{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://carson.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/carson-statement-on-his-attendance-at-the-icna-chicago-convention", "Carson Statement on Attending the ICNA Chicago Convention", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Andr\u00e9 Carson", "C001072", "carson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "INDIANAPOLIS - Today, Congressman Andr\u00e9 Carson released the following statement in response to his attendance at the ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Chicago convention last weekend.\nOn Saturday, December 27, I attended the ICNA Chicago convention to deliver a speech on the importance of civil engagement and developing leaders in the community. \u00a0\u00a0\nOn Sunday, December 28, I learned that ICNA had also scheduled me to sit on a Ferguson panel Saturday night \u2013 which I had not planned on participating in.\u00a0 At no point had I ever confirmed to attend any other events other than the dinner.\u00a0 Any reference to my participation or appearance on the Ferguson panel during the ICNA conference is not factual.\nAs a former law enforcement officer with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security in the anti-terrorism unit, it is critical that Americans know that I would never associate with any individual or organization trying to harm the United States of America or its citizens.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/happy-new-year", "Happy New Year!", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I wish you and your family a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.\n\tToday, Americans all across the country are making resolutions to improve their daily lives and the communities in which they live. We make these resolutions with a sense of hope and promise about the future and with a deep understanding of our ability to make a difference. And we make these pledges because we understand our responsibility to move forward in a positive and constructive way as we confront the challenges ahead.\n\tAs we welcome this New Year, we also welcome the start of a new Congress, and this month I will be meeting with Rhode Islanders across our state to hear from those I serve about their priorities and be sure I incorporate them in my legislative work plan for the 114th Congress. I do this with the hope and knowledge that by working together we can make this Congress more productive than the last. It\u2019s with this spirit of new beginnings, hope and determination that we can create a brighter future for all Rhode Islanders in 2015 and the years to follow.\n\tAgain, I hope you have a very happy New Year.\nWarm regards,\n\n\t  \n\tDavid Cicilline", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["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://defazio.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/top-democrats-demand-boehner-follow-rules-of-the-house-for-controversial", "Top Democrats Demand Boehner Follow Rules of the House for Controversial Keystone Vote", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Peter DeFazio", "D000191", "defazio.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Three leading House Democratic lawmakers called on Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to use regular order for consideration of controversial legislation to approve construction of TransCanada\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline. In a letter sent yesterday, Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), ranking members-elect on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Natural Resources, respectively, urged Boehner not to bypass committee process to force a premature vote on an issue of such magnitude. The three committees have jurisdiction over Keystone XL pipeline legislation.\n\u201cIt is our understanding that you may schedule the House of Representatives to vote on a bill to approve TransCanada\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline during the first two weeks of the 114th Congress.\u00a0 Given the magnitude of this issue, we urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation. This past November, 61 new Members of Congress were elected by the American people to represent their interests in the House.\u00a0 These new Members, and in fact all Members of the House, should have the opportunity to consider, debate, and propose their own ideas on this legislation through committee hearings and markups, before it is scheduled for House Floor consideration,\u201d the members write.\nAdditionally, the members highlight several key issues with the Keystone XL pipeline that should postpone any premature legislative action. The proposed route was declared null and void by the Nebraska District Court in February 2014. If Congress considers legislation in the next few weeks, Members of Congress would be asked to vote for approval without knowledge of the route.\u00a0\nThe members also highlight the need to evaluate potential economic impacts of the pipeline. The letter cites a December 2014 petroleum marketing report issued by the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy, which found that crude oil prices in the U.S. are the lowest they have been since 2010.\u00a0 The significant decrease in the price of gasoline in the United States illustrates the changed circumstances. The letter requests that the House has an opportunity to learn more about these changed circumstances as they weigh the economic costs and benefits of the pipeline.\nIn addition, the letter asks that new and returning Members of Congress have the ability to debate the short- and long-term effects of approving a project that could reverse the carbon pollution reductions and environmental and safety improvements achieved in the United States.\nThe letter adds, \u201cMr. Speaker, a new Congress represents new beginnings.\u00a0 We urge you to use this opportunity to recommit to the value of thoughtful deliberation.\u00a0 We urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation.\u201d\nA copy of the letter is below.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nDecember 30, 2014\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe Honorable John A. Boehner\nSpeaker of the House\nH-232, The Capitol\nWashington, DC 20515\n\u00a0\nDear Mr. Speaker:\nIt is our understanding that you may schedule the House of Representatives to vote on a bill to approve TransCanada\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline during the first two weeks of the 114th Congress.\u00a0 Given the magnitude of this issue, we urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation.\nThis past November, 61 new Members of Congress were elected by the American people to represent their interests in the House.\u00a0 These new Members, and in fact all Members of the House, should have the opportunity to consider, debate, and propose their own ideas on this legislation through committee hearings and markups, before it is scheduled for House Floor consideration.\u00a0 Moreover, the bill should be subject to a rule allowing for an open amendment process on the Floor.\u00a0 While past congresses have debated legislation to approve the pipeline, this new Congress has not had the opportunity to be a part of the process, a process that the Republican Leadership has vowed to uphold.\nJust five months ago, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy published an op-ed in the Washington Post promising, on the first day of his new job, to return to the committee process and regular order.\u00a0 He stated: \u201cIn Congress, committees act as idea factories for policies from both sides, and as majority leader I will commit to the committee process and regular order.\u201d\u00a0 He added a renewed commitment to work with Members on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation, stating \u201c\u2026a sense of mutual respect is necessary for constructive dialogue.\u201d\u00a0 We urge you to uphold this commitment.\nIn addition, we believe the committee process will provide Members with new information that has come to light since Congress previously considered Keystone XL legislation.\u00a0\nFirst, the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline remains unclear in the state of Nebraska.\u00a0 In February 2014, the Nebraska District Court declared that the Nebraska Governor\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline siting decision violated the Nebraska Constitution and, as such, the proposed route was null and void.\u00a0 The Nebraska Supreme Court is considering this issue on appeal and is expected to issue its decision in the coming weeks.\u00a0 We hope that we can all agree that Members of Congress deserve to know the route of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline prior to casting a vote on whether to approve it.\nSecond, over the past five years, production of crude oil in the United States has skyrocketed.\u00a0 As a result of this increased production, together with tempered global demand, crude oil prices have fallen precipitously.\u00a0 According to a December 2014 petroleum marketing report issued by the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy, crude oil prices in the U.S. are the lowest they have been since 2010.\u00a0 The significant decrease in the price of gasoline in the United States illustrates the changed circumstances.\u00a0 On December 22, AAA announced that gasoline prices declined for a record 88 days straight and 85 cents per gallon in the last year.\u00a0 Members of Congress should have an opportunity to learn more about these changed circumstances as they weigh the costs and benefits of TransCanada\u2019s proposed Keystone XL pipeline.\nThird, expansion of oil sands production in Canada, with or without the Keystone XL pipeline, is now uncertain.\u00a0 Alternative transportation methods have raised considerable challenges for producers, and a number of pipeline expansion projects have been halted due to significant opposition in the U.S. and Canada.\u00a0 While the Keystone XL pipeline continues to be the producers\u2019 preferred option for the delivery of oil sands, concerns regarding carbon pollution, impacts on natural resources and land use, and safety remain.\u00a0 New and returning Members of Congress should have the right to debate the short- and long-term effects of approving a project that could reverse the carbon pollution reductions and environmental and safety improvements that we have worked so hard to achieve in the United States.\nMr. Speaker, a new Congress represents new beginnings.\u00a0 We urge you to use this opportunity to recommit to the value of thoughtful deliberation.\u00a0 We urge you not to bypass the committee process and regular order for consideration of this controversial legislation.\nThank you for your consideration.\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\nPETER A. DEFAZIO\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 FRANK PALLONE, JR.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 RA\u00daL M. GRIJALVA\nRanking Member-Elect\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ranking Member-Elect\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ranking Member-Elect\nCommittee on Transportation \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Committee on Energy\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Committee on\u00a0\nand Infrastructure\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 and Commerce\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 Natural Resources\n\u00a0\ncc: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Steny H. Hoyer, Democratic Whip\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Bill Shuster, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Fred Upton, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Rob Bishop, Chairman-Elect, Committee on Natural Resources\n\u00a0\n###", 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 & 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 & 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, & 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://pelosi.house.gov//news/press-releases/pelosi-statement-on-indonesia-air-asia-flight-8501", "Pelosi Statement on Indonesia Air Asia Flight 8501", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Nancy Pelosi", "P000197", "pelosi.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616\nSan Francisco \u2014 Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the crash of Indonesia Air Asia Flight 8501: \u201cOur thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all those lost on Indonesia Air Asia Flight 8501. \u00a0In the midst of the holidays, as we gather together to celebrate with loved ones, we are acutely aware of the pain this tragedy represents. \"The American people stand with all those mourning the passengers and crew, and hope we can be of assistance in the investigation and recovery efforts.\u00a0 \u201cWe hope it is a comfort to the families of the victims that so many around the world share in their sadness at this terrible time.\u201d\u00a0\n# # #", 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"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-welcomes-long-awaited-airline-rules-for-carry-on-instruments", "Reed Welcomes Long-Awaited Airline Rules for Carry-On Instruments", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/31/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today welcomed a final rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) regarding the treatment of musical instruments on commercial airlines.\u00a0 Reed urged Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to issue the rule earlier this year, when media reports documented an incident in which members of the Rhode Island band Deer Tick were barred from bringing their guitars as carry-on luggage.\r\nSection 403 of the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2012 states that air carriers \u201cshall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin,\u201d provided \u201cthe instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat\u201d and that \u201cthere is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.\u201d\u00a0 The law also makes similar allowances for the transport of larger instruments in the airplane cabin when a separate ticket is purchased for the instrument.\r\nThe law was enacted in February 2012 and included a requirement that USDOT adopt regulations to carry out this provision within two years.\u00a0 The law could not become effective until the final rule has was issued, leading Reed to call on Secretary Foxx in July to end the delay and clarify the rules of the road.\u00a0 There have been numerous reports of musicians experiencing travel disruptions when attempting to board flights with their instruments, as well as accounts of loss, theft, or damage to instruments when the artists have been required to place them in in the baggage hold.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased that, after nearly three years, there is a final rule that makes the FAA Modernization and Reform Act fully implemented and effective.\u00a0 It will be up to the airline industry, working with musician organizations, to familiarize airline personnel and travelers of their rights and responsibilities.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased that Secretary Foxx in developing this rule brought the airlines and musicians together, and that dialogue should continue.\u00a0 We\u2019ll also need to closely evaluate the airlines\u2019 performance in handling valuable and fragile musical instruments,\u201d said Reed.\r\nIn July, after news reports that members of the band Deer Tick were detained and subsequently delayed on their return flight from Nashville to Rhode Island after they were barred from bringing their guitars as carry-on luggage, Reed sought to ensure other air travelers do not face similar problems.\u00a0 The delayed final rule, issued Tuesday by USDOT, requires that US airlines accept musical instruments as carry-on or checked baggage on commercial passenger flights, provided that certain conditions are met.\u00a0\r\n\"We have a lot of great musicians based here in\u00a0Rhode Island, and many who travel here for our world renowned music festivals.\u00a0 When they fly, they should be able to learn ahead of time how an airline will store their instruments during the flight. \u00a0If an instrument passes through security and can be stowed safely, it should permitted in the airplane cabin.\u00a0 This final rule is an important step towards a more uniform policy for musicians traveling with their instruments,\u201d added Reed.\r\nThe rule is expected to become effective in March.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\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\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases/carson-statement-attending-icna-chicago-convention", "Carson Statement on Attending the ICNA Chicago Convention", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Andr\u00e9 Carson", "C001072", "carson.house.gov", "carson", "https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "INDIANAPOLIS - Today, Congressman Andr\u00e9 Carson released the following statement in response to his attendance at the ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Chicago convention last weekend.\n\nOn Saturday, December 27, I attended the ICNA Chicago convention to deliver a speech on the importance of civil engagement and developing leaders in the community.\n\nOn Sunday, December 28, I learned that ICNA had also scheduled me to sit on a Ferguson panel Saturday night \u2013 which I had not planned on participating in. At no point had I ever confirmed to attend any other events other than the dinner. Any reference to my participation or appearance on the Ferguson panel during the ICNA conference is not factual.\n\nAs a former law enforcement officer with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security in the anti-terrorism unit, it is critical that Americans know that I would never associate with any individual or organization trying to harm the United States of America or its citizens.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:44:12Z"], ["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://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/end-of-year-update-808ba317f354", "End of year update", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "End of yearupdate December 29, 2014 I like to keep these updates as brief and to the point as I can. I know you get a lot of email, and you dont need more to read from me. However, since I conclude my first term in Congress this week and begin a new one in January, Id ask your indulgence as I provide a quick recap of our efforts in the 113th Congress and conclude with the last significant vote I took this year, a no vote on the spending bill. *** Weve done a lot during the 113th session of Congress: helped thousands of constituents in our El Paso office, voted on hundreds of important bills in the Capitol and held dozens of town hall meetings throughout the community. Theres no easy way to summarize and account for it all in this email, so I thought Id take you through three significant issues that are important both for El Paso and the country. The first is our obligation to our service members and their families. Soon after I took office we were forced to confront the consequences of the across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester. While the sequester hit every federal agency, one group that stood out to me was our service members. In particular, we learned that service members were to lose access to the Tuition Assistance program, which affords them up to $4,500 per year to attend UTEP, El Paso Community College or other schools of higher-learning. After hearing from family members of those stationed at Fort Bliss, we introduced a bill to restore 100 percent of the funding. We partnered with key Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee and ultimately were able to restore funding for the remainder of 2013. By listening to the families of our service members, working across the aisle and not accepting the status quo we helped solve the problem and kept faith with our service members across the country and especially the nearly 33,000 incredibly brave men and women at Fort Bliss. At the same time that we were addressing the impacts of the sequester, we realized that problems at the VA were worse than we first believed. While the VA insisted it was meeting access requirements for El Paso, I was hearing from hundreds of veterans at my town hall meetings and in our office about the difficulty of getting in to see a doctor or mental health provider. To resolve the discrepancy, I commissioned a survey of El Pasos veterans who confirmed what we had been hearing: one-third who attempted to get mental health care could not, and average wait times for primary care were over 80 days. We exposed a deep divide between the VAs message and the reality faced by many El Paso veterans. Due to this work, and our oversight efforts on the Veterans Affairs Committee, we were able to obtain a commitment from VA leadership to turn around El Pasos clinic. To date, that has translated into millions of dollars to hire additional providers, an improving customer-focused attitude, and new leadership. There is a long way to go, and we are far from satisfied, but we are making significant progress. Lastly, the border is an issue that defines us and provides our greatest opportunitieswhether we look at it economically, culturally or on its impact to our quality of life. For example, our international bridges carry $90 billion in U.S./Mexico trade every year. That trade is connected to 25% of the jobs in El Paso, nearly 500,000 in Texas and over six million throughout the U.S. We also are a perfect example of the positive impact that immigration has on border communities and the country beyond. In large part because (and not in spite) of the fact that we have such a large immigrant community, we are the safest city in America four years running. We have served as the Ellis Island for Mexico and Central America for decades and have contributed mightily to the growth and development of the America we know today. This should be a point of pride for El Paso, and another way for us to take our place as a leading American city. This unique position and perspective has led us to author a bi-partisan immigration bill and introduce bi-partisan legislation to improve conditions at our ports of entry. Its also compelled me to argue forcefully for a rational and humane approach to border issues in the national debate. ***  And now to bring us up to speed on the latest legislative developments from the Capitol.  One of the last votes I took this year was on the spending bill, H.R. 83, which would fund all major departments for the rest of the fiscal year with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security, which is funded for three months.  Funding the government is one of the most important responsibilities I have as your representative, and it is one of the most important jobs that we have as a Congress. I began the process of reviewing the details of what became known as the CRomnibus (for Continuing Resolution and Omnibus) with the intent of finding a way to support the legislation. For example, the CRomnibus provides more than $130 million to continue construction of the new hospital on Fort Bliss, funding to tackle the VA claims backlog and provide mental health services to our veterans, and a continued emphasis on hiring more Customs and Border Protection officers to staff ports of entry in El Paso and throughout the country.  However, I voted against this bill because of two particularly troubling policy riders:  The first would allow banks to engage in custom swaps, which were prohibited after the 2008 financial meltdown that caused the Great Recession. Much of the bill language to neuter this provision of Dodd-Frank was apparently written by lobbyists for Citigroup.  The second would allow donors to spend vastly greater amounts to support the national political parties, from $32,400 per year to $324,000 per year and would bring the amount of money that wealthy donors can give to political parties, recount efforts and individual federal campaigns to nearly $5 million per couple per election cycle.  Both issues will have a significant impact on our economy and our democracy, yet they received no hearings or debate as part of the omnibus negotiations and were slipped in at the last minute in a must-pass spending bill. Ultimately, I decided that we cannot trade 10 months of spending certainty for two permanent provisions that have the potential to cause long-lasting negative effects on this country. ***  In spite of the disappointing provisions in the spending bill, its important to note that this was a much better process than last years, where political differences led to a government shutdown. Its easy enough to bemoan Congress and government in general; there is dysfunction enough to warrant it. But for me, and I hope for El Paso, next year holds much promise and opportunity.  Examples of where me might make progress include: immigration reform, tax reform, defining our role abroad and connecting our position on the border to the national interest. Improving the VA, strengthening Fort Bliss, and bringing greater balance to our countrys budget. Reforming Congress, making it more accountable and reflective our priorities. I am grateful for the chance to work on these and other issues on your behalf.  Thank you for giving me this opportunity and this responsibility. I am excited, energized and optimistic about what is to come.  Buenas noches 2014. Buenos das 2015. Sincerely, Beto ORourke  Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/end-of-year-update-808ba317f354?source=rss-964ef69221bc------2", "End of year update", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "End of yearupdate December 29, 2014 I like to keep these updates as brief and to the point as I can. I know you get a lot of email, and you dont need more to read from me. However, since I conclude my first term in Congress this week and begin a new one in January, Id ask your indulgence as I provide a quick recap of our efforts in the 113th Congress and conclude with the last significant vote I took this year, a no vote on the spending bill. *** Weve done a lot during the 113th session of Congress: helped thousands of constituents in our El Paso office, voted on hundreds of important bills in the Capitol and held dozens of town hall meetings throughout the community. Theres no easy way to summarize and account for it all in this email, so I thought Id take you through three significant issues that are important both for El Paso and the country. The first is our obligation to our service members and their families. Soon after I took office we were forced to confront the consequences of the across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester. While the sequester hit every federal agency, one group that stood out to me was our service members. In particular, we learned that service members were to lose access to the Tuition Assistance program, which affords them up to $4,500 per year to attend UTEP, El Paso Community College or other schools of higher-learning. After hearing from family members of those stationed at Fort Bliss, we introduced a bill to restore 100 percent of the funding. We partnered with key Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee and ultimately were able to restore funding for the remainder of 2013. By listening to the families of our service members, working across the aisle and not accepting the status quo we helped solve the problem and kept faith with our service members across the country and especially the nearly 33,000 incredibly brave men and women at Fort Bliss. At the same time that we were addressing the impacts of the sequester, we realized that problems at the VA were worse than we first believed. While the VA insisted it was meeting access requirements for El Paso, I was hearing from hundreds of veterans at my town hall meetings and in our office about the difficulty of getting in to see a doctor or mental health provider. To resolve the discrepancy, I commissioned a survey of El Pasos veterans who confirmed what we had been hearing: one-third who attempted to get mental health care could not, and average wait times for primary care were over 80 days. We exposed a deep divide between the VAs message and the reality faced by many El Paso veterans. Due to this work, and our oversight efforts on the Veterans Affairs Committee, we were able to obtain a commitment from VA leadership to turn around El Pasos clinic. To date, that has translated into millions of dollars to hire additional providers, an improving customer-focused attitude, and new leadership. There is a long way to go, and we are far from satisfied, but we are making significant progress. Lastly, the border is an issue that defines us and provides our greatest opportunitieswhether we look at it economically, culturally or on its impact to our quality of life. For example, our international bridges carry $90 billion in U.S./Mexico trade every year. That trade is connected to 25% of the jobs in El Paso, nearly 500,000 in Texas and over six million throughout the U.S. We also are a perfect example of the positive impact that immigration has on border communities and the country beyond. In large part because (and not in spite) of the fact that we have such a large immigrant community, we are the safest city in America four years running. We have served as the Ellis Island for Mexico and Central America for decades and have contributed mightily to the growth and development of the America we know today. This should be a point of pride for El Paso, and another way for us to take our place as a leading American city. This unique position and perspective has led us to author a bi-partisan immigration bill and introduce bi-partisan legislation to improve conditions at our ports of entry. Its also compelled me to argue forcefully for a rational and humane approach to border issues in the national debate. ***  And now to bring us up to speed on the latest legislative developments from the Capitol.  One of the last votes I took this year was on the spending bill, H.R. 83, which would fund all major departments for the rest of the fiscal year with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security, which is funded for three months.  Funding the government is one of the most important responsibilities I have as your representative, and it is one of the most important jobs that we have as a Congress. I began the process of reviewing the details of what became known as the CRomnibus (for Continuing Resolution and Omnibus) with the intent of finding a way to support the legislation. For example, the CRomnibus provides more than $130 million to continue construction of the new hospital on Fort Bliss, funding to tackle the VA claims backlog and provide mental health services to our veterans, and a continued emphasis on hiring more Customs and Border Protection officers to staff ports of entry in El Paso and throughout the country.  However, I voted against this bill because of two particularly troubling policy riders:  The first would allow banks to engage in custom swaps, which were prohibited after the 2008 financial meltdown that caused the Great Recession. Much of the bill language to neuter this provision of Dodd-Frank was apparently written by lobbyists for Citigroup.  The second would allow donors to spend vastly greater amounts to support the national political parties, from $32,400 per year to $324,000 per year and would bring the amount of money that wealthy donors can give to political parties, recount efforts and individual federal campaigns to nearly $5 million per couple per election cycle.  Both issues will have a significant impact on our economy and our democracy, yet they received no hearings or debate as part of the omnibus negotiations and were slipped in at the last minute in a must-pass spending bill. Ultimately, I decided that we cannot trade 10 months of spending certainty for two permanent provisions that have the potential to cause long-lasting negative effects on this country. ***  In spite of the disappointing provisions in the spending bill, its important to note that this was a much better process than last years, where political differences led to a government shutdown. Its easy enough to bemoan Congress and government in general; there is dysfunction enough to warrant it. But for me, and I hope for El Paso, next year holds much promise and opportunity.  Examples of where me might make progress include: immigration reform, tax reform, defining our role abroad and connecting our position on the border to the national interest. Improving the VA, strengthening Fort Bliss, and bringing greater balance to our countrys budget. Reforming Congress, making it more accountable and reflective our priorities. I am grateful for the chance to work on these and other issues on your behalf.  Thank you for giving me this opportunity and this responsibility. I am excited, energized and optimistic about what is to come.  Buenas noches 2014. Buenos das 2015. Sincerely, Beto ORourke  Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.casey.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/casey-statement-on-passing-of-kernie-anderson", "Casey Statement on Passing of Kernie Anderson", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Bob Casey", "C001070", "www.casey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a statement following the passing of Kernie Anderson.\r\n\u201cThis week my thoughts and prayers are with the Anderson family as they mourn the loss of Kernie Anderson. Kernie is being rightly remembered as a giant of the radio industry who blazed a trail that many follow today. Kernie Anderson was an important voice for the African American community in Philadelphia and throughout the country. He fought vigorously to ensure that millions of Americans who quietly struggle had a voice. His role in helping to found Philadelphia\u2019s Unity Day will serve as an enduring legacy of the kind of community he worked to create.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\n###\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\r\n\t\t\t\t\tJohn Rizzo 202-228-6367", 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.hirono.senate.gov/news/immigration-reform-and-the-importance-of-family", "Immigration reform and the importance of family", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Mazie Hirono", "H001042", "www.hirono.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Immigration reform and the importance of family\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Senator Mazie K. Hirono\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Wednesday, December 31, 2014\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Family is central to the holiday season in America: spending days at home together, traveling to visit family, sharing meals, and exchanging gifts.\u00a0 Most of us take for granted that we\u2019ll be with family this holiday season\u2014and likely next holiday season as well.\u00a0 But, we must remember the millions of hardworking people living in the United States who are still waiting for Congress to act so that they, too, can be with their loved ones at this time of year.\r\nAs the United States Senate\u2019s only immigrant, the issue of immigration reform is personal to me.\u00a0 My mother brought me to America on the S.S. President Cleveland in steerage from Japan when I was almost eight years old.\u00a0 Like most immigrants, mom had a dream that she could provide a better life for our family in the United States.\u00a0 She was a single parent who escaped from an abusive marriage in Japan.\u00a0 We started with very little, but we had each other.\u00a0 And with our family support, we worked hard to pursue the American dream.\u00a0 My mother changed my life by bringing me to this country, a country which afforded opportunities for a poor immigrant family like ours to make a better life.\r\nUnder today\u2019s broken immigration system, many immigrants do not have the family support that is so critical to success\u2014and so fundamental to who we are as a country.\u00a0 There are Filipino World War II veterans still waiting to be reunited with their children; there are families separated by visa backlogs that last years and even decades; and there are mothers and fathers being torn from their children because they don\u2019t have the right paperwork.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 These families wouldn\u2019t have to endure another holiday season separated from their loved ones if we passed immigration reform.\u00a0 Despite receiving the Senate\u2019s bipartisan bill over a year ago, the House Republicans left Washington this month without even giving comprehensive immigration reform an up-or-down vote.\u00a0 However, there is still reason for hope.\u00a0 Just before Thanksgiving, President Obama used his executive authority to provide limited discretionary deportation relief to some undocumented mothers, fathers, and students living in our country.\u00a0 The President\u2019s executive action has given these families some peace of mind, albeit temporary, that they now won\u2019t be torn from their families and communities and be deported if certain conditions are met.\u00a0 As Nevada student and DREAMer Astrid Silva testified in a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the President\u2019s action that I chaired, at the very least she now knows that her dad will still be with her and her family this Christmas. Rather than stepping up to provide permanent solutions for immigration reform, my Republican friends are taking a page out of the Grinch\u2019s playbook.\u00a0 They\u2019re choosing to spend their energy working to undo the President\u2019s action at the expense of families like Astrid\u2019s, rather than constructively working with the rest of us to pass the commonsense, humane reform that Americans overwhelmingly support.\u00a0\u00a0 Immigration reform legislation should not only keep families together, it should be good for our economy.\u00a0 And it is.\u00a0 Even with temporary actions like President Obama\u2019s, allowing undocumented persons to come out of the shadows and work will generate billions in payroll taxes and is expected to lead to higher wages and increased worker protections for the entire workforce.\u00a0 The benefit to our economy and communities when all 11 million undocumented people can step out of the shadows, work legally, and pay their taxes will be additional billions to stimulate our economy. Immigration reform isn\u2019t just a Latino or border state issue.\u00a0 It matters to all communities, like Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and all states\u2014including my own state of Hawaii.\u00a0 Immigration reform should matter to all of us who understand the importance of family as we make it through life.\u00a0 I hope this holiday season, when we\u2019re enjoying dinner or opening gifts or sitting in the pew at church, that we can think about those in this country who are still waiting to one day share those moments with their families, too.\r\n\r\nSen. Hirono is the only immigrant in the U.S. Senate.", 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"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/view/senator-murphys-year-in-review-2014", "Senator Murphy's Year in Review 2014", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Murphy's Year in Review 2014 \n            Despite the gridlock in Washington, we were able to achieve some big wins for the state of Connecticut this year. From job training to preschool funding, inf...\n            \n                \n                    \n                       \t\n        \t\t\t\t\n                        \n                            \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                    \n                                    \n                                \n                                \n        \t\t\t\t\t\t\n                            \n                        \n                        \n    \t\t\t\t\t\t\n                            \t\n    \t\t\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\t\n                    \n                \n            \n        \t\n            \n            \n            \n                \n                \n                \n                \n                    \n                   \tSee Video on YouTube\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n                    \nCopy Link", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/123114", "News December 31", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 31\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 31, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nEconomic Security\u00a0Despite some improvement in the economy, median incomes for American workers are falling. \u201cIf you look at the trend over the last 40 years, millions of people have seen a decline in their real income,\u201d Sanders said Tuesday in a radio interview with Ed Schultz. \u201cEconomic security is of enormous importance,\u201d the senator said on\u00a0The Thom Hartmann Program as he outlined an agenda for the coming year. AUDIO,\u00a0AUDIO\u00a0\u00a0\r\nA Progressive Vision\u00a0\u201cThe great moral, economic and political issue of our time is the growing level of income and wealth inequality in our nation,\u201d Sen. Sanders wrote in a column for\u00a0Daily Kos,\u00a0OpEdNews\u00a0and\u00a0Green Mountain Daily. \"In the year 2015, our job is to gain control over the national debate, stay focused on the issues of real importance to the American people, stand up for our principles, educate and organize.\"\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nVoodoo Economics\u00a0Republicans in Congress plan to fire Doug Elmendorf, the Congressional Budget Office chief, because he won't base economic projections on something they call \"dynamic scoring.\" That is the new buzzword among right-wing economists for a notion that tax cuts result in economic growth that in turn yields more government revenue. \u201cIt is a fraud,\u201d Sen. Sanders said on Tuesday on The Thom Hartmann Program. It\u2019s what the first President Bush called \u201cvoodoo economics,\u201d Sanders added. \u00a0\u00a0\r\nBudget Committee\u00a0Americans can expect a smaller but more progressive Democratic caucus in the Senate next year, according to\u00a0a blog for Moyers & Company, which noted that Sen. Sanders would lead the chamber's Budget Committee. Sanders hired University of Missouri-Kansas City economics professor Stephanie Kelton to serve as the chief economist for Democrats on the committee,\u00a0The Kansas City Star\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWorld\r\nU.S. Denies Iran Swap Deal\u00a0The United States called on Tuesday for the release of U.S. citizens held in\u00a0Iran, denying a report that Washington had proposed a prisoner exchange for a former U.S. Marine,\u00a0Reuters\u00a0said.\u00a0LINK\r\nKremlin Crackdown\u00a0Police in Moscow briefly detained anticorruption crusader and political opposition Aleksei A. Navalny on Tuesday as he tried to join an unauthorized, antigovernment rally,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0reported. Navalny is seen as a key leader in the opposition to President Vladimir Putin.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\n6.5 Million Health Care Enrollments\u00a0Nearly 6.5 million people either selected or were enrolled in a new individual insurance plan for 2015 on the HealthCare.gov website through Dec. 26, the U.S. government health agency told\u00a0Reuters.\u00a0The government has said it is aiming for more than 9 million enrollees for 2015.\u00a0LINK\r\nTrade Deal Pushed Republican control of the Senate has elevated pro-trade lawmakers to key positions in leadership and committee control but Republicans inclined to give the president trade-negotiating authority are still seething at his executive action deferring deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants. Democrats may be the bigger problem. Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction on trade, wants to work with the administration but he said he was not about to allow. Obama to negotiate the partnership on his own, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nHospices Rarely Punished for Mistreatment\u00a0Federal regulators have punished few hospices for violating health and safety standards despite large numbers of problem citations,\u00a0The Huffington Post\u00a0said.\u00a0Medicare\u2019s federal regulator has punished a hospice just 16 times in the last decade, despite carrying out 15,000 inspections and identifying more than 31,000 violations.\u00a0LINK\r\nVermont\r\nFairPoint Strike\u00a0Two unions that accused FairPoint Communications of bargaining in bad faith have lost their appeal to the National Labor Relations Board, delivering a blow to striking workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nShumlin Releases Single Payer Details\u00a0Gov. Peter Shumlin's administration on Tuesday released documents that led to the decision to abandon plans to make Vermont the first state in the country with a universal, publicly-funded health care system,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/agenda-for-america", "Agenda for America", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Agenda for America \n             12 Steps Forward \n            \n        \n   \n   \n   \t\t\n        \t\n            \t\n                    \n                        Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure\n                        Reversing Climate Change\n                        Creating Worker Co-ops\n                        Growing the Trade Union Movement\n                        Raising the Minimum Wage\n                        Pay Equity for Women Workers\n                        Trade Policies that Benefit American Workers\n                        Making College Affordable for All\n                        Taking on Wall Street\n                        Health Care as a Right for All\n                        Protecting the Most Vulnerable Americans\n                        Real Tax Reform\n                    \n                \n                \n                \t\n                \n            \n        \n   \n   \n\t    1. Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure \n       \n       \t\tWe need a major investment to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure: roads, bridges, water systems, waste water plants, airports, railroads and schools. It has been estimated that the cost of the Bush-Cheney Iraq War, a war we should never have waged, will total $3 trillion by the time the last veteran receives needed care. A $1 trillion investment in infrastructure could create 13 million decent paying jobs and make this country more efficient and productive. We need to invest in infrastructure, not more war.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n   \n   \n\t    2. Reversing Climate Change \n       \n       \t\tThe United States must lead the world in reversing climate change and make certain that this planet is habitable for our children and grandchildren. We must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energies. Millions of homes and buildings need to be weatherized, our transportation system needs to be energy efficient and we need to greatly accelerate the progress we are already seeing in wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and other forms of sustainable energy. Transforming our energy system will not only protect the environment, it will create good paying jobs.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n\t    3. Creating Worker Co-ops \n       \n       \t\tWe need to develop new economic models to increase job creation and productivity. Instead of giving huge tax breaks to corporations which ship our jobs to China and other low-wage countries, we need to provide assistance to workers who want to purchase their own businesses by establishing worker-owned cooperatives. Study after study shows that when workers have an ownership stake in the businesses they work for, productivity goes up, absenteeism goes down and employees are much more satisfied with their jobs.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    4. Growing the Trade Union Movement \n       \n       \t\tUnion workers who are able to collectively bargain for higher wages and benefits earn substantially more than non-union workers. Today, corporate opposition to union organizing makes it extremely difficult for workers to join a union. We need legislation which makes it clear that when a majority of workers sign cards in support of a union, they can form a union.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    5. Raising the Minimum Wage \n       \n       \t\tThe current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a starvation wage. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage. No one in this country who works 40 hours a week should live in poverty.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    6. Pay Equity for Women Workers \n       \n       \t\tWomen workers today earn 78 percent of what their male counterparts make. We need pay equity in our country \u2014 equal pay for equal work.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    7. Trade Policies that Benefit American Workers \n       \n       \t\tSince 2001 we have lost more than 60,000 factories in this country, and more than 4.9 million decent-paying manufacturing jobs. We must end our disastrous trade policies (NAFTA, CAFTA, PNTR with China, etc.) which enable corporate America to shut down plants in this country and move to China and other low-wage countries. We need to end the race to the bottom and develop trade policies which demand that American corporations create jobs here, and not abroad. Sign the petition to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership \u2014 another trade deal disaster \u00bb\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    8. Making College Affordable for All \n       \n       \t\tIn today's highly competitive global economy, millions of Americans are unable to afford the higher education they need in order to get good-paying jobs. Further, with both parents now often at work, most working-class families can't locate the high-quality and affordable child care they need for their kids. Quality education in America, from child care to higher education, must be affordable for all. Without a high-quality and affordable educational system, we will be unable to compete globally and our standard of living will continue to decline.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    9. Taking on Wall Street \n       \n       \t\tThe function of banking is to facilitate the flow of capital into productive and job-creating activities. Financial institutions cannot be an island unto themselves, standing as huge profit centers outside of the real economy. Today, six huge Wall Street financial institutions have assets equivalent to 61 percent of our gross domestic product - over $9.8 trillion. These institutions underwrite more than half the mortgages in this country and more than two-thirds of the credit cards. The greed, recklessness and illegal behavior of major Wall Street firms plunged this country into the worst financial crisis since the 1930s. They are too powerful to be reformed. They must be broken up.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    10. Health Care as a Right for All \n       \n       \t\tThe United States must join the rest of the industrialized world and recognize that health care is a right of all, and not a privilege. Despite the fact that more than 40 million Americans have no health insurance, we spend almost twice as much per capita on health care as any other nation. We need to establish a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    11. Protecting the Most Vulnerable Americans \n       \n       \t\tMillions of seniors live in poverty and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any major country. We must strengthen the social safety net, not weaken it. Instead of cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and nutrition programs, we should be expanding these programs.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    12. Real Tax Reform \n       \n       \t\tAt a time of massive wealth and income inequality, we need a progressive tax system in this country which is based on ability to pay. It is not acceptable that major profitable corporations have paid nothing in federal income taxes, and that corporate CEOs in this country often enjoy an effective tax rate which is lower than their secretaries. It is absurd that we lose over $100 billion a year in revenue because corporations and the wealthy stash their cash in offshore tax havens around the world. The time is long overdue for real tax reform.", 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://bass.house.gov/press-release/statement-ezell-ford-autopsy-and-lapd-shooting", "Statement on Ezell Ford Autopsy and LAPD Shooting", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Karen Bass", "B001270", "bass.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "LOS ANGELES, CA\u2014Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) released the following statement after the release of the autopsy of Ezell Ford, an unarmed 25-year-old who was shot and killed by LAPD officers in August:\n\"I appreciate Mayor Garcetti\u2019s actions today in requesting Ezell Ford\u2019s autopsy be released to the public. I join with Mr. Ford\u2019s family in grieving his death as well as wanting to make sure that justice is served.  \n\t\u00a0  \n\t\u201cThe information in the autopsy is one piece of evidence, but it does not tell the complete story. I echo calls for all witnesses to come forward to share their reports of what they saw last August.\u00a0This information is vital to ensuring we have the full story of what happened.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\t\"Ezell Ford\u2019s family and the South Los Angeles community deserve a full and impartial investigation surrounding the tragic events from this summer. There are many facts to consider\u2014including the Mr. Ford\u2019s mental illness as well Mr. Ford being shot in the back.\u00a0 \"I will continue to closely monitor the Los Angeles Police Department\u2019s, the office of inspector general\u2019s and the district attorney's office\u2019s investigations.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://bass.house.gov/press-release/statement-possible-ambush-police-officers-south-la", "Statement on Possible Ambush of Police Officers in South LA", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Karen Bass", "B001270", "bass.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "LOS ANGELES, CA\u2014Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) released the following statement after two people fired on Los Angeles Police Officers\u00a0Sunday\u00a0night:\n\"I am deeply concerned about the shooting at two Los Angeles Police Officers\u00a0Sunday\u00a0night on 62nd and Hoover streets. This sort of gun violence has no place on our streets, and it only serves to make our communities less safe for all of our residents. At this point it is unclear whether the officers were the targets of the shooting, but I am relieved that no one was hurt in this incident.\n\"As community members we must strive to work together to rid our neighborhood of senseless violence.\n \"All lives matter.\"", 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://dennyheck.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/thurston-county-s-newly-elected-officials-sworn-in-during-ceremony", "Thurston Countys newly elected officials sworn in during ceremony", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Newly elected Thurston County Clerk Linda Enlow said she had waited for more than 20 years for Tuesday\u2019s swearing-in ceremony at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College.\n\u201cIt\u2019s very emotional,\u201d said Enlow, who served as the county\u2019s chief deputy clerk for 21 years, under retiring Clerk Betty Gould. \u201cI\u2019m very excited.\u201d\nShe was among 11 elected officials sworn into office Tuesday afternoon by county Auditor Mary Hall.\nU.S. Rep. Denny Heck delivered a keynote speech during the event, saying that public service is about neighbors, community and relationships.\nHe passed along some advice that he received during his freshman term in the House of Representatives from retiring Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., the longest serving member of Congress in U.S. History.\n\u201cHe said this: \u201cYou have a very important job, and you\u2019re not a very important person,\u201d Heck recalled. \u201cFor those of you who are elected, I want you to remember those words.\u201d\nMeantime, Hall compared the swearing-in ceremony to a wedding, and added that the real work was still ahead. Like marriage, Hall said elected offices will take a lot of hard work, negotiation and collaboration.\nOther officials sworn in during the ceremony were County Commissioner Bud Blake; Coroner Gary Warnock; Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim; Sheriff John Snaza; Treasurer Shawn Myers; District Court Judges Kalo Wilcox, Sam Meyer and Brett Buckley; and Public Utility District Commissioners Russ Olsen and Chris Stearns.\nHall was sworn in on Dec. 22 so that she could do an early swearing in ceremony for Assessor Steven Drew who couldn\u2019t participate in Tuesday\u2019s event due to a scheduling conflict.\nJudge Meyer took his oath alongside wife, Jennifer, and their children Charlotte, 4, and Henry, 10.\n\u201cIt really was a family affair,\u201d Jennifer Meyer said after the ceremony. \u201cWe appreciate marking the day, and being able to participate in it.\u201d\n\n\n\tSTEVE\u00a0BLOOM\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Staff\u00a0photographer", 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://maloney.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/maloney-urges-new-surgeon-general-to-address-gun-violence-and-skin", "Maloney urges new Surgeon General to address gun violence and skin cancer in 2015", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Carolyn Maloney", "M000087", "maloney.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NEW YORK --\u00a0Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) today urged Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy to take action on gun violence and other public health issues. In her letter, Maloney called for better efforts to understand gun violence and continued action in addressing skin cancer.\n\"Like many of my colleagues, and most Americans, I strongly support efforts to better understand the causes of gun violence and to develop constructive solutions,\" wrote Maloney. \"I also urge you to continue the work of your predecessors to decrease incidences of skin cancer through campaigns to reduce excessive exposure to harmful outdoor sun and indoor tanning devices. Your interest in preventative medicine will bring great focus to addressing widespread and longstanding public health needs.\"\nMaloney is the author of legislation that would authorize $10 million annually for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the causes and ways to prevent gun violence. Federal spending on research of gun violence is currently banned.\nMaloney is a founder of the bipartisan Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus and an author of the TAN Act, which recently resulted in warning labels being required for all tanning beds, which indicate that the products should not be used by those under the age of 18.\nThe text of Maloney\u2019s letter follows:\nDecember 30, 2014\nVivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A.  \n\tSurgeon General, Vice Admiral  \n\tDepartment of Health and Human Services  \n\t200 Independence Avenue S.W.  \n\tWashington, DC 20201\nDear Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy,\nI offer my strong congratulations on your recent confirmation as the next U.S. Surgeon General.\u00a0The position of \u201cAmerica\u2019s Doctor\u201d has gone without formal leadership for far too long.\nAs we begin a new year resolved to take steps to improve our own wellbeing we must also consider how to best keep our nation as a whole healthy and strong. The recent global Ebola outbreak is a reminder of how essential public health is to our nation\u2019s security. In addition, here in America, gun violence and its aftermath continue to plague our communities. Like many of my colleagues, and most Americans, I strongly support efforts to better understand the causes of gun violence and to develop constructive solutions. I also urge you to continue the work of your predecessors to decrease incidences of skin cancer through campaigns to reduce excessive exposure to harmful outdoor sun and indoor tanning devices. Your interest in preventative medicine will bring great focus to addressing widespread and longstanding public health needs.\nI again offer my commendations for your appointment as our 19th U.S. Surgeon General. Your remarkable qualifications will help to guide our country through these and other health concerns. I look forward to working with you.\nSincerely,\nCAROLYN B. MALONEY\u00a0  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://meeks.house.gov/press-release/us-rep-gregory-w-meeks-statement-police-officers-protest-during-funeral-officer-ramos", "U.S. Rep Gregory W. Meeks Statement on Police Officers' Protest During Funeral of Officer Ramos", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Gregory Meeks", "M001137", "meeks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep Gregory W. Meeks Statement on Police Officers' Protest During Funeral of Officer Ramos\nWashington, D. C. - Congressman Gregory W. Meeks\u00a0released\u00a0the following statement regarding the police officers who turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio during the funeral of Officer Rafael Ramos:\n\"The rhetoric and actions taken by the police unions and the police officers who staged the so-called \"wall of silence\" at Officer Ramos' funeral deepens that which divides the city.\u00a0 This antic was\u00a0disrespectful and betrayed the decorum and responsibility that is expected of public servants, especially at the funeral of a fallen officer.\u00a0 At this critical juncture, I believe Mayor de Blasio is working to heal as well as unite our city and I thank him for this continued effort. \u00a0\n\"Furthermore, I applaud the Mayor for holding a meeting with police union leaders, including Mr. Patrick Lynch, to discuss the underlying issues and work together to move the city forward.\u00a0 It is meetings and discussions such as these that strengthen the efforts of those seeking police reform and improvement of police-community relations.\u00a0 It's pertinent to reiterate that the Mayor, and those who are seeking justice for Mr. Eric Garner and others nationwide, are not against the police but instead are pushing for fairness, accountability, and equality before the law. I encourage an atmosphere of mutual respect in the future as our communities continue to heal and strive for justice for all. \u201d \u00a0[End]", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://meng.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/meng-bill-seeking-to-make-queens-historic-sites-part-of-national-park", "Meng Bill Seeking to Make Queens Historic Sites Part of National Park Service Signed into Law by President Obama", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Grace Meng", "M001188", "meng.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) that seeks to make Queens historic sites part of the National Park Service has been signed into law by President Obama.\n\u00a0\nThe measure, which the President signed as part of a broader authorization bill, requires the Secretary of the Interior \u2013 whose agency administers federal parks \u2013 to study the viability of the National Park Service supporting spots associated with the Flushing Remonstrance, the document signed in 1657 that is recognized as the precursor of religious freedom in America. Properties that will be examined are the John Bowne House and the Old Quaker Meetinghouse, both of which are located in Flushing.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThe Flushing Remonstrance is a vital part of American history but few Americans \u2013 and few New Yorkers \u2013 know much about it,\u201d said Meng. \u201cIt\u2019s time for that to change, and this study could finally\u00a0allow Queens to claim its rightful place in U.S. history. I ask National Park Service officials to begin their study as soon as possible and I eagerly await the results.\u201d\n\u00a0\nAlthough the National Park Service has not yet set a timetable for the study, the agency plans to use internal standards to determine whether the Bowne and Quaker meetinghouse meet the criteria to be included in the nation\u2019s park system. The criteria will be based on the sites meeting national significance, suitability, and feasibility, as well as the need for National Park Service management. The study, which could lead to the two locations becoming a National Historic Park or a National Historic Site, will also consider other alternatives for preservation and protection. The study is estimated to cost $200,000 to $300,000.\n\u00a0\nMeng introduced the Flushing Remonstrance Study Act in September 2013, and the measure recently passed the House and Senate. During a Congressional hearing on the bill earlier this year, National Park Service Associate Director Victor Knox said that the Interior Department supports the study.\n\u00a0\nThe Flushing Remonstrance was signed by 30 citizens of Flushing on December 27, 1657 to protest the policy that banned Quakers from practicing their religion in the colony of New Netherland, a move that was vigorously opposed by the local government. After area resident John Bowne was jailed \u2013 and later banished to the Netherlands \u2013 for allowing Quakers to hold religious services in his house, he continued to fight the policy, and as a result, the Quakers were eventually allowed to practice freely.\n\u00a0\nThe John Bowne House, owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, includes the section built in 1661 that hosted the meetings held by the Quakers, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located at 37-01 Bowne Street.\n\u00a0\nThe Old Quaker Meetinghouse, owned by the Flushing Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, was built in 1694 by John Bowne and other Quakers, and is a National Historic Landmark for architecture and religion. It is located at 137-16 Northern Boulevard.\n\u00a0\nMeng expressed her appreciation to all who supported her legislation, in particular, Adam Sackowitz, a local history buff who first suggested the Remonstrance bill to her.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://nolan.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/kare-11-minn-congressman-praises-cuba-policy-plans-trip", "KARE 11: Minn. congressman praises Cuba policy, plans trip", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ST. PAUL, Minn. - A Minnesota congressman who has long advocated for changes to the United States' Cuba policy says a decision to normalize relations with the island country is a \"monumental step\" in the right direction.\nDemocratic Rep. Rick Nolan praised Wednesday's announcement that the U.S. would re-establish diplomatic ties to Cuba. Nolan traveled to Cuba in 1977 during his first stint in Congress and was involved in a past deal to release U.S. prisoners held there.\nNolan says he hopes to travel to Cuba next year to meet with officials there.\nAnother Democratic member of the Minnesota delegation, Betty McCollum, described the announcement as \"a new beginning.\" She says she would continue working to end a U.S. trade embargo with Cuba. McCollum spent time in Cuba last summer.\nRepublican Rep. Michele Bachmann panned the move, telling Minnesota Public Radio that the U.S. shouldn't have changed its policy until Cuba changed its ways.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://nolan.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/kbjr-us-house-and-senate-pass-bill-to-aid-grand-portage-chippewa-tribe", "KBJR: U.S. House and Senate pass bill to aid Grand Portage Chippewa tribe", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. (NNCNOW.com) --- Minnesota officials are one step closer to correcting an oversight for the Grand Portage Band of Cook County, Minn.\nU.S. Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar along with the Eighth District Congressman Rick Nolan have crafted a bill that is set to become law.\nThe bill, often referred to as a legislative fix, will correct the case that Grand Portage Band members were excluded from receiving the same benefits as the Bois Forte Band.\n\"This bill ensures that members of the Grand Portage Band will receive important benefits they are entitled to under the federal Treaty of 1854,\" Nolan said. \"It means a great deal to the Band and to our region, and I was pleased to work with Senators Klobuchar and Franken to get this done.\"\nThe bill passed the House back in November, and passed the Senate on Tuesday night. It is now heading to the President's desk.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://nolan.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/kdal-nolan-praises-renewed-diplomatic-relations-with-cuba", "KDAL: Nolan Praises Renewed Diplomatic Relations WIth Cuba", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C, (KDAL) - Minnesota U-S Representative Rick Nolan is lauding President Obama's decision to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba along with an announcement of the release of U-S contractor Alan Gross after three years in a Cuban prison.\u00a0 As a member of congress in 1977, Nolan traveled to Cuba to personally negotiate the release of five U-S prisoners, held since the Bay of Pigs invasion, in a meeting with then President Fidel Castro.\u00a0 Nolan is hoping to travel to Cuba sometime in the next year to meet with officials and discuss potential trade opportunities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://nolan.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/pioneer-press-rick-nolan-on-new-relations-with-cuba-monumental-step", "Pioneer Press: Rick Nolan on new relations with Cuba: 'monumental step'", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A Minnesota congressman who has long advocated for changes to the United States' Cuba policy says a decision to normalize relations with the island country is a \"monumental step\" in the right direction.\nDemocratic Rep. Rick Nolan praised Wednesday's announcement that the U.S. would re-establish diplomatic ties to Cuba. Nolan traveled to Cuba in 1977 during his first stint in Congress and was involved in a past deal to release U.S. prisoners held there.\nNolan says he hopes to travel to Cuba next year to meet with officials there.\nAnother Democratic member of the Minnesota delegation, Betty McCollum, described the announcement as \"a new beginning.\" She says she would continue working to end a U.S. trade embargo with Cuba. McCollum spent time in Cuba last summer.\nRepublican Rep. Michele Bachmann panned the move, telling Minnesota Public Radio that the U.S. shouldn't have changed its policy until Cuba changed its ways.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://nolan.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/star-tribune-how-to-build-a-new-future-for-american-indian-schools", "Star Tribune: How to build a new future for American Indian schools", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Obama had the right reaction after meeting Indian students during his trip to a North Dakota Indian reservation in June. Saying he and the first lady were \u201cshaken\u201d by the kids\u2019 pessimism about their futures, Obama returned home and took action.\nHe ordered his administration to \u201cfind new avenues of opportunity\u201d for Indian youths. He instructed every member of his Cabinet to \u201csit down with Native young people and hear firsthand about their lives.\u2019\u2019 The result of his agenda-setting came earlier this month when Obama announced a series of tribal youth initiatives at the White House Tribal Nations conference.\nThe speech was greeted with cheers. It should have been met with hard questions. The new initiatives, while welcome, are small steps that do nothing to address a critical educational hurdle on reservations: the ragged conditions of school buildings.\nOnline leadership networks, a \u201cyouth listening tour\u201d and a \u201cWhite House Tribal Youth Gathering\u201d are poor substitutes for the safe, modern school buildings that the 183-school Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) system desperately needs. About a third of the schools in this federally funded K-12 system, which serves about 50,000 of the nation\u2019s poorest students, have decrepit facilities.\nAn effort to help Indian youths that does not include an overhaul of these 63 BIE schools cannot be taken seriously. At least $1.3 billion is required for rebuilding or renovation. What\u2019s needed is a swift commitment to secure funding, not lightweight initiatives.\nBeginning Nov. 23, a Star Tribune Editorial Board series called \u201cSeparate and Unequal\u201d documented the shameful state of BIE school buildings across the nation, as well as the growing gap between them and U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) schools, the other federally funded K-12 system.\nNorthern Minnesota\u2019s Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig High School is housed in a deteriorating pole barn. In Arizona, two BIE schools have been on a \u201cpriority waitlist\u201d for a decade. In South Dakota, BIE schools are overcrowded and have sections of buildings that have been closed off or condemned.\nAt the same time, Department of Defense schools, which serve children of military families and civilian defense employees, are in the midst of a $5 billion, decadelong project to rebuild 134 schools and set a new national design standard for the future.\nAt the White House Tribal Nations conference, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell called the editorials \u201cpainful\u201d but \u201chelpful.\u201d\nJewell, whose Department of the Interior is the parent agency for BIE and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, deserves credit for recognizing the problems documented in the series. But now she needs to provide a concrete action plan to overhaul the schools \u2014 and a personal guarantee that she\u2019ll lobby Congress for the funding needed to launch a school construction surge like the DOD\u2019s. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan also needs to lend his considerable clout.\nAbout a week ago, Congress signaled strongly that it\u2019s willing to hear the case for improved BIE school funding with the passage of the continuing resolution/omnibus spending bill. Tucked inside the bill, thanks to a timely push by Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, was $20 million for BIE school replacement in 2015, nearly $17 million more than Jewell\u2019s agency requested. The legislation also directed Interior to replace its decade-old \u201cpriority construction\u201d list of schools.\nBut much more work needs to be done.\nAt the federal level:\n\u2022\u2009Minnesota\u2019s congressional delegation must take on the BIE school cause. McCollum, as well as Rep. Rick Nolan and Sen.\u00a0Al Franken, all Democrats, have long been champions of BIE schools. Powerful Republican Reps. John Kline and Erik Paulsen also need to convince their caucus that this is a worthy investment. Kline, as chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, especially could make a difference.\n\u2022\u2009Interior Department officials should tap the expertise of DOD school construction experts. The DOD staff is setting a new standard for school design and has experience managing a large rebuilding effort.\nAt the state level:\n\u2022\u2009Minnesota lawmakers must take the lead on building a new Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig high school. BIE school construction is a federal obligation, but federal action remains years, perhaps a decade, away. One BIE ranking of school construction needs indicated that 31 schools are ahead of the Bug school. State. Sen. Terri Bonoff\u2019s idea to form a new partnership with federal officials to finance a new Bug school also merits support.\n\u2022\u2009Gov.\u00a0Mark Dayton\u00a0should enlist Minnesota\u2019s nonprofit community to help build a new Bug school. The CEO of the influential Blandin Foundation has said that the organization is interested in getting involved and that covering the school\u2019s $27 million price tag is doable with the right partnerships.\nThe conditions at BIE schools are a national disgrace, one requiring immediate attention. Obama, Jewell and Congress cannot let the nation\u2019s two federally funded K-12 systems become one of haves and have-nots on their watch.\nAnd Minnesota, which has a long history of helping communities with immediate needs that outstrip available resources, shouldn\u2019t wait for Washington to help the Bug school. Swift action is needed to ensure that another generation of American Indian kids will not have to attend high school in a broken-down building.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://nolan.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/star-tribune-minnesota-rep-nolan-who-was-vocal-on-cuba-issue-praises-us-0", "Star Tribune: Minnesota Rep. Nolan who was vocal on Cuba issue praises US policy change, plans trip there", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ST. PAUL, Minn. \u2014 A Minnesota congressman who has long advocated for changes to the United States' Cuba policy says a decision to normalize relations with the island country is a \"monumental step\" in the right direction.\nDemocratic Rep. Rick Nolan praised Wednesday's announcement that the U.S. would re-establish diplomatic ties to Cuba. Nolan traveled to Cuba in 1977 during his first stint in Congress and was involved in a past deal to release U.S. prisoners held there.\nNolan says he hopes to travel to Cuba next year to meet with officials there.\nAnother Democratic member of the Minnesota delegation, Betty McCollum, described the announcement as \"a new beginning.\" She says she would continue working to end a U.S. trade embargo with Cuba. McCollum spent time in Cuba last summer.\nRepublican Rep.\u00a0Michele Bachmann\u00a0panned the move, telling Minnesota Public Radio that the U.S. shouldn't have changed its policy until Cuba changed its ways.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/longstanding-norton-negotiated-agreement-means-costs-of-recent-dc", "Longstanding Norton-Negotiated Agreement Means Costs of Recent D.C.  Demonstrations Picked Up by Federal Government", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reports on the cost to the District of Columbia of providing public safety at marches and demonstrations here on racial profiling in law enforcement nationwide have not noted that Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), at least since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, \u00a0has secured annual federal payments for the costs to the city of emergency planning and security related to the presence of the nation\u2019s capital in D.C., where protests are often held, including $12.5 million for this fiscal year and any unexpended funds from prior fiscal years.\u00a0 Initially, the District had to seek federal reimbursement for such costs each year, but, beginning in the fiscal year of 2009, Norton convinced appropriators to allow what had been annual cost-reimbursement to be converted to an upfront annual payment so that D.C. no longer had to expend its local funds to cover costs related to federal protests and demonstrations in the nation\u2019s capital.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-secures-over-332000-6th-district-residents-2014", "Pallone Secures Over $332,000 for 6th District Residents in 2014", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "LONG BRANCH, NJ \u2013 Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. announced that, in 2014, he has helped secure over $332,274 for constituents seeking assistance through his district offices.\u00a0 His work on behalf of constituents includes help with Sandy\u00a0related FEMA grants and claims, SBA loans, Social Security payments, and more.\u00a0 Over the past year, Congressman Pallone\u2019s constituent outreach representatives have made it possible for constituents to cut through red tape in order to receive money that is rightfully owed to them.\n\u201cWhether a constituent is concerned about a federal policy or needs help navigating the federal bureaucracy, I want them to know we\u2019re here to help,\u201d said Congressman Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cI am grateful that so many residents of the 6th\u00a0District have turned to us for assistance this year, especially as we continue to recover and rebuild from\u00a0Sandy\u00a0together. \u00a0I hope that they continue to use my office as a resource.\u201d\nThe funds secured by Congressman Pallone and his staff are part of a long list of constituent services that his district offices offer.\u00a0 For example, constituents who have issues with their Social Security benefits, federal pensions, Medicare eligibility, and U.S. citizenship are eligible for help.\u00a0 Additionally, Pallone and his staff frequently assist veterans obtain back pay, GI Bill benefits, VA disability claims, as well as assistance to widows who are eligible to receive pensions.\u00a0 Staff can also be helpful in locating low-income housing options, energy assistance and other benefits or resources that may be helpful to residents of the 6th District. \u00a0\n\u201cDirect constituent service is a top priority of mine,\u201d added Congressman Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cI always appreciate hearing from my constituents, and I encourage them to stay in touch, especially if we can be of any help.\u201d\nFor help on any of these services or other issues, please do not hesitate to contact either of Congressman Pallone\u2019s district offices:\nNew Brunswick Office:\n67/69 Church Street\nNew Brunswick, NJ 08901\nPhone: (732) 249-8892\nLong Branch Office:\n504 Broadway\nLong Branch, NJ 07740\nPhone: (732) 571-1140", 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'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://roybal-allard.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397795", "Rep. Roybal-Allard Issues Statement on Ezell Ford Autopsy Release", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Lucille Roybal-Allard", "R000486", "roybal-allard.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) issued the following statement about the release of the autopsy of Ezell Ford, who was shot and killed in August by LAPD officers in the South Los Angeles area of her Congressional District:\"It is critical that Ezell Ford's death be investigated thoroughly and impartially. \u00a0That is why I thank Mayor Garcetti for ordering the release of Mr. Ford's autopsy results. \u00a0This is an important step in making the fullest possible accounting of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Ford's death. \u00a0I also urge any and all witnesses to his death to come forward without delay, so that we have a clear and accurate picture of this event. \u00a0I will continue to monitor the ongoing investigations into this tragedy. \"My thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Ford's family, as they are with the family of Omar Abrego, who also died after an encounter with police in my District in August. \u00a0I fully support the mission of our nation's law enforcement personnel to protect and serve the American people. \u00a0At the same time, their work must always be done in a manner that respects the law and the rights of the people they protect. \u00a0I also continue to support the right of the people to peacefully and legally express their First Amendment rights \u2013 including the right to assemble \u2013 in response to these deaths.\"  \r\n \u00a0\r\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.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/us-helsinki-commission-chair-welcomes-additions-to-magnitsky-list", "U.S. Helsinki Commission Chair Welcomes Additions to Magnitsky List", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "Benjamin Cardin", "C000141", "www.cardin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 30, 2014\n\t\t\t U.S. Helsinki Commission Chair Welcomes Additions to Magnitsky List \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTONFollowing Monday's addition of four Russian individuals to the Magnitsky List by the Obama Administration, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, issued the following statement:\r\n\r\nI welcome the announcement made by the Obama Administration that it has added four additional individuals to the visa ban and asset freeze lists mandated under the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act. I applaud the work of the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury to continue to focus attention on Russian government officials implicated in the death of Sergei Magnitsky and to demonstrate America's willingness to penalize human right violators when their own country refuses to act.\r\n\r\n\"These sanctions are not sanctions against Russia, but against individuals who have committed serious human rights violations against Russians. The American people will continue to support Russians like Sergei Magnitsky who speak out about injustice and seek redress.\r\n\r\nWhile I am pleased that additional names have been added to the Magnitsky List, there remain a significant number of Russians  both government officials and private individuals  against whom evidence exists of their involvement in the conspiracy and cover-up of Magnitsky's death in 2009, but who have yet to be added to the visa ban and asset freeze lists. I strongly encourage the Administration to continue its examination of the information available with regard to these individuals and add them to the List. The Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act must continue to be used to demonstrate to the world that the voices of those who seek justice and who speak out about human rights violations are heard and valued by the United States of America.\r\n   ###\r\n\r\nThe Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent agency of the Federal Government charged with monitoring compliance with the Helsinki Accords and advancing comprehensive security through promotion of human rights, democracy, and economic, environmental and military cooperation in 57 countries. The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.\r\n\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\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 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"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/123014", "News December 30", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 30\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 30, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSanders: Trade Deal is a \u2018Disaster\u2019 Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Monday that he opposes a major trade deal that he says will lead to fewer jobs in the United States. He said the White House hopes to rush a treaty for a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership through Congress next year. Sanders said treaties like this force American workers to compete against low-wage labor around the world leading to massive U.S. job losses, WFFF-TV and WVNY-TV reported. VIDEO, VIDEO\u00a0\r\nA Progressive Vision\u00a0\u201cThe great moral, economic and political issue of our time is the growing level of income and wealth inequality in our nation,\u201d Sen. Sanders wrote in a column for\u00a0The Huffington Post. Sanders called the disparity \u201ca disgrace to everything this country is supposed to stand for,\u201d MSNBC reported on Tuesday. Sanders said progressives must stay focused on issues of real importance to the American people,\u00a0The Hill\u00a0reported.\u00a0 LINK,\u00a0LINK, VIDEO\r\nRx Prices Escalating prices of some generic drugs are causing raised eyebrows and drained checking accounts. Sen. Sanders, chairman of a Senate health care subcommittee, has been outspoken on the increase in cost of generic drugs, the Herald-Whig in Quincy, Illinois, reported. \"We are talking about the need of the American people to be able to afford the medicine that their doctors prescribe,\" Sanders told the Chicago Tribune. LINK\r\nPhoenix VA A federal administrative law judge upheld the firing of the former Phoenix VA director but rejected charges that she covered up long wait times. The judge concluded that it is \"more likely than not that at least some senior leaders were aware or should have been of nationwide problems getting veterans scheduled for timely appointments.\u201d A Fox News report showed former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki telling Chairman Sanders at a hearing in May that there was not a widespread problem of VA officials \u201ccooking the books.\u201d\r\nWorld\r\nEmbassy in Iran\u00a0President Barack Obama said he wouldn't rule out opening an embassy in Iran if the country can prove it's\u00a0\"actually not interested in developing a nuclear weapon,\"\u00a0CBS News\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nGmail Blocked in China\u00a0Google's Gmail was blocked in\u00a0China\u00a0after months of disruptions to the world's biggest email service. An anti-censorship advocate suggested a government firewall was to blame, Reuters\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nObama Warns GOP of Vetoes in 2015\u00a0Bracing to do business with a Congress run solely by Republicans, President Obama is serving notice he has no qualms about vetoing legislation he dislikes,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0\"I haven't used the veto pen very often since I've been in office,\" Obama said in an NPR interview. \"Now, I suspect, there are going to be some times where I've got to pull that pen out... I'm going to defend gains that we've made in health care. I'm going to defend gains that we've made on environment and clean air and clean water.\"\u00a0LINK\r\nLoan Sharks Prey on Service Members Lenders are exploiting legal loopholes and gouging United States military personnel with pricey financial products, according to a federal consumer watchdog. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said in a report on Monday that laws restricting how much interest firms can charge for payday, auto title and other loans are too narrow. Under the Military Lending Act, lenders are barred from charging U.S. service people more than 36 percent interest for certain short-term loans. But financial firms are effectively skirting the rules by offering longer-term loans to U.S. service people and their families, allowing lenders to hit borrowers with higher rates and heavy fees, CBS News reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nVermont Yankee Ends Operations\u00a0Vermont's only nuclear plant stopped sending power to the New England grid Monday following more than 42 years of producing electricity,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported. LINK\r\nJudge Appointed A Burlington attorney is going to become the newest judge on the Vermont Superior Court. Gov. Peter Shumlin announced the appointment of Nancy Waples on Monday. Waples is currently an attorney with the Burlington law firm of Hoff Curtis where she focuses on criminal defense. She has also served as an assistant United States Attorney in the criminal division.", 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://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/governor-chafee-rhode-island-congressional-delegation-governor-elect-raimondo-make", "Governor Chafee, the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, Governor-Elect Raimondo Make an International Business Announcement", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, joined by U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen James Langevin and David Cicilline, Governor-Elect Gina M. Raimondo, and private and public partners, announced today that five international companies are looking to establish a presence in Rhode Island.\nThis announcement is the result of a relationship Governor Chafee built with international partners in Europe during the governor\u2019s trade mission to Italy and Ireland this past April.\n\u201cI am pleased that my proactive efforts beyond our borders have resulted in economic opportunities for Rhode Islanders,\u201d Governor Chafee said. \u201cI learned during the trade mission to Europe that companies are eager to expand their operations to our state. We need to continue our work to strengthen our role in global economic discussions and entice businesses from around the world to set up shop in our cities and towns.\u201d\n\u201cThis is another positive sign for the state\u2019s economy and a reminder that we must continue to make smart investments in job training for our workforce and infrastructure upgrades like T.F. Green Airport and Quonset Point. I will continue working at the federal level to help local companies grow and attract foreign investment to Rhode Island,\u201d said U.S. Senator Jack Reed.\n\u201cI\u2019m very pleased to welcome these companies to the Ocean State,\u201d said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. \u201cThey will find world-class research universities, a long tradition of manufacturing and industrial design, arts and culture, a beautiful landscape, and a high quality of life for employees. I congratulate the leadership of our international partners on this investment, and Governor Chafee, Marcel Valois, and the team at Commerce RI for all their hard work in forging bonds that will serve the state well.\u201d\n\u201cThis is an exciting opportunity to grow the Rhode Island economy, create jobs, and continue to improve our state\u2019s reputation as a world-class destination in which to work, live, and do business,\u201d said Congressman Jim Langevin. \u201cI extend my warmest welcome to these companies relocating to Rhode Island and offer my support to all businesses looking to open up shop or grow in the Ocean State. I am encouraged by this news and believe we can build upon this momentum to attract more international partners to Rhode Island.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s workers, ports, highways and other assets make it an attractive gateway for international businesses to enter the U.S. market, and I\u2019m excited to join with partners in both the public and private sectors to promote economic development opportunities that will boost Rhode Island\u2019s economy,\u201d said Congressman David Cicilline, who is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which oversees U.S. international economic and trade policy. \u201cThe Ocean State has great potential to capitalize on the expanding global economy, and I want to congratulate Governor Chafee for his efforts to build partnerships with companies outside the United States and look forward to working with Governor-Elect Raimondo to strengthen these relationships in the years to come.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to welcome these new businesses to Rhode Island,\u201d said Governor-Elect Gina M. Raimondo. \u201cI appreciate the work of Governor Chafee and Commerce RI to make this day happen, and I look forward to showing many more international businesses why Rhode Island is the right place to establish themselves as they enter the U.S market.\u201d\n\u201cI am beyond pleased to learn that these companies will be opening offices in Rhode Island,\u201d said Commerce RI Executive Director Marcel A. Valois. \u201cThis is an indication of Rhode Island\u2019s assets to help businesses, both domestic and international, grow and succeed.\u201d\n\u201cGTECH is pleased to welcome these companies to the state where we were founded and have chosen to make our global headquarters for more than 30 years,\u201d said GTECH Chairman Donald Sweitzer. \u201cI accompanied Governor Chafee on his trade mission to describe to these and other companies the advantages of locating in Rhode Island.\u201d\nThree of the five companies are headquartered in Italy. Euranet, out of Milan, is a global supply chain specialist for compliance, quality and security, with high-end clients including Gucci and Ferrari. After a visit to Rhode Island in September, the company plans to set up an office here.\nBased in Venice, Galivm is a successful, popular and fast-growing Italian restaurant franchise with four restaurants over the past two years in the Veneto Region. Locations are opening across Europe, and the company intends to set up its first North American restaurant in Rhode Island. Governor Chafee dined at Galivm during his trade mission to Italy.\nREIOS is a design consulting firm for efficient lighting systems in Novara. The company has installed LED street lights in dozens of European cities and airports. REIOS has plans to set up an LED manufacturing facility in Rhode Island with manufacturing and sales jobs.\nHeadquartered in County Mayo, Ireland, Monaghan Brothers is a leading, high-quality furniture maker specializing in the hospitality, corporate and university markets. Monaghan aims to set up a showroom and marketing office with a small team of salespeople, eventually recreating its Irish production facility, in Rhode Island. Governor Chafee visited Monaghan during his trade mission in Ireland.\nSCORE, out of Cambridge, England, is an encryption technology company that secures transmission of data, making it impenetrable to hackers, while greatly accelerating download speeds for all networks and systems. SCORE is launching an Apple app this month and has been working with the U.S. Department of Defense this past year in a national lab. A Rhode Island office would be staffed with salespeople, programmers and executives.", 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://delauro.house.gov/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=1784:delauro-applauds-over-11-million-in-additional-sandy-funds-for-3rd-congressional-districtcatid=2:press-releasesItemid=21", "DeLauro Applauds Over $11 Million in Additional Sandy Funds for 3rd Congressional District", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Rosa DeLauro", "D000216", "delauro.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released the following statement in response to the Senate passing the Republicans\u2019 bill cutting taxes for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations while raising taxes on middle class families.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://esty.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-elizabeth-esty-releases-her-annual-end-of-year-report", "Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty Releases Her Annual End-of-Year Report", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Elizabeth Esty", "E000293", "esty.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty\u2019s (CT-05) bipartisan Women in Aerospace Education Act (H.R. 4254) passed the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee by voice vote this morning. The bill would encourage universities applying for Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grants, which are designed to cover the cost of STEM-degree seeking students who intend to teach in rural and lower income school districts, to incorporate aerospace programs at the National Laboratories and NASA Centers into their teacher training experience. Esty, along with Rep. Steve Knight (CA-25), introduced the legislation to encourage more women to participate in the STEM fields.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-statement-on-end-of-us-combat-mission-in-afghanistan", "Kuster Statement on End of U.S. Combat Mission in Afghanistan", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC\u00a0\u2013 Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) released the following statement regarding the announced conclusion of the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan:\n\u201cFor more than 13 years, American men and women have served bravely in Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban and to help bring peace, security, and liberty to the Afghan people.\u00a0 Today, the time has come to responsibly bring Operation Enduring Freedom to a close.\u201d\n\u201cWe must always honor the service members, veterans, and military families who sacrificed so much to make the world a safer place for their fellow Americans, our Afghan allies, and people across the globe.\u00a0 And we must never forget the more than 2,000 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the cause of freedom.\u00a0 As men and women in uniform continue to come home, we must redouble our efforts to serve these returning heroes as they served us, and ensure they receive the benefits and respect they have earned as they transition to peaceful and productive civilian lives.\u201d\u00a0\n###", 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 & 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://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/2015-predictions-2014-review-norton-is-prepared-to-talk-about-with-press", "2015 Predictions, 2014 Review Norton is Prepared to Talk About with Press", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has issued a release containing a set of predictions about the upcoming 114th Congress along with a discussion of what happened during the 113th, and is prepared to talk about any of them that might be of interest to you.\u00a0 For example, she is not as concerned about the Republican House and Senate as many residents are. Norton has spent all but 8 of her 25 years in the House with Republicans in charge and often a Republican president too, but has gotten major D.C. bills enacted (e.g., DCTAG, and the $5,000 homebuyer tax credit).\u00a0 However, she predicts rough times ahead and is wary of appropriation riders, as usual, but believes Republicans, especially Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), has urgent priorities of their own to get done before the 2016 election and are not looking for distractions with big fights over District matters--and fights they would get.\nBelow are some highlights:\n expects significant relaxation of sequester for domestic and defense funds\n\tchairmen of the two D.C. committees have already publicly come out for home rule, and she does not believe home rule is in danger.\u00a0 She hosted a good meeting in her office with Chairmen Chaffetz and Mayor-elect Bowser\n\thow she expects to keep statehood alive in a Republican Congress that opposes it after the Senate hearing on statehood\n\twhy D.C. marijuana reform is not dead, apart from the loophole\n\thow she was able to defeat an amendment to eliminate D.C.\u2019s gun laws, but guns are always a target\n\talmost got budget autonomy done, but she does expect to be able to keep budget autonomy referendum from being overturned in Congress\n\texpects to keep D.C. from being shut down, maybe even permanently\n\tsurface transportation bill is due out next year, and as top Democrat on subcommittee, she will play the lead role in one of the largest funding authorizations next year (funds Metro, roads, bridges, etc.)\n\tbelieves all her economic development projects are safe and will continue, including the Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Ward 8.\n View her full release on these and other 2013-14 issues here. Norton\u2019s new Communication Director will not begin until first of the year. Please direct all inquiries to her new chief of staff, Raven Reeder.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/norton-calls-on-house-republicans-for-delegate-vote-in-114th-congress", "Norton Calls on House Republicans for Delegate Vote in 114th Congress", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Before the 114th Congress convenes, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has begun the fight to restore an equal citizenship right District of Columbia residents once had, but was taken away by House Republicans on the first day of the 112th Congress.\u00a0 Norton will be joined by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Kerwin Miller, a D.C. veteran and former director of Veterans Affairs for the city, at a press conference on\u00a0Monday, January 5, at\u00a010:30 a.m., in\u00a0Cannon 421 to call on House Republicans to restore the District\u2019s vote on the House floor in the Committee of the Whole in the rules of the 114th Congress.\u00a0\nWHO: \n-Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton\n-D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser\n-Kerwin Miller, D.C. Veteran\n\u00a0\nWHEN: Monday, January 5, 2015, 10:30 a.m.\nWHERE: Cannon 421\nBACKGROUND:\nThe Committee of the Whole vote allows the Delegate representing the District to vote on amendments on the House floor.\u00a0 Although a revote would occur if such a vote were decisive, that almost never occurs.\nThe Congresswoman had first secured D.C. a vote in the Committee of the Whole during the 103rd Congress, when Democrats were in the majority.\u00a0 Norton, shortly after becoming a Member of the House, proposed the Committee of the Whole vote in a legal memorandum to House Democratic leaders, who, after vetting it with outside counsel, agreed that the vote was constitutional.\u00a0\u00a0 A federal district court and a federal appeals court upheld its constitutionality after Republicans challenged it in court.\u00a0 When House Republicans regained the majority in the 104th Congress, however, they eliminated D.C.\u2019s vote in the Committee of the Whole.\u00a0 In the 110th Congress, Democrats regained control of the House and restored the vote.\u00a0 On the first day as the new majority, House Republicans adopted rules for the 112th Congress that stripped D.C. residents of their vote on the House floor in the Committee of the Whole.\nEarlier this month, Norton sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX) requesting that the House rules for the 114th Congress permit the District of Columbia delegate to vote on the House floor in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.\u00a0\nIn September, Norton testified at a Senate committee hearing on her bill to make D.C. the 51st state, a bill which has a record number of House and Senate cosponsors.\u00a0 The hearing was the first congressional hearing on D.C. statehood in more than 20 years.\u00a0 Two days later, she testified at the House Rules Committee to try to retrieve the vote in the Committee of the Whole, a vote she won shortly after being elected to Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/norton-set-records-in-113th-congress-undaunted-by-new-republican-0", "Norton Set Records in 113th Congress, Undaunted by New Republican Congress, Makes Predictions for 2015", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Norton Defies Unproductive Congress with Bills Enacted, Statehood Breakthroughs; Checkmated Anti-Home-Rule Riders; Perfect Score on Judges Confirmed; More Economic Development Projects; and D.C. Funding Despite Budget Cuts\nIntroduction: Unafraid of the Coming Republican Congress\nNext year marks 25 years since Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) was elected to Congress.\u00a0 She has spent only eight of those years in a House controlled by Democrats.\u00a0 Yet during those years she has found ways to work closely not only with fellow Democrats, but with Republicans, such as former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR) Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA), winning major legislation for the District with Republicans in charge and often in the White House as well.\u00a0 Among the most notable has been the D.C.\u00a0 Tuition Assistance Grant program (DCTAG), the $5,000 homebuyer tax credit and business tax incentives, and major economic development projects that are transforming the entire Southeast and Southwest Waterfront neighborhoods, NoMa, Ward 8 communities with the Department of Homeland Security headquarters, and Upper Northwest with the former Walter Reed site.\nThus, the Congresswoman is not fearful of the coming 114th Congress, where Republicans will control both chambers.\u00a0 She has seen worse.\u00a0 Norton does not underestimate the unprecedented far-right posture of today\u2019s Republicans.\u00a0 She is prepared for more attempts to undermine D.C. home rule, by bills and appropriations riders.\u00a0 However, by refusing to prejudge how Members will respond to D.C. matters, she has found allies who have helped her pass D.C. bills and on other D.C. matters, even as Norton has opposed them on national issues.\u00a0 The Congresswoman is particularly pleased that both incoming chairmen with D.C. jurisdiction \u2013 Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) \u2013 have already publically supported home rule, and Norton and Chaffetz have had a meeting with Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser.\nOur history of fighting back has not been in vain.\u00a0 Members of Congress have long been on notice that Norton and D.C. are prepared to fight to protect home rule not only on the House floor, in the Senate, and in the streets of Washington, but also in their districts and states.\u00a0 Norton has used various forms of communication to inform the constituents of Members who spend their time not working for them, but meddling in D.C.\u2019s local affairs.\nThe way for D.C. to begin the 114th Congress is to assume the best and be prepared to fight the worst.\u00a0 There is nothing to fear now.\u00a0 There is much work to do to\u00a0\u00a0 increase respect for the rights of D.C. residents as full and equal American citizens.\u00a0\n Getting Bills Enacted into Law Despite Historically Unproductive Congress \n   #1 for most bills enacted by House Democrats \nTied for #2 in most bills enacted by Democratic House and Senate Members\nTied for #3 in bills enacted by House Republicans and Democrats\nTied for #4 in most bills enacted in House and Senate\nMembers of the Congress rarely, if ever, have their own bills enacted into law.\u00a0 However, Norton was a leader in authored legislation for the 113th Congress and had three of her 67 bills enacted into law.\u00a0 In the 112th Congress, Norton was also a leader, with 54 bills introduced and two enacted.\u00a0\nBesides traditional bills affecting the nation, Norton particularly looked for opportunities to strengthen the District.\u00a0 Her legislation proved vital to the District.\u00a0 Her two Chief Financial Officer (CFO) bills were indispensable to preventing serious disruptions in District operations \u2013 allowing the District to appoint an interim CFO if the CFO resigns, as Natwar Gandhi did, dies, or is otherwise unable to perform the duties of the office, and allowing the District to increase the CFO\u2019s salary, necessary because of the difficulty the District had recruiting candidates with a salary many years out of date.\u00a0 Norton also got her bill enacted to reauthorize the U.S. Parole Commission (USPC) introduced by members of the House Judiciary Committee, the committee of jurisdiction, and negotiated its five-year reauthorization, the longest reauthorization period yet. The bill is a matter of great importance to the District because the USPC has jurisdiction over D.C. Code felons.\u00a0 Norton legislation enacted named the U.S. Coast Guard headquarters, in Ward 8, for the Coast Guard\u2019s only Medal of Honor recipient, as it opened in 2013, to house 3,700 Coast Guard civilian and military employees.\u00a0\nNorton Cosponsored 795 bills in the 113th Congress, the Second Most of Any Member of the House\nNorton also introduced promising national legislation.\u00a0 Among them were bills to collect data on sexual assaults on airplanes to assist law enforcement, which she expects to move next year; to strip the National Football League of its tax-exempt status as long as it promotes the Washington football team name (also introduced in the Senate); to require employers seeking federal contracts to demonstrate compliance with workplace protection laws (ROSIE Act); and to ensure due process for federal employees.\n\u00a0\u00a0\n Making History: Unprecedented Momentum for D.C. Statehood\n The Congresswoman\u2019s first bill in the 114th Congress will be the New Columbia Admission Act, to make D.C. the 51st State.\u00a0 Norton set important statehood records in the 113th Congress, setting the stage for the growth of a newly invigorated statehood movement.\u00a0 She got the first-ever Senate hearing on statehood and the first congressional hearing on statehood in more than 20 years, putting D.C. statehood squarely on the congressional agenda.\u00a0 She also set the record for House and Senate cosponsors of the bill, with 112 in the House and 21 in the Senate, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who rarely cosponsors bills, as well as the three other top Senate Democratic leaders.\u00a0 Norton also got President Obama to endorse D.C. statehood before the statehood hearing, and later Attorney General Eric Holder, as well.\u00a0 Norton also got D.C.\u2019s first-ever statue, depicting Frederick Douglass, moved into the Capitol, giving D.C. the same recognition as the states.\u00a0 At the statue unveiling, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced he would cosponsor Norton\u2019s D.C. statehood bill, even though Majority Leaders rarely cosponsor bills.\u00a0 A few weeks after the hearing, Norton gave keynote remarks at a D.C. Statehood Strategy Summit, the first statehood gathering since the hearing.\nShe will focus in the next Congress on using the statehood bill and hearing to help grow a stronger statehood presence in D.C. and help develop a nationwide strategy to take her statehood bill to the next\u00a0 in Congress.\nWhat did the press say about D.C. statehood? WaPo Editorial Board, 9/12/14: \u201cIn truth, law makers need look no further than the title of the hearing \u2013 \u201cEquality for the District of Columbia\u201d \u2013 to understand\u2026That 650,000 people who live in the nation\u2019s capital are denied their full rights as U.S. citizens\u2026a travesty that cannot be condoned and should not be continued.\u201d\nWaPo Editorial Board, 9/18/14: \u201cWe have not abandoned our support for change, nor our regard for how Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and other advocates have championed the cause unflaggingly.\u201d\u00a0\n\u00a0\n Norton Moves D.C. Closer to Free and Equal \n President and Senate Sign-On for Budget and Legislative Autonomy\nWhile the statehood hearing made statehood a live issue in Congress, Norton also got traction on key elements of statehood.\u00a0 At Norton\u2019s request, the President\u2019s FY 15 budget and the Senate\u2019s FY 15 D.C. Appropriations bill granted the District budget and legislative autonomy, the first-ever budget and appropriations bill to grant both.\u00a0 Norton also got budget and legislative autonomy introduced in the Senate as stand-alone bills; the first-ever Senate legislative autonomy bill.\nThis Congress, she found seemingly unlikely Republican allies for budget autonomy, including Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Oversight and Government Reform (OGR) Committee Chairman Darrel Issa (R-CA), who both first endorsed budget autonomy last Congress.\u00a0\nNorton predicts respect for home rule from the new chairs with D.C. jurisdiction, and they have said as much already. She has already spoken with the new House chair and written the Senate committee chair, who she expects to meet with early next year.\u00a0 (See introduction)\nExempting D.C. from Shutdowns \nFor the first time, Norton got D.C. exempted from shutdowns for an entire fiscal year (2015).\u00a0 Norton also got the FY15 Senate D.C. Appropriations bill to permanently exempt D.C. from shutdowns, but the final FY 2015 omnibus spending bill (Omnibus), signed by President Obama, exempts D.C. from shutdowns in FY16. \u00a0Having gotten an agreement on shutdowns in both chambers, she will seek permanent shutdown legislation in 2015.\nBudget Autonomy Referendum Saved\nNorton also kept D.C.\u2019s budget autonomy referendum from being overturned in Congress.\u00a0 She got House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) to refrain from joining a House brief calling the referendum illegal in a lawsuit against the referendum. A federal district court struck down the referendum, but an appeal is pending, and Congress has taken no action.\u00a0\nWhat did the press say about D.C.\u2019s autonomy?  \n\tWaPo, Editorial Board, 4/16/14: \u201c[T]he District should have the ability enjoyed by every other local jurisdiction to spend its locally raised tax  \n\tdollars without approval or interference from Capitol Hill.\u201d\n  IV. Defeating Anti-Home-Rule Riders\nThe Future of Marijuana Reform\nHouse Republicans attached new D.C. riders -- marijuana and guns -- to their D.C. Appropriations bill, and President Obama\u2019s Statement of Administration Policy on the bill said the administration \u201cstrongly opposes\u201d the marijuana rider as a violation of the \u201cprinciple of States\u2019 rights and of District home rule.\u201d (The gun rider was added to the bill after the President\u2019s statement, and Norton kept the rider out of the Omnibus.) She was able to get bipartisan Members of the House to hold a press conference with her in support of D.C.\u2019s right to decriminalize or legalize marijuana, through Initiative 71 (Initiative), supported by 70 percent of the voters.\u00a0 Although a version marijuana rider was included in the Omnibus, which the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee said blocked legalization, Norton found a flaw in the rider\u2019s language.\u00a0 The House\u2019s original version had been changed from D.C. may not \u201cenact or carry out any law rule or regulation\u201d to legalize marijuana to D.C. cannot \u201cenact any law, rule, or regulation.\u201d in the Omnibus.\u00a0  However, the Initiative has already been enacted and requires no additional enactments to implement it.\u00a0 Norton\u2019s interpretation that the Omnibus does not prohibit D.C. from implementing the Initiative was later supported by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY), and D.C. Subcommittee Ranking Member Jose Serrano (D-NY). \nNorton predicts that non-partisan authorities will confirm her interpretation.\u00a0 If Norton\u2019s interpretation is correct Republicans will be forced to try to block the Initiative on their watch and encounter states that have implemented some form of marijuana reform \u2013 23 states have legalized medical marijuana, 18 states have decriminalized marijuana and four states have marijuana legalizations laws.\nDefending D.C.\u2019s Gun Safety Laws\nNorton was successful in keeping the House-passed D.C. gun rider \u2013 the most dangerous of the two new House riders \u2013 out of the Omnibus.\u00a0 Representative Thomas Massie\u2019s (R-KY) gun rider would have made blocked D.C. from enforcing local gun laws, including its ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines.\u00a0\nFor the third-straight year, Norton also got Representative Phil Gingrey\u2019s (R-GA) House-passed anti-home-rule gun resolution removed from the final National Defense Authorization Act.\u00a0 The Gingrey amendment, passed as an amendment to the House version of the bill, expressed the sense of Congress that active duty military personnel in their private capacity should be exempt from the gun safety laws of the District of Columbia, but not elsewhere.\u00a0 Although a resolution does not have the force of law, Norton wanted to defeat all anti-home-rule gun bills while Democrats were in power to assist her.\nNorton is preparing for anti-home-rule gun bills that could come in the 114th Congress.\n  What did the press say about D.C.\u2019s marijuana laws? New York Times, Editorial Board, 10/6/14: \u201cDecades of arresting people for buying, selling, and using marijuana have hurt more than helped society, and minority communities have been disproportionately affected by the harsh criminal penalties of prohibition.\u201d\nWhat did the press say about House passage of anti-home-rule marijuana and gun laws?\nKentucky\u2019s Courier-Journal, Editorial Board, 7/24/14: \u201c\u2026Ms. Norton could only complain about the gun measure but not vote against it. That sounds like taxation without representation, something anyone who purports to love liberty ought to oppose.\u201d\nWaPo, Editorial Board, 7/20/14: \u201cHouse Republicans who profess an allegiance to local democracy outdid themselves in the hypocrisy department last week as they trampled on the District\u2019s right to home rule. Not content with measures that restrict the District from using its locally raised tax dollars for abortions for low-income women, the Republican-controlled House also voted to roll back the city\u2019s decriminalization of marijuana and gut city gun laws.\u201d\u00a0\nV. Building a Bustling D.C. Economy: Norton\u2019s Bills Generate Economic Growth\nNorton was elected ranking member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, the most important Transportation and Infrastructure Committee subcommittee.\u00a0 It has the largest authorized funds among the subcommittees.\u00a0 This position puts her in good standing to increase D.C.\u2019s economic development and project funding.\nAgainst the Odds, DHS Constructions Keeps Growing\nDespite budget cuts that have slowed construction, Norton has kept getting funds to build the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters complex in Ward 8.\u00a0 For FY 2014, Norton got an additional $144 million for operations and for rehabilitation of the main Center Building, to house the office of the Secretary and his 700 top employees.\u00a0 Construction contractors were recently selected.\u00a0 Norton also got $188 million included in the omnibus for FY 15.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nNorton predicts that DHS will be completed by 2026.\nCoast Guard Headquarters\nThe U.S. Coast Guard headquarters, which was named by Norton\u2019s bill, marked the first federal building east of the Anacostia River.\u00a0 It opened in 2013.\nSouthwest Waterfront Construction Begins\nThe Southwest Waterfront redevelopment, known as \u201cThe Wharf,\u201d broke ground in 2014, after Norton got her bill through two House committees and worked with Republican leadership to get it enacted, in 2012.\u00a0\nIn 2015, D.C. will see the first elements of the project \u2013 a new pier extending 450 feet into the Washington Channel. \u00a0 The enormous two-phase Wharf project will create thousands of permanent jobs for D.C. residents, generate $47 million in tax revenue every year, and create new waterfront housing, shops, parks and docks, all revitalizing the city\u2019s Southwest quadrant.\u00a0 The developers have announced a public square, complete with picnic benches and green spaces, at the Wharf to be named \u201cEleanor Holmes Norton Plaza.\u201d\n\u00a0A New Hotel Takes Shapes from the Old Post Office Building\nNorton broke ground on the Old Post Office Building redevelopment, a result of her 2008 law.\u00a0 The redevelopment effort will turn the 114-year-old building into D.C.\u2019s first luxury hotel, bringing 700 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs.\u00a0 The project will yield $100 million in tax revenue over ten years for the city.\u00a0 Norton is working with the General Services Administration and the developer on a 2015 plan for hiring D.C. residents.\nThe Yards Becomes a New Neighborhood\nThe Southeast Waterfront redevelopment, known as \u201cThe Yards,\u201d continues at a rapid pace, due to a 2000 Norton law that authorized private redevelopment of federal land for the first time.\u00a0 When fully developed, the site, which was an eye sore of dilapidated Navy Yard structures, will generate billions in revenue for the city.\u00a0 Nineteen restaurants and 15 retail shops opened in 2013 and seven restaurants and seven retail shops opened in 2014, including a Harris Teeter grocery store.\u00a0 Six more developments are planned for 2015.\nFirst Segment of Walter Reed Transferred to D.C.\nThis year, Norton got the first federal property at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) transferred to the District.\u00a0 Building 18 will be the home of a new fire and emergency station Ward 4 has long needed to reduce response times for the northernmost section of the District, enhancing public safety.\u00a0 Once D.C. receives its entire portion of WRAMC, this historic property will transform upper Georgia Avenue with mixed-use development, including housing and the neighborhood\u2019s first extensive commercial amenities.\u00a0 Norton earlier got an increase in acres available for negotiation by the D.C. government and, this year, she ensured in the NDAA that 67 of the 110-acre site will be occupied by the District.\u00a0 Earlier this year, the State Department tried to get 13 acres of D.C. land in exchange for land Children\u2019s National Medical Center wanted because it contains a state-of-the-art laboratory.\u00a0 Norton saved the full portion of D.C.\u2019s land and ensured that an entity like Children\u2019s will get the 13-acre state-of-the-art laboratory.\nWorld War I Memorial\nNorton laid to rest any possible future nationalization of D.C.\u2019s War Memorial with compromise language she negotiated in the NDAA that formally re-designates Pershing Park, a federal park, as a national World War I Memorial, and preserves D.C.\u2019s War Memorial for D.C. veterans only.\u00a0\n  VI. Despite Sequestration and Partisan Gridlock, Norton Funds D.C.\u2019s Priorities\nConsidering that Democrats lost the Senate in the November elections, Norton fought especially hard to get as much funding as possible for D.C. in appropriations legislation.\u00a0\n\u00a0Helps Ensure D.C.\u2019s Transportation Funding \nAs ranking member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, which writes the largest House transportation funding bill, Norton\u2019s leadership helped D.C. and the region get the full $150 million installment for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in the Omnibus.\u00a0 This is the sixth installment for WMATA\u2019s 10-year, $1.5 billion authorization for capital improvements included in the 2008 Rail Safety Improvement Act, which Norton helped champion as a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.\nNorton expects to increase D.C.\u2019s funding for roads, bridges, WMATA, and buses in the surface transportation reauthorization bill due in 2015.\nDCTAG Remains Funded\nWhen appropriators told Norton that DCTAG was at risk after the D.C. Council passed a college scholarship program, she moved to shore up DCTAG.\u00a0 She began by writing to President Obama and got a $10 million in increased funding in his FY 15 budget, bringing DCTAG to $40 million.\u00a0 She then urged appropriators to fully fund DCTAG and got $30 million in the Omnibus, \u2013 no decrease from the year before.\u00a0 However, Norton is already gearing up for another fight next year to ensure DCTAG is funded, given the new Republican majority in the Senate, where Democrats have been her best partners.\nAnacostia River Priority\nNorton\u2019s work on Anacostia River cleanup is dependent, in part, on funding for D.C. Water\u2019s Clean Rivers program to combat combined sewer overflow.\u00a0 She was the lead sponsor of the Anacostia Watershed Initiative, her bill that was enacted with four regional co-sponsors in 2007, authorizing the Army Corps to develop a comprehensive plan for cleaning up the Anacostia River.\u00a0 This year, she got $14 million for the Clean Rivers program in the Omnibus the same as in the prior year.\u00a0 She will press the federal government, the largest D.C. Water rate-payer, to increase its funding next year, in light of the recent water main break in a major D.C. sewer pipe that caused flooding and Metro closures and delays.\u00a0\nAll Norton\u2019s High-Quality D.C. Judges Confirmed\nIn a win for D.C.\u2019s federal judicial system, all ten of Norton\u2019s recommendations to President Obama for federal district court judges here have been confirmed by the Senate.\u00a0 President Obama, like President Clinton, granted Norton senatorial courtesy to recommend candidates for federal district court judges and other important federal law enforcement officials in the District.\n  VII. Serving Constituents and Keeping D.C. Informed of the Good and Bad from Congress\nNorton found new and expanded ways to reach neighborhoods across the city.\u00a0 This year, she hosted 20 Government-to-Go events at grocery stores, D.C. government locations, such as libraries, and at non-profit organizations, such as senior centers, which brought caseworkers and information on federal matters to residents who cannot come to her District Office.\u00a0 She held two town halls and six roundtables on national and local legislative issues.\u00a0 She participated in eight Norton in Your Neighborhood community events, in conjunction with ANCs and community groups, to discuss congressional issues.\nTours of House Floor, Top Norton Community Events\nNorton led the first six tours of the House floor for D.C. groups ranging from schools to community groups.\u00a0 Norton will offer the tour to local D.C. media and will triple the number of D.C. groups to tour the House floor.\u00a0 To schedule a special tour of the House floor, D.C.\u2019s first statue in Congress, and other significant congressional sites for your group, contact Norton\u2019s office at 202-225-8050 or visit www.Norton.House.Gov.\u00a0\nEvents for D.C.\u2019s Diverse Population \nNorton offered a rich variety of special events for D.C. residents drawn from important D.C. sectors, including a Tax Fair for tax preparation services; a Capitol Hill \u201cAsk Me About D.C. Event\u201d event for Members of the House and Senate and staff showcasing D.C.\u2019s tourist sites; a Job Fair; a Small Business Fair; a Congressional\u00a0 Art Competition for high school students; a Service Academy Night; a Seniors Legislative Day; a National Dance Day; and two Black Men and Boys Commission and Caucus Hearings.\nNorton\u2019s Town Halls, Roundtables, and NIYNs Produce Results  4 Town Halls:\n\u2022National Park Service Town Hall with NPS, National Mall officials, and Smithsonian officials  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0-NPS agreed to consider food trucks on the National Mall \u2022Two CSX Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project Community Events\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -Got increased opportunities for community oversight, questions, and transparency. \u2022Capital Parks East Town Hall with NPS, Shepard Parkway Committee, and Washington Parks and People  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -U.S. Park Police cracked down on crime.\n6 Roundtables:\n\u2022WMATA Roundtable with Top WMATA Officials and Transportation Union Leaders  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0-Roundtable showed most safety steps taken since 2009 crash; testimony helped Norton to get the $150 million WMATA authorization. \u2022DCTAG Roundtable with Residents  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0-Got information that helped Norton get appropriators to give DCTAG $30 million in Omnibus. \u2022Postal Roundtable with D.C. Postmaster General, Postal Union Officials, and Residents  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -Agreed on recommendations to improve local service: quarterly Postmaster meetings with ANCs; an automated phone system for residents who want only routine information, freeing up customer service representatives to handle substantive issues; create the position of D.C. Postal Ombudsman to solve recurring customer service problems; and get State Department assistance in processing passports using postal office personnel. \u2022Union Station Roundtable with NPS, Union Station Officials, and City Officials.  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0-Union Station officials began work that is reducing traffic congestion. \u2022Immigration Roundtable/Hispanic Heritage Month with City and Federal Officials, Latino Community Leaders, and Educators  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0-Panel offered information for families of D.C. residents directly affected by the surge in unaccompanied children from Central America. \u2022Unemployment Insurance Roundtable  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0-Real stories soon to go online in continuing effort to get Congress to pass legislation\u00a0 extending long-term unemployment insurance.\n8 Norton in Your Neighborhood (NIYN):\n\u2022 Parkside Civic Association  \n\t\u2022 Bates Area Civic Association  \n\t\u2022 Pleasant Plains Civic Association  \n\t\u2022 Brookland Civic Association  \n\t\u2022 Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence  \n\t\u2022 Brightwood Park Civic Association  \n\t\u2022 Renaissance Adult Day Health Care Center  \n\t\u2022 ANC4B Community Meeting\nD.C. community and civic organizations, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, and other groups can sponsor a Norton in Your Neighborhood.\u00a0 Visit https://norton.house.gov or call Norton\u2019s district office at (202) 408-9041.", 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"], ["http://visclosky.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/visclosky-announces-2015-town-forums", "Visclosky Announces 2015 Town Forums", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Peter Visclosky", "V000108", "visclosky.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Visclosky Announces 2015 Town Forums\nLocal students to lead the Pledge of Allegiance\nMerrillville, IN- Congressman Visclosky announced today that he will hold 12 Town Forums throughout Indiana\u2019s First Congressional District during the month of January.\u00a0\nVisclosky hosts the Town Forums each year as an avenue to hear directly from constituents and to provide an update on issues facing the region and the country.\n\u201cI host these annual Town Forums so that I may share updates on the previous and forthcoming legislative sessions and, moreover, to hear from the public on the important issues of today,\u201d said Congressman Pete Visclosky.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nAs in previous years, local students will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and introduce Visclosky to their communities.\u00a0 Each student will give a brief introduction speech that will include information on the history and economy of the First Congressional District.\n\u201cSome of Northwest Indiana\u2019s best and brightest will join us during the 2015 Town Forums.\u00a0 I am excited to have their participation throughout the week, and I appreciate their willingness to take an active role in our democratic process.\u201d\nCongressman Visclosky\u2019s 2015 Town Forum Schedule:\nThursday January 15, 2015: \n10:00 a.m. CST-Michigan City: Michigan City-City Hall, 100 East Michigan Boulevard, Michigan City, Indiana 46360\n12:00 p.m. CST-Chesterton: Westchester Public Library, Library Service Center, 100 West Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, Indiana 46304\n2:00 p.m. CST-Valparaiso: Porter County Government Center, County Commissioners\u2019 Chambers, 155 Indiana Avenue, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383\n4:00 p.m. CST-Portage: Portage City Hall, 6070 Central Avenue, Portage, Indiana 46368\n6:00 p.m. CST-Hobart: Hobart Community Center, 111 East Old Ridge Road, Hobart, Indiana 46342\nFriday January 16, 2015:\n10:00 a.m. CST-Crown Point: Crown Point Library, 122 North Main Street, Crown Point, Indiana 46307\n12:00 p.m. CST-Highland: Wicker Park Social Center, 2215 Ridge Road, Highland, Indiana 46322\n2:00 p.m. CST-Hammond: Purdue University Calumet, Student Union Library Building, Room With a View, 2200 169th Street, Hammond, Indiana 46323\n4:00 p.m. CST-East Chicago: East Chicago City Hall, Council Chambers, 4525 Indianapolis Boulevard, East Chicago, Indiana 46312\n6:00 p.m. CST-Gary: Gary YWCA, 150 West 15th Avenue, Gary, Indiana 46407\nSaturday January 17, 2015:\n12:00 p.m. CST-St. John: St. John Town Hall, 10955 West 93rd Avenue, St. John, Indiana 46373\n2:00 p.m. CST-Merrillville: Merrillville Town Hall, 7820 Broadway, Merrillville, Indiana 46410", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-senate-must-reauthorize-lifesaving-bulletproof-vest-grant-program-next-year", "Leahy: Senate Must Reauthorize Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program Next Year", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.29.14\n\t\t\t Leahy: Senate Must Reauthorize Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program Next Year \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\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        \n\t\t\t\t . . . More Than One Million Vests Provided Through The Program\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t MONDAY, December 29, 2014 \u2013 Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) will reintroduce legislation next month to reauthorize the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, a federal grant program that helps state and local law enforcement agencies purchase bulletproof vests for officers working in the field.\u00a0\r\nLeahy, a former prosecutor, coauthored the original law establishing the matching grant program, which has issued more than one million lifesaving vests to state and local law enforcement officers throughout the country since 1999 \u2013 including more than 4000 vests for officers in Vermont. \u00a0Legislation to reauthorize the popular program was blocked in the last Congress, despite having broad bipartisan support. Leahy, the incoming ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, encouraged the incoming Republican majority to work with all Senate Democrats who support this critical, life-saving program.\r\n\u201cMembers of Congress often speak passionately about the need to support the officers who serve and protect the public on the front lines, but we need to match words with action,\u201d Leahy said. \u201cNo action to protect and support law enforcement officers is more tangible and effective than this partnership. It proves and renews its value each time an officer goes on the beat.\u201d\r\nLeahy continued: \u201cNo officer should have to serve without a protective vest.\u00a0I am disappointed that a single Republican blocked the Senate from passing the bill this year, but our work does not stop at the end of the year. I will introduce the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 as soon as the new legislative session begins so that we can work quickly next year to pass this important legislation.\u00a0I hope that Senators from both sides of the aisle will join me in this effort.\u201d\r\nThe Judiciary Committee approved bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program in August 2013. The bill had the support of every Senate Democrat, and Leahy sought to pass the legislation through the full Senate last May. Those efforts were blocked by Senate Republicans. Congress last reauthorized the program in 2008, and its authorization expired in 2012.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-named-most-valuable-house-member-in-the-nations-2014-honor-roll", "Congresswoman Lee Named Most Valuable House Member in The Nation's 2014 Honor Roll", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Barbara Lee", "L000551", "lee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.29.14\n\t\t\t Congresswoman Lee Named Most Valuable House Member in The Nation's 2014 Honor Roll \n\t\t\tOakland, CA  The Nation has named Congresswoman Barbara Lee the Most Valuable House Member calling her a full-spectrum advocate for peace, civil rights, civil liberties and economic justice.\r\n\r\nIt is with a sense of humility that I thank The Nation for the tremendous honor of being named the Most Valuable House Member' in its 2014 Honor Roll, said Congresswoman Lee. From ensuring economic justice and fairness to securing global peace and security, progressives have a lot of work to do in the 114th Congress. I look forward to continuing to work with advocates and my colleagues to promote freedom, equality and fairness.\r\n\r\nThe Nation cites the Congresswoman as keeping her office door open to advocates and championship of causes that others neglect and waging the fights that others fear as key elements to the Congresswoman's ability to advance her progressive legislative agenda.\r\n\r\nOthers honored by The Nation's 2014 Honor Roll include Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Attorney General elect Maura Healey, National Nurses United and others. A full list of honorees can be found here.\r\n\r\n###\r\n\r\nCongresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Whip's Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.\r\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov//news/press/release/gillibrand-statement-on-unilateral-palestinian-efforts-at-un", "Gillibrand Statement on Unilateral Palestinian Efforts at UN", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Kirsten Gillibrand", "G000555", "www.gillibrand.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 29, 2014\n\t\t\t Gillibrand Statement on Unilateral Palestinian Efforts at UN \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement todayafter Palestinian leadership presented its latest proposal in an attempt to achieve statehood through unilateral actions at the United Nations:\r\n\"I am disappointed that the Palestinian leadership continues to try to circumvent a negotiated agreement with Israel. A real and sustainable solution to this conflict can only be achieved through negotiations between the two parties, with the goal of Israel living side-by-side in peace with a future Palestinian state. One-sided attempts to dictate the terms, like this newly proposed UN resolution, will only undermine this effort.The United States has made clear that any agreement must be negotiated directly between the two parties, and the Administration was right to immediately reject this proposal.\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\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\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=475616b6-e73b-4364-81ae-852d6a1137c2", "Heitkamp Statement Ahead of One-Year Anniversary of Train Derailment in Casselton", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today issued the following statement ahead of the one-year anniversary of the derailment of a train carrying crude oil near Casselton, North Dakota on December 30, 2013.\r\nOver the past year, Heitkamp has worked with federal and local agencies to determine what happened at the derailment in Casselton, put in place policies that help prevent future derailments, and equip North Dakota first responders with the training and resources they need to respond such emergencies if they occur.\r\nIn the wake of the train derailment in Casselton, the question on everyones mind was what if? said Heitkamp. What if families had been hurt? What if homes had been damaged? Immediately, I started working with local fire chiefs and officials to get to the bottom of what happened. And I have been pressing our federal agencies for improved rail safety standards to help prevent future train derailments, and pushing on the railroads to make needed investments. We have seen progress on all fronts, but there is still much work to do.\r\nOur emergency responders are often our first line of defense  and they usually do it without pay. Its on all of us to make sure they have the training and resources they need to protect our families and communities. Thats why I fought to secure federal funding for state-of-the-art training for our responders, and its why I wrote my RESPONSE Act, which would see to it that emergency teams continue to get the best possible tools to keep us safe. The most recent derailment near Casselton just last month reignited public focus on ramping up these public safety measures  because even though weve been lucky that both the derailments didnt hurt anyone, we know we cant rely on luck alone. We have come a long way in the past year, but must keep pushing to get our safety standards up to pace, and to make sure our emergency response teams get the training they need. Because we cant let North Dakota families live in fear of what if? They need to know were working from all sides to keep them safe  and thats exactly what Ill continue doing every single day.\r\nSince the derailment in Casselton, Heitkamp has been unwavering in her commitment to understand what happened, to push on all sides to advance improvements for rail safety, and to secure top-notch training for emergency responders. She has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)  including hosting Secretary Anthony Foxx in North Dakota where they spoke about rail safety issues  the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, as well as other federal, state, and local officials, and industry.\r\nHeitkamp has long sought a holistic approach to improving safety on the rails by:\r\nWorking to prevent future train derailments. The National Transportation Safety Board released its Preliminary Report on the Casselton train derailment in January 2013 which showed that 18 of the 20 derailed tank cars were punctured during the derailment of a train in Casselton last December. Heitkamp has continued to stress the need to update standards for tank cars carrying crude oil, increased safety requirements for shipping routes and train speeds, and enhanced track inspection standards for the rail lines carrying crude oil. Earlier this year, Heitkamp called on the Federal Railroad Administration to increase track inspections of the rail lines around Casselton. She also pushed the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety (PHMSA) and industry to share information so the PHSMA could finalize its study on the quality and characteristics of crude, and offer a rule. And she has pressed the railroads to make needed improvements to the tracks. In July, the DOT released new rules specifically responding to issues she called on the agency to address, including updated standards to tank cars carrying crude oil, increased safety requirements for shipping routes, and improved inspection standards for rail lines carrying crude oil. Since then, Heitkamp has continued to press DOT to finalize its railroad tank car safety rule so that is efficient and workable, as quickly as possible.\r\nHeitkamp helped bring together Senators, federal government regulators, and energy and railroad industry leadersfor a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing in April to examine ways to improve rail transportation safety and encourage all sides to work together to make that possible. She also participated in a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing in April where she called for needed investments to keep our railways safe for passengers and communities.\r\nBetter preparing for incidents for when they do occur. Heitkamp has stressed that oil will move on the rails for the foreseeable future, and while we need to do everything possible to prevent incidents, we also need to better prepare in case they do occur. She has continued to bring all sides together to help foster better coordination between rail and oil industries, federal government, and local communities. She has continued to work with Burlington Northern Santa Fe and other railroads.\r\nGiving first responders the training and resources they need to prepare for new hazards. Heitkamp wants to make sure first responders in communities near railroad tracks get quality training and have access to the appropriate resources and effective communications to respond to potential incidents on the rails and make sure North Dakota families and their communities are safe. In June, Heitkamp introduced her RESPONSE Act to better prepare emergency personnel in North Dakota and across the country tasked with responding to potential incidents, such as derailments of trains carrying materials like crude oil. That same month, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $2 million in federal funding, which Heitkamp pushed for, to train first responders for incidents involving hazardous materials transported by rail. In March, Heitkamp brought Casselton Fire Chief Tim McLean to testify at a Senate Committee on Homeland Security hearing she chaired about how to better train our emergency responders for emerging threats and hazards. At the hearing she pressed a top FEMA official to release federal funding for a one-of-a-kind training facility that helps train first responders to handle derailments of trains carrying potentially hazardous materials, like crude oil. Less than a year later, Heitkamp announced $5 million in federal funds were finally provided. Heitkamp continued to fight for funds for rail safety and web-based emergency response training, which were included in this years appropriations bill that Congress passed.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/news-releases?ID=43c4314a-b654-4bb0-aa28-9bca4cf86743", "YEAR IN REVIEW: Despite Widespread Congressional Gridlock, Klobuchar Passes Eight Bipartisan Bills Into Law in 2014", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan bills include measures to expand support services for victims of military sexual assault in the National Guard and Reserves, address propane shortages, fight the spread of invasive carp, improve breast cancer awareness, cut red tape for families who adopt, and boost tourism in Minnesota and across the country \r\n \nKlobuchar: This bipartisan progress should serve as a model for how to tackle challenges in 2015\u00a0\n \r\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Despite widespread congressional gridlock over the past year, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today announced that she passed eight bipartisan bills into law in 2014 and said this progress should serve as a model for how to work together and get things done in the new Congress. The bipartisan bills Klobuchar passed include measures to expand support services for victims of military sexual assault, address propane shortages, fight the spread of invasive carp, improve breast cancer awareness, cut red tape for families who adopt, and boost tourism in Minnesota and across the country.\r\n\u201cDespite the partisanship and gridlock, Democrats and Republicans have managed to come together and pass bills that make progress for Minnesota and the country,\u201d Klobuchar said. \u201cHeading into the new Congress, we need to use these bipartisan successes as models for getting things done so that we can keep moving our country and economy forward.\u201d\r\nBelow is information on Klobuchar\u2019s bills that were signed into law in 2014:\r\nExpanding support services for victims of military sexual assault\r\nKlobuchar partnered with Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Rep. John Kline (R-MN) to pass bipartisan legislation to ensure the National Guard and Reserve\u2019s ability to assist victims of sexual assault. The Army has released a directive expanding important legal services to certain victims of military sexual assault, but the directive fails to cover Guard members who become victims of sexual assault outside of their drill weekend or military duty. The lawmakers\u2019 bipartisan bill ensures survivors of sexual assault receive support services if there is any connection between the crime and their service. The bill also requires the relevant service secretary to provide Special Victims Counsel to the member regardless of when the assault occurred.\r\nAddressing propane shortages\r\nKlobuchar\u2019s legislation with Senator John Thune (R-SD) to better address future propane and heating fuel shortages was signed into law this summer. The Senators\u2019 legislation allows governors greater autonomy when they declare emergencies, eliminating the need for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to declare that a disaster exists beyond the existing 30-day declarations that are available to governors. The legislation also requires the Energy Information Administration to provide early warnings to governors if the inventory of residential heating fuel (propane, natural gas, and home heating oil) falls below the most recent five-year average for more than three consecutive weeks.\r\nFighting the spread of invasive carp\r\nThis spring, Klobuchar\u2019s bipartisan provision to keep invasive carp out of Minnesota\u2019s waterways was signed into law as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA). It will help fight the spread of invasive carp \u2013 also known as Asian carp \u2013 by closing the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock within one year. The bill was led by Senator Klobuchar in the Senate and Representative Keith Ellison in the House, and cosponsored by Senator Al Franken as well as Representatives Erik Paulsen, Tim Walz, and Rick Nolan.\r\nImproving breast cancer awareness\r\nKlobuchar\u2019s legislation with Senator David Vitter (R-LA) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to increase breast cancer awareness among young women across the country passed this month. The bipartisan bill will extend the EARLY Act (Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act), which created an education and outreach campaign administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to highlight the breast cancer risks facing young women and empower young women with the tools they need to fight the disease.\r\nCutting red tape for families who adopt abroad\r\nKlobuchar passed bipartisan legislation she introduced with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) to help families who adopt abroad correct errors to birth certificates. Previously U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would not recognize state court orders to amend a child\u2019s birth date, forcing families to seek a correction from the adoptee\u2019s country of birth or have two official birth dates for their adopted child. The Accuracy for Adoptees Act authorizes USCIS to recognize state court orders and cut red tape for adoptive families.\r\nBoosting tourism to Minnesota and the U.S.\r\nKlobuchar worked with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) to pass bipartisan legislation they introduced to reauthorize Brand USA and help boost international tourism to the United States. The Senators\u2019 legislation reauthorizes Brand USA, a public-private partnership that enhances tourism in Minnesota and across the country by promoting international travel to the United States. In 2013, Brand USA generated 1.1 million additional international visitors who spent an estimated $3.4 billion, strengthening local businesses and stimulating economic growth.\r\nImproving the lives of patients with muscular dystrophy\r\nKlobuchar introduced and passed bipartisan legislation with Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) to help improve the lives of patients with muscular dystrophy. The Senators\u2019 legislation will update and improve current law, the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research & Education (MD CARE) Act, which supports medical research and policies to improve treatments and quality of life for muscular dystrophy patients.\r\nGiving farmers a voice in EPA decisions\r\nThe 2014 Farm Bill included a provision Klobuchar pushed for to give farmers a greater say over regulations affecting agriculture. The provision is similar to legislation Klobuchar introduced to increase agriculture\u2019s presence on the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) Science Advisory Board and creates a new Agriculture standing committee on the Science Advisory Board. The new standing committee will provide scientific advice on decisions that have a major impact on agriculture, as well as provide testimony to congressional committees when needed.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/news-releases?ID=6b596674-a00e-4085-a4b3-e53a308fbf6a", "Klobuchar, Franken Announce Judicial Selection Committee for Vacancy on Federal District Court", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators tap bipartisan group of distinguished Minnesota leaders to lead search\u00a0\n \r\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken announced the formation of a judicial selection committee to assist them in making a recommendation to the President to fill a vacancy on Minnesota\u2019s federal district court that was created by Chief Judge Michael J. Davis\u2019s decision to assume senior status.\u00a0Today Judge Davis sent a letter to President Obama announcing he would retire from regular active service as a United States District Court Judge in August of 2015 and continue to serve as a senior judge.\r\nThe Committee is co-chaired by Thomas Heffelfinger, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota under Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush and current partner at Best & Flanagan, and R. Ann Huntrods, a partner at Briggs and Morgan and former head of that firm\u2019s employment law practice group. Committee members include Edward Toussaint, former Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Distinguished Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Multicultural Affairs at William Mitchell College of Law; Lolita Ulloa, Managing Attorney, Victims Services Division in the Hennepin County Attorney\u2019s Office; Lisa Swenson, Managing Attorney, Third Judicial District Public Defender's Office; Mark Rubin, St. Louis County Attorney; and Yvonne Cheung Ho, former President and CEO of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA).\r\nIn announcing the judicial selection committee, Senator Klobuchar said:\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis distinguished group of Minnesota leaders will help identify a person who will continue Minnesota\u2019s long tradition of quality federal judges.\r\n\u201cFederal judges are appointed for life, which makes it all the more critical that they are fair-minded, conscientious and even-handed.\u00a0 The Committee will be looking for a person of integrity with a first-rate legal mind, a wide breath of professional experience, and a fair judicial temperament.\u00a0\r\n\u201cChief Judge Davis made history as the first African-American to serve as a federal judge in Minnesota and he has served our state well for over 20 years as a federal judge and 10 years before that as a state court judge. We are lucky that we will still have the benefit of his service when he takes senior status. I\u2019m confident that with this committee\u2019s counsel we will find an outstanding Minnesotan who will carry on the fine work that Judge Davis has done for many years.\u201d\r\nSenator Franken said:\r\n\"I\u2019m so pleased that such a credentialed and impressive group of Minnesotans has agreed to help select a\u00a0candidate\u00a0for this position. The job of federal judge is an exceptionally important position that requires someone with a diverse record of experience and an unwavering commitment to fair and just application of the law. I have no doubt that this committee will help us\u00a0choose a\u00a0well-qualified Minnesotan for the post, and I look forward to seeing their recommendations.\"\r\n\"I also need to recognize\u00a0Judge Michael Davis, whose decision to take senior status after some 30 years on the bench is creating this vacancy. Judge Davis deserves an enormous amount of gratitude for his decades of service to Minnesota and to the court. He will no doubt be hard to replace.\"\r\nThose wishing to be considered for the position of Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota should submit a letter of interest and resume by Friday, January 9, 2015 to:\u00a0Co-Chairs Thomas Heffelfinger and R. Ann Huntrods, Judicial Selection Committee, Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar, 1200 Washington Avenue South, Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN 55415.\u00a0Materials may also be e-mailed to the Committee at mndcommittee@gmail.com. References will be requested at a later date during the interview process.\u00a0\r\n\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=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.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/senators-press-army-secretary-on-retirement-benefits", "Senators press Army secretary on retirement benefits", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators press Army secretary on retirement benefits \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Saturday, November 29, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Kristina Wong\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            A bipartisan group of senators is urging the Army to immediately reverse a policy that would force some officers to lose as much as $1,000 per month in retirement benefits.\r\nSen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), along with 13 other senators, urged Army Secretary John McHugh in a letter this week to reverse a policy where officers being asked to retire would do so at their highest enlisted rank if they spent fewer than eight years as an officer.\u00a0\r\nMurray and Isakson say the policy is unfair to those who have been selected for retirement under budget cuts, but are just short of the eight years.\u00a0\r\nThe senators say this would affect a \"significant number of captains and majors who are former non-commissioned officers.\"\r\nThis year, the Army required 19,000 captain and majors to go through early separation boards. Of those, the Army is scheduled to involuntarily cut 1,188 captain and 550 majors, according to the News Tribune.\r\n\r\nThe Army reached a post-9/11 peak of 570,000 troops in 2010, and is scheduled to go down to as few as 420,000 under defense budget cuts by 2019.\u00a0\r\nMurray and Isakson wrote that many of the soldiers who will be affected had answered the Army's call for more officers as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ramped up.\u00a0\r\n\"Many are being retired at enlisted ranks they have not held in years. This is particularly disturbing because had they ignored the Army\u2019s call for officers most would have been promoted at least once more and been eligible to retire at a higher enlisted rank,\" they said.\u00a0\r\n\u201cTo demote these soldiers in retirement is an injustice that devalues their service and will materially disadvantage them and their families for the rest of their lives,\" they added.\u00a0\r\nThe letter was also signed by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Bernard Sanders (D-Vt.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).\u00a0\r\n\"We strongly urge you to take the necessary steps to rectify this situation in order to allow these soldiers to retire at the rank they have earned and appropriately honor their service to our nation,\u201d Murray and Isakson wrote.\u00a0\r\nDefense officials have been urging members of Congress to reverse or relieve the defense cuts imposed by the 2011 Budget Control Act, which doubled planned defense cuts of $500 billion over 10 years.\u00a0\r\nThe cuts were proposed by the White House as way to force lawmakers to agree on tax and spending reform to, but they failed and the cuts kicked in last year.\u00a0\r\nHowever, Defense officials also say military benefits have become too expensive, and exceed those for civilian workers, and need to come down either way.\u00a0\r\nLawmakers have so far been unable to overturn the cuts, with members of both parties opposing lifting the cuts, replacing them with cuts elsewhere, or lifting cuts on other domestic spending too.\u00a0\r\nThe issue of military benefits is highly contentious, and has been holding up the Armed Services Committees' finalization of a 2015 defense bill. House lawmakers oppose an increase of military insurance co-pays and a reduction housing allowances, but senators favor them.\u00a0\r\nLawmakers expect to tackle the issue when a commission on military benefits finishes recommendations in February, and when the Pentagon submits its 2016 budget request in March.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\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\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 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"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122914", "News December 29", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 29\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nState of the Union Mount Anthony Union High School student Alexina Federhen made news when she won Sen. Sanders\u2019 essay contest, earning the school a visit from the independent senator, according to a Bennington Banner review of top news in the past year. LINK\r\nWorld\r\nJet Lost at Sea The head of the Indonesian agency searching for a missing AirAsia jet carrying 162 people said Monday that he believed the aircraft was \u201cat the bottom of the sea,\u201d\u00a0 The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nUnemployment\u00a0 A U.S. economy that suddenly looks healthy\u201450 straight months of job gains, best quarter of growth in 11 years\u2014is falling short in a key area. It isn\u2019t luring back many of the millions who dropped out of the labor market during the down times. Over the past three months, an average of 6.8 percent of those outside the labor force either found a job or began looking for one. That means people are entering the labor force at the lowest pace in records kept since 1990, down from more than 8 percent in 2010. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nBorder Crossings People who cross into the United States by land a have new tool to help them learn where the shortest lines are at some border crossings. Earlier this month U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched its Border Wait Time app. It provides estimated wait times and open lane status at some land ports of entry, The Associated Press reported.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-tpp-trade-deal-a-disaster", "Sanders: TPP Trade Deal a Disaster", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders: TPP Trade Deal a \u2018Disaster\u2019\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tBURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 29 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today he will oppose a major global trade deal that would lead to fewer jobs and lower pay for workers in the United States.\r\nSanders said he would work with organized labor, environmental groups and other opponents of a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership that the White House hopes to rush through Congress in the coming year. He issued a statement citing 10 reasons to oppose the agreement.\r\n\u201cThe Trans-Pacific Partnership is a disastrous trade agreement designed to protect the interests of the largest multi-national corporations at the expense of workers, consumers, the environment and the foundations of American democracy. It will also negatively impact some of the poorest people in the world,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nThe treaty, which is expected to come before Congress in 2015, was written in secret with the help of Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry and major media companies. The American public and members of Congress, however, were locked out of the process.\r\nThe proposed agreement builds on similar ones such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Central America Free Trade Agreement and Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. \u201cThese treaties have forced American workers to compete against desperate and low-wage labor around the world. The result has been massive job losses in the United States and the shutting down of tens of thousands of factories.\r\n\u201cThe TPP is more of the same, but even worse,\u201d Sanders added. \u201cIt is part of a global race to the bottom to boost the profits of large corporations and Wall Street by outsourcing\u00a0 jobs; undercutting worker rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health, food safety and financial laws; and allowing corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIf TPP was such a good deal for America, the administration should have the courage to show the American people exactly what is in this deal, instead of keeping the content a secret,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nTo read the senator\u2019s full statement, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-trade-deal-a-disaster", "Sanders: Trade Deal a 'Disaster'", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders: Trade Deal a 'Disaster'\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\r\nSen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tours a National Museum of American History gift shop that was restocked at his urging with all made-in-America merchandise on June 8, 2011.\r\n\r\nSen. Bernie Sanders said on Monday that he will oppose a major global trade deal that would lead to fewer jobs and lower pay for workers in the United States. Sanders said he would work with organized labor, environmental groups and other opponents of a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership that the White House hopes to rush through Congress in the coming year. He issued a statement citing 10 reasons to oppose the agreement.\r\n\u201cThe Trans-Pacific Partnership is a disastrous trade agreement designed to protect the interests of the largest multi-national corporations at the expense of workers, consumers, the environment and the foundations of American democracy. It will also negatively impact some of the poorest people in the world,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nThe treaty, which is expected to come before Congress in 2015, was written in secret with the help of Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry and major media companies. The American public and members of Congress, however, were locked out of the process.\r\nThe proposed agreement builds on similar ones such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Central America Free Trade Agreement and Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. \u201cThese treaties have forced American workers to compete against desperate and low-wage labor around the world. The result has been massive job losses in the United States and the shutting down of tens of thousands of factories.\r\n\u201cThe TPP is more of the same, but even worse,\u201d Sanders added. \u201cIt is part of a global race to the bottom to boost the profits of large corporations and Wall Street by outsourcing\u00a0 jobs; undercutting worker rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health, food safety and financial laws; and allowing corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIf TPP was such a good deal for America, the administration should have the courage to show the American people exactly what is in this deal, instead of keeping the content a secret,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nTo read the senator\u2019s full statement, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-kicks-off-new-year-with-seven-town-halls", "Wyden Kicks Off New Year With Seven Town Halls", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Will Visit Deschutes, Clackamas, Multnomah, Marion, Washington, Benton and Lane counties\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tPortland, OR \u2013 Continuing his pledge since 1996 to hold a town hall each year in each of Oregon\u2019s counties, Senator Ron Wyden will begin the new year with town halls this week in seven counties.\r\nSenator Wyden starts his 20th year of holding annual town halls in each of Oregon\u2019s 36 counties with his 710th town hall in Deschutes County on Jan.\u00a0 2.\r\n\u00a0He will hold six more town halls through Jan. 5 before traveling to Washington DC later next week for the start of the 114th Congress.\r\n\u201cEven with all the great new ways of communicating with Oregonians on social media, I look forward every year to my traditional way of talking with people in all 36 counties--face-to-face in town halls,\u201d Senator Wyden said. \u201cThose conversations are essential every year and these seven town halls will allow me to talk with folks about my agenda for the year ahead and to hear what\u2019s on their minds.\u201d\r\n\u00a0Senator Wyden\u2019s town hall schedule for Jan. 2-5 is as follows:\r\n\r\n \r\nDESCHUTES COUNTY: Friday, Jan. 2, 10 am, Deschutes County Services Building, Barnes/Sawyer rooms, 1300 NW Wall, Bend\r\nCLACKAMAS COUNTY: Saturday, Jan. 3, 11 am, Camp Withycombe, 15300 SE Minuteman Way, Clackamas\r\nMULTNOMAH COUNTY: Saturday, Jan. 3, 2:30 pm, PCC Southeast Campus, Mt. Tabor Hall, 2305 SE 82nd and Division, Portland (Free parking available in the PCC lot off 82ndAve. No permit required.)\r\n \r\n \r\nMARION COUNTY: Sunday, Jan. 4, 1 pm, Marion County Courthouse, 555 Court St. NE, Salem\r\nWASHINGTON COUNTY: Sunday, Jan. 4, 4 pm, Beaverton City Library \u2013 Main Branch, Auditorium (basement), 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton\r\nBENTON COUNTY: Monday, Jan. 5, 10 am, Philomath High School, 2054 Applegate St, Philomath\r\nLANE COUNTY: Monday, Jan. 5, 2 pm, Sheldon High School, 2455 Willakenzie Rd., Eugene\r\n \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\n\t\t\t\t\tHank Stern, 503-326-7539", 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 & 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 & 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"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/boys-girls-state-teaches-valuable-lessons", "Boys, Girls State teaches valuable lessons", "2014-12-28", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Boys, Girls State teaches valuable lessons \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, November 28, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Bradee Williams\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            This year, nearly 2,000 boys and girls were chosen for Boys State and Girls State, a program for gifted students at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, including 11 students from Smith-Cotton High School.\r\nAlec Wilkin, Blake Allee-Lightfoot, Keelly Jones, Ethan Yazell, Steven Bradbury, Bradley Burton and Derek Patton were chosen to participate in Boys State, while Shelbi Davis, Kendall Ott, Rachel Dement and Sarah Hughes were picked for Girls State, which is hosted a week later. The students are chosen based on their leadership, academics and character. The program, which has been run by the American Legion for 75 years, gives students the opportunity to build and run their own government for a week in the hallways of the UCM campus. The goal at the end of week is to win Model City, honoring whichever city has been deemed the best.\r\nThe students choose classes to attend, select jobs and make laws for their respective cities, learning from first-hand experience how governments are run. They also get the chance to listen to speeches by important Missouri governmental figures, such as Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt. The students, selected by their high school counselors, vote for the leaders of their government chosen out of a pool of previous attendees. These include a governor, a vice chairman, a secretary of state and other members of an official board. The candidates belong to either the Federalist or the Nationalist parties, which are assigned to them before they arrive along with the cities they represent.\r\n\u201cI really understand the importance of everyone\u2019s vote. Every individual has something to say, and sometimes it comes down to what each person thinks,\u201d said senior Steven Bradbury, who was in charge of the state fair and was the athletic director for his city. The athletic director organizes the sports teams\u2019 competitions against the 15 other cities in Boys State. There are five sports to choose from, ranging from basketball to Frisbee, which everyone is required to participate in. Bradbury also acknowledged the hard work he put into making his city is something to be proud of.\r\n\u201cSometimes I would work so hard during the day that I would go to sleep at 2 a.m.,\u201d he said. \u201cThen I would get up early the next morning and start all over again. We all just really wanted to be the best.\u201d\r\nShelbi Davis, a senior at Smith-Cotton, was one of the girls chosen to participate in Girls State. She was assigned to be on highway patrol, securing the \u201chighways\u201d against traffic violators. She said, \u201cI learned to work with different types of people, and that\u2019s something that will benefit me in the future.\u201d Sarah Hughes was in the House of Representatives and had the opportunity to go to the capital in Jefferson City and discuss bills and legislation.\r\nBlake Allee-Lightfoot and Bradley Burton were other senior participants. At Boys State, Allee-Lightfoot ran his own business, Light-Horn Credit Inc., and was appointed county chairman.\r\n\u201cIt was a great experience,\u201d he said, \u201cI was glad to be part of such a great group of people.\u201d\r\nBurton was the capital police chief and the election judge. He said of the program, \u201cIt gives you an outlook on how the real world is and gives you the knowledge you need to succeed for the rest of your life.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\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\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122814", "News December 28", "2014-12-28", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 28\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSunday, December 28, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nWorld\r\nU.S. Ends Combat Mission in Afghanistan U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan are formally ending their combat mission on Sunday, leaving Afghan forces to battle a still-resilient Taliban insurgency largely on their own, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nAs Medicaid Rolls Swell, Cuts Loom Just as millions of people are gaining insurance through Medicaid, the program is poised to make deep cuts in payments to many doctors, prompting some physicians and consumer advocates to warn that the reductions could make it more difficult for Medicaid patients to obtain care. The impact will vary by state, but a study by the Urban Institute estimates that doctors who have been receiving the enhanced payments will see their fees for primary care cut by 43 percent, on average, The New York Times reported.\u00a0\r\nVermont\r\nVermont Yankee Shuting Down Monday marks the end of power generation at Vermont Yankee. Control room operators at the nuclear power plant will insert control rods to bring an end to 42\u00bd years of generation, the Rutland Herald reported. LINK\r\nLeahy Photo Exhibit\u00a0Sen. Patrick Leahy will be in Brattleboro this week for a display of photos he has taken during his 40 years in the Senate. The display at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center will include pictures of American Alan Gross as he was released from prison in Cuba earlier this month. Leahy was part of the team that traveled to Havana to retrieve Gross, AP reported.", 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"], ["https://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/2014/12/27/helsinki-commission-condemns-raid-on-radio-free-europe/radio-liberty-bureau-in-baku", "Helsinki Commission Condemns Raid On Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Bureau In Baku", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "Benjamin Cardin", "C000141", "www.cardin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 27, 2014\n\t\t\t Helsinki Commission Condemns Raid On Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Bureau In Baku \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\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        \n\t\t\t\t Disturbing Trend of Curtailing Free Media in Azerbaijan Continues\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTONFollowing yesterday's raid by authorities in Azerbaijan on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Baku bureau, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, issued the following statement:  The free and independent press in Azerbaijan remains under attack by the very authorities who should be most committed to its protection. Yesterday's raid on RFE/RL's Baku bureau continues the recent and deeply disturbing trend of the government of Azerbaijan to silence dissenting voices within the country, and comes hard on the heels of the recent arrest and pre-trial detention of Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist and contributor to RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service.  Once again, we call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately end their harassment of journalists and to respect the commitments they have made in the past, as a participating State in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.\r\n   ###\r\n\r\n\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\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/helsinki-commission-condemns-raid-on-radio-free-europe/radio-liberty-bureau-in-baku", "Helsinki Commission Condemns Raid On Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Bureau In Baku", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "Benjamin Cardin", "C000141", "www.cardin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 27, 2014\n\t\t\t Helsinki Commission Condemns Raid On Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Bureau In Baku \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\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        \n\t\t\t\t Disturbing Trend of Curtailing Free Media in Azerbaijan Continues\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTONFollowing yesterday's raid by authorities in Azerbaijan on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Baku bureau, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, issued the following statement:  The free and independent press in Azerbaijan remains under attack by the very authorities who should be most committed to its protection. Yesterday's raid on RFE/RL's Baku bureau continues the recent and deeply disturbing trend of the government of Azerbaijan to silence dissenting voices within the country, and comes hard on the heels of the recent arrest and pre-trial detention of Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist and contributor to RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service.  Once again, we call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately end their harassment of journalists and to respect the commitments they have made in the past, as a participating State in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.\r\n   ###\r\n\r\n\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\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/wgans-inside-maine-with-senator-angus-king-and-gwi-ceo-and-founder-fletcher-kittredge-december-2014", "WGAN's Inside Maine with Senator Angus King and GWI CEO and Founder Fletcher Kittredge, December 2014", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content\n\n\t\n\n    \n    \n        \n            \n            \n                \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n                \n                \n                \n                \n                \n                \n                \n            \n             WGAN's Inside Maine with Senator Angus King and GWI CEO and Founder Fletcher Kittredge, December 2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/wgans-inside-maine-with-senator-angus-king-and-senator-cory-booker-december-2014", "WGAN's Inside Maine with Senator Angus King and Senator Cory Booker, December 2014", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content\n\n\t\n\n    \n    \n        \n            \n            \n                \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n                \n                \n                \n                \n                \n                \n                \n            \n             WGAN's Inside Maine with Senator Angus King and Senator Cory Booker, December 2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 56414, "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, 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