{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://adriansmith.house.gov/appropriate-role-government", "The Appropriate Role of Government", "2014-10-30", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The request I hear most often from Third District constituents is to be left alone by the federal government.\u00a0 We understand there is a place for the federal government, but lately its priorities do not match the needs or wants of the American people.\u00a0 To instill trust we must recalculate the appropriate role for government, and focus on the national priorities where government can actually be effective.\nSenator Tom Coburn (R-OK) recently released his annual Wastebook, a compilation of questionable, inappropriate, and sometimes absurd examples of federal spending.\u00a0 Some of the most outrageous examples of government spending have earned national headlines including massages for rabbits, synchronized swimming for sea monkeys, and mountain lions on treadmills.\nWhile each of these programs represents only a small fraction of the U.S. budget, they highlight the enormous size of the federal government and raise serious questions about the appropriate role of government in our lives and economy. \u00a0The power of the executive branch has been expanding for some time; however, under the Obama Administration the size and scope of the federal government has reached new heights.\u00a0\nThe federal bureaucracy is churning out new rules and regulations, many times without the consent of Congress, to govern nearly every aspect of our lives and economy.\u00a0 One recent report estimated the annual cost of compliance with federal regulations at more than $2 trillion per year.\nThe tax code which has not been reformed since 1986 is so complicated and outdated it costs hardworking taxpayers $168 billion annually just to figure out how much they owe.\u00a0 This figure is in addition to the more than $3 trillion Americans paid in federal taxes last year.\nThe sprawling and expanding size and role of the federal government is not only costing taxpayers, it enables mismanagement and abuse.\u00a0 From the botched implementation of Obamacare, to agents at the Internal Revenue Service targeting conservative political groups because of their beliefs, secret waitlists at the Department of Veterans affairs; and an unauthorized gun running operation into Mexico \u2013 federal agencies are out of control.\u00a0\nThese and other failures have left the American people distrustful of their government.\u00a0 It seems like our government cannot do anything right, and perhaps it is because it is attempting to do too much.\u00a0 The government-prescribed solutions to our national challenges often make problems worse not better.\u00a0\nA more limited federal role would be easier to manage and to hold accountable for abuse.\u00a0 A balanced budget amendment would force prioritized spending and stop adding to the debt we will leave to future generations.\u00a0 Commonsense regulatory reforms would ease the burden placed on businesses and families, and prevent future overreach by the executive branch.\u00a0 Tax reform would simplify the code, make compliance easier, and encourage economic growth.\nThese are just a few of the ideas proposed by House Republicans to restore a more appropriate role for the federal government.\u00a0 However, dozens of House-passed reform bills have been blocked in the Democratic-controlled Senate \u2013 many without even a vote.\u00a0 To make government more manageable, to grow our econoy, and ensure freedom we must do better.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["http://adriansmith.house.gov/appropriate-role-government"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3399580493569374, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}