking a heavy load of AP classes. Hanna has taken on leadership roles in a variety of organizations at her school and in Parkersburg, while also playing basketball and volleyball. Her sister currently attends West Point. Nominated to Merchant Marine Academy and U.S. Naval Academy.  Hunter Hill (Parkersburg) attends Parkersburg High School. Hunter has been active in his church and community service organizations, and has served as captain of his soccer team for the last two seasons. In the classroom Hunter has maintained good grades and was named to the Principal's List for the past three years. Nominated to Merchant Marine Academy and U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Shandy Kuzava (Salem) attends Liberty High School in Harrison County. He has participated in Boys State and is a Flight Commander with the Civil Air Patrol. Shandy also runs track and cross country. Nominated to U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and U.S. Naval Academy. Jacob Morgan (Grafton) attends Grafton High School. He has been a leader in a number of activities including student body government, drama, music, and athletics. Jacob attended the Naval Academy Summer Seminar and is ranked in the top ten percent of his class. Nominated to U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Naval Academy, and Merchant Marine Academy. Nicholas Musgrave (Parkersburg) graduated from Parkersburg High School in 2013 and currently attends Hastings College in Nebraska. He is an Eagle Scout, is an editor on his college newspaper and has worked on political campaigns. Nominated to U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Seth Porter (Wheeling) attends Wheeling Park High School. He is a member of the National Honor Society and has been recognized for his excellence in math and science. Seth has participated in Boys State and is active in the theater and music programs at Wheeling Park. Nominated to U.S. Naval Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, and U.S. Air Force Academy.  Dominic Raymond (Morgantown) attends Trinity Christian High School in Morgantown where he is ranked first in his class. Dominic has been a leader in his student government and participated in Boys State and the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership program. He was also selected as captain of the basketball team. Nominated to U.S. Air Force Academy. Sallie Samolitis (Walker) attends Parkersburg High School. Sallie comes from a family with deep military roots. She is pursuing her black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is a member of the PHS band. Nominated to U.S. Naval Academy.  John Terosky IV (Parkersburg) attends Parkersburg High School. He is in the top 10% of his high school class while carrying a course load with 10 AP classes. John is active in Scouting and is in the process of completing his Eagle Scout project. Nominated to U.S. Naval Academy.  Brady Watson (Ridgeley) attends Frankfort High School in Mineral County. Brady has excelled on the playing field as a four-year letterman on the Frankfort football team, which was runner up in the Class AA finals this year. He also lettered in basketball and track. He is a member of the National Honor Society and ranks in the top 10% of his class. Nominated to U.S. Naval Academy.  Mitchell Winkie (Bridgeport) attends Bridgeport High School. Mitchell is ranked first in his class and is active in Boys State, student government, and Civil Air Patrol. He is co-captain of the two-time state AA Championship Bridgeport football squad. Nominated to U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Air Force Academy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://schweikert.house.gov/2014/12/22/rep-schweikert-congratulates-tunisian-people-success-presidential/", "Rep. Schweikert Congratulates Tunisian People on Success of Presidential Elections", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "David Schweikert", "S001183", "schweikert.house.gov", "schweikert", "https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/", "scraper", "Scottsdale, Ariz., December 22, 2014 \u2014 Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Tunisian Caucus, released a statement following the release of the Tunisian Presidential Election results:\n\n\u201cI wish to congratulate the Tunisian people on the success of their Presidential elections and the realization of their democratic aspirations,\u201d said Schweikert.\n\n\u201cFree and fair elections are the heart of any democracy. Four years after sparking the Arab Spring, Tunisia remains the only country to have successfully evolved from authoritarian rule to a country based on a freedom and fairness for all.The achievements over the last year have laid the groundwork for a prosperous and democratic Tunisia. Congratulations to President-elect Beji Caid Essebsi on his victory,\u201d continued Schweikert.\n\n\u201cWhile many challenges lay ahead, I look forward to working with President-elect Essebsi and members of Tunisia\u2019s new government to address those challenges and forge a closer bond between our two countries.\u201d\n\n###\n\nCongressman David Schweikert co-founded the Congressional Tunisian Caucus in the summer of 2013 alongside Congressman Alcee L. Hastings. Since its inception, the caucus has worked to inform policy makers of the democratic transition in Tunisia, while strengthening bilateral relations between the United States and Tunisia.\n\nContact Maggie Zehring: margaret.zehring@mail.house.gov\n\n(202) 680- 9613\n\nBack to News", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:44:12Z"], ["https://schweikert.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-schweikert-congratulates-tunisian-people-success-presidential", "Rep. Schweikert Congratulates Tunisian People on Success of Presidential Elections", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "David Schweikert", "S001183", "schweikert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Scottsdale, Ariz., December 22, 2014 -- Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Tunisian Caucus, released a statement following the release of the Tunisian Presidential Election results: I wish to congratulate the Tunisian people on the success of their Presidential elections and the realization of their democratic aspirations, said Schweikert. Free and fair elections are the heart of any democracy. Four years after sparking the Arab Spring, Tunisia remains the only country to have successfully evolved from authoritarian rule to a country based on a freedom and fairness for all.The achievements over the last year have laid the groundwork for a prosperous and democratic Tunisia. Congratulations to President-elect Beji Caid Essebsi on his victory, continued Schweikert. While many challenges lay ahead, I look forward to working with President-elect Essebsi and members of Tunisias new government to address those challenges and forge a closer bond between our two countries. ### Congressman David Schweikert co-founded the Congressional Tunisian Caucus in the summer of 2013 alongside Congressman Alcee L. Hastings. Since its inception, the caucus has worked to inform policy makers of the democratic transition in Tunisia, while strengthening bilateral relations between the United States and Tunisia.  Contact Maggie Zehring: margaret.zehring@mail.house.gov(202) 680- 9613", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=318aaebf-8698-4a25-983f-02f0bc1c7b84", "Alexander Highlights Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee Accomplishments for this Congress", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "***\r\n\u201cThe Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee has produced some of the most significant legislation of any Senate committee this year. In a dysfunctional Congress, among senators with profound ideological differences, our work shows what can happen when you focus on getting results on issues important to the American people.\" \u00a0\u2013Lamar Alexander\r\n\u00a0\r\nNASHVILLE, Dec. 22\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the ranking Republican member on the Senate\u2019s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions today highlighted the committee\u2019s accomplishments for this Congress\u2014including 25 bipartisan bills that have been signed into law:\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee has produced some of the most significant legislation of any Senate committee this year. In a dysfunctional Congress, among senators with profound ideological differences, our work shows what can happen when you focus on getting results on issues important to the American people. This legislation includes bills that help pay for child care for 1.5 million children; make loans cheaper, simpler, and more certain for more than 9 million students; and make safer prescription drugs for virtually every American.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe full list of bipartisan bills passed is below:\r\nDrug Quality and Security Act (H.R. 3204), legislation that enacted a new model of oversight of sterile compounding pharmacies to make injections of compounded sterile drugs safer\u2014following the deadly meningitis outbreak of 2012.\r\n\u00a0\r\nChild Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 (S. 1086), legislation to expand access to and improve the quality of child care for the more than 1.5 million children and families.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\nBipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 (H.R. 1911), legislation that established a permanent, market-based plan to makes students\u2019 loans simpler, more certain\u2014and, in most cases, cheaper.\r\n\u00a0\r\nWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (H.R. 803), legislation that updated and improved the nation\u2019s workforce development system, by simplifying the maze of programs, supporting state and local-decision making, and improving federal program accountability.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \r\nPREEMIE Reauthorization Act (S. 252), legislation to reduce infant deaths and disabilities by expanding research, education, and intervention activities related to premature birth.\r\n\u00a0\r\nSunscreen Innovation Act (S. 2141), legislation to get safe sunscreen ingredients to Americans more quickly to help prevent skin cancer. \r\n\u00a0\r\nPandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (H.R.307), legislation to strengthen America\u2019s preparedness for and ability to respond to medical and public health emergencies.\r\n\u00a0\r\nSchool Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (H.R. 2094), legislation to encourage schools to maintain a supply of\u00a0epinephrine\u00a0injectors in a secure location that\u2019s easily accessible to a trained school personnel.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0CHIMP Act Amendments of 2013 (S. 1561), legislation to ensure that the National Institutes of Health can continue to care for retired government-owned chimpanzees that are no longer needed for research.\r\n\u00a0\r\nNational Pediatric Research Network Act (S. 424), legislation to encourage collaboration among researchers and optimize pediatric research.\r\n\u00a0\r\nHIV Organ Policy Equity Act (S. 330), legislation to end the ban on research of organ transplantation from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients.\r\n\u00a0\r\nAnimal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Reauthorization Act (S. 622), reauthorization of programs that reduce the average waiting time for the Food and Drug Administration to approve generic animal drugs by 450 days and eliminated a backlog of applications.\r\n\u00a0\r\nPoison Center Network Act (H.R. 3527), legislation that reauthorized the poison control centers national toll-free number, national media campaign, and grant program.\r\n\u00a0\r\nStreamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act (H.R. 2747), legislation that transfers authority from the Government Accountability Office to the Department of Labor for processing claims for wages due to laborers and mechanics hired by contractors on public works projects.\r\n\u00a0\r\nChildren\u2019s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act (S. 1557), legislation to reauthorize the successful children\u2019s hospitals graduate medical education program that supports the training of pediatricians at children\u2019s hospitals in Tennessee and across the country.\r\n\u00a0\r\nCooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Act (S. 1302), legislation to make it easier for charities and cooperatives to continue to offer pensions to their employees.\r\n\u00a0\r\nImproving Trauma Care Act of 2014 (H.R. 3548), legislation to update the federal definition of trauma to include burns\u2014more appropriately reflecting the relationship between burns and other traumatic injuries.\r\n\u00a0\r\nAutism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act (Autism CARES Act) of 2014 (H.R. 4631), legislation to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act\u2014continuing research programs, education, early detection and intervention programs to aid the estimated one in 68 children affected by Autism.\r\n\u00a0\r\nEmergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2014 (S. 2154), legislation to improve emergency medical services for more than 600,000 Tennessee children who receive emergency medical care every year.\r\n\u00a0\r\nPaul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2013 (H.R. 594), legislation to revise the muscular dystrophy research program\u2014including expanding the range and forms of the disease included in the program.\r\n\u00a0\r\nTraumatic Brain Injury Reauthorization Act of 2014 (S. 2539), which reauthorizes certain programs relating to traumatic brain injury and to trauma research through FY2019.\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0A bill to amend the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (S.2511, passed as part of H.R. 83), legislation to determine when a company needs to make greater pension payments to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation due to a cessation of operations.\r\n\u00a0\r\nAdding Ebola to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act (S. 2917), legislation to spur the development of Ebola vaccines and drugs.\r\n\u00a0\r\nSudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act (H.R. 669), legislation to direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to continue data collection regarding\u00a0stillbirth, sudden\u00a0unexpected\u00a0infant\u00a0death, and\u00a0sudden\u00a0unexplained\u00a0death\u00a0in childhood\u2014including collaborating with states and experts\u2014to improve the quality and consistency of data collected after one of these\u00a0deaths.\r\n\u00a0\r\nNewborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2013 (H.R. 1281), legislation to improve life-saving screenings for nearly 80,000 infants born in Tennessee every year\u2014as well as ensure that parents and doctors have the information they need to keep the newborns in their care as safe as possible.\r\n\u00a0\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=c185508d-2348-4fac-a97a-82483ace3e94", "Boozman Highlights Legislative Accomplishments of 113th Congress", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AR", "John Boozman", "B001236", "www.boozman.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator John Boozman highlighted his legislative accomplishments of the 113th Congress. Several pieces of legislation introduced by Boozman were approved by Congress or were included in larger bills and passed with bipartisan support.\r\nDefense\r\n \r\nLanguage included by Boozman in the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization (NDAA) allows servicemembers killed or wounded in attacks by foreign terrorist organization to be eligible for the Purple Heart.\u00a0 This provision is meant to address the attacks at the recruiting station in Little Rock and Fort Hood, TX.\u00a0 If the person or persons who carry out such an attack can be shown to have been in contact with a foreign terrorist organization or the attack was motivated by a foreign terrorist organization then the servicemembers wounded or killed in such an attack would be eligible for the Purple Heart.\u00a0The provision is retroactive to September 11, 2001.\u00a0 Foreign terrorist organization means an entity designated as such by the Secretary of State.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nBoozman included an amendment in the FY2015 NDAA that requires that the Secretary of the Army submit a report to Congress no later than March 15, 2015, on how the Army intends to modernize the Army National Guard\u2019s fleet of UH-60A aircraft.\u00a0This is relevant to Arkansas because the AR National Guard has a number of UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters.\u00a0The \u201cA\u201d model is the oldest variant of the Black Hawk and is costly to maintain and operate because of the age of the airframe.\u00a0The Army has two newer variants, the \u201cL\u201d and \u201cM\u201d variants and this section asks for a plan from the Army on how they will replace the \u201cA\u201d models with newer models.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nBoozman authored language included in NDAA will improve the ability of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Board of Visitors to perform critical oversight responsibilities.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nBoozman authored language included in the CR-Omnibus that prohibits the use of funds for the disestablishment of any Senior Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps program.\u00a0This provision is of interest to a number of universities/colleges within Arkansas who are in danger of losing their ROTC programs.\u00a0The Army will not be allowed to expend any funds in FY15 to close these programs.\u00a0\r\n \r\nVeterans\r\n \r\nAdvance Funding of VA Benefits \u2013 Expanded advance funding for the Veterans Benefits Administration which administers compensation, pensions, readjustment benefits and insurance.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nGI Bill Tuition Fairness Act \u2013Included in the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, this require schools eligible for GI Bill education benefits give veterans in-state tuition rates regardless of the veteran\u2019s residency status.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nVeterans Paralympic Act of 2013 \u2013 Included in the VA Expiring Authorities Act of 2013, this reauthorizes the VA adaptive sports program to provide disabled veterans with opportunities for recreational therapy through sport.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nExpansion of the VA contracted disability evaluation program \u2013 Boozman included this language in the CR-Omnibus to increase the number of healthcare providers outside the VA medical system that are allowed to preform disability evaluations and thus reduce the backlog within VA.\u00a0 This section allows for the increase to 15 regional offices by FY2016.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nCommemorating D-Day \u2013 The Senate unanimously supported this resolution commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and honoring the U.S. Armed Forces who helped bring an end to WWII.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nNational Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial: Boozman helped secure language authorizing the creation of a national memorial to commemorate the service of veterans of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. More than 3,400 Arkansas Guard soldiers were called up to serve in these operations, the second-highest percentage of any state.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\u00a0Trade\r\n \r\nImproving trade to Africa \u2013 Boozman authored language to establish a White House designated senior coordinator to review current export strategies with the ultimate goal of significantly increasing American exports to Africa.\r\n \r\n\u00a0Property Rights\u00a0\r\n \r\nPrivate Property Rights Protection \u2013 This amendment, passed by unanimous consent, makes it simpler for Congress to ensure that Americans will be protected in their property from the abuse of eminent domain to transfer property solely for private economic development.\u00a0The Amendment was included in the Budget Resolution, so it does not have the force of law, but the Amendment helps to set the state for future efforts to protect private property rights. \u00a0\r\n \r\nGovernment Reform\u00a0\r\n \r\nInspectors General Vacancy Legislation - The Senate acted by unanimous consent on a Boozman amendment to increase pressure on the administration to fill inspectors general vacancies, particularly the vacancy at Federal Housing Finance Agency. IGs are independent watchdogs that address waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct within federal agencies. Boozman also introduced legislation to reform the appointment process to ensure the permanent IGs are in place.\u00a0 This legislation is still under consideration. \u00a0\r\n \r\nTransportation\u00a0\r\n \r\nRegulatory Relief for Small Aircraft Pilots - Following the introduction of Boozman\u2019s legislation the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act, the FAA responded by announcing its intent to go through a formal rulemaking process that may provide similar relief.\u00a0 This sets the stage for further legislative efforts in the 114th Congress, if the FAA fails to follow-through.\u00a0\r\n \r\nWater Resources Improvements\r\nBoozman authored several items in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act including:\u00a0\r\n \r\nImproves River Ports in Arkansas:\u00a0The law guarantees adequate funding for river ports in Arkansas from the industry-supported Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. This funding is collected through a small tax on imports, but until a Boozman-supported provision was added to the legislation, little if any of the funding was coming to maintain facilities in Arkansas. Arkansas farms and factories use the river to ship goods to and from our state. Without well-maintained ports, Arkansas products will become more expensive and less competitive as we try to increase exports.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nAmerica the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program:\u00a0This allows the Corps to participate in this program in the same manner as the National Park Service and the Forest Service. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nProvides Park Passes for Active-Duty Military Personnel and Dependents:\u00a0Provides free annual passes to active duty military personnel and dependents. These military families will now be treated the same at Corps-operated sites as at other federal recreation sites.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nImproves Dam Safety:\u00a0This extends the National Dam Safety Program\u2014which provides grants to improve state dam safety programs through training, technical assistance, inspection, and research. Dams throughout Arkansas provide water for homes, farms, and factories, as well as opportunities for fishing and other types of recreation while reducing the risk of flooding. \u00a0\r\nIncentivizes Low-Interest Financing Options for Water Resources Projects:\u00a0Another Boozman-authored provision of the law incentivizes low-interest financing options for water resources projects to guarantee that critical irrigation and groundwater protection projects, like Bayou Meto and Grand Prairie, will be eligible to participate in this program. \u00a0 \u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nAssures Water Cost Transparency:\u00a0This provision requires the Corps of Engineers to explain the rationale for the water rates that it charges to utilities. The Corps sells water to utilities and municipalities that provide water to hundreds of thousands of Arkansans. This Boozman-authored provision will require the Corps to provide a detailed accounting of the costs associated with providing this water, so that customers will know whether or not their current water rates are justified. \u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nFinding Beneficial Uses for Excess Water:\u00a0Boozman authored a provision that requires the Corps of Engineers to work with water districts that are under contract to purchase more water than they can use. In many cases, the Corps sells water to utilities on long-term contracts based on predictions of future population growth.\u00a0If this growth fails to occur, the costs can skyrocket for families, businesses, and farmers. Under the Boozman-authored language, the Corps will work with water districts in this predicament to open new markets so that the excess water can be put to a beneficial use elsewhere. \u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nEnhancing Cooperative Joint Management:\u00a0The law includes language authored by Boozman to improve the management of Corps recreation facilities, providing a better experience for Arkansans who visit Corps parks for recreational purposes.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/the-enzi-insider?ContentRecord_id=93c016f9-723b-4186-a827-863d53287044", "The Enzi Insider  December 22, 2014", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "WY", "Michael Enzi", "E000285", "www.enzi.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislation Enzi Sponsored or Cosponsored \r\nBoys Town Commemorative Coin Bill \u2013 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins with a design emblematic of Boys Town\u2019s 100 year history in 2017. Bill is sponsored by Senators Mike Johanns (R-NE) and Deb Fischer (R-NE).\r\nLetters Enzi Signed\r\nOpposed Northern Long-Eared Bat Listing \u2013 expressed concerns to the Department of the Interior over plans to list the Northern Long-Eared Bat in Northeastern Wyoming. Led by the Wyoming Delegation to the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.\r\nOnerous home loan restrictions \u2013 expressed concerns to the \u00a0Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) about a proposed rule imposing stringent and unreasonable requirements for Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) membership. Letter is led by Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) to FHFA Director Mel Watt.\r\nPresident\u2019s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief Letter to Appropriations Committee \u2013 requested that strong funding for the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) be sustained. Letter is led by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Christopher Coons (D-DE) and was sent to Senate Appropriations Chairman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-designated-%E2%80%9Cfriend-farm-bureau%E2%80%9D", "Grassley Designated a Friend of Farm Bureau", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Charles Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has been designated as a Friend of Farm Bureau for the 113th session of Congress that just concluded by the America Farm Bureau Federation. Grassley received the award for his work to advance agricultural interests across Iowa and the United States. I'm honored to receive this award, Grassley said. The work that family farmers do is valuable not just to the nation, but to the world, and I want to be sure their views are represented in Washington. I've made a strong commitment to support agriculture in the U.S. Senate. The Friend of Farm Bureau award is given out during each session of Congress to members who have supported Farm Bureau policy. Recipients are nominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus and approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation. As one of only two working family farmers in the U.S. Senate, Grassley works to be a voice for agriculture and rural America in Washington through his work in the U.S. Senate and his roles on the Finance, Judiciary, Budget, and Agriculture committees. More about Grassley's work to support agriculture can be foundhere.   -30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 26681, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": 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