url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=2bd2b1a0-a544-4cd9-abf1-1ec916e0ab6b,COCHRAN & WICKER DEMAND STOP TO OSHA ACTIONS AGAINST SMALL FARMS,2013-12-20,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today demanded that the Obama administration immediately cease regulatory actions against small, family-owned farm operations--punitive actions that fly in the face of a 37-year-old prohibition against such practices. Cochran and Wicker have signed a letter to Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez that pointedly asks that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cease taking regulatory actions against small farms with grain storage bins. Small farms, defined as those employing 10 or fewer workers, have been specifically exempted by Congress from such oversight since 1976. “The way the administration is going about putting OSHA on family-owned farms is unconscionable.  Congress specifically exempts small farming operations from the heavy hand of this bureaucracy.  OSHA must stop this overreach and adhere to the law,” said Cochran, ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “This is yet another example of Washington bureaucrats meddling in the lives of Americans,” Wicker said. “OSHA has no business regulating grain storage bins on family farms, and the agency should put a stop to it immediately.” Using a narrow interpretation of the congressional probation and skewed interpretation of grain bin operations, OSHA has determined that small farming operations are subject to its regulatory reach, oversight and fines.  The agency’s view of grain bin operations as distinctly separate from exempt farm operations has the potential of affecting the more than 300,000 farms in the United States that have on-farm grain storage. “In viewing a farm’s ‘grain bin operation’ as somehow distinct from its farming operation, OSHA is creating an artificial distinction in an apparent effort to circumvent the Congressional prohibition on regulating farms,” the Senators wrote.  “The use of grain bins is an integral part of farming operations.  Without grain bins, farmers must sell corn and soybeans immediately after harvest, when prices are usually low.  Storing grain in bins is thus a fundamental aspect of farming.  Any farm that employs 10 or fewer employees and used grain bins only for storage prior to marketing should be exempt, as required by law, from OSHA regulations.” The letter signed by 43 Senators asks Perez to take three steps: •   Cease all OSHA actions predicated on the skewed interpretation of the congressional exemption; •   Require OSHA to correct its misinterpretation after seeking guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and agriculture-related organizations; and, •   Require OSHA to provide a list and description of the regulatory actions taken since 2011 against farms with incorrectly categorized non-farming activities and 10 or fewer employees. Finally, the letter accuses OSHA of “bureaucratic mission creep” and says the agency should ask Congress for such regulatory authority. “Worker safety is an important concern for all of us—including the many farmers who probably know better than OSHA regulators how to keep themselves and their employees safe on farms.  If the Administration believes that OSHA should be able to enforce its regulations on farms, it should make that case to Congress rather than twisting the law in the service of bureaucratic mission creep.  Until then, Congress has spoken clearly and we sincerely hope that you will support America’s farmers and respect the intent of Congress by reining in OSHA,” the letter states. In addition to Johanns, Cochran and Wicker, the letter is signed by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and David Vitter (R-La.). The letter to Labor Secretary Perez is available below. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=c577e139-088d-4dd5-bc32-b10a15854ec8,COCHRAN OFFERS OBAMACARE REPEAL BILL DESPITE WHITE HOUSE TWISTS,2013-12-20,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today admonished the Obama administration for its desperate move to effectively reverse a major tenant of its health insurance reform law--minimum standards for all health insurance policies. The White House on Thursday announced that an estimated five million Americans who have lost their health insurance because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) would be exempt from purchasing policies on government-sponsored health insurance exchanges and be allowed to buy private-sector catastrophic coverage without being penalized.  Catastrophic plans typically do not offer all of the essential health benefits recently required for coverage by the administration. The administration announced the exemption just hours before Cochran introduced the Health Insurance Accountability Act to fully repeal Obamacare if, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the number of uninsured at any point after Jan. 1, 2014, is greater than the number of uninsured at the time the law was enacted in March 2010. “The President is again trying to salvage his signature achievement by twisting the law to mask its flaws.  Millions have lost their health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act and now the administration is second-guessing its own support of minimum health standards, a cornerstone of the law,” Cochran said. The Health Insurance Accountability Act introduced by Cochran (S.1894) would require the GAO to conduct a study in consultation with the U.S. Census Bureau to determine the number of individuals in the United States who are uninsured now as opposed to the number of uninsured when PPACA was enacted.  If more Americans are left uninsured, Obamacare would be repealed. ”The point of this legislation is to hold the President and his administration accountable for this law and its disastrous implementation.  There is no reason individuals, families and businesses should continue to be subjected to such a gigantic, intrusive and expensive experiment if the law is not even accomplishing its primary goals.  If it’s not working and can’t be fixed, get rid of it,” said Cochran, who has since 2009 repeatedly voted against Obamacare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last week reported that about 800,000 individuals have received Medicaid eligibility determinations from the enrollment website and that just 365,000 individuals had selected insurance plans from the state and federal health insurance exchanges that were launched on Oct. 1.  The enrollment rate represents less than one percent of those who were uninsured at the time of the law’s enactment. Original cosponsors to this legislation include Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.). A copy of the Health Insurance Accountability Act is available below. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364817,Palazzo Statement on Passage of Budget Plan,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Biloxi, MS- Congressman Steven Palazzo, (MS-4), released the following statement today after Senate passage of a budget plan that would protect the military from an additional $31 billion in sequestration cuts over the next two years: “I’ve fought against devastating defense cuts for more than two years because they threaten to put tens of thousands of soldiers out of work and make us weaker as a nation. My support for this imperfect budget plan is part of that fight to keep our nation secure. My support for Chairman Miller’s bills to protect military retiree pensions is part of my unwavering commitment to fellow veterans.” Senior Defense Department officials have said that sequestration cuts could force the Department to lay off hundreds of thousands of troops and jeopardize the military’s ability to carry out its missions.  In July of this year, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel indicated that Army forces might be cut by as much as 155,000 and the Marine Corps could see reductions by as much as 44,000. At that time, he also indicated that without action, sequestration could cause Tricare fees to rise, housing allowances to be cut, pay raises to be scaled back, and commissary subsidies to be reduced. And in recent House Armed Services Committee hearings, Navy leadership testified that it would have to reduce its fleet by 30 ships.   The budget plan would restore $31 billion in defense budgets over the next two years. Palazzo is also joining House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, (FL-1) in introducing two measures that would protect cost of living adjustments for military retirees. Palazzo is a Marine veteran of the Persian Gulf War and currently serves with the Mississippi National Guard. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7f4c3988-601d-4777-bdab-f4e28a9d2d94,COCHRAN TO PROPOSE BILL TRIGGERING OBAMACARE REPEAL IF INSURANCE GOALS UNMET,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today signaled his intent to introduce legislation to repeal President Obama’s signature health insurance reform law if it results in more Americans left uninsured after Jan. 1, 2014 than were uninsured at the time of the law’s 2010 enactment. Cochran said that even Democrats should agree that repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) would be warranted if the law reduces or fails to increase the number of Americans with health insurance. “The American people understand what many in Washington won’t admit:  the Affordable Care Act is an unfixable and expensive mess.  I have supported its repeal from the beginning, and I will offer legislation based on the simple premise that the law should be repealed if it fails to meet its primary goal of expanding health insurance coverage,” Cochran said. The Cochran bill, the Health Insurance Accountability Act, would provide for the repeal of PPACA if it is determined that the law has resulted in an increase in the number of uninsured individuals since the law was enacted in March 2010.  “The President, Democrats in Congress and their allies forced this misguided law through Congress without a single vote from our party and with a promise that the uninsured would be able to attain affordable health insurance.  Right now, the opposite is occurring as millions of people are losing the insurance they have and like.  Worse yet, millions of families now face the prospect of more expensive premium rates and higher deductibles--assuming they can even successfully enroll on the flawed government website,” Cochran said. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last week reported that fewer than 365,000 individuals had selected insurance plans from the state and federal health insurance exchanges that were launched on Oct. 1.  This represents less than one percent of those who were uninsured at the time of the law’s enactment. According to recent estimates, 5.6 million people have had their insurance policies cancelled for next year because they didn’t meet PPACA requirements.  In 2012, the Census Bureau estimated that more than 47 million nonelderly Americans were uninsured. Since its inception, Cochran has opposed the PPACA, voting repeatedly to repeal and defund the law.  The Mississippi Senator has also cosponsored a series of bills intended to protect the American people, including: the Obamacare Repeal Act (S.177); the If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep It Act (S.1617); the Health Care Privacy and Anti-Fraud Act (S.1666); the Delay Until Fully Functional Act (S.1592); and the Exchange Information Disclosure Act (S.1590).  He has also backed legislation to delay the application of the individual and employer health insurance mandates under the PPACA. LINKS: *   Cochran Audio, Dec. 13:  http://1.usa.gov/1ej58t3 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=de94093c-5330-4134-969f-656507e6b4c4,MISS. LAWMAKERS URGE U.S. OFFICIALS TO HELP PROTECT AMERICAN INTERESTS AT FACTORY IN CHINA,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, with Representative Alan Nunnelee, today asked U.S. diplomatic and trade representatives to help protect the interests of an American company, while dysfunction at a joint venture in China poses risks to U.S. jobs in Northeast Mississippi and elsewhere. The Republican lawmakers from Mississippi are among a bipartisan, bicameral group that Wednesday sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Mike Froman urging them to address ongoing problems experienced by the Cooper Tire and Rubber Company at upcoming U.S.-China Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meetings. The Dec. 19-20 meetings in Beijing will be chaired by Pritzker, Froman and their Chinese counterparts. “We write today with deep concern about a serious issue Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is facing at its joint venture in China which has put the entire company at risk, including more than 5,000 jobs in the United States, and which has serious implications for all American businesses with interests and investments in China. We respectfully request your assistance in resolving this urgent matter,” the letter said. Cooper Tire, with a Chinese partner, operates a joint venture factory in Shandong Province, China, that since June 2013 has experienced work stoppages and other actions that threaten the entire company.  Efforts to resolve the deteriorating situation have been unsuccessful.  The disruption has derailed the production process and forced Cooper to violate regulatory obligations, which could potentially have broad impacts on its U.S. operations and its 5,000 U.S. workers.  The company employs 1,300 workers at its Tupelo facility. Additional excerpts from the letter state: “Cooper has been facing a series of actions in violation of its rights as the majority owner of the joint venture…These actions have included, initially, two 5,000-employee work stoppages and, subsequently, labor actions including forced occupation of the CCT production facility; denial of access for Cooper and its appointed members of CCT management to the facility, financial data, and personal property; workers’ refusal to input financial and production data into CCT systems in accordance with internal operating procedure; workers’ refusal to produce Cooper-branded products; and the unlawful appropriation of company chops and registration documents.” ""In response to these actions, Cooper has requested assistance from Chinese government authorities at all levels, has appealed to local police, and has attempted to seek justice in local courts of law, but the situation continues. Cooper management has made multiple attempts to ... reach a resolution. ... At this point, the situation remains unresolved and Cooper has suffered considerable losses."" The letter to the U.S. officials was spearheaded by Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).  In addition to Cochran, Wicker and Nunnelee, the correspondence was signed by Senator John Boozman (R-Ark.), Representative Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Representative Bob Latta (R-Ohio) and Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=6c4f4fba-e45b-4744-950b-04bf41f9840c,COCHRAN STATEMENT ON RYAN-MURRAY BUDGET AGREEMENT,2013-12-17,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement regarding the budget agreement reached between Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the respective chairs of the budget committees in the House and Senate: “I do not support the budget agreement, which is well-intentioned but falls short of the mark.  I supported the Budget Control Act because it cut discretionary spending by nearly a trillion dollars and created an opportunity for another $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction.  It is the only significant deficit reduction legislation signed into law in years.  My expectation was that the sequester cuts built into that law would compel the administration and Congress to enact broad reforms to control growth in mandatory programs, which poses the greatest threat to the economy and our nation’s fiscal standing.  That has not happened. “Representative Ryan and Senator Murray made a good-faith effort to negotiate an agreement that would return some sense of order and transparency to the federal budget process.  I appreciate the difficulty of that effort, but don’t believe the agreement does enough about the most serious structural budget problems facing our nation.” On Monday, Cochran cosponsored an amendment to the budget legislation (H.J.Res.59) offered by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) to restore more than $6.0 billion for military retirement pay for current and future military retirees. Among other things, the Ryan-Murray budget agreement targets military retirement benefits to offset recommended spending increases in FY2014 and FY2015.  (http://1.usa.gov/1bMSM4F) ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=35c0892b-aefe-49c0-82bd-8dc534b33b40,COCHRAN: MORE AMERICANS COULD BE UNINSURED UNDER OBAMACARE,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Cochran audio available below. WASHINGTON, D.C. – There is a real possibility, according to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), that more Americans will be left without health insurance as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a partisan law intended to do just the opposite. Cochran recently addressed problems with the implementation of the health insurance reform law passed in 2010 without a single Republican vote.  “The ongoing problems with the law’s enrollment website conspicuously foreshadow the more significant failures that can be expected as this law is implemented,” said Cochran, who pointed to last week’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid report showing fewer than 365,000 individuals had selected insurance plans from state and federal health insurance exchanges. “It has been estimated that more than 47 million nonelderly Americans were uninsured in 2012.  This means that less than 1 percent of the uninsured population in the U.S. has selected a health insurance plan by way of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” he said.  “It is likely that on January 1st of next year, more Americans will be uninsured than were uninsured at the time that the health care law was enacted.  This law’s primary intent was to expand coverage, to encourage insurance, but it seems to be failing on both counts.” Cochran also said correspondence and messages from Mississippians indicate that full implementation of the law, sometimes referred to as “Obamacare,” is affecting their health insurance options.  He cited a self-employed couple from Oxford whose insurance policy was cancelled.  Their new monthly premium will increase from just over $700 to almost $1,400--an increase of more than 90 percent. “To put that in perspective, that is more than $16,000 per year that a family would have to spend on health insurance premiums alone.  These types of figures are not affordable for most Americans. So there is a sticker shock associated with this misguided effort to improve our nation’s health insurance programs,” he said. Cochran said Congress “can do better” to improve the American health care system, including reducing health care costs. “Health insurance is just one component of our nation’s very complex health care system and we can do better,” Cochran said.  “We should get together and find common ground to improve the quality of health care in this country and to reduce overall health care costs.  We owe that to our constituents, our economy, and to the future of health care in this country.  This is simply too important not to.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=81eaaeec-a886-49cf-a112-0299fda7d63b,WICKER AMENDMENT PROTECTS MILITARY PENSIONS FROM BUDGET CUTS,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"(Joint Release Issued by Senator Roger Wicker) WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today introduced an amendment to restore full retirement pay for current and future military retirees. The current Ryan-Murray budget agreement cuts retirement benefits for these retirees by more than $6 billion. The amendment is cosponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss. “These proposed cuts represent a broken promise to those who have voluntarily chosen to serve our nation in the military,” Senator Roger Wicker said. “This is not a matter of nickels and dimes for our retired and active-duty troops. It is unfair to ask the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States to shoulder the full weight of these cuts. It is not too late for Congress to keep its promises to our military personnel. I urge my colleagues to join us in passing this amendment without delay.” ""Our men and women in uniform have served admirably during some of our nation's most troubling times,” said Senator Lindsey Graham. “They deserve more from us in their retirement than this agreement provides.  Simply put, it doesn’t do enough to protect those who have spent their lives protecting our nation.” “America’s servicemembers have already sacrificed so much on our behalf and Congress should not put additional burdens on them even as it spares federal civilian workers from the same treatment,” said Senator Jeff Sessions. “Certainly we should instead scour the federal budget for other available savings. Removing this unbalanced treatment of our military retirees ought to be one of the key actions we should take before this legislation moves forward.  In fact, greater savings than this can be achieved by passing a legislative fix recommended by the Inspector General of the U.S. Treasury that would stop the IRS from improperly providing tax credits to illegal aliens.” “Under the Obama Administration, our military has borne the cost of Washington's fiscal recklessness time and time again,” said Senator Jim Inhofe. “The Ryan-Murray budget deal cherry picked once again from our men and women in uniform to strip away from the retirement benefit they have earned by their service. Last year Congress established the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission to provide a comprehensive review of opportunities for meaningful pay and benefit reform. That Commission was told they could recommend any option as long as it grandfathered those who currently serve and those who are currently retired. Congress should keep its promises and should do everything possible to maintain the sacred vow our country has made to those who have honorably served our country.” “This amendment addresses our continued concern with further cuts to benefits for retired and active duty military personnel,” said Senator Thad Cochran. “There is no justification in first turning to those who have served or are serving in the military and asking them to make new sacrifices.” The Ryan-Murray budget deal automatically subtracts a full percentage point from annual cost-of-living increases. The Military Officers Association of America issued a report showing that military personnel “who serve a 20 year career would lose nearly 20 percent of their retired pay. An E-7 retiring at age 40 today would experience a loss of $83,000 in purchasing power – an O-5 would lose $124,000.” On Friday, Wicker and Graham joined Senator Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., in a letter to their Senate colleagues calling for a bipartisan solution to replace the $6.3 billion in cuts to military retiree benefits. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=b9a7fe39-1510-4738-8843-7ee4eba2dd80,COCHRAN: GOLDEN TRIANGLE AEROSPACE FIRM WINS $14.0 MILLION DEFENSE CONTRACT,2013-12-14,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today reported that the Department of Defense has awarded a $14.0 million competitive contract to Aurora Flight Sciences in Columbus to assist in the development of a new aircraft for the Department of Defense. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded the contract under its X-Plane program to support development of a new plane that incorporates advanced air speed and performance measures not present in current aircraft.  Work on the Vertical Take-Off and Landing Experimental Plane (VTOL X-Plane) project will be carried out in Columbus. “This award is an example of Mississippi companies successfully competing for programs that bring high tech jobs to our state, while providing the best equipment and capabilities to our Armed Forces,” said Cochran, vice chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. “I am pleased to see businesses like Aurora grow in Mississippi to provide cutting-edge technology in the aerospace arena,” he said. Aurora Flight Sciences designs and builds robotic aircraft and other advanced aerospace vehicles for scientific and military applications.   Dr. John Langford, Aurora Flight Sciences CEO, said, “Mississippi has a talented workforce, and we have continued to diversify and grow our ability to provide high tech production for very advanced military and commercial applications.   That is in no small measure a result of the leadership of Senator Cochran and his encouragement and support.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=266106ce-0d06-409c-8b0e-574610d4d323,COCHRAN OFFERS ASSURANCES ON FARM BILL PROGRESS,2013-12-13,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Audio of Cochran Remarks Available Below WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, today offered his thoughts on the prospects of Congress completing a new, five-year farm bill early next year. Cochran addressed work on the farm bill during remarks to the Senate following his participation in the latest Friday morning conference meeting with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Representatives Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), the House Agriculture Committee chairman and ranking member. “I’m pleased to say that we are making progress, but there are still decisions that lie ahead of us.  I am hopeful that on both sides of the aisle in both bodies, we can come together on a farm bill agreement that will reform and modernize programs, produce budget savings at the same time, and provide certainty about the government’s role to producers and consumers alike,” Cochran said. Farm bill negotiators are working toward producing an agreement that can be considered next month by the conference committee and then both houses of Congress.  The chief negotiators have been meeting regularly since the initial farm bill conference meeting on Oct. 30. “We have been working to reach an agreement on a new, five-year farm bill that we can take to the House and the Senate and, in collaboration and working through our differences, make progress and establish a framework for our agriculture sector to continue to contribute in an important way in the economic life of our nation,” Cochran said. The agriculture industry contributes to more than 20 percent of Mississippi’s total economy, representing an important source of employment and income to Mississippians.  The state has more than 40,000 farms and roughly 30 million acres of farm and forestland.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221122116/http://harper.house.gov/press-release/house-passes-kids-first-research-act,House Passes Kids First Research Act,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) issued the following statement after House passage of the “Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act,” a bipartisan bill authored by the third-term Mississippi lawmaker that funds pediatric medical research with the money currently designated for political nominating conventions: “Creating a lifetime of hope and opportunity for our most vulnerable kids is more important than subsidizing week-long political pep rallies for the Democratic and Republican parties. And I am pleased that my House colleagues acknowledged this simple truth. But we are not done yet. I urge the Senate to act swiftly and advance this important legislation to the president’s desk so that our nation’s children can experience the full benefits of promising clinical trials and medical advancements.” ### Gregg Harper is a third-term Republican lawmaker from Mississippi.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221123639/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/excellent-news,Excellent news,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Excellent news U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) Good evening-- Earlier today, the House passed the “Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act” by a vote of 295-103. You’ve all heard me say it:Let’s put kids first. This is just what the House did today by advancing my bill that funds pediatric medical research with the money currently designated for political nominating conventions. But we’re not done yet. I urge the Senate to act swiftly and send this important legislation to the president’s desk so that our nation’s children can experience the full benefits of promising clinical trials and medical advancements. Because of your help, this bill passed the House. And with your continued support, we’ll send this legislation to the White House. Will you help me spread the word by forwarding this email to three friends? God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=173b8362-ce17-47f1-ba17-ecc255bee331,SENATE OKAYS JUDICIAL DIVISION REALIGNMENT FOR SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) on Tuesday supported Senate passage of legislation to realign the federal judicial divisions for the Southern District of Mississippi. Cochran and Wicker recently requested prompt consideration of HR.2871, which was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate on Tuesday evening.  The measure consolidates the existing five judicial divisions into four, following realignment recommendations of the federal judges serving in the Southern District of Mississippi.  “The federal judiciary in the Southern District of Mississippi recognizes the budgetary constraints on the courts, as well as the opportunity to improve the efficiency of court operations,” Cochran said.  “I am pleased the Senate has approved this legislation and look forward to its implementation.” “Updating these boundaries is a practical step that will serve people in South Mississippi well,” Wicker said. “This realignment will allow the Southern District to utilize resources more capably and organize in a more efficient and effective manner.” With Senate passage, HR.2871 will be sent to the White House to be signed into law.  Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) and Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) cosponsored the measure, which was approved 401-0 by the House on Nov. 12.  The divisional realignment will take effective on the date of enactment.  The legislation, which is expected to result in approximately $135,000 in first-year cost savings for the judiciary and U.S. Marshals Service, redraws the division boundaries for the Southern District of Mississippi by eliminating the Eastern Division that has been served by the federal courthouse in Meridian.   HR.2871 defines the four reconfigured divisions for the Southern District of Mississippi as: 1.   Northern Division:  Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Issaquena, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Sharkey, Smith, Warren and Yazoo counties.  Court for the Northern Division will be in Jackson. 2.   Southern Division:  George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone counties.  Court will be held in Gulfport. 3.   Eastern Division:  Clarke, Covington, Forrest, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Marion, Perry, Wayne and Walthall counties. Court will be held in Hattiesburg. 4.   Western Division:  Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Pike and Wilkinson counties.  Court will be held in Natchez. The realignment is supported by judges in the Southern District, the Fifth Judicial Circuit, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Office of the Public Defender for the Southern District of Mississippi, and the legal community. In September 2012, Congress completed work on similar legislation to realign the federal judicial boundaries for the Northern District of Mississippi, condensing four divisions into three. (http://1.usa.gov/UypenR) LINKS: *  Map of Existing Divisions: See file below *  Map of Proposed Divisions: See file below *  U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi: http://1.usa.gov/1847Gc0",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221131654/http://harper.house.gov/press-release/miller-harper-turning-eac-scene-weekend-bernie%E2%80%99s,Miller & Harper: Turning EAC Into A Scene From Weekend at Bernie’s,2013-12-09,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Committee on House Administration Chairman Candice Miller, R-Mich., and Committee member Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., issued the following statement ahead of the Senate confirmation hearing to place two commissioners at the obsolete Election Assistance Commission (EAC): “For the past two years, the EAC has limped along without purpose or benefit, costing taxpayers over 11 million each year.  It’s a zombie agency that epitomizes bureaucracy and government waste, which is why this Committee and the House have voted multiple times to shut it down – but not the Senate. To the contrary, Wednesday, the Democratic-controlled Senate is holding a confirmation hearing to place commissioners there for the first time in two years. “The EAC is dead, and having two commissioners carrying it between them like a scene from Weekend At Bernie's doesn't make it any more alive, or any more useful. Unfortunately, since the Senate changed its rules, it could approve these nominations on a purely partisan basis and continue to force taxpayers to subsidize government waste."" BACKGROUND: The EAC, which has been without commissioners for the past two years, was intended to sunset in 2005.  Despite fulfilling its purpose, having exhausted the federal funds it was responsible for distributing to states and completing its required research, the agency remarkably continues to operate – costing  taxpayers an estimated $11.5 million annually.  Since the 112th Congress, Representative Harper has introduced three bills to eliminate the obsolete agency. Two of Harper's bills were approved by the Committee and one, H.R. 3463, passed the House 235-190 in December of 2011. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221132214/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/caring-our-kids,Caring for our kids,2013-12-08,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Caring for our kids U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) Good evening-- Creating a lifetime of hope and opportunity for our most vulnerable kids is more important than subsidizing week-long political pep rallies for the Democratic and Republican parties. This is why the House is set to vote on my bill that pays for children’s medical research with the money that the federal government currently sets aside for political conventions. Just last week, we renamed the bill after a courageous young girl who lost her battle to cancer. It’s called the“Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act.” I had the privilege of meeting Gabriella’s family. Make no mistake: No parent ever wants to experience the heartbreaking journey that the Millers have walked through over the past few years. This bill helps kids like Evie Horton in Mississippi, who fights with all of her strength to overcome the struggles of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. And Evie’s cousin, Reese McDonald. And the many other families who face the challenges of raising a child battling a pediatric disorder. So let’s put kids first. Let’s pass the “Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act.” God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=5fd46385-de97-4897-bc72-9a806a16161f,COCHRAN STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF NELSON MANDELA,2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement regarding the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela: “Nelson Mandela was an inspiration to many people around the world.  He will be remembered for his courage, sacrifices and leadership during troubled times.  May he now rest in well-deserved peace.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=1c5e5563-b4d7-4d0f-ac7c-5a31d649998c,EMPLOYEE RIGHTS ACT COSPONSORED BY COCHRAN & WICKER,2013-11-22,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced their support for legislation to give workers more of a say on whether to join a labor union, while also offering them stronger protections from union tactics regarding dues, votes and forms of intimidation. The Employee Rights Act (S.1712) cosponsored by Cochran and Wicker represents an attempt to update U.S. labor laws for the first time in more than 50 years.  Among other things, the bill would allow workers to choose or reject union representation without fear of intimidation or retribution.  It also includes provisions to address secret ballot elections, union recertification, paycheck protection, strikes, and anti-racketeering loopholes. “Labor unions today operate under outdated laws and policies that infringe on workers’ freedoms and inhibits overall economic growth.  The Employee Rights Act would update the relationship between workers and unions.  It would give employees greater power to determine if they want union representation and make unions more accountable to those workers,” Cochran said. “This legislation gives workers the freedom they deserve to make the best choice for themselves,” said Wicker.  “The Employee Rights Act protects employees from being forced to join unions or to have their union dues used for political purposes without their consent.  It is vital that the rights of American workers are protected and not unfairly left at the whim of Big Labor.” Introduced by Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), S.1712 is intended to ensure that the rights of workers, not the unions, are the priority under labor agreements. In addition to Cochran and Wicker, other cosponsors include Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Tom Coburn (R -Okla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and John Thune (R-S.D.). A companion measure (HR.3485) was introduced in the House by Representative Tom Price (R-Ga.).  Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) is among its 45 cosponsors. The following is a review of provisions in the Employee Rights Act (S.1712): Secret Ballot Elections – Guarantees employees the right to a secret ballot election when deciding whether to join a union.   Union Recertification Elections – Requires unionized workplaces with employee turnover exceeding 50 percent to conduct secret ballot elections to determine whether a majority of employees still wants union representation.   Paycheck Protection – Prevents unions from using employees’ dues and fees for purposes unrelated to their bargaining functions–including political contributions and expenditures–without the employees’ written consent.   Secret Ballot Strike Votes – Provides employees the right to a secret ballot vote before union leaders can order a strike.   Prevent “Quickie” or “Snap” Elections – Negates recent National Labor Relations Board regulatory efforts to unfairly expedite union elections by preventing unions from obtaining employees’ private information and by ensuring due process in determining issues such as appropriate bargaining units and individuals’ eligibility.   Prevent Union Coercion – Permits employees to collect lost wages, illegally-collected union dues, and/or liquidated damages from a union that interferes with their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.  It would allow right to petition for decertification of the union, and impose a procedural penalty on unions that interfere with the decertification petition process.   Criminalize Union Threats – Strengthens prohibitions on the use or threat of violence for achieving purposes related to unionization and collective bargaining.  This provision would resolve loopholes created by the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. v. Enmons, which effectively exempts unions from federal anti-racketeering statutes.   Eliminate Needless Disparities – Conforms and make equal the definition of an “unfair labor practice” on the part of a union with that of an employer.  In addition, allow every employee in a represented bargaining unit–regardless of union membership status–to have the same rights as union members to vote on the ratification of a collective bargaining agreement or to engage in strike or work stoppage.  Require unions to provide audited financial statements to agency fee payers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=233342da-5a49-4f32-b93b-74d98566971d,UPDATE: PROPOSED NEW REGS COULD JEOPARDIZE DIALYSIS TREATMENTS,2013-11-22,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"UPDATE, November 22, 2013:  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) late today issued a final rule to update payment policies and rates under the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System for renal dialysis services furnished to beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2014. Senator Cochran, who this month wrote CMS to raise concerns about proposed changes, was informed Friday by CMS that: “In response to comments, CMS is implementing a 3- to 4-year transition of the drug utilization reduction by offsetting the reduction by the payment update, that is the ESRD bundled market basket minus productivity increase factor, and other impacts (such as the outlier or training add-on, if applicable) to create an overall zero percent impact for all ESRD facilities from the previous year’s payments for CYs 2014 and 2015…” A CMS fact sheet and news release are available below. The CMS final rule can be viewed at:  http://ofr.gov/inspection.aspx.   November 13, 2013 COCHRAN:  PROPOSED NEW REGS COULD JEOPARDIZE DIALYSIS TREATMENTS Proposed Cuts to Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease Program Worry Mississippi Dialysis Patients, Service Providers WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) is warning that proposed changes to Medicare reimbursement rates for end-stage renal disease care could jeopardize dialysis treatments for Mississippians, particularly in rural areas where access to care can be limited. Cochran has asked Marilyn Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to consider revising a proposed rule that would effectively undercut reimbursements to dialysis treatment centers throughout the country.  CMS could soon finalize a proposed rule to update and revise the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) prospective payment system for 2014.  The rule could result in a 9.4 percent reduction in payments to ESRD facilities, including the more than 70 certified ESRD facilities in Mississippi. “I’ve heard from dialysis patients in Mississippi who are worried the proposed reductions will affect their treatment, particularly their access to quality care,” said Cochran, a member of the Senate Diabetes Caucus. “Dialysis treatments are vital for many people with diabetes and kidney-related illnesses.  I hope the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will agree to a more reasonable rule that is fiscally responsible but also fair to dialysis providers,” he said. The proposed ESRD payment reductions would result in CMS reimbursing most dialysis providers less than the cost of the services they provide.  The average Medicare margin for a dialysis facility is currently about 4 percent, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, which also recommended that reimbursement rates be held constant. “I request that you consider revising the proposed rule to ensure that funding levels are sufficient to cover the cost of providing life-sustaining treatment to Medicare beneficiaries and to maintain access to quality dialysis care in communities across the country,” Cochran wrote Travenner. Because the Medicare ESRD program currently provides coverage to more than 80 percent of Americans living with ESRD who require dialysis services, Cochran warned that if the proposed rule is finalized “providers will be forced to take steps to reduce costs, which could reduce faculty staffing and limit patients’ flexibility to receive their dialysis treatments.” “In some cases, facility closures could occur, which would significantly reduce patient access to care, particularly in rural communities where access is already a concern.  These cuts would likely have a detrimental impact on dialysis clinics throughout Mississippi and affect many patients receiving dialysis treatment in my state,” Cochran wrote. Cochran, who is the lead Republican cosponsor of the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2013 (S.323), is among 76 Senators who recently wrote in support of continued investment in the Special Diabetes Program, an initiative focused on improving diabetes treatment, prevention and research. LINKS: •    CMS ESRD Website: http://go.cms.gov/HPOqCP •    Mississippi ESRD Facilities: http://1.usa.gov/17TFuIT •    Mississippi State Department of Health Directory of Health Facilities: http://1.usa.gov/1cUQWFR ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=ca10c9dd-39c8-4483-98ce-1c87fbd87552,COCHRAN OPPOSES DEMOCRATS’ “NUCLEAR OPTION”,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement regarding his strong opposition to the Senate Democratic majority’s decision to implement the so-called “nuclear option” to limit the rights of the minority in the consideration of the President’s nominees. “The Democratic majority’s action to overturn nearly 225 years of precedent will transform how the United States Senate conducts its business, and not for the better.  Allowing a simple majority to end debate is a mistake and greatly diminishes the Senate’s responsibility to provide advice and consent as set out in the Constitution.  The Senate was never intended to operate like the House of Representatives or to serve as a rubber stamp for any President.  This historic institution and the American people have lost something very important and special.” LINK: •   Cochran’s December 2012 “Nuclear Option” statement: http://1.usa.gov/17QzT0c   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362239,"Palazzo Statement for Flood Insurance Hearing Addressing Affordability, FEMA Implementation",2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo, (MS-4), today submitted a statement before a House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled: “Implementation of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Act of 2012: Protecting Taxpayers and Homeowners”. The hearing was scheduled at the request of Palazzo and others earlier this year. In his submitted statement, Palazzo said: The residents of Mississippi’s Fourth District have a unique story to tell of BW12’s financial and emotional toll on their communities. … In my district, many policyholders are residents whose families have resided near Mississippi's Gulf Coast for decades, or middle-class retirees who spent years working and saving to invest in the homes they have today. … It is unconscionable to move the goal posts on these residents who did nothing but follow the rules. The goal of Tuesday’s hearing was to get answers lawmakers have sought from FEMA officials regarding the implementation of Biggert-Waters 2012. Specifically, Palazzo asked for justification for implementing parts of the law while ignoring others, including affordability measures: The affordability study is vital to understand fully the impact that rate increases will have on homeowners and communities, how to address affordability challenges, and how to implement actuarial rates in a compassionate manner.  Yet, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has testified that the affordability study won’t be completed for another two years. The completion of the affordability study is paramount to rate increase implementation, and it is implicitly clear in the legislative text that Congress intended to have FEMA complete the affordability study before it implemented BW12’s rate increases. In addition to the hearing, Palazzo continues to push bipartisan, bicameral reforms with the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. The bill, which boasts 134 cosponsors in the House and 22 Senate cosponsors, bears many similarities to legislation Palazzo first introduced in March of this year. Both would institute immediate relief with delays to rising flood insurance rates, while providing time to allow for the affordability studies mandated by BW-12.     Palazzo also serves as Vice Chairman of the Home Protection Caucus which was instrumental in passing a one-year delay for flood insurance rates in the House of Representatives in June 2013 by a vote of 281-146. In August 2013, Palazzo hosted FEMA Associate Administrator David Miller in South Mississippi to show firsthand the effects of rate increases on homeowners and communities that built back to code following Hurricane Katrina.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=d39bbccb-238d-486c-ac3f-8af7b438ba7e,COCHRAN: FLOOD INSURANCE RATE HIKES COULD UNDERMINE POSITIVE REFORMS,2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Audio of Cochran remarks available below.  WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today helped build support for Senate passage of legislation intended to ensure that National Flood Insurance Program reforms enacted last year do not undermine the overall program. Cochran on Tuesday joined six other Senators, including Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.), to discuss problems arising from implementation of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, including “skyrocketing flood insurance premiums” being levied on homeowners and businesses around the country. “The reform legislation enacted in 2012 made positive changes to the program.  Today, some of those changes are now working in opposition to the broader goals of reform, hence the importance of this legislation.  These shortcomings existed in the law, and they actually threaten to weaken the flood insurance program,” Cochran said.   Cochran, an original cosponsor of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (S.1610), took part in a dialogue on the Senate floor to advocate for consideration of that legislation.  Provisions from S.1610 have been offered as an amendment the National Defense Authorization Act (S.1197) now being considered by the Senate. “Before allowing unaffordable flood insurance rates to devalue private property and harm local communities and economies, we should be absolutely sure the government’s engineering practices and procedures are as sound as possible.  It will be very difficult to rebuild communities or restore home equity once they are lost.  So, we had better get it right,” Cochran told his colleagues. “Our bill does not create new programs to address rising premiums.  It simply leaves in place some current practices so that we can make sure that the productive reforms we enacted last year will actually improve the credibility of the program among communities and homeowners.  Our bill would not affect positive reforms related to expanding program participation, or the phase-out of subsidized flood insurance premiums for vacation homes and homes that have a history of repeated flooding,” he said. S.1610 would require FEMA to certify that it has implemented a flood mapping approach that relies on sound scientific and engineering methodologies to determine varying levels of flood risk in all areas with NFIP participation.  FEMA must also propose a draft affordability framework for congressional review.  The bill sets a 24-month deadline for FEMA to take these actions and could delay rate hikes until affordability regulations authorized by Congress are finalized.  (Bill summary: http://1.usa.gov/1gan2xU) Supporters of S.1610 and the House companion measure (HR.3370) advocate passage of this legislation this year, either as a stand-alone measure or part of another bill expected to clear Congress this year. The following are Cochran’s remarks to the Senate today: It is a fact that the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, which we’re discussing, seeks to protect homeowners from increases in the cost of flood insurance premiums until the Administration reviews and reports to Congress on the flood mapping technologies, methodologies, and insurance affordability that are being issued under existing law.  One problem that we’re concerned about is that the program was supposed to protect taxpayer investments, communicate perceived flood risk to homeowners, and encourage communities to protect themselves against flood risks.  The reform legislation enacted in 2012 made positive changes to the program.  Today, some of those changes are now working in opposition to the broader goals of reform, hence the importance of this legislation.  These shortcomings existed in the law, and they actually threaten to weaken the flood insurance program. The success of flood insurance is so important to many inland and coastal states, such as mine and Louisiana, where the distinguished Senator is from.  Communities there continue to work to overcome damages caused by the greatest natural disaster in our nation’s history, the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, and now skyrocketing flood insurance premiums. Under the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, the Administration would be required to provide assurances to Congress that it is using sound mapping methods to make flood insurance rate determinations.  A study by the National Academies of Science produced in March of this year has called into question some of the engineering practices the government uses to determine rates.  Before allowing unaffordable flood insurance rates to devalue private property and harm local communities and economies, we should be absolutely sure the government’s engineering practices and procedures are as sound as possible.  It will be very difficult to rebuild communities or restore home equity once they are lost.  So, we had better get it right. Our bill does not create new programs to address rising premiums.  It simply leaves in place some current practices so that we can make sure that the productive reforms we enacted last year will actually improve the credibility of the program among communities and homeowners.  Our bill would not affect positive reforms related to expanding program participation, or the phase-out of subsidized flood insurance premiums for vacation homes and homes that have a history of repeated flooding. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=494304eb-1977-4304-a4e1-250baa3ac719,COCHRAN SHARES MISSISSIPPI FAMILY’S PRICEY OBAMACARE STORY,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Audio of Cochran Floor Statement Available Below WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today shared the story of a constituent from Hazlehurst about the “sticker shock” his family faces if forced to enroll in the federal government-run health insurance exchanges. Cochran was among 34 Republican Senators who spoke on the Senate floor Thursday to share “Your Story” submissions from across the country regarding the personal and pricey problems created by the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), so-called “Obamacare.” “The more my constituents learn about the administration’s so-called ‘Affordable Care Act,’ the more it becomes clear that major changes should be considered,” Cochran said. The Hazlehurst family related to Cochran that its insurance cost will nearly double under PPACA.  The family is losing current health insurance that has a $3,000 yearly deductible, a $6,000 out-of-pocket maximum and a premium of a little over $1,300 per month.  The lowest cost insurance option available under Obamacare includes a $7,000 yearly deductible, with a $12,000 out-of-pocket maximum and a premium of a little over $2,400 a month. “This family is just one example of millions of Americans who are suffering from sticker shock because of the cost of insurance plans on the president’s new health insurance exchanges. The shock is made worse for those who are being rejected by the plans that they were told they could keep but now cannot.” Starting with the contentious debate on the legislation that created PPACA in 2009 and 2010, Cochran has repeatedly voted to repeal and defund the law.  In January, he was an original cosponsor of the Obamacare Repeal Act (S.177), introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas). With the failed launch of the HeathCare.gov website, Cochran has cosponsored a series of bills intended to protect the American people, including: the If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep It Act (S.1617); the Health Care Privacy and Anti-Fraud Act (S.1666); the Delay Until Fully Functional Act (S.1592), the Exchange Information Disclosure Act (S.1590), as well as legislation to delay the application of the individual and employer health insurance mandates under Obamacare. The following is the text of Cochran’s remarks: “The more my constituents learn about the administration’s so-called ‘Affordable Care Act,’ the more it becomes clear that major changes should be considered.  “I recently heard from a constituent who had learned from accessing the Obama administration's enrollment web site that the plan with the lowest cost available to him has a $7,000 yearly deductible, with a $12,000 out-of-pocket maximum and a premium of a little over $2,400 a month, nearly twice as much as he and his wife currently pay. “This family is just one example of millions of Americans who are suffering from sticker shock because of the cost of insurance plans on the President’s new health insurance exchanges. The shock is made worse for those who are being rejected by the plans that they were told they could keep but now cannot. “It’s clear we need to urge the administration to consider going back to the drawing board. We should get together, too, here in the Senate and find common ground that makes better sense for the American people.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=381489,Palazzo Condemns Jackson VAMC Failures at House Veterans Affairs Hearing,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo, (MS-4), today at a House Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing, condemned recent reports of improper and inadequate care given to veterans at the Jackson Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). The hearing took place on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and included two panels of former and current Jackson VAMC officials. It just seems like we are breaking one of our fundamental promises to the men and women who serve our nation, and that's not providing the care that they deserve, that they have earned, Palazzo stated. I'm shocked, I'm sickened, I'm disgusted that we are even having this. And that this is a VA medical center that bears the name Sonny Montgomery, is not in keeping with his legacy of service. The Jackson VAMC has been the subject of intense scrutiny following whistleblower allegations that were substantiated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the United States Office of Special Counsel, the Office of Investigator General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Among the allegations are: understaffing of personnel, overbooking of patients, lack of supervision for medical staff, fraudulent Medicare certifications, and illegal narcotics prescription policies. In one case, a veteran employee of the Jackson VAMC who came in for a routine skin graft operation was connected to a negative pressure wound therapy machine (or wound vac), forgotten for several hours, and died as a result. In addition to these gross negligences, Palazzo pointed out the failure to discipline responsible staff who committed or attempted to cover up what one witness described as egregious errors: It just sounds like the good old boy network. You know you're either transferred, or you resign and you become a consultant somewhere within the system. There just seemsto be some serious issues with the VA, and I don't just think it's Jackson. I think there's management issues all across the nation, and I hope by bringing attention to this one that we can fix it so no other veterans have to endure the nightmare that they are going through in Jackson. The fact that Mr.Jenkins lost a friend, and thank you for your service as well, you lost a friend, a fellow employee and a veteran because of gross incompetence and people aren't in jail? I'd like to know everyone that was involved inthat. They should have been fired immediately. A full list of the two panels, as well as video exchange from Palazzo's participation, can be found below. Click here or on the picture above for video from today's hearing. Panel 1 Dr. Phyllis Hollenbeck, M.D., FAAFP, Former Physician of Family Medicine, G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Dr. Charles Sherwood, M.D., Former Chief of Ophthalmology, G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Erik Hearon, Maj. Gen. (Ret.), United States Air Force Mr. Charles Jenkins, President, American Federation of Government Employees, Local 589 Panel 2 Ms. Rica Lewis-Payton, Network Director of VISN-16, G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Accompanied By: Dr. Gregg Parker, M.D., Neurologist and Chief Medical Officer of VISN-16, G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Mr. Joe Battle, Director, G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center ### Congressman Steven Palazzo is a Marine veteran of the Persian Gulf War and still actively serves with the Mississippi Army National Guard. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, and also serves as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Space on the House Science, Space & Technology Committee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=c417be13-0071-4cea-871a-9909213470cf,COCHRAN: PROPOSED NEW REGS COULD JEOPARDIZE DIALYSIS TREATMENTS,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) is warning that proposed changes to Medicare reimbursement rates for end-stage renal disease care could jeopardize dialysis treatments for Mississippians, particularly in rural areas where access to care can be limited. Cochran has asked Marilyn Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to consider revising a proposed rule that would effectively undercut reimbursements to dialysis treatment centers throughout the country.  CMS could soon finalize a proposed rule to update and revise the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) prospective payment system for 2014.  The rule could result in a 9.4 percent reduction in payments to ESRD facilities, including the more than 70 certified ESRD facilities in Mississippi. “I’ve heard from dialysis patients in Mississippi who are worried the proposed reductions will affect their treatment, particularly their access to quality care,” said Cochran, a member of the Senate Diabetes Caucus. “Dialysis treatments are vital for many people with diabetes and kidney-related illnesses.  I hope the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will agree to a more reasonable rule that is fiscally responsible but also fair to dialysis providers,” he said.  The proposed ESRD payment reductions would result in CMS reimbursing most dialysis providers less than the cost of the services they provide.  The average Medicare margin for a dialysis facility is currently about 4 percent, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, which also recommended that reimbursement rates be held constant. “I request that you consider revising the proposed rule to ensure that funding levels are sufficient to cover the cost of providing life-sustaining treatment to Medicare beneficiaries and to maintain access to quality dialysis care in communities across the country,” Cochran wrote Travenner. Because the Medicare ESRD program currently provides coverage to more than 80 percent of Americans living with ESRD who require dialysis services, Cochran warned that if the proposed rule is finalized “providers will be forced to take steps to reduce costs, which could reduce faculty staffing and limit patients’ flexibility to receive their dialysis treatments.” “In some cases, facility closures could occur, which would significantly reduce patient access to care, particularly in rural communities where access is already a concern.  These cuts would likely have a detrimental impact on dialysis clinics throughout Mississippi and affect many patients receiving dialysis treatment in my state,” Cochran wrote. Cochran, who is the lead Republican cosponsor of the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2013 (S.323), is among 76 Senators who recently wrote in support of continued investment in the Special Diabetes Program, an initiative focused on improving diabetes treatment, prevention and research. LINKS: • CMS ESRD Website: http://go.cms.gov/HPOqCP • Mississippi ESRD Facilities: http://1.usa.gov/17TFuIT • Mississippi State Department of Health Directory of Health Facilities: http://1.usa.gov/1cUQWFR ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221132323/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/its-yours-so-keep-it,It's yours. So keep it.,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"It's yours. So keep it. U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) Nov 12, 2013 Issues: Health Care Good morning-- We’ve all heard it: “If you like your plan, you can keep it.” Time and again, you were promised by the Obama administration that if you like your health coverage, you could continue the plan. But with each news cycle, the president’s anecdotal promises are falling flat. Just how bad is it? So bad that the president had to apologize for misleading the American public. I accept this apology. And if the president is sincere, he’ll accept the “Keep Your Health Plan Act” – a bill that the House is expected to pass this week. I’m an original cosponsor of this bill, which simply says that insurance plans currently available in the individual market can be offered again next year. That’s it. It’s your health care. So keep it. Also, I’d like to hear how ObamaCare is impacting you and your family. I encourage you to share your story by visiting my Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/GreggHarper. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=13097410-6810-409a-940a-4e5fdc7f8c58,COCHRAN JOINS TRIBUTE TO WATER VALLEY VETERAN,2013-11-11,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WATER VALLEY, Miss. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today paid tribute to a Mississippi veteran who waited more than four decades to receive Purple Heart honors he earned while serving in Vietnam. At a Veterans Day ceremony hosted by the Veterans of Foreign War Post 4100, Cochran expressed his gratitude for the service of all veterans and joined in a tribute to James Brown of Water Valley.  Brown was wounded in 1970 during combat action in Vietnam as a Specialist 4th Class in the Army 1st Calvary Division, but was never awarded the Purple Heart medal. “We appreciate the service and sacrifices made by all our veterans.  We understand that the freedoms we enjoy come with a price and cannot be taken for granted,” Cochran said. “We are all very pleased that Mr. James Brown is receiving the Purple Heart he earned more than 40 years ago.  His valor in combat in Vietnam serves as testimony to us and to future generations of Americans of his commitment to defend our country, even at the risk of his own life,” said the Senator, whose office helped secure service-connected benefits for Brown earlier this year. The Purple Heart was initially created by General George Washington in 1782 as the Badge of Military Merit.  The medal is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces who has been wounded, killed, or has died after being wounded. Cochran, a U.S. Navy veteran, reiterated his belief that the nation must meet its obligations to the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces. “Today, the new generation of all-volunteer veterans returning from more than a decade of sustained combat operations reminds us of our indebtedness to all our veterans and their families.  We must continue to meet those commitments.  It will keep our nation strong,” Cochran said.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=4f946c05-3c7f-497d-8b80-46f0f33b5fe9,COCHRAN ISSUES 2013 VETERANS DAY STATEMENT,2013-11-08,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), a U.S. Navy veteran, today issued the following statement to commemorate Veterans Day 2013: “Veterans Day 2013 gives us an opportunity to set aside our day-to-day worries and celebrate the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.  It is a national day of recognition and gratitude for those who have bravely served and fought to defend the freedoms that make the United States a beacon of liberty to the world. “I am heartened each year by the pride that Mississippians have for our Armed Forces, and their appreciation for the sacrifices made by loved ones on behalf of our nation.  The ceremonies, parades and programs taking place this year will reflect the admiration we share for our veterans.  It is gratifying to see the deep respect that the people of my state have for those who have served, from the first Mississippians who took up arms to defend this land to those currently deployed around the world. “Today, the new generation of all-volunteer veterans returning from more than a decade of sustained combat operations reminds us of our sacred obligations to all our veterans and their families. We must dedicate ourselves to meeting those commitments.  Doing so will make us a stronger nation.  “I appreciate that on Veterans Day the world will witness an American people united in its appreciation of the men and women who have served and fought for our republic.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=8dfe7810-6331-4403-b44d-982cd0999ed7,"COCHRAN COSPONSORS HUNTING, FISHING & RECREATIONAL SHOOTING PROTECTION ACT",2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced his renewed support for legislation to ensure that traditional ammunition used for hunting, fishing and recreational shooting remains protected against from stricter federal regulations. Cochran is cosponsoring the Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act (S.1505), a measure introduced in response to calls for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue regulations barring the use of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle. These items have a long-standing exemption from regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  S.1505 would confirm and clarify the regulatory exemptions already granted to traditional hunting ammunition and fishing tackle. “I don’t see a need for the Environmental Protection Agency to develop costly, new regulations that would force ammunition and fishing gear manufacturers to completely alter how they do business.  Such federal regulations would make hunting and fishing more expensive and compromise successful conservation programs—all without any scientific evidence that traditional ammunition poses an environmental threat,” said Cochran, who cosponsored similar legislation in the 112th Congress. The EPA has been petitioned by the Center for Biological Diversity, a leading anti-hunting organization, and other groups to issue nationwide regulations to ban the manufacture or use of traditional ammunition and fishing tackle containing lead components. The legislation, which has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, would amend TSCA to exclude from the definition of “chemical substance” any firearm, ammunition and sport fishing equipment components that are subject to federal excise tax.  The measure would affirm the existing policy of allowing state agencies, such as state fish and game agencies, to set regulations for ammunition and tackle. S.1505 was introduced by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).  This bill is supported by the National Rifle Association, Safari Club, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Wildlife Forever and other hunting and fishing groups. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7043557f-5535-43c6-a8fa-7b1394816abd,COCHRAN & WICKER: ARMY DELAYING USM ROTC CLOSURE FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS,2013-11-06,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – A U.S. Army decision to delay the termination of the U.S. Army ROTC program at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) was met with praise today by U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who this week sent correspondence to the Army regarding ongoing concerns with the closure plan. The Office of the Secretary of the Army on Wednesday notified Cochran and Wicker of the decision to delay for at least 24 months any action to close the Army ROTC program at USM.  All programs targeted by the Army will be put on probationary status during the delay. “An examination of the Army’s rationale for closing the Southern Miss ROTC program made it clear that more analysis is needed.  Two years will give the Army plenty of time to more carefully consider the successful history of the Southern Miss program,” Cochran said.  “I am grateful to Secretary McHugh for this decision, and salute Dr. Bennett and Governor Bryant for their work to preserve this ROTC program.” “I am pleased with the Army’s decision to delay the closing of the ROTC program at USM,” Wicker said. “It is unfortunate that we even need to discuss this issue given USM’s long-standing importance to our nation’s fighting forces. This delay represents just the first step in our fight to protect USM’s proud ROTC tradition. I join Senator Cochran in congratulating Gov. Bryant, Dr. Bennett, and LTC Worley on their efforts to help save the program.” The Mississippi Senators, along with Representative Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), this week wrote John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, to request that top Pentagon officials meet with USM President Dr. Rodney Bennett to discuss the methodology used to determine which ROTC units would be closed.  The lawmakers also asked that the Army provide them with responses to Bennett’s questions.  The correspondence was the latest action taken by the lawmakers to have the Army justify targeting its ROTC program at USM. “Since 1951, USM has produced more than 1,500 diverse and superbly-qualified Army officers for service to our nation, sixteen of whom have achieved flag rank,” the lawmakers wrote McHugh.  “Given the significant contributions the graduates of this program have made to the Army, we are convinced that terminating USM’s Army ROTC program would be a disservice to the state of Mississippi and our nation.” Cochran is vice chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee.  Wicker is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In early October, the Army announced that 13 of 273 Reserve Officer Training Corps programs would be closed by the end of the 2014-15 academic year. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=ad6c43fa-a667-4cea-9211-8de3e796761e,SENATE CONFIRMS DEBRA BROWN TO BE U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE,2013-11-04,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"(Audio of Cochran & Wicker floor statements is available below.) WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate on Monday unanimously confirmed Debra M. Brown of Jackson to be a U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi following recommendations from U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). Brown, who will fill the seat held by the late District Court Judge Allen Pepper, was confirmed on a 90-0 vote.  The Yazoo City native will become the first African American female federal district judge in Mississippi, and one of two female district court judges in the state. Prior to Monday’s vote, Cochran and Wicker spoke on the Senate floor to recommend confirmation of Brown, who was nominated for the judicial position on May 16, 2013. “I am confident Debra Brown will serve with distinction as a United States district court judge in Mississippi. Her personal background, educational accomplishments, and legal experience should serve her well as she assumes this important position,” Cochran said.  “The Senate vote is recognition of her qualifications to serve as a member of the federal judiciary.” “I am thrilled and honored to be part of this historic moment for Mississippi,” Wicker said. “Ms. Brown is a proven trailblazer. Our country needs judges who have a record of professional excellence, integrity, and public service.  I am confident her service will be good for our nation, our state, and especially good for the city of Greenville, where she will preside. Having a judge who is also an architect would be particularly serendipitous for Greenville, as the federal courthouse there is woefully inadequate and in desperate need of a new state-of-the-art courthouse.” Cochran and Wicker introduced Brown and recommended her approval at the July 10 Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on her nomination.  The committee approved her nomination in August on a unanimous voice vote. Brown, a shareholder the Wise Carter Child & Caraway law firm in Jackson, earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Mississippi State University in 1987 and a law degree in 1997 from the University of Mississippi School of Law.  Prior to joining Wise Carter Child & Caraway in January 2012, she was a partner with the Phelps Dunbar law firm in Jackson. Brown is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association, as well as a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, the Magnolia Bar Association and the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association where she has served also as president.  She is also a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. The 2004 recipient of the Jackson Young Lawyers Outstanding Service Award, Brown was also recognized in 2008 by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of Mississippi’s Leading Business Women.  She has also been involved in civic and charitable organizations. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=381088,Palazzo Introduces Legislation Limiting Terms for Members of Congress,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Introduces Legislation Limiting Terms for Members of Congress f t # e Washington, October 31, 2013 Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo, (MS-4), this week introduced legislation that would set limits on the number of years Members of Congress can serve to no more than twelve years.Palazzo released the following statement: Our founding fathers that made up the first Congress were citizen servants who lived among the people they served, by the laws they created. When you look at recent attempts to exempt Congress from ObamaCare, it is obvious that much has changed. The plan I'm proposing today is a responsible measure that would ensure lawmakers' time is limited so that they are forced once again to return home to live by the laws they create. Palazzo's plan would amend the U.S. Constitution to limit members of the U.S. House of Representatives to six terms and members of the U.S. Senate to two terms. Palazzo is also a cosponsor of the End Pensions in Congress Act, and has called for other Members of Congress to join him in giving up their congressional pensions once they leave office. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=5ea98c9a-d661-4c8a-a414-4cb22aff5c5c,SENATORS FIGHT TO PROTECT FARMERS & HUNTERS FROM BURDENSOME REGS,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR), John Boozman (R-AR), Thad Cochran (R-MS), and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) today introduced the Farmer and Hunter Protection Act to prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) from unfairly penalizing farmers and sportsmen for rolling their fields during hunting season. During the summer of 2012, weather conditions in the Southeast caused some harvested rice fields to re-head, creating accidental second growth crops. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may now view these second growth crops that have been rolled as baited fields, even though this practice was recommended by local cooperative extension services as a way to return nutrients to the soil. Inadvertent baiting of a field can level a fine of up to $100,000 for a farmer, $15,000 for a hunter, and prohibit hunting on the land. “It’s inexcusable that the Fish and Wildlife Service may force our farmers and hunters to pay a fine for a long-standing agricultural practice,” Pryor said. “This irresponsible action would not only harm our families’ way of life, it would negatively impact hunting season—which is a huge driver of economic activity in Arkansas. Our common-sense bill will resolve this issue and ensure the rights of Arkansans are protected.” “This is a common, recommended agriculture practice Arkansas farmers have followed for generations. Threatening to penalize our farmers for this normal procedure is bad policy that will have a lasting impact on the industry in addition to the sportsmen who use the land. Allowing state cooperative extension offices the ability to determine what is acceptable is a commonsense solution,” Boozman said. “This is an example of a regulatory process gone wrong.  Farmers and hunters, who follow recommended land management practices, should not be subjected to unfair and costly penalties,” Cochran said. “Sportsman’s Paradise is not just a slogan on our license plates; it’s a way of life in Louisiana. By unfairly fining farmers and hunters for tried and true techniques, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services would make sportsmen, hunters, and farmers the next endangered species. As someone who enjoys hunting, I know how important the hunting season is in Louisiana. The last thing our hunters and farmers need is senseless and ridiculous regulations ahead of this year’s hunting season,” said Landrieu. The Farmer and Hunter Protection Act (S.1634) would allow each state’s cooperative extension service to distinguish between normal agriculture practices and baiting. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=e835a380-a4f3-42c0-adc6-aeeb9e40da73,COCHRAN ENCOURAGED BY NAVY PLAN TO MOVE SEABEE PERSONNEL TO GULFPORT,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today said he is encouraged by the U.S. Navy’s plan to move Seabee personnel to the Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport within a year. The Navy has informed Cochran, the vice chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriation Subcommittee, of its intent to transfer Seabee personnel to Gulfport.  The permanent duty station change requests would involve a total of 31 officer and enlisted billets, with an estimated $2.65 million annual payroll. “The Seabee Center at Gulfport, with its excellent record of service, is benefitting from the Navy’s effort to consolidate its operations.  I’m encouraged that Mississippi will continue to host a strong Seabee presence as the Navy works to improve its operations in an era of constrained budgets,” Cochran said. The Navy notices involve the transfer of two officer billets and 17 enlisted billets from the SEVENTH Naval Construction Regiment to Gulfport, as well as one officer billet and another 11 enlisted billets from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion TWENTY SEVEN.  The personnel moves would be effective Oct. 1, 2014. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221132353/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/whatever,"""Whatever.""",2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"""Whatever."" U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) Oct 30, 2013 Issues: Health Care Hello-- The cabinet secretary in charge of the Obama administration's signature health law admitted to some of the law’s shortfalls today. But when I asked Secretary Kathleen Sebelius if the president is ultimately responsible for ObamaCare’s failures, she answered, ""Whatever."" Watch the conversation here: http://bit.ly/1cqYmAz Whatever? The millions of folks being kicked off of their health insurance plans deserve better than whatever. And they deserve answers to the president's anecdotal promises that are falling flat with each news cycle. This is not about politics. This is not about a website. This is about a multi-year, multi-billion dollar broken promise. Mississippians and our country deserve transparency from a White House that is unwilling to accept responsibility for its faults. Whatever is unacceptable. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=d764b798-cb7f-4f0e-be18-ea74cb779a66,MISS. SENATORS ASK HHS TO RECONSIDER HOME HEALTH CARE CUTS,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) have raised concerns that the use of incomplete information may result in a 14 percent cut to home health services for seniors over the next four years. Cochran and Wicker are among a bipartisan majority of Senators who recently asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to use more accurate cost calculations to redraft a proposed rule regarding Medicare home health reimbursements.  Fifty-one Senators signed a letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner that outlines their concerns about the draft regulation. CMS has proposed a draft rule regarding the 2014 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HHPPS) that would cut Medicare home health funding by 14 percent over four years, or a 3.5 percent annually between 2014 to 2017.  The Senators assert that the home health payment rebasing calculations could limit access to home health services, especially in rural and underserved areas. “The number of Mississippians who benefit from home health services continues to grow.  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should not rush into implementing a flawed rule that could jeopardize the care for these vulnerable senior citizens,” Cochran said.   “Home health services are essential to patients in rural states like Mississippi,” Wicker said. “Arbitrarily cutting these critical services could drive many patients, particularly seniors, out of their homes and into more costly medical settings.” The Senators ask CMS to consider using more current sources of data and analysis to more accurately reflect home health agencies’ costs per episode of care, rather than relying on 2011-era cost reporting data.  The Senators are concerned that the draft rule fails to fully account for home health agencies’ costs associated with telehealth technologies, Health Information Technology, regulatory compliance, as well as hospital-based agencies’ overhead expenses. “We are committed to ensuring fair and accurate payment for Medicare services, as well as access to care for people in their homes.  That is why we urge you to consider additional data to more accurately reflect the full cost of care borne by home health agencies in determining rebasing,” the Senators wrote Tavenner. “If finalized in its current form, the HHPPS proposed rule would raise serious concern about access to care for vulnerable seniors, especially in rural and underserved areas,” the Senators wrote.  “We firmly believe in ensuring the accuracy of all Medicare reimbursement.  However, we are concerned that the proposed rule may fall short of this goal due to its reliance on incomplete data and analysis that results in the under-counting of home health agencies’ costs per episode of care, and an inappropriately high rebasing adjustment.”  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=f301fa86-8d27-474b-9efe-8338271202b2,COCHRAN: REACH FARM BILL AGREEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today asserted that a new farm bill is an opportunity for the Congress to demonstrate that lawmakers can work together on issues that affect the lives of Americans every day. Cochran, ranking member on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, on Wednesday helped begin the House-Senate conference tasked with negotiating a final agreement on a new, five-year farm bill.  The conference committee meeting opened formal negotiations between the House and Senate to update agriculture, nutrition, conservation and rural development policies. Congress last passed a farm bill in 2008. “Farm bills always reflect the times in which they are drafted,” Cochran said in his opening remarks.  “Members of the Senate and the House believe that the farm bill can help reduce costs which will strengthen the federal budget situation.  Both bills recommend significant, although different, levels of savings.  We have an opportunity to demonstrate to the American people that their government can achieve savings, and at the same time, meet the agricultural, nutrition and conservation needs of the country.” “The time to complete our work has come.  The farm bill expired on September 30th, so it is important that we reach a consensus and craft a conference report that will pass both the House and the Senate as soon as possible,” he said. Cochran acknowledged the differences between the farm bill legislation that passed the Senate and House this year, but stressed the need to resolve those disagreements. “As we complete our work on the final agreement for all 12 titles of the farm bill, we should keep in mind all of those who rely on the programs contained in this legislation,” said Cochran. “The agriculture community and our economy need the certainty that a five-year farm bill provides.  The programs included in the farm bill affect real people every day:  farmers, ranchers, and small businesses, as well as millions of children, mothers, and fathers will all be influenced by the decisions we make,” he said. The drive to complete a farm bill as soon as possible intensified with the expiration of a short-term extension of 2008 farm bill policies on Sept. 30. LINK: •    CRS Comparison Report on Senate and House farm bills: http://1.usa.gov/1anlb6w ###   Prepared Remarks U.S. SENATOR THAD COCHRAN (R-Miss.) Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry House-Senate Conference Committee on the The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 (HR.2642) October 30, 2013 Mr. Chairman, let me begin by commending the members of the Senate and the House for having completed the consideration of these bills.  The prospects for passage of the legislation are within reach.  All members of the conference and all members of the Agriculture Committees of the House and the Senate deserve our sincere congratulations for this accomplishment. The time to complete our work has come.  The farm bill expired on September 30th, so it is important that we reach a consensus and craft a conference report that will pass both the House and the Senate as soon as possible. Over the past two years, much has been made of the differences in the Senate and House bills: In the Commodity Title, the question has been how to deal with the variety of crops produced in different regions and provide a real safety net for all of our nation’s farmers when prices decline. In the Nutrition Title, we need to ensure that waste, fraud and abuse reforms are given the serious attention they deserve while at the same time providing an appropriate safety net for the families affected by economic hardship.  There is no reason we cannot make commonsense reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, while still providing assistance to families in need. The conference committee also has to decide how to handle several provisions that help cut through bureaucratic red tape and lighten the regulatory burdens that many farmers and ranchers face.  The House included a number of these provisions, while the Senate did not. Despite these differences, our bills are similar in many ways.  The Conservation Title, for example, is substantially the same in both the House and Senate bills.  We’ve protected programs that work well to ensure the good health of our nation’s land and waters, including the Conservation Reserve Program, the Wetlands Reserve Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Farm bills always reflect the times in which they are drafted.  Members of the Senate and the House believe that the farm bill can help reduce costs which will strengthen the federal budget situation.  Both bills recommend significant, although different, levels of savings.  We have an opportunity to demonstrate to the American people that their government can achieve savings, and at the same time, meet the agricultural, nutrition and conservation needs of the country. Crop insurance has become an increasingly large part of the safety net for producers.  Both bodies have worked to ensure that they provide effective risk management tools are provided.  As we consider a final version of the Crop Insurance Title, I’m sure that we’ll be reminded of the many similarities between the Senate and House bills, and resolve our differences.  As we complete our work on the final agreement for all 12 titles of the farm bill, we should keep in mind all of those who rely on the programs contained in this legislation.  Inaction on our part will result in more problems like those recently witnessed when the Livestock Indemnity Program was not available to help when disaster struck cattle producers in states like Nebraska and the Dakotas. The agriculture community and our economy need the certainty that a five-year farm bill provides.  The programs included in the farm bill affect real people every day:  farmers, ranchers, and small businesses, as well as millions of children, mothers, and fathers will all be influenced by the decisions we make. Now is the time to act to complete work on this legislation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356923,Palazzo Hosts Second Annual Youth Leadership Summit,2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), will host his second annual Youth Leadership Summit for high school juniors and seniors on Tuesday, November 5th, on the Hattiesburg campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. I want to recognize and encourage South Mississippi students who exhibit strong leadership qualities in their schools and communities, Palazzo stated. These students are the future of our state and our nation, and it is my hope that they will come away from this summit with the tools they need to continue serving their communities. Confirmed guest speakers include: Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut Randy G. Pierce, Associate Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court Hannah Roberts, 2013 Miss University of Southern Mississippi Sarah Thomas, candidate to become the National Football League's first woman to serve as a permanent official High schools throughout Mississippi's fourth congressional district will select juniors and seniors to participate based on academic performance, community service, and extracurricular activities, as well as the ability to overcome adversity. This year's Summit will also feature a college fair to connect students with local colleges and universities, with participation from The University of Southern Mississippi, William Carey University, Jones County Junior College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and Pearl River Community College. The summit will take place on Tuesday, November 5th, from 8 AM to 2 PM at the Thad Cochran Center, 118 College Drive, USM Hattiesburg Campus.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=357048,"Palazzo Says Flood Insurance Bill Addresses Affordability Issues, Flawed FEMA Regulations",2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo, (MS-4), today joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators in introducing the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. The bill contains a four-year delay to changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), halting implementation of rate increases under the Biggert-Waters Act of 2012 until 2 years after FEMA completes the affordability study originally mandated under the law. The newly released legislation would also require the agency to address a host of issues that have arisen from FEMA's selective implementation of measures under BW12. Palazzo released the following statement: This legislation is the product of continuing bipartisan, bicameral efforts to address unintended consequences of BW12 and keep flood insurance affordable and available for residents in South Mississippi and flood-prone areas across the nation. Premiums were never supposed to change until after FEMA conducted affordability studies, took time to review the findings, and adjusted regulations accordingly. FEMA's selective implementation of regulations, as well as questions surrounding changing flood maps, have created a nightmare for many facing increasing flood insurance rates. This proposal would provide the oversight, clarification, and time FEMA needs to right this wrong and provide some peace of mind for NFIP policyholders. Specifically, the legislation: Imposes a delay likely to total four years for the most vulnerable properties, by delaying implementation of rate increases until two years after FEMA completes an affordability study, which was mandated in Biggert-Waters but not undertaken. FEMA has estimated it will take 2 years to complete the affordability study. It would then take up to an additional 2 years for FEMA to submit an affordability framework to Congress and for Congress to review the framework. This means rate increases would be delayed for 4 years in total. The delay applies to: primary, non-repetitive loss residences that are currently grandfathered; all properties sold after July 6, 2012; and all properties that purchased a new policy after July 6, 2012 Requires FEMA to propose an affordability framework that addresses the identified affordability issues within 18 months after the completion of the study and provides 6 months for Congressional review Allows FEMA to utilize National Flood Insurance Funds to reimburse policyholders who successfully appeal a map determination Eliminates the 50 percent cap on state and local contributions to levee construction and reconstruction Protects the so-called basement exception, which allows the lowest proofed opening in a home to be used for determining flood insurance rates Establishes a Flood Insurance Rate Map Advocate within FEMA to answer current and prospective policyholder questions about the flood mapping process Requires FEMA to certify that the agency has fully adopted a modernized risk-based approach to analyzing flood risk. In March, Palazzo first introducedlegislationthat would provide immediate relief for rising flood insurance rates while keeping the National Flood Insurance Program solvent for future disasters.The package would freeze all rate hikes for one year and slow the growth of rate increases to flood insurance policies over the next ten years.It would also offer flood mitigation tax credits of up to $5,000 for homeowners and small businesses, as well as grant funding to NFIP policy holders who mitigate against future flood risk.He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Home Protection Caucus which he helped form earlier this year, and was instrumental in passing a House one-year delay for changing flood insurance rates in June 2013 by a vote of 281-146. He also hosted FEMA Associate Administrator David Miller in South Mississippi in August 2013, to show firsthand the effects of rate increases on homeowners and communities that built back to code following Hurricane Katrina. Original Cosponsors of the House legislation include: Representatives Michael Grimm (R-NY); Maxine Waters (D-CA); Cedric Richmond (D-LA); Pete Olson (R-TX); Steven Palazzo (R-MS); Patrick Murphy (D-FL); Bill Cassidy (R-LA); Doris Matsui (D-CA); Kevin Cramer (R-ND); William Keating (D-MA); Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL);Corrine Brown (D-FL); RubnHinojosa (D-TX); Gregory Meeks (D-NY); Mike McIntyre (D-NC); Jerrold Nadler (D-NY); Richard Nugent (R-FL); Bobby Scott (D-VA); Jim Langevin (D-RI); Joseph Crowley (D-NY); Gwen Moore (D-WI); Glenn Thompson (R-PA); Walter Jones (R- NC); Peter Welch (D- VT) William Enyart (D- IL); Frank LoBiondo (R- NJ); Stephen Lynch (D-MA); John Carney (D-DL); John Culberson (R-TX); Kathy Castor (D-FL); Joe Garcia (D-FL); Lois Frankel (D-FL); Nydia Velazquez (D-NY); Jan Schakowsky (D-IL); Peter King (R-NY); Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ); Carolyn Maloney (D-NY); Frederica Wilson (D-FL); Filemon Vela; (D- TX); Rodney Davis (R-IL); John Tierney (D-MA); Ed Perlmutter (D CO); Keith Ellison (D-MN); Ted Deutch (D-FL); Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY); Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL); Jerry McNerney (D-CA); Charles Boustany (D-LA); William Lacy Clay (D-MO); Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO); Steve Scalise (R LA); Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY); John Garamendi (D-CA) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX). A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=fac831e1-9202-4cfb-b142-1c6cfa661f37,COCHRAN PLAYS KEY ROLE IN BIPARTISAN BILL TO DELAY FLOOD INSURANCE HIKES,2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today said he will work to win bipartisan support for legislation he helped write to protect Mississippi homeowners and businesses from exorbitantly expensive flood insurance premium hikes.   Cochran worked primarily with a bipartisan group of eight Senators—four Republicans and four Democrats—led Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) to develop the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (S.1610).  The bill introduced Tuesday would forestall rate increases until FEMA’s mapping methods are certified as technically sound, and until the affordability study is completed. “I’ve heard from people from the Gulf Coast to the Delta to the Tenn-Tom who are justifiably alarmed by the prospect of unaffordable flood insurance leaving them unprotected or, worse, driving them off their property,” Cochran said.  “I support the long-term flood insurance reforms that Congress enacted last year.  However, before implementing policies that could drive people out of homes and harm local economies, we need to make absolutely sure the methods being used to calculate risk are technically sound,” he said.  “This legislation represents a responsible, limited approach to address the unintended problems created in implementing well-intentioned flood insurance program reforms.  These high rates could actually force homeowners out of the program and jeopardize all of the reforms we’ve made to improve its solvency.” FEMA implementation of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 has resulted in property owners across the country being notified that the price of their National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies will increase dramatically.  This legislation passed the Senate without opportunity for amendment as part of a larger package that included the Highway Bill and Gulf Coast RESTORE Act. In addition to demanding completion of an affordability study, the bill would require FEMA to certify that it has implemented a flood mapping approach that relies on sound scientific and engineering methodologies to determine varying levels of flood risk in all areas with NFIP participation.  FEMA must also propose a draft affordability framework for congressional review.  The bill sets a 24-month deadline for FEMA to take these actions and could delay rate hikes until affordability regulations authorized by Congress are finalized. FEMA is currently revising its mapping methodologies through a process called Levee Analysis and Mapping Procedures.  FEMA began this reform in March 2011 after a coalition led by Cochran questioned the validity and credibility of the agency’s “without levees” mapping procedure.  A March 2013 study by the National Academies of Science called into question the technical validity of some of FEMA’s current mapping practices. “This is a bipartisan, bicameral bill that is a product of negotiations and compromise, and probably the best chance we have for hitting the pause button before the more harmful effects of Biggert-Waters can take effect,” Cochran said.  “I hope we can continue to improve the bill.” Additional bill authors include Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Jeff Merkley (D-Alaska), and David Vitter (R-La.). A section-by-section summary of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act is available below. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=22d3f160-6355-4d48-96fa-c12f8824a846,"COCHRAN, WICKER COSPONSOR BILL TO DELAY OBAMACARE MANDATE",2013-10-28,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today cosponsored legislation to delay the health insurance individual mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) until the insurance exchanges are certified as fully functional. The Mississippi Senators are original cosponsors of the Delay Until Fully Functional Act, introduced Monday by Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).  The bill would ensure that American citizens are not penalized for being unable to enroll using the faulty American Health Benefit Exchanges.   Under the PPACA or “Obamacare,” the individual mandate requires uninsured Americans to purchase healthcare insurance by Dec. 15 or face a penalty tax.  Since its launch on Oct. 1, the federal healthcare.gov website has been largely unworkable and actually crashed over the weekend. “This legislation acknowledges what the Obama administration will not admit—that its insurance exchange websites, developed at great expense to taxpayers, are an unworkable mess.  Mississippians should not be taxed for being unable to use dysfunctional websites,” Cochran said. “The difficulties that Americans are facing with the Obamacare website highlight the rampant problems associated with the health-care law,” Wicker said. “People in Mississippi should not be penalized because of the Administration’s failed rollout of the online health-care exchanges. It is not fair or right to force Americans to enroll in a broken system.” The legislation would delay the individual mandate and require that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) study the exchange websites and report to Congress within 30 days.  If the exchanges are not found to be fully functional, the GAO would conduct subsequent studies and report every 60 days until the Comptroller General determines that the exchanges are fully functional.  At that point, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) inspector general would be required to certify the results of the GAO report.  The individual mandate could be reinstated six months after the HHS inspector general certification. FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform and the National Taxpayers Union have endorsed this legislation, which is also sponsored by Senators John Boozman (R-Ark.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.). A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Trey Radel (R-Fla.). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221145601/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/its-true,It's true,2013-10-27,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- Congress has to figure out a way to overcome physician shortages and reach underserved patients. The answer to this problem isn’t some far-reaching law like ObamaCare, which saddles families and businesses with new tax increases and mandates. Instead, we should begin by strengthening Medicare and enhancing Medicaid through expanded telemedicine coverage. This is why I introduced a bill this week to help connect health professionals with vulnerable patients through telehealth networks. I’ve said it before: Telemedicine works. It extends care to patients. It serves our aging population. But most importantly, it’s about fairness. And access to care shouldn’t be limited based on where folks choose to live. My goal is to build on existing reforms that states like Mississippi have pioneered. Along the way, I hope to help states lower their health costs by encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyles and reducing avoidable hospital visits. Here’s where I need your help. We’ve experienced the benefits of telemedicine in Mississippi. But your friends across the country need to know how these health networks help improve care and cut costs. Will you please consider forwarding this message to three friends? With your help, we can make a difference. And with this bill, we can demonstrate that real health reforms don’t require an over-reaching, trillion-dollar law. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356136,Palazzo Welcomes SpaceX to South Mississippi,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Welcomes SpaceX to South Mississippi f t # e Washington, October 23, 2013 Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-04) released the following statement today after the announcement of an agreement between NASA Stennis Space Center and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to bring testing of SpaceX's Raptor engine to the facility. I am pleased to see the continued growth of commercial space programs at Stennis with the addition of SpaceX engine testing. As the world's premier rocket testing facility, Stennis will provide SpaceX with matchless capabilities for testing their new Raptor engines. As a long-time advocate for bringing increased commercial space activities to Stennis, I know that SpaceX will be a welcome addition to South Mississippi. The Gulf Coast aerospace corridor is open for business and continues to bolster U.S. leadership in space. The State of Mississippi, with support from the Mississippi Development Authority and the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission, reached an agreement with SpaceX to expand testing capabilities at NASA Stennis Space Center. Improvements to the E-2 test-stand infrastructure will allow new testing to begin in early 2014. ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131103082739/http://harper.house.gov:80/press-release/bipartisan-telehealth-bill-introduced,Bipartisan Telehealth Bill Introduced,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – Legislation to strengthen Medicare and enhance Medicaid through expanded telemedicine coverage has been introduced by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers. The “Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2013,” authored by U.S. Reps. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), builds on existing payment innovations. This proposal is the result of a months-long drafting process involving patients, providers, and other industry stakeholders, the bill sponsors say. “These efforts began with a conversation about physician shortages and concerns with patients’ access to quality and affordable health care,” the authors said in a letter urging their colleagues to cosponsor the bill. “Until we are able to attract more physicians to rural communities and tighten the access gap, the next best alternative is to use technology to connect health professionals with underserved populations – rural and urban – through telehealth networks.” Among other reforms, the bill adjusts Medicare home health payments to account for remote patient monitoring and expands coverage to all critical access and sole community hospitals, regardless of metropolitan status. The package also covers home-based video services for hospice care, home dialysis, and homebound beneficiaries. Under the bill, states will also have the option of setting up high-risk pregnancy networks within their Medicaid programs. This model centers on the success of state programs, notably Arkansas ANGELS, to use telehealth for the coordination and improvement of at-risk births and neonatal care. “Our aim is to complement states that are pioneering telemedicine across the country,” the lawmakers continued. “We hope to help states lower health costs by encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyles as well as reducing avoidable hospital visits.” Many trade associations have signaled support for the legislation, including the American Telemedicine Association (ATA). “Studies have shown that telehealth can improve access, reduce costs and improve the quality of healthcare,” said Jonathan Linkous, chief executive officer of the ATA. “To unlock this potential, we need to give health providers the ability to use this technology where ever appropriate. ATA supports this legislation because it takes a sensible approach to move aside government restrictions and allow patients access to health services wherever they are located. Instead of going to the doctor, it allows the doctor to go to the patient.” The bill, H.R. 3306, has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Ways and Means. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=da0d793d-b2ec-4407-8b21-361505db2815,COCHRAN: SPACE-X DECISION BODES WELL FOR JOB GROWTH IN SOUTH MISSISSIPPI,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today said the agreement signed today between the State of Mississippi and the commercial space company SpaceX bodes well for future job growth at and around NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. Cochran commended the accord which will involve SpaceX investing in the E-2 test stand at Stennis to support engine research, development and testing of the firm’s Raptor methane rocket engines.  The agreement, signed by Governor Phil Bryant, also involved the Mississippi Development Authority, Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission and NASA.  “We have been talking with SpaceX for many years about working at Stennis Space Center, and I am pleased to officially welcome them to our Mississippi family.  I hope this is just the beginning of their endeavors in our state,” Cochran said. “Our state wins through this beneficial public-private contract that will enhance the Space Center’s historic role in rocket engine testing and as a center for technical activity and skilled jobs.” “I appreciate all the good work put into reaching this agreement, including the efforts of Governor Bryant, the Mississippi Development Authority and local leaders in South Mississippi.  It is proof that we have a team in place that helps make Mississippi a great place to do business,” he said. As a long standing member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Cochran has worked hard to ensure that Stennis Space Center has the assets necessary to support both government and private-sector missions.  In recent years, Cochran has supported appropriations measures to upgrade aging Stennis infrastructure, including resources for the E-complex that SpaceX will be further outfitting for methane rocket experiments. In addition to his work on the E-complex, Cochran authored a FY2012 appropriations provision requiring NASA to examine and report on the condition and necessity of the massive B-2 test stand, which is used by NASA for large rocket engine systems tests.  That report elicited a NASA decision to request $12 million in FY2012 appropriations to initiate the rehabilitation and reuse of the existing B-2 test stand to support the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) program.  The NASA report also identified a need for further upgrades to the B-2 stand and led to Cochran successfully securing $168 million in FY2013 funding to keep the B-2 test stand upgrade on schedule for the development of SLS. Cochran was also closely involved in crafting the 2010 NASA Reauthorization Act, through which Congress directed the commencement of the SLS program to replace the Space Shuttle program. “A robust test infrastructure is important to ensuring future astronauts will be as safe as possible when they climb aboard the next generation of rockets,” Cochran said. “Stronger testing saves money in the long run, and there’s no better place in the world to test rocket engines than Hancock County, Mississippi.” LINKS: •   Mississippi Development Authority: http://www.mississippi.org/ •   Stennis Space Center:  http://1.usa.gov/19s4DaD •   SpaceX:  http://www.spacex.com/ •   March 2012 Cochran statement on Stennis: http://1.usa.gov/1bUoO15  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221151145/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/non-functioning-government-bad-business,Non-Functioning Government is Bad for Business,2013-10-18,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- On Wednesday, the House and Senate voted on a bill to end the government shutdown and preserve the full faith and credit of the United States of America. I supported that effort. Our country could not afford to default on our obligations. The business and financial services communities agreed, and they supported passage of the bill. I’m including a letter of support from 251 pro-business organizations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Farm Bureau, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Federation of Independent Business. We have much work left to do, and I remain committed to reducing spending and the debt. My vote on Wednesday was part of an effort to keep the government running and our obligations met while we continue that work. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress October 17, 2013 The Honorable Gregg Harper U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC  20515 Dear Congressman Harper: The undersigned 251 organizations thank the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate for passing a Continuing Resolution to resume normal funding of the federal government into the next fiscal year and for raising the federal debt limit to avoid default and preserve the full faith and credit standing of the United States government. For well-known reasons the Congress was unable to use this opportunity to address related pressing issues.  Among these most especially is the need to restrain federal spending, both discretionary spending and mandatory spending, thereby reducing federal budget deficits and containing the growth of federal debt in the near-term and for the long haul. Entitlement spending remains the main driver of current and future deficits and high debt levels and must be addressed.  Today we spend $1.6 trillion on just three of the nation’s entitlement programs – Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  In 10 years, the total price for these programs will soar to $3 trillion.  As our earlier communications affirmed: Congress cannot continue “kicking the can down the road.” Fortunately, while passing the Continuing Resolution the Senate requested a conference with the House on the budget resolution, and the House has already responded positively with the appointment of conferees.  Such a conference, representing a welcome return to the regular order budget process, offers an opportunity to resolve funding for the balance of fiscal year 2014, amend the sequester as appropriate, address the debt limit on a more long-term basis, and pursue substantive entitlement reforms to continue the process of restoring fiscal discipline.  We urge the conferees and the Congress to take this opportunity for corrective action to address the unaffordable path of entitlement spending, to stabilize federal finances and to undertake fundamental tax reform to strengthen the American economy. Again, we thank you for your vote and encourage you to keep moving forward most immediately through the work of the budget conference.   In this we are encouraged in that the conference co-chairs, Paul Ryan (R-WI) of the House Budget Committee and Patty Murray (D-WA) of the Senate Budget Committee, are committed to fiscal discipline and a successful, bipartisan budget conference. Sincerely, Aeronautical Repair Station Association Agricultural Retailers Association Air Conditioning Contractors of America Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute Airlines for America Airports Council International - North America American Apparel & Footwear Association American Beverage Association American Coatings Association American Concrete Pressure Pipe Association American Council of Engineering Companies American Farm Bureau Federation American Forest & Paper Association American Gas Association American Hotel & Lodging Association American Insurance Association American International Automobile Dealers Association American Iron and Steel Institute American Land Title Association American Rental Association American Road & Transportation Builders Association American Supply Association American Trucking Associations AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arizona Small Business Association Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas Arlington Chamber of Commerce – TX Associated Equipment Distributors Associated General Contractors of America Associated Oregon Industries Association Forum of Chicagoland – IL Association of Equipment Manufacturers Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers Association of Washington Business Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce – IL Austin Area Chamber of Commerce – TX Austin Chamber of Commerce – TX Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber – MD Barrow County Chamber of Commerce – GA Batavia Chamber of Commerce – IL Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce – ND Brainerd Lakes Chamber – MN Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce – AZ Buffalo Niagara Partnership – NY Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International Business Council of Alabama Business Roundtable Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce – NC California Chamber of Commerce California Manufacturers & Technology Association Carolinas Food Industry Council Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce – CA Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce – NV Central LA Chamber of Commerce – LA Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County – AL Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley – WV Chamber Southwest Louisiana Chambers of Commerce Alliance of Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties – CA Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce – SC Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce - IL Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce – IL Connecticut Business & Industry Association Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) Construction Industry Round Table Consumer Bankers Association Corn Refiners Association Cushing Chamber of Commerce & Industry – OK Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce – MN Dallas Regional Chamber – TX Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce – OH DC Chamber of Commerce Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce – CO Destination Marketing Association International Edison Electric Institute Electronics Representatives Association Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership – PA Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce – VA Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce – MN Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. – MA Fashion Accessories Shippers Association Financial Services Forum Florida Chamber of Commerce Fort Madison Partners – IA Fremont Chamber of Commerce – CA Fullerton Chamber of Commerce – CA Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce – NJ Georgia Chamber of Commerce Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce – NM Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce – CA Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce – TX Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce – FL Greater Des Moines Partnership – IA Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce – NC Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce – TX Greater Homestead/Florida City Chamber of Commerce – FL Greater Iowa City Area Home Builders Association – IA Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce – TX Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce – PA & NJ Greater North Dakota Chamber Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce – IL Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce – AZ Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce – AZ Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce – NC Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry – PA Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce – LA Greater Spokane Incorporated – WA Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce – KS Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce – PA Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC – PA Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce – SC Hudson County Chamber of Commerce – NJ Illinois Manufacturers' Association Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Industrial Packaging Alliance of North America Industrial Supply Association International Dairy Foods Association International Foodservice Distributors Association International Franchise Association International Housewares Association International Warehouse Logistics Association Investment Company Institute Iowa Association of Business and Industry Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry – IL Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce – KS Kalispell Chamber of Commerce – MT Kansas Grain and Feed Association Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce – TN Lincoln Chamber of Commerce – NE Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce – AR Longview Chamber of Commerce – TX Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce – CA Lubbock Chamber of Commerce – TX Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (MAPPS) Manhattan Chamber of Commerce – NY Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation Marana Chamber of Commerce – AZ Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce – IA Maryland Chamber of Commerce Maui Chamber of Commerce – HI Metal Powder Industries Federation Metro South Chamber of Commerce – MA MetroHartford Alliance – CT MetroWest Chamber of Commerce – MA Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce – MN Missouri Association of Manufacturers Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce – AL Montana Chamber of Commerce Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce – CA Monticello Chamber of Commerce & Industry – MN Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce – IL National Asphalt Pavement Association National Association of Chemical Distributors National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders National Association of Manufacturers National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts National Association of Trailer Manufacturers National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) National Black Chamber of Commerce® National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) National Electrical Manufacturers Association National Federation of Independent Business National Grocers Association National Marine Distributors Association (NMDA) National Marine Manufacturers Association National Parking Association National Restaurant Association National Retail Federation National Roofing Contractors Association National Society of Professional Surveyors National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association National Utility Contractors Association Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce New Orleans Chamber of Commerce – LA Non-Ferrous Founders’ Society North American Equipment Dealers Association North Carolina Chamber North Carolina Retail Merchants Association North Star Consulting Group Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce Northumberland County Chamber of Commerce – VA Northwest Food Processors Association Nuclear Energy Institute Ohio Chamber of Commerce Orange County Business Council – CA Orlando, Inc. (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce) – FL Outdoor Power Equipment and Engine Service Association (OPEESA) Outdoor Power Equipment Institute Overland Park Chamber of Commerce – KS Oxnard Chamber of Commerce – CA Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce – CA Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association – CA Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Petroleum Marketers Association of America Port Hueneme Chamber of Commerce – CA Portland Cement Association Prince William Chamber of Commerce – VA Retail Industry Leaders Association Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce – MN Rogers – Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce – AR Salt Lake Chamber – UT San Antonio Chamber of Commerce – TX Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce – CA Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce – PA Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce – AZ Smugglers' Notch Area Chamber of Commerce – VT Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce – CA South Carolina Retail Association Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce – MO St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce – MN St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce – LA Summit Chamber of Commerce – CO Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber – WA Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry The Aluminum Association The Association for Hose & Accessories Distribution The Business Council of New York State, Inc. The Chamber of Commerce serving Johnson City-Jonesborough-Washington County (TN) The Council of Industry of Southeastern New York The Ohio Manufacturers' Association The Real Estate Roundtable Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce – NY Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce – CA Travel Goods Association Tucson Metro Chamber – AZ Tulsa Regional Chamber – OK U.S. Chamber of Commerce U.S. Travel Association United States Telecom Association Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA) – CA Van Buren Chamber of Commerce – AR Virginia Chamber of Commerce Washington Retail Association West Virginia Manufacturers Association Window and Door Manufacturers Association Wisconsin Grocers Association Woodworking Machinery Industry Association Yuma County Chamber of Commerce – AZ",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=1421fb1b-71ab-407a-9cca-b2764a67f692,COCHRAN & WICKER: USDA MUST EXPLAIN LOAN PROGRAM DISRUPTION,2013-10-18,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today challenged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to explain recent ill-timed decisions regarding marketing assistance loans that are creating financial uncertainty and hardships for farmers and businesses, including what will amount to a one-month delay in processing loans. Cochran, along with 13 other Senators, wrote a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack that requests explanations for the Sept. 30 decision to apply a 5.1 percent sequester on marketing assistance loans made after Oct. 1, which could result in price reductions for peanut and cotton yields.  The letter also asks the USDA to explain the rationale behind the timing of the loan processing delay.                                                                                                                                            “Marketing assistance loans represent a financial tool used by our peanut and cotton producers to market their crops and maintain stable farm operations.  Secretary Vilsack should explain why it USDA has disrupted the use of these assets during harvest season and, ideally, take corrective actions,” said Cochran, who spearheaded the letter. “Changing the rules in the middle of the game is unfair to our nation’s food producers, particularly during harvest season,” Wicker said. “With so many uncertainties, the farm industry depends on careful planning. USDA’s unfair decision to abruptly cut and delay these loans could have a significant impact on Mississippi farmers, businesses, and consumers.” The 14-day loan processing delay to allow for software updates was scheduled to begin Oct. 1 but was further delayed during the 16-day partial government shutdown.  The USDA indicated during the shutdown that the 14-day software upgrade would commence when the government reopened.  “The decision to apply sequestration and delay loan processing just as harvest across much of the Sunbelt is gearing up is particularly damaging because it was made without warning,” the Senators wrote.  “This means growers, marketing cooperatives, private merchandizing firms, and agribusinesses were unable to make alternative plans to mitigate the financial hardship imposed by the decisions.” “We call to your attention our constituents’ concerns about the lack of details and transparency in the USDA’s last-minute announcement.  Most notable is the fact that the news release did not specify whether loan redemptions would also be impacted by sequestration.  This will have a direct bearing on how growers, marketing cooperatives, private merchandizing firms, and agribusinesses adjust their current and future marketing strategy,” the Senators wrote. In addition to Cochran and Wicker, the letter was signed by Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), ranking member on the Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodities, Markets, Trade and Risk Management, John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and David Vitter (R-La.). A copy of the letter to Vilsack is available below. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=355805,Palazzo Statement on Vote Against Senate Debt Ceiling / Funding Resolution,2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Statement on Vote Against Senate Debt Ceiling / Funding Resolution f t # e Washington, October 16, 2013 Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), released the following statement today after voting against a Senate-led bill to raise the debt ceiling. I am disappointed that we missed what may have been our last real opportunity to defund or delay Obamacare before its full implementation. I stood with the people of Mississippi and voted against the so-called Senate deal because it does nothing to fix Obamacare, does nothing to reduce spending, and does nothing to get our country back on the right fiscal track. The Senate deal only punts the tough decisions yet again, something I find unacceptable for the future of our nation. My colleagues and I will continue to fight to ensure a better country for our children and grandchildren. The Senate-led bill would raise the US government's debt limit until February 7th and fund the government through January 15th with the requirement of a bipartisan budget committee to issue longer term recommendations by mid-December and includes no language to defund or delay any provisions of the Affordable Care Act. ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221131754/http://harper.house.gov/press-release/harper-votes-end-shutdown-prevent-government-defaulting-debts,"Harper Votes To End Shutdown, Prevent Government From Defaulting On Debts",2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) issued the following statement regarding his vote to end the government shutdown and protect the full faith and credit of the United States: ""While I am not satisfied with the agreement passed by the Senate and House, I believe that it was in the best interest of the country to end the shutdown and ensure that our debts are paid. We could not risk default. The people of Mississippi's Third Congressional District sent me to Washington to work for them, and part of my job is to help ensure a functioning government."" The bill that passed will fund the government through a continuing resolution until January 15, 2014. It will also extend the nation's borrowing authority through February 7, 2014. Harper added: ""Since the enactment of Obamacare, I have been committed to repealing, defunding and reforming the law, voting over 40 times to do just that. The bill passed tonight will help ensure income verification of those receiving subsidies under the healthcare exchanges. While it's not everything I wanted, I believe it's a step forward as we continue to chip away at the law.""            ### Gregg Harper is a third-term Republican lawmaker from Mississippi.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221152515/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/responsibility-govern,A Responsibility to Govern,2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Good evening, The House voted tonight to end the 16-day-old government shutdown and to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.  While I was not satisfied with the agreement that was reached, I believe that it was in the best interest of the country to end the shutdown and ensure that our debts are paid. We cannot default on our obligations. I would like to make a few points. The bill passed by the Senate and House will fund the government through a continuing resolution (CR) until January 15, 2014. It will also extend the nation's borrowing authority through February 7, 2014. The CR will fund the government at existing lower sequestration levels. Keep in mind that for the first time since the Korean War, we have reduced overall federal spending two years in a row. The CR will require both chambers to appoint conferees to a budget committee, which hasn't happened in the nearly five years I've been in Congress. It is important to remember that an increase in the debt limit, or borrowing authority, is not an authorization for an increase in new spending. It simply allows the treasury to pay debts already incurred. I firmly believe that future spending must be decreased. Since the enactment of ObamaCare, I have been committed to repealing, defunding and reforming the law, and I have voted over 40 times to do just that. The most recent of those votes came just before a shutdown of the federal government. The bill passed tonight will help ensure income verification on those receiving subsidies under the healthcare exchanges. And while it's certainly not close to everything I wanted, I believe it's a step forward as we continue to chip away at the law. I will remain vigilant in supporting efforts that oppose this train wreck known as ObamaCare. Tonight, we put furloughed Department of Defense civilians who support our troops back to work and Veterans Home Administration loans to vets back on track; we gave stability to the financial markets and our hometown bankers and small businesses; and we're staying on track to reduce spending and peel back ObamaCare. The people of Mississippi's Third Congressional District sent me to Washington to work for them, and part of my job is to help ensure a functioning government and to honor our obligations. Tonight, that's what I did. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=048a7da9-621b-4e8e-9ded-64d714e89e6e,"COCHRAN STATEMENT ON ENDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, AVERTING DEFAULT",2013-10-16,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Video link to Senator Cochran's Speech: http://bit.ly/198Hyt7 Audio from Senator Cochran’s Speech is Available Below WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today said a bipartisan agreement to reopen the federal government and prevent risking the nation’s credit worthiness should be followed with concrete steps toward “a long-term agreement that will reduce our debt through structural changes to government spending.” Cochran, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a speech to the Senate on Wednesday regarding legislation that would reopen the government and ensure the nation’s immediate financial stability. “I am pleased that we seem close to resolving the current impasse, and I hope that over the coming weeks we can devote ourselves to thoughtful and productive deliberations on the budget.  It is important that we act to restore the confidence of the American people in the United States Senate.  We must take real steps to strengthen our nation’s fiscal foundation so that our economy can grow, and American families and businesses can prosper,” Cochran said. “In getting past our current fiscal stalemates, I hope that we can next achieve a long-term agreement that we will reduce our debt through structural changes to government spending. As a part of that process, we must talk seriously about the President’s health care law; its serious flaws and its impact on families and businesses.  I have consistently opposed this law and one of my goals is seeing that it is repealed, delayed or made voluntary.  Achieving that goal may take longer than we would prefer, because we are in the minority.  But the law’s declining popularity should give Senators from both parties reason to reevaluate it,” he said. The legislation would also require a Senate and House conference committee to finalize a FY2014 budget resolution by mid-December. The Congress has not produced a joint budget resolution since 2009.  “Now we have given ourselves another opportunity to make broader budget reforms.  It will be a benefit to the Legislative Branch and the people who elected us if we can establish a budget framework that will enable us to deal in a more transparent manner with all legislation, including appropriations bills and reform measures to simplify our tax code,” Cochran said. The following is the text of Senator Cochran’s remarks: STATEMENT OF U.S. SENATOR THAD COCHRAN Mr. President, I am optimistic that soon we will be able to enact legislation to reopen our government and affirm the world’s long-standing confidence in our nation’s financial stability and system of democracy.  The current situation is an unfortunate byproduct of our sometimes discordant form of government, which at this time happens to be divided between the two parties. Despite the challenges of recent weeks, I hope this experience demonstrates to the Senate, to the other body, and to the Administration that the nation is best served when we work together.  If we allow our current hardships to pass on only to immediately entrench and get ready for the next crisis, we will be wasting an opportunity to extract a positive outcome from these last, difficult weeks.  Under the Rules of the Senate, individual Senators are provided with significant power to shape the activity of this body.  That’s the way the Senate was designed to operate, and it has served this body and the country well.  Recognizing that the rights entrusted to each of us can be powerful, we must be judicious in their application.  We must always remember that each of us was elected by the people.  If we work in cooperation, and even opposition, with a sense of realism and respect for ourselves and our institution, I believe this body can function effectively. In getting past our current fiscal stalemates, I hope that we can next achieve a long-term agreement that we will reduce our debt through structural changes to government spending. As a part of that process, we must talk seriously about the President’s health care law; its serious flaws and its impact on families and businesses.  I have consistently opposed this law and one of my goals is seeing that it is repealed, delayed or made voluntary.  Achieving that goal may take longer than we would prefer, because we are in the minority.  But the law’s declining popularity should give Senators from both parties reason to reevaluate it. As part of a sustainable budget plan, I hope we can reach a long-term agreement on a Farm Bill to provide producers and consumers with certainty, and to preserve the security Americans enjoy by our ability to generate independently food and fiber for ourselves and for the world.  The Farm Bill this body adopted earlier this year would help accomplish those goals and save 23 billion dollars over the next five years. If we can achieve a responsible budget agreement for Fiscal Year 2014 and beyond, I am confident the Appropriations Committee can produce bipartisan bills to fund the government in a responsible manner.  I hope all members have begun to recognize that our inability to act on individual appropriations bills has reduced each senator’s opportunity to help shape federal programs, and has eliminated a principal means of overseeing the Executive Branch.  The Appropriations Committee has long been able to produce bills that reflect input from all members with disparate views, reflecting their different needs and their different priorities.  The Committee has continued to do so since passage of the Budget Control Act, which will have the effect of cutting—reducing spending—by more than $2 trillion from discretionary accounts over the next 10 years.  It is the only significant deficit reduction legislation enacted in recent memory.  I supported that Act, as did a majority of Senators on both sides of the aisle. Now we have given ourselves another opportunity to make broader budget reforms.  It will be a benefit to the Legislative Branch and the people who elected us if we can establish a budget framework that will enable us to deal in a more transparent manner with all legislation, including appropriations bills and reform measures to simplify our tax code. Mr. President, I am pleased that we seem close to resolving the current impasse, and I hope that over the coming weeks we can devote ourselves to thoughtful and productive deliberations on the budget.  It is important that we act to restore the confidence of the American people in the United States Senate.  We must take real steps to strengthen our nation’s fiscal foundation so that our economy can grow, and American families and businesses can prosper. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=49c61b14-c2aa-45eb-9168-4f4afb4a1fd1,MISS. SENATORS UNEQUIVOCALLY OPPOSED TO U.N. ARMS TRADE TREATY,2013-10-15,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today signed a letter to President Obama that states their unequivocal opposition to ratification of a United Nations Arms Trade Treaty that the Obama administration has signed. Cochran and Wicker reiterated their disapproval of the Arms Trade Treaty with the letter, which states:  “As members of the Senate, we pledge to oppose the ratification of this treaty, and we give notice that we do not regard the United States as bound to uphold its object and purpose.” On Sept. 25, Secretary of State John F. Kerry on behalf of President Obama signed onto the treaty, which is intended to regulate international arms sales.  Cochran and Wicker have consistently opposed the proposed treaty because it does not sufficiently safeguard U.S. sovereignty, protect Second Amendment rights or exempt civilian firearms from its scope. “The signing of this treaty is another example of a post-election pivot by this administration.  Fortunately, a majority of Senators are on record as being wary of any proposal from the United Nations that might infringe on their Constitutional right to bear arms. I am proud to be among them, and resolved to oppose ratification,” Cochran said. “The Obama Administration’s decision to sign the UN Arms Trade Treaty is a direct assault on the Second Amendment,” said Wicker.  “The treaty could be used as a backdoor approach to limit the rights of every American to keep and bear arms. I stand with the majority of Mississippians in opposing this affront to U.S. sovereignty.” Signed by a bipartisan group of 50 Senators, the letter highlights six specific reasons the Senators cannot support ratification, among them the fact that vague criteria in the measure would “steadily subject the United States to the influence of internationally-defined norms, a process that would impinge on our national sovereignty.  We believe that treaties which allow foreign sources of authority to impose judgment or control upon the United States, as this one does, violate the right of the American people, under the Constitution, to freely govern themselves.” “We urge you to notify the treaty depository that the U.S. does not intend to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty, and is therefore not bound by its obligations. As members of the Senate, we pledge to oppose the ratification of this treaty, and we give notice that we do not regard the U.S. as bound to uphold its object and purpose,” the Senators wrote. Ratification of the treaty will require an affirmative two-thirds vote from the Senate, or at least 67 votes.  In March, Wicker and Cochran were among 53 Senators who voted for an amendment to a budget resolution that expressed opposition to the United States entering into the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty.  The letter was spearheaded by Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.).  In addition to Cochran and Wicker, it was signed by Senators: Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Jeffrey Chiesa (R-N.J.), Daniel Coats (R-Ind.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Jim Risch (R-Ind.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), and David Vitter (R-La.). A copy of the signed letter to President Obama is available below. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=9764af42-ba7d-47f2-8e83-9185a7057382,"COCHRAN, WICKER SUPPORT SUSPENDING FLOOD INSURANCE RATE HIKES",2013-10-11,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today joined a bipartisan push to provide immediate relief from the soaring flood insurance rate hikes that threaten to make flood protection unaffordable for thousands of Mississippi homeowners and businesses. Cochran and Wicker are among 24 Senators who are asking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to support delaying aspects of the Bigger-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act that are resulting in unaffordable flood insurance premiums.  The Senators sent a letter that urges the Senate leaders to use any viable legislation as a vehicle for passing provisions to suspend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) rate hikes.   “It is reasonable to stop and give the FEMA, Congress and the public time to assess more carefully whether this is truly the best policy for our economy,” Cochran said.  “Some of the reforms passed last year are necessary to ensure the long term viability of the National Flood Insurance Program.  However, the manner in which those reforms are being implemented is alienating the very people the program is intended to help and may actually make the program less solvent in the long run.  The new insurance rates penalizes citizens, who have followed the rules, and places the heaviest burden on those who are just now recovering from recent disasters.” “Reform of the National Flood Insurance Program is an absolute necessity for the many Mississippians who depend on it,” Wicker said. “Adjustment of premiums that accurately reflect the risk of flooding faced by insured properties is central to the effort.  However, rate increases that are literally unaffordable in some cases will end up doing net harm to the program, policyholders, and taxpayers when at-risk homes and businesses go without coverage.  A brief delay to study the effects of premium increases and look for less harmful approaches is entirely appropriate.” A temporary delay, the Senators wrote, would also allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to complete an affordability study that was required in the 2012 flood insurance reform law.  FEMA only recently embarked on this study.  Additionally, a March 2013 study by the National Academies of Science (NAS) raised serious questions about the validity of the technologies and methodologies FEMA is currently using to assess risk. “Although these homeowners and businesses built to code and played by the rules, their premiums could go from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars because of the rate reforms included in Biggert-Waters.  While we continue to work together for a comprehensive and fiscally responsible legislative solution, it is imperative that we provide immediate rate relief for impacted policyholders, and we request the inclusion of these provisions in any viable legislative vehicle that may be available,” the letter states. The Senate Appropriations Committee, on which Cochran serves, approved provisions in the FY2014 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill that would prohibit FEMA from using funds in the bill to implement the most harmful flood insurance premium section of the 2012 reform law. The House of Representatives approved the same prohibition in its version of that bill. Among the other Senators who also signed the letter are Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and David Vitter (R-La.). LINKS: •   Letter to Reid & McConnell is available below. •   2013 NAS Study, “Levees and the National Flood Insurance Program, Improving Policies and Practices:” http://bit.ly/17utC90 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=d570f86a-8bf6-4a46-a688-6d3ab05eafb8,COCHRAN READY FOR FARM BILL CONFERENCE TALKS,2013-10-11,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, today asserted his readiness to engage in negotiations to finalize a new, five-year farm bill. Cochran welcomed a vote in the House of Representatives on Friday authorizing a conference committee with the Senate to reconcile differences in Senate- and House-passed versions of a 2013 farm bill—legislation that sets agriculture, conservation and nutrition assistance policies for the country.  The voice vote established a yet-to-be-named House delegation of 17 Republicans and 12 Democrats. “The table will be for us to work on a long-term farm bill that is equitable to all producers in all regions of the country.  The task before us is urgent.  I am ready and optimistic about working with our House counterparts to resolve significant differences and put in place policies that work well for the agriculture industry, American consumers and the economy,” Cochran said. “Our farmers and ranchers, and the small businesses that depend on the rural economy, need the certainty that we can provide by finishing the 2013 farm bill,” he said. Cochran will join Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) in leading the Senate conference delegation that includes seven Democrat and five Republican Senators (http://1.usa.gov/1fm3B4x).   A short-term extension of 2008 farm bill policies expired Sept. 30, creating the need for conferees to work toward finalizing a new farm bill before the end of the year. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=99b4e1eb-2568-4e8b-8400-b4e95160765c,"COCHRAN COMMENDS KAREN P. STEWART OF TERRY, THE 2013 ANGEL IN ADOPTION HONOREE FOR MISSISSIPPI",2013-10-08,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today congratulated Karen P. Stewart of Terry, who is being honored in Washington for her work to expand adoption services in Mississippi. Stewart, who was nominated by Cochran as Mississippi’s 2013 Angel in Adoption, is being honored this week as part of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual “Angels in Adoption” program.  Stewart is branch director for Bethany Christian Services of Mississippi. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker. “I commend Mrs. Stewart for her dedication to a career that has had such a positive impact on so many lives.  The Angels in Adoption program is recognizing her for her special ability to work with both expectant and adoptive parents to create an adoption plan that works best for each child,” Cochran said. Stewart has worked with Bethany Christian Services of Mississippi since 1987, serving in many roles including pregnancy counselor, adoption worker and director.  She is certified master trainer in Infant Adoption Awareness Training.  During her tenure with Bethany, more than 650 children have been placed in adoptive homes.  Previously, Stewart’s career included with Hinds County Human Services, as well as the Mississippi Department of Human Services, on cases involving children in foster care, including those awaiting adoption. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on increasing awareness about children in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes, and on eliminating barriers to adoption. CCAI, which does not receive government funding, was established in 2001 as an outgrowth of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption.  Cochran and Senator Roger Wicker, along with Congressman Alan Nunnelee, are members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption for the 113th Congress. In late September, Cochran became an original cosponsor of The Adoption Information Act (S.1539), which would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prepare, distribute, and update annually pamphlets that list all the adoption centers in each state along with associated contact information.  Family planning organizations that receive federal funding would be required to provide HHS with their plans to issue adoption promotion literature to all their clients. LINKS: • Mississippi Department of Health/Adoption Information:  http://www.mdhs.state.ms.us/fcs_adoptall.html   • Bethany Christian Services of Mississippi: http://www.bethany.org/  • Angels in Adoption:  http://www.angelsinadoption.org/ • Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute:  http://www.ccainstitute.org ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/13,13,2013-10-05,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,harper.house.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352529,Palazzo Supports Back Pay for Federal Workers,2013-10-05,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Supports Back Pay for Federal Workers f t # e Washington, October 5, 2013 Palazzo Supports Back Pay for Federal Workers Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-04) today voted in favor of a House measure to provide retroactive pay for furloughed federal workers who are not currently receiving pay. He has also requested that his own paycheck be held until other federal employees receive compensation. ""Many federal workers continue to report for duty without the guarantee of a paycheck, and many others are furloughed through no fault of their own. I hope this bill provides some peace of mind for both furloughed and non-furloughed workers as the House continues its efforts to end the shutdown."" The Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act (H.R. 3223) would provide for compensation of federal employees currently furloughed due to the government shutdown. Palazzo has also written the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives requesting that his check be withheld until the lapse in appropriations ends. You can read the full letter here. ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352495,Palazzo Votes for Vital FEMA Funding,2013-10-04,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Votes for Vital FEMA Funding f t # e Washington, October 4, 2013 Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-04), today supported a House bill that would fund the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The bill passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 247-164. As I work here in Washington to reopen essential government services, my thoughts and prayers are with my constituents in South Mississippi as Tropical Storm Karen heads towards the Gulf Coast. I will continue to support funding for vital services like FEMA, pay for our troops and veterans' benefits, nutrition assistance for low income women and children, and to keep our national parks open. I also look forward to supporting tomorrow's legislation to provide backpay for federal workers, many of whom are furloughed through no fault of their own. ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352458,"Palazzo Supports National Park Funding, Welcomes White House WWII Memorial Reversal",2013-10-02,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), today supported bills to reopen national parks and provide funding for the National Institutes of Health. Palazzo also welcomed a White House reversal on a policy that would have prevented World War II veterans with Honor Flights from accessing the World War II Memorial during the government closure. The House will continue working to pass bills like these that fund vital functions on which most Americans can agree, Palazzo stated. I'm also glad to see that the Administration appears to be reversing course and granting access to Honor Flights visiting the World War II Memorial. Hundreds of World War II veterans have been eagerly awaiting assurance that they will be able to safely visit their Memorial. If ever there were a group that deserve access to their Memorial, it is these members of the Greatest Generation. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight was the first Honor Flight group to travel to Washington following the midnight October 1st government shutdown. After making multiple inquiries to National Park Service officials, the Department of Interior, and the White House, Palazzo's office received responses indicating that barricades would be present and that no one would be allowed to access the park. When specifically pressed about the accessibility for Honor Flight groups, officials gave no assurances that any of the week's Honor Flights would be permitted access, instead stating that the barricade measures were the result of a shutdown. After park personnel on site at the Memorial Tuesday morning confirmed they would be unable to move barricades, Congressman Palazzo was joined by Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6), Congressman Richard Nugent (FL- 11), and Congressman Louie Gohmert (TX-1) in clearing a path and leading the group of veterans down into the Memorial. Other Members of Congress were also on hand to escort veterans into the Memorial, including most of Mississippi's congressional delegation. As of Wednesday morning, following further requests, the Obama Administration remained unable to provide assurances that additional Honor Flights would be granted access. A statement released Wednesday afternoon by a National Park Service spokeswoman appeared to grant access to other Honor Flight groups expected to travel to Washington later this week. A copy of the letter sent to President Obama is attached. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221174423/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/shutdown,Shutdown,2013-10-01,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- At midnight, when the federal government shut down, it was Harry Reid’s refusal to have a grownup conversation that cut the lights out on Americans. The House of Representatives did its job. And we did it three times, passing reasonable budgets to keep the government’s doors open. But the Democratic-controlled Senate’s denial of duty leaves families questioning if they’ll have a paycheck to cover this month’s bills. It was never my mission to shut down the government. All I’m asking for is fairness. And the president’s refusal to talk with lawmakers that aren’t in his political party isn’t what Americans expect or deserve. It’s just that simple. So don’t be fooled when the White House tells you that veterans will lose services and seniors may lose benefits. In fact, employees at veterans hospitals reported to work this morning and social security checks are scheduled to go out as planned. The truth is the only real interruption in government is a loss of trust. Like you, I’m concerned about how this shutdown will impact Mississippians. This isn’t about scoring political points. It’s about principles. And I will always fight for our Mississippi values. I’ll stay in touch as the House continues to work on getting the government back up and running and living within our means. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=7850c063-7ced-45ce-b6f8-912eb1bd3f4e,"COCHRAN PRAISES WWII VETERANS’ “CALM, COOL & COLLECTED DEMEANOR” IN SHUTDOWN CONFRONTATION",2013-10-01,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today paid tribute to World War II veterans from Mississippi who overcame obstacles erected in Washington as part of the partial government shutdown and cautioned policy makers not to make the shutdown “more difficult than it has to be.” In a speech to the Senate, Cochran saluted an Honor Flight contingent of more than 90 veterans and volunteers who flew to Washington Tuesday to visit the national World War II Memorial and other sites.  Unfortunately, the open-air memorial had been barricaded to prevent visitors during the shutdown, which began at midnight.  Reaching the Memorial, the Magnolia State group went through the shutdown barriers in order to visit the memorial and lay a wreath at the memorial’s “Mississippi” column. “I take this opportunity to thank the veterans from our state for their calm, cool, and collected demeanor during what could have been a frustrating experience,” Cochran said.  “I'm sure they will all receive a very warm welcome tonight when they return home to Gulfport."" “I’m very pleased that the visit of these veterans to Washington was not ruined by the government shutdown, even though there were some obstacles.  But I hope their experience reminds us—federal agencies, members of Congress, others who live here in the nation’s capital—not to make this situation more difficult than it has to be,” he said. “I salute all veterans for their service to our nation and the access that they have achieved, even on a day where the agencies are ‘closed.’  There are certain premises that should remain open and are available for visitation and visibility” he said. Prior to the group’s visit, Cochran’s office reached out to the National Park Service to request that the Mississippi World War II veterans be given access to the memorial, and recommended that the agency revise its barricade policy to accommodate upcoming Honor Flight delegations from other states this week. Audio available below. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=351869,"Palazzo: ""No Justification for Shutting Out Our Veterans""",2013-09-30,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) today sent a letter to President Obama requesting that the Administration not restrict access to World War II veterans traveling to Washington as part of Honor Flight visits this week. The National Park Service (NPS) confirmed earlier today that in the event of a government closure, it would go to extra lengths to barricade the open-air monuments and memorials on the National Mall, including the World War II Memorial. Palazzo also released the following statement. I don't know if this is a political ploy or a bureaucratic oversight, but even in the event of a government closure, there is absolutely no justification for shutting out our veterans from their Memorial. This is an open-air memorial that the public has 24/7 access to under normal circumstances --- even when Park Service personnel aren't present. It actually requires more effort and expense to shut out these veterans from their Memorial than it would to simply let them through. My office has been in touch with NPS officials and the Administration to try to resolve this issue. Mississippi veterans are still planning to travel to Washington tomorrow to see their Memorial, and I still plan to be there to greet them. I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure these World War II veterans have access to their Memorial. Despite the National Park Service's plans, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight still intends to bring more than 90 World War II veterans to Washington on Tuesday. The veterans range in age from 84 to 98, and for most this will be their only opportunity to visit their Memorial. In addition to the Mississippi flight, Honor Flights from ten other states are scheduled to visit the World War II Memorial this week. Palazzo observed the effects that shutting out veterans would have in his letter to President Obama, stating: It would truly be devastating to our veterans that travel great lengths to share this experience with family and friends and see a piece of their own history. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=351670,Palazzo Committed to Keeping ObamaCare Off Backs of Struggling Families and Small Businesses,2013-09-28,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), released the following statement in support of the latest House Republican continuing resolution plan to keep the government open while shielding Americans from ObamaCare. I remain committed to protecting the American people from this costly and controversial law while providing the necessary funding to keep the government open. If we fail to delay or defund ObamaCare, Americans will be forced to purchase health insurance or face government fines. And Mississippians face some of the highest premiums in the nation under ObamaCare. I cannot in good conscience stand idly by while this very bad law is placed on the backs of struggling families and small businesses. The vote is expected to take place on Saturday on a package that funds the government through December 15th, provides continued funding for the Department of Defense and seniors who rely on Social Security, ensures payment for troops in the event of a government closure, repeals the medical device tax and prevents ObamaCare from going into effect for one year. The vote follows passage of a Senate measure that maintained current spending levels but stripped out House measures that would have defunded ObamaCare. The House first took action to fund the government and defund ObamaCare on Friday, September 20th with passage of a continuing resolution measure by a vote of 230-189. The Senate response passed a week later on a partisan basis, funding the government through November 15th while stripping out the ObamaCare defunding measures. Saturday's vote will send the continuing resolution measure back to the Senate for consideration ahead of the October 1st deadline. Palazzo is an original cosponsor of H.R. 2682, the Defund ObamaCare Act, which was introduced by Representative Tom Graves and Senator Ted Cruz in July. He is also an original cosponsor of H.R. 3121, the American Health Care Reform Act, an ObamaCare replacement bill recently introduced by members of the conservative Republican Study Committee. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=351626,Palazzo Continues to Push for Flood Fix,2013-09-27,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), today with a bipartisan group of 73 lawmakers sent a letter to House leadership requesting that a one-year delay to changes in flood insurance rates be added to upcoming legislation. Palazzo, along with Representatives Bill Cassidy (LA-6), Michael Grimm (NY-11), and Cedric Richmond (LA-2), championed a similar provision added to a FY14 Homeland Security Appropriations bill that passed earlier this year. That measure passed with the bipartisan support of 281 members of the House, but has yet to come before the full Senate for a vote. The letter cited changes to flood insurance that have the potential to devastate home values, small businesses, and entire communities across the country. Specifically, the letter notes: ""In Mississippi and through no fault of their own, homeowners are facing foreclosures because of these rate increases, despite following the rules and building to code after Hurricane Katrina."" Flood insurance rates for NFIP policyholders are expected to increase as early as October of this year due to changes enacted in the Biggert-Waters Act of 2012 as well as changes to FEMA flood maps.As one of the founders of the Home Protection Caucus and its Vice Chair, Palazzo has also worked as part of a bipartisan, bicameral effort to address flood rate issues facing NFIP policyholders and communities across the nation. In March 2013, Palazzo introduced legislation that would enact rate changes in a more compassionate way and give policyholders more flexibility for lowering rates through mitigation activities. The letter also states: Despite the efforts of the House, the U.S. Senate has, to date, failed to pass any measure shielding policyholders from catastrophic flood insurance rate increases. It is thus incumbent for the U.S. House of Representatives to once again lead and put forth a measure that will delay the implementation of steep rate increases. We urge on behalf of our constituents that the House-passed amendment included in the FY14 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, or a similar provision providing relief from the rapid and unanticipated flood insurance rate increases, be added to the forthcoming debt ceiling legislation in addition to any legislative vehicle used to complete the appropriations process for the 2014 fiscal year. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=1a81abf9-4b6b-43aa-8e2f-f8c016b75523,"COCHRAN VOTES TO DEFUND OBAMACARE, PLEDGES CONTINUED FIGHT TO REPEAL UNPOPULAR LAW",2013-09-27,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today stressed his continued opposition to President Obama’s unpopular and troubled healthcare law, which was the subject of several Senate votes on a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. Cochran voted for a procedural motion allowing the Senate to move forward on a House-passed funding measure that eliminates funding for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare.  He also voted against the amendment sponsored by Majority Leader Harry Reid to restore funding to implement Obamacare and opposed final passage of the bill.  The short-term continuing resolution to fund the government through Nov. 15 now goes back to the House of Representatives. In a statement entered into the Congressional Record, Cochran noted his agreement with Mississippians, who strongly oppose the Affordable Care Act.  “I have voted to dismantle, defund, delay and reverse this law every chance I’ve been given,” Cochran said.  “I will continue to fight for our shared end goal—to fully repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”   “As the negative impacts of this law become more apparent, people in my state of Mississippi have expressed a great deal of concern about how the law is affecting their families and businesses.  They have articulated a pronounced unease about the costs of the law, and the extent to which the federal government will be involved in their personal healthcare decisions.  I share their concerns,” he said. Cochran explained his belief that a vote that would have likely led to a federal government shutdown would have setback the ultimate goal of overturning Obamacare. “Shutting down the government to show how much we dislike the law won’t stop Obamacare.  The mandates in Obamacare don’t go away if we don’t fund the rest of the government.  Most of the funding to implement Obamacare does not depend on us passing this appropriations bill; that funding is mandatory spending that has already been provided in law,” Cochran said.  “To stop Obamacare we have to enact a law that does just that.  That requires a sufficient number of votes in the House and in the Senate, and it requires either the President’s signature or a veto-proof majority in both houses.  Republicans don’t currently have the votes in the Senate to pass such legislation. But more importantly, I don’t think voting to stall the very language that we opponents of Obamacare wish to see enacted—and risking a government shutdown as a result—will get us closer to the goal of stopping Obamacare,” he said. A copy of the full text of Cochran's Record statement is available below. MAKING CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014 -- (Senate - September 27, 2013) Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I have opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act since it was forced through a Democratic-controlled Congress without the support of a single Republican in the House or Senate. I have voted to dismantle, defund, delay and reverse this law every chance I have been given. I will continue to take every possible action that might be effective in achieving its repeal. As the negative impacts of this law become more apparent, people in my State of Mississippi have expressed a great deal of concern about how the law is affecting their families and businesses. They have articulated a pronounced unease about the costs of the law, and the extent to which the Federal Government will be involved in their personal healthcare decisions. I share their concerns. My constituents recognize that the law is not working as promised. The administration has delayed implementation of several of the law's key provisions. These special exceptions and exemptions are clear indications that the law is overly complex and ill-conceived. As their representatives in Washington, we should respect the fact that the majority of Americans do not support this law, otherwise known as ``Obamacare.'' I dislike Obamacare as much as any of my colleagues. I strongly support the provisions in this appropriations bill that would bring implementation of Obamacare to a halt. However, to now vote to stop that very bill in its tracks makes little sense to me. Shutting down the government to show how much we dislike the law would not stop Obamacare. The mandates in Obamacare do not go away if we do not fund the rest of the government. Most of the funding to implement Obamacare does not depend on us passing this appropriations bill; that funding is mandatory spending that has already been provided in law. To stop Obamacare we have to enact a law that does just that. That requires a sufficient number of votes in the House and in the Senate, and it requires either the President's signature or a veto-proof majority in both houses. I suspect that we do not currently have the votes in the Senate to pass such legislation. But more importantly, I do not think voting to stall the very language that we opponents of Obamacare wish to see enacted--and risking a government shutdown as a result--will get us closer to the goal of stopping Obamacare. I think a government shutdown might have the opposite effect. It will  shift public and media focus away from the costly and damaging aspects of the health care law just as it is being fully implemented, and it will detract from the ability of the American people to clearly express their discontent about the law. It is only such expressions of discontent that will either change the minds of a sufficient number of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, or send new representation to Washington to aid in the fight against Obamacare. It is shortsighted for those of us who oppose the Obamacare law to take actions that would not reverse the law's potentially devastating impacts, and will likely damage our prospects of achieving that goal in the future. The stakes are too high. I will continue to fight for our shared end goal--to fully repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=40ed6acf-c95f-4e51-997a-7c0b13e023f2,SENATORS INTRODUCE ADOPTION INFORMATION ACT,2013-09-24,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) announced today the introduction of legislation to ensure family planning service projects and programs effectively promote information about adoption. The Adoption Information Act (S.1539) would require federal grant recipients to provide assurances to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding their plan to issue adoption promotion literature. Original cosponsors of the Adoption Information Act include Senators Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and John Thune (R-S.D.).   “Adoption forever changes the lives of countless children in need of a good home and parents who feel the call to form or enrich a loving family,” said Senator Fischer. “Unfortunately, many individuals utilizing family planning services do not receive adequate information about this important opportunity for birth and adoptive parents. It is critical that those seeking these services are informed of all options available to them. This legislation helps make sure the option of adoption is effectively promoted.”   “This is an important initiative that will enhance knowledge of adoption for families looking to provide a permanent and loving home for a child,” said Senator Inhofe. “I am proud to work with Sen. Fischer and my colleagues to ensure continued improvements are made to further promote and enhance the adoption process.” “Actively promoting the benefits of adoption can open the doors for more children to be placed with loving families.  This measure would instruct family planning agencies to spread the word about adoption services, and to do so within the Department of Health and Human Services budget,” Senator Cochran said. “One way we can continue to promote a culture of life is to help every child find a good home to live in and a loving family to share their lives with,” said Senator Enzi. “I thank Senator Fischer for her leadership on this issue and for promoting adoption as a viable option for many families and individuals across the country.” “Providing women with greater access to adoption information embraces life and ought to be included in any family planning discussion,” said Senator Johanns. “Adoption is a worthy, loving option with life-changing impacts.  I strongly support this measure that discourages abortion and supports life.” “Every child deserves the opportunity to be part of a permanent and loving family,” Senator Moran said. “Individuals using federal family planning programs should be educated about adoption to ensure they’re making a fully informed decision. The Adoption Information Act makes certain adoption is promoted as a viable option.” “Knowing and understanding the available options is critical to ensuring birth parents and adoptive parents have the information they need,” said Senator Thune. “More can be done to make information available to those seeking services and to ensure that each family makes an informed decision. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to move this legislation through Congress.” Specifically, the legislation would require family service project or program grant recipients to: •   Provide each person served by the project or program a pamphlet containing a list of all the adoption centers in the state, along with contact information, at the time that person inquires about family planning services; •   Verbally inform each person that the pamphlet was provided by HHS and contains a list of adoption centers located in the state; and •   Provide clients with an opportunity to read the pamphlet.   Under this bill, HHS is required to prepare, distribute, and update annually the pamphlets provided to individuals and families. Additionally, the bill makes clear HHS can only use previously appropriated funds to carry out these requirements. In 2007, there were just 18,078 infant adoptions in the United States, a rate of 4.2 domestic infant adoptions per 1,000 live births, according to the National Council for Adoption.   Last month, Congressman Robert Wittman (R-Va.) introduced similar legislation (HR.3062), which is awaiting action in the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. Wittman applauded the introduction of Fischer’s bill and released the following statement:   “I was adopted as an infant, so I understand how important it is for birth mothers to be aware that adoption is an option and have access to the tools to locate and contact their local adoption agencies, which is why I was proud to introduce the Adoption Information Act in the House of Representatives. I also recognize that domestic adoptions are more important now than ever as countries like Russia are closing their doors to American adoptions. There are many safe and loving American families that yearn to give a child a permanent home.”   The Adoption Information Act is supported by the National Council for Adoption, Nebraska Children’s Home Society, and Nebraska Foster and Adoptive Parents Association. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350536,Palazzo Votes in Favor of CR Plan to Defund ObamaCare,2013-09-20,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), released the following statement after voting in support of a continuing resolution measure that would fully fund the government through December 15th while fully defunding ObamaCare. The measure passed the House by a vote of 230-189. The American people have been crying out for relief from this bad law since the day it was signed. Today, Republicans in the House stand united around a solution to fund government while fully defunding ObamaCare. It is now in the Senate's hands to choose between continuing to burden the American people under this trainwreck or joining us in providing much-needed relief from its mandates, taxes, and increasing costs. I believe this is a fight worth fighting for the people of Mississippi, and I believe the American people are with us. The continuing resolution passed today would keep the full faith and credit of the United States, and would also provide continued funding for the Department of Defense and seniors who rely on Social Security. It would prevent any increase in spending over current budget levels. Palazzo is an original cosponsor of H.R. 2682, the Defund ObamaCare Act, which was introduced by Representative Tom Graves and Senator Ted Cruz in July and added to the House leadership plan this week after conservative members called for stronger defunding measures. He is also an original cosponsor of H.R. 3121, the American Health Care Reform Act, an ObamaCare replacement bill introduced earlier this week by members of the conservative Republican Study Committee. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221183349/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/defund-obamacare,Defund ObamaCare,2013-09-20,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- The House of Representatives passed a short term budget today that defunds ObamaCare and keeps the federal government operating through December 15, 2013. I supported this bill because it protects Mississippians from ObamaCare’s harmful mandates and avoids a government shutdown. This debate now moves to the Senate -- the chamber where this conversation belongs. The House has done its job. It’s time for the Senate to stand up for the American people. Even more, the House has advanced over 40 bills that would defund, dismantle, and destroy ObamaCare. Seven of these attempts have been signed into law. As the speaker said yesterday, I hope that this proposal will be the eighth. But the White House has already signaled that the president would veto this bill, claiming that the resolution “advances a narrow ideological agenda.” Mr. President, with over half of the country still giving this far-reaching law unfavorable marks, the opposition to ObamaCare is hardly narrow. Let’s defund ObamaCare. Let’s keep the government open. And let’s tackle America’s spending and debt problem as we fight the next battle about our country’s economic future. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350426,Palazzo Supports Nutrition Assistance Reforms,2013-09-19,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Supports Nutrition Assistance Reforms f t # e Washington, September 19, 2013 Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 3102, the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act. My number one goal is ensuring we're giving assistance to those who need it most while giving able-bodied persons, without dependents, the opportunity to contribute through minimal work requirements and job training programs. There are a lot of folks who will claim we don't care about the poor. That's simply not true. This is a responsible measure that makes some of the most serious assistance reforms since welfare was addressed in 1996. I believe it will restore integrity to a troubled program. The Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act would reform the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and close loopholes to save taxpayers almost $40 billion. Palazzo also previously voted for nutrition assistance reforms this year as part of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, or FARRM Bill. Among its reforms, the bill would end the extension of waivers to able-bodied individuals under the age of 50 who have no dependents and receive benefits for longer than three months, enforce income thresholds, and empower states to engage recipients in job training programs. ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350255,Palazzo Supports House CR Plan to Defund ObamaCare,2013-09-18,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), released the following statement in support of a plan released today by Republican leadership in the House of Representatives that would fully fund the government through December 15th while fully defunding ObamaCare. The measure would keep the full faith and credit of the United States, and would also provide continued funding for the Department of Defense and seniors who rely on Social Security. It would prevent any increase in spending over current budget levels. Once again, the American people are speaking out, and we're listening. As I and my colleagues have called for defunding this trainwreck of a law over the last few weeks, some have told us to give up the fight or said this is an impossible task. But as we've seen recently with Syria, the American people still have the power to enact change when they speak out loud and clear. I believe this is a fight worth fighting for the people of Mississippi, and I believe the American people are with us. I hope they will continue to speak out loud and clear so that the Senate and the Obama Administration have no choice but to listen. Palazzo is an original cosponsor of H.R. 2682, the Defund ObamaCare Act, which was introduced by Representative Tom Graves and Senator Ted Cruz in July and added to the House leadership plan this week after conservative members called for stronger defunding measures. The House is expected to vote on the plan as early as this Friday. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/911,9/11,2013-09-11,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,harper.house.gov,,,legacy,,0,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=c56fb575-8a87-421e-bec9-08e8e1014fd3,COCHRAN STATEMENT ON OBSERVANCE OF 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS,2013-09-11,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – In observance of the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement: “The victims of the attacks on that clear day twelve years ago are still remembered and mourned, as are the brave servicemen and women who have given their lives to combat terrorism.  I hope all Americans will take a moment today to reflect on the price of freedom, and to appreciate its many blessings.” The U.S. Congress today observed the 9/11 attacks with a moment of silence and brief ceremony on the steps of the Capitol. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221131830/http://harper.house.gov/press-release/congress-sends-white-house-bill-convey-surplus-natchez-trace-property-public-use,Congress Sends White House A Bill To Convey Surplus Natchez Trace Property For Public Use,2013-09-10,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), along with Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), today reported final congressional approval of legislation authorizing the transfer of surplus land within the Natchez Trace Parkway to the City of Natchez for public recreation purposes. The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 419-1 to overwhelmingly approve the Natchez Trace Parkway Conveyance Act of 2013 (S.304), legislation introduced by Cochran and cosponsored by Wicker.  Harper was instrumental in moving the bill through the House of Representatives.  The measure will now be sent to the White House for the President’s consideration. “The willingness of the National Park Service to give up surplus property created an opportunity for the Natchez and Adams County residents to use these parcels, which are not integral to the Natchez Trace Parkway, for recreational and public uses,” said Cochran.  “I appreciate Senator Wicker and Congressman Harper’s work to move this bill through the legislative process.  I look forward to it being enacted.” “I am pleased to see that Congress has enacted this common sense transfer of Park Service land to the city of Natchez and the state,” said Wicker.  “People in Natchez and those who visit will greatly benefit from additional parks and recreational areas. I am proud to have worked with Senator Cochran and Congressman Harper in achieving this goal.” “With the passage of this legislation, the City of Natchez and its residents are one step closer to converting this unused land to recreation space. I’m pleased to support Senator Cochran’s efforts in bringing this matter to a successful conclusion,” Harper said. Supported by the National Park Service (NPS), S.304 authorizes the transfer of approximately 67 acres of surplus NPS property to the State of Mississippi and City of Natchez.  The City would be given title to 37 acres adjacent to Natchez High School, known as the “bean field,” for recreational purposes.  The state would hold title to the remaining 30 acres. The legislation, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent in June, also adjusts parkway boundaries to include approximately ten acres of NPS-owned land along Liberty Drive to State Highway 61/84.  This adjustment was requested by the National Park Service. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=4f4e5a03-1fd7-4305-a187-171ec442ccdb,CONGRESS SENDS NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY CONVEYANCE BILL TO PRESIDENT,2013-09-10,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), along with Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), today reported final congressional approval of legislation authorizing the transfer of surplus land within the Natchez Trace Parkway to the City of Natchez for public recreation purposes. The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 419-1 to overwhelmingly approve the Natchez Trace Parkway Conveyance Act of 2013 (S.304), legislation introduced by Cochran and cosponsored by Wicker.  Harper was instrumental in moving the bill through the House of Representatives.  The measure will now be sent to the White House for the President’s consideration. “The willingness of the National Park Service to give up surplus property created an opportunity for the Natchez and Adams County residents to use these parcels, which are not integral to the Natchez Trace Parkway, for recreational and public uses,” said Cochran.  “I appreciate Senator Wicker and Congressman Harper’s work to move this bill through the legislative process.  I look forward to it being enacted.” “I am pleased to see that Congress has enacted this common sense transfer of Park Service land to the city of Natchez and the state,” said Wicker.  “People in Natchez and those who visit will greatly benefit from additional parks and recreational areas. I am proud to have worked with Senator Cochran and Congressman Harper in achieving this goal.” “With the passage of this legislation, the City of Natchez and its residents are one step closer to converting this unused land to recreation space. I’m pleased to support Senator Cochran’s efforts in bringing this matter to a successful conclusion,” Harper said. Supported by the National Park Service (NPS), S.304 authorizes the transfer of approximately 67 acres of surplus NPS property to the State of Mississippi and City of Natchez.  The City would be given title to 37 acres adjacent to Natchez High School, known as the “bean field,” for recreational purposes.  The state would hold title to the remaining 30 acres. The legislation, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent in June, also adjusts parkway boundaries to include approximately ten acres of NPS-owned land along Liberty Drive to State Highway 61/84.  This adjustment was requested by the National Park Service. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=1540f286-59b3-4832-babe-6e1775ee90c3,"COCHRAN, WICKER: $18.2 MILLION IN TRANSPORTATION GRANTS FOR MISS.",2013-09-05,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today reported the approval of more than $18.2 million in federal grant funding for transportation projects in Mississippi, including $14.0 million for the Mississippi Export Rail Line in Jackson County. The rail line project, as well as a $4.2 million grant to strengthen the I-20 Vicksburg Mississippi River Bridge, will be funded through FY2013 congressional appropriations approved for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Infrastructure Investment or “TIGER” program.  The Mississippi Senators supported applications from Mississippi for this funding. “These transportation grants are geared toward improving transportation efficiency, public safety and our economy,” said Cochran, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee.  “The rail line in Jackson County, in particular, will not only improve public safety but create new economic opportunities for industries from the coast to the Midwest and Canada to ship products through the Port of Pascagoula.” “Increasing the productivity and safety of these transportation lifelines will help lead Mississippi’s economic future,” Wicker said. “Enhancements on the Mississippi Export Rail Line and Vicksburg Mississippi River Bridge are critical to Mississippi’s economy. These two grants will make a significant impact on improving transportation in Mississippi.” The $14.0 million grant for the Port of Pascagoula Intermodal Improvement project was awarded to the Jackson County Port Authority to support relocation of the Mississippi Export Rail Line between Moss Point and Pascagoula.  The project would entail using an existing railroad right-of-way to create a more direct rail route between the two communities.  By redirecting the line through less-travelled areas, the project would eliminate 16 at-grade rail-highway crossings now associated with the railroad.  The improved track configuration would allow the line to handle 60 to 75-car unit trains and facilitate shipments to and from the upper Midwest and Canada.  The Jackson County Port Authority application has broad support from the local communities and the State of Mississippi. The $4.2 million grant to the Mississippi Department of Transportation to rehabilitate the I-20 Vicksburg Mississippi River Bridge is intended to improve the resiliency of the bridge, which has experienced stress due to movement of the pier foundations both along and perpendicular to the bridge.  According to the U.S. Transportation Department, the work will improve the ability of the bridge truss and deck to withstand minor lateral movements. LINK: •    U.S. Department of Transportation TIGER Program:  http://www.dot.gov/tiger ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=ad463402-3f27-4906-92c1-585af7da23ad,LAWMAKERS WELCOME REPORT ON PORT OF GULFPORT RESTORATION,2013-09-04,2013,2013-09,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) today welcomed a new report highlighting the state’s progress to repair and grow the Port of Gulfport.   Major findings in the Mississippi Development Authority’s (MDA) Status Report include the creation of 1,200 new jobs, increased acreage for new tenants, accelerated pace of construction, and a $50 million investment for the Island View hotel as part of commercial developments.   “The Port of Gulfport is a key component of the economy in South Mississippi and our state.  Governor Bryant's progress report is informative and encouraging in that it recommends challenging, yet obtainable, goals to move this project forward,” Cochran said.   “As a longtime supporter of expanding Mississippi’s ports, I’m excited about the developments outlined in this report,” Wicker said.  “Recovery from Hurricane Katrina and the expansion of the Port of Gulfport are critical to the economy of the Gulf Coast and the entire state. The Port of Gulfport is well on its way to maximizing its potential as a first-class center of business and transportation.” “Governor Bryant and new Port Director Jonathan Daniels made progress at the Port of Gulfport a top priority, and this report shows that their hard work is paying off,” Palazzo said. “I commend them on recent successes and I will continue working at the federal level, with House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster and others, to support economic development at the Port of Gulfport.”   The report is a joint effort between MDA, the Mississippi State Port Authority, and Governor Phil Bryant. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, then-Governor Haley Barbour, along with state officials and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, worked to secure a comprehensive plan to repair and grow the Port of Gulfport.   Governor Bryant commissioned the report in 2012 to review the project’s progress in completing a restoration and expansion of the port. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=a91e7328-670a-4b2e-afb7-247783691167,COCHRAN STATEMENT ON 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON,2013-08-28,2013,2013-08,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement on the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech: “The anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington gives us a chance to consider the legacies of courageous Americans in the advancement of civil rights.  The ‘I Have a Dream’ speech was one of the most inspirational speeches I had ever heard.  Today we acknowledge the Reverend Martin Luther King’s vision for our country, our nation’s progress toward that vision, and the contributions of many Mississippians along the way.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=346622,PALAZZO REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO DEFUNDING OBAMACARE,2013-08-23,2013,2013-08,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), joined a letter this week asking House leadership to include measures defunding ObamaCare in any relevant appropriations legislation taken up later this year. The letter follows Palazzo's August 2nd announcement on the House floor in which he stated his support for defunding ObamaCare in a continuing resolution and called on colleagues to join him. Palazzo is also the author of H.J. Res 28, the Right to Refuse Amendment, which he introduced earlier this year with Senator Marco Rubio. The Right to Refuse would reverse Obamacare's individual mandate tax and prevent Congress from taxing Americans for failure to purchase products like health insurance. Below are Congressman Palazzo's remarks as delivered on the House floor: Mr. Speaker, I am not a fan of government mandates, and neither are my constituents in Mississippi. But there is one mandate that the people of Mississippi sent me to Washington with: to repeal, replace, dismantle, delay and defund Obamacare. I've heard from families, small businesses, and hard-working Americans across my district who all have the same message this law is a train wreck. That is why one of my very first votes in Congress was to repeal Obamacare. That is why I've voted to repeal it nearly 40 times over the last three years. That is why I introduced a constitutional amendment to restore the right of the American people to refuse this bad law. That is also why I firmly believe we must defund Obamacare in a continuing resolution this body takes up later this year. I believe this is a fight worth fighting for the people of Mississippi, and I believe it's a fight worth fighting for the American people. I'm calling on my colleagues to join me in this fight to stand strong, to stand together, and let's defund Obamacare. I yield back. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=345838,"Palazzo Continues to Question Air Force Moves at Keesler, Welcomes Delay",2013-08-13,2013,2013-08,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hattiesburg, MS- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) today welcomed news that an earlier Air Force decision to move C-130J planes stationed at Keesler has been delayed until April 2014, with possible delays until October 2014, when the Air Force will reassess and determine the best course of action. Palazzo released the following statement: I will continue working to ensure the Air Force and the Commission tasked with analyzing Air Force structure changes understand the costs associated with moving these planes, Palazzo stated. From all angles, this proposed move doesn't make sense for the Air Force, Keesler, or for South Mississippi. The Air Force had to change its plans last year when it could not provide adequate cost or mission justifications for moving planes from Keesler to Dobbins Reserve Base. Since that time, they have failed to provide similar justifications for subsequent plans to move these planes. I believe these movements must be halted until the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force releases their report in February. This delay accomplishes that goal. The news comes on the heels of Palazzo's recent testimony before the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force, in which he also testified: The Air Force cannot continue to move planes, equipment, and people around every few years without looking at costs, the impact to communities, and current readiness. In a time of shrinking budgets and uncertainty, these movements appear unnecessary and, more importantly, as uncalculated expenditures. I believe the commission must strongly recommend that the Air Force stop all moves that were recommended without an estimate of short term cost savings, unless they are a matter of absolute military necessity. Original plans to move planes from Keesler to Dobbins Reserve Base were scrapped after Palazzo raised questions about the costs associated with the move. In a hearing on the House Armed Services Committee in 2012, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Lieutenant General Christopher D. Miller, responded to Palazzo's questions by acknowledging there could be extra costs associated with moving planes and stating, It is true that the facilities there are not exactly suited at present for the C-130J. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=345402,Palazzo Responds to DOD Furlough Announcement,2013-08-06,2013,2013-08,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hattiesburg, MS Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS) today issued the following statement in response to a Department of Defense announcement stating that furloughs for civilian employees will be reduced from 11 days to 6: Six furlough days are still six too many. While this is welcome news for many who have been suffering under the current furlough policy, we must take more permanent actions to provide for those who protect us and who directly support our men and women in uniform. The Defense Appropriations bill the House passed a few weeks ago would protect all civilian Department of Defense personnel in the coming fiscal year. The world is not becoming safer, and the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make are not getting smaller. We must put an end to these devastating and disproportionate defense cuts that threaten our national security. Palazzo supported measures in the House FY14 Defense Appropriations bill that would end furloughs for all Department of Defense civilians, including a specific provision Palazzo sponsored addressing dual-status military technicians.The bill also included more than $5 billion in strategic and prioritized reductions from the previous year's budget and a 1.8 percent military pay raise, an increase over the president's 1 percent request. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=345179,Palazzo Calls for Defunding Obamacare,2013-08-02,2013,2013-08,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), today called on colleagues to join him in the effort to defund Obamacare in a continuing resolution to be enacted later this year. Palazzo is the author of H.J. Res 28, the Right to Refuse Amendment, introduced earlier this year with Senator Marco Rubio. It would reverse Obamacare's individual mandate tax and prevent Congress from taxing Americans for failure to purchase products like health insurance. Palazzo also supported today's passage of H.R. 2009, the Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act, which would prevent the troubled agency from implementing or enforcing any part of the new health care law. Below are Congressman Palazzo's remarks as delivered on the House floor: Mr. Speaker, I am not a fan of government mandates, and neither are my constituents in Mississippi. But there is one mandate that the people of Mississippi sent me to Washington with: to repeal, replace, dismantle, delay and defund Obamacare. I've heard from families, small businesses, and hard-working Americans across my district who all have the same message this law is a train wreck. That is why one of my very first votes in Congress was to repeal Obamacare. That is why I've voted to repeal it nearly 40 times over the last three years. That is why I introduced a constitutional amendment to restore the right of the American people to refuse this bad law. That is also why I firmly believe we must defund Obamacare in a continuing resolution this body takes up later this year. I believe this is a fight worth fighting for the people of Mississippi, and I believe it's a fight worth fighting for the American people. I'm calling on my colleagues to join me in this fight to stand strong, to stand together, and let's defund Obamacare. I yield back. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221183430/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/obamacare-and-your-family,ObamaCare and your family,2013-08-02,2013,2013-08,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- Yesterday, I asked an Obama administration official tough questions about ObamaCare’s impact on families. You see, in the official’s remarks, she claimed – and I paraphrase: “There is growing evidence that these reforms are working for the entire system…keeping costs low…for consumers…shopping for coverage in the private health insurance market.” This isn’t true for folks in Mississippi like Forrest Collier. Just last week, Forrest emailed me to say that his family’s health care premiums increased from roughly $8,000 last year to nearly $19,000 this year. Let me repeat that. A family in Ridgeland, Miss., has seen their premiums jump from $8,000 to $19,000 a year. Not only does this limit Forrest’s ability to provide for his family, but this rate shock has also kept the Colliers from doing the things that they enjoy most. In Forrest’s words, “ObamaCare is a train wreck and is having a huge impact on working families.” He’s right. And this is not what Mississippi families were promised. The American people were promised – time and again – that working families would see a $2,500 drop in premiums. How can the administration claim that ObamaCare is “keeping costs low” when Mr. Collier’s testimonial proves otherwise? God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221162531/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/i-have-good-news,I have good news.,2013-07-25,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"I have good news. U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) Hello-- Mississippians rely on coal for energy and jobs. But the EPA is in the process of regulating coal ash as a hazardous material, which could have negative effects on the economy. Here’s the truth. Coal ash has been used for decades as a safe part of many products that Americans use every day. And I have good news. The House passed a bill today to halt this regulation. The “Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act” provides an alternative to the Obama administration’s proposed rule. I am a cosponsor of this bill because it protects jobs, the environment, and our economy. Not only is this bill fair for job creators, it’s fair for Mississippi’s families too. There’s no question -- our state relies on coal and coal ash for energy and jobs.  God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=343834,"PALAZZO PROTECTS MILITARY TECHNICIANS FROM FURLOUGHS, KEEPS DOD POLICY CONSISTENT",2013-07-24,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS) today announced the addition of an amendment to the House version of FY14 Defense Appropriations that would include military technicians in a Department of Defense furlough exemption that was announced in July 2012.  The amendment is similar to another Palazzo provision, H.R. 1014, which would include military technicians in a more permanent exemption, and currently has 65 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. In remarks made on the House floor, Palazzo stated:   “These dual status technicians work every day in direct support of our warfighters. They supply our troops with the equipment they need to fight and win and return home safely. But because of a technicality – because they are paid out of a different account - these Guardsmen and Reservists have been on furlough for almost a month now. All my amendment would do is ensure that these men and women receive the same treatment as our other uniformed personnel, and are included in the furlough exemption.” As a result of defense cuts enacted as part of sequestration, military technicians with National Guard and Reserve units across the nation were placed on furlough in the last few weeks, despite the fact that all other uniformed, deployable service personnel were exempted from the same furloughs. In Mississippi alone, more than 1,400 military technicians were furloughed in early July. Palazzo introduced H.R. 1014 in March of this year to address the oversight and include military technicians in the Department of Defense furlough exemption that was announced in July 2012. The bill currently has 65 House cosponsors, and has been endorsed by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS). The Congressional Budget Office has verified that Palazzo’s amendment will add zero cost to the defense appropriations bill.   ""This amendment is a big first step to correcting an oversight that hurts nearly 50,000 dedicated uniformed soldiers and airmen and erodes the National Guard's ability to respond both at home and abroad,"" said retired Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr, president of the National Guard Association of the United States. ""Rep. Steven Palazzo recognized this situation early. His efforts led to yesterday's action. National Guardsmen and those they serve across the country are in his debt.""      “The President, Congress, and DoD all agreed to exempt uniformed personnel from being furloughed in order to limit the impact on military readiness,” stated Seth Waugh, Director of Government Affairs for the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. “We believe the furlough of National Guard military technicians violates that intent and are pleased that Congressman Palazzo has stood up, once again, for the National Guard.  By allowing these uniformed members of our Armed Forces to be protected in the same way as their active duty counterparts, Congress is honoring their commitment to our military.  Without Congressman Palazzo’s amendment, the readiness of our National Guard will continue to be in jeopardy, not only for state emergencies, but for federal missions as well.”     In his statements early Wednesday morning, Palazzo also reiterated concerns with sequestration’s effects on the Department of Defense: “I have supported several alternatives that would resolve this sequestration mess across our defense budgets and across the federal government. I have lain awake at night, worried about the damaging effects these cuts will have if we do not prioritize cuts and fix this problem.  I hope we will see some consensus on a real fix to sequestration soon.  “But the exception has already been made for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to defend this nation. And rightly so. My amendment simply ensures we include all of our deployable men and women in uniform in that exemption.” Palazzo is a Marine veteran of the Persian Gulf War, an actively-serving member of the Mississippi National Guard, and serves on the House Armed Services Committee.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=344381,Palazzo Supports Defense Bill with Funds for Troops and Protection for Military Technicians,2013-07-24,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS) released the following statement after voting in favor of the House FY14 Defense Appropriations bill with responsible reductions in defense spending, military pay raises above the president’s request, and furlough exemptions for deployable, uniformed military personnel.     “The world is not becoming safer, and the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make are not getting smaller,” Palazzo stated. “With passage of each year’s defense bills, we must ensure we are giving our warfighters all of the tools, training and support that they need to fight and win and return home safely. This bill does that, while providing a military pay raise, responsibly reducing spending, and ensuring all deployable, uniformed military personnel are equally protected from furloughs until Congress enacts a budget deal to end sequestration cuts.”     The bill included more than $5 billion in strategic and prioritized reductions from the previous year’s budget. It also included a 1.8 percent military pay raise, an increase over the president’s 1 percent request. Palazzo successfully added an amendment to the bill which would include military technicians in a furlough exemption granted to military personnel in July 2012. Palazzo cited the technicians’ omission in the original exemption as a “technicality,” explaining: “My amendment simply ensures we include all of our deployable men and women in uniform in that exemption.”   If passed by the Senate and signed into law, Palazzo’s amendment would go into effect in fiscal year 2014 and would impact the more than 1,400 Mississippi military technicians that received furlough notices earlier this month. It was supported by the National Guard Association of the United States and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States.   ""This amendment is a big first step to correcting an oversight that hurts nearly 50,000 dedicated uniformed soldiers and airmen and erodes the National Guard's ability to respond both at home and abroad,"" said retired Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr, president of the National Guard Association of the United States. ""Rep. Steven Palazzo recognized this situation early. His efforts led to yesterday's action. National Guardsmen and those they serve across the country are in his debt.""      “The President, Congress, and DoD all agreed to exempt uniformed personnel from being furloughed in order to limit the impact on military readiness,” stated Seth Waugh, Director of Government Affairs for the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. “We believe the furlough of National Guard military technicians violates that intent and are pleased that Congressman Palazzo has stood up, once again, for the National Guard.  By allowing these uniformed members of our Armed Forces to be protected in the same way as their active duty counterparts, Congress is honoring their commitment to our military.  Without Congressman Palazzo’s amendment, the readiness of our National Guard will continue to be in jeopardy, not only for state emergencies, but for federal missions as well.”     **Click here or on the image below for video from Congressman Palazzo’s remarks.**",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=a8c2bc4b-b9f6-4d11-9012-06f4cdc30c1a,COCHRAN BACKS BILL TO STOP OBAMA ENERGY REGULATION THREAT,2013-07-24,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Asserting that smothering U.S. energy production with new regulations is not conducive to a prospering economy, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced his support for legislation to block the President Obama’s efforts to impose new environmental regulations on power plants. Cochran is cosponsoring the National Energy Tax Repeal Act (S.1324), a measure that would prohibit President Obama from issuing new carbon emissions standards through a Presidential Memorandum for existing coal fired power plants.  The measure would require specific approval from Congress before the Obama administration, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could move forward with such regulations. “For all the talk about helping the middle class, it will be family budgets and small business bottom lines that take the hit from the far-reaching energy regulations planned by the President.  The costs associated with these rules amount to a new tax on energy,” Cochran said.  “Mississippians are already paying high prices at the pump, and now the administration wants to raise their power bills.” “This bill affirms that responsibility to direct such restrictions lies with Congress, and cannot be assumed by the Environmental Protection Agency unless authorized by the elected representatives of the people,” the Mississippi Senator said. In June, President Obama declared that he would issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the EPA to issue stricter carbon emissions regulations for existing coal fired power plants.  In addition, the administration has since indicated it expects to move forward with other regulations, including delayed rules on new power plants. The Senate bill states that “any action to control emissions of greenhouse gases from existing coal fired power plants in the United States by mandating a national energy tax would devastate major sectors of the economy, cost thousands of jobs, and increase energy costs for low-income households, small businesses, and seniors on a fixed income.” S.1324 has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.  The measure was introduced by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and is also cosponsored by Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=343094,Committee Approves Bill to Prioritize NASA's Missions,2013-07-18,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Committee Approves Bill to Prioritize NASA’s Missions Washington, D.C. – The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology today approved the NASA Authorization Act of 2013 [H.R. 2687]  to reauthorize programs at NASA for two years, including a topline budget of $16.8 billion dollars, which is consistent with the requirements of the Budget Control Act.   Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas): “The NASA Authorization Act offers us the opportunity to set goals and establish priorities for the greatest space program in the world.  That is our responsibility—to take the initiative, make decisions and govern. I remain hopeful that the House and Senate will find a mutually agreed-upon solution this fall to repeal and replace the Budget Control Act in order to deal with our nation’s overall debt.  Until such a deal is struck, we should stay within the overall funding caps of the Budget Control Act.”   The NASA Reauthorization Act of 2013 ensures sustainability of purpose and budget for high-priority programs and gives direction to the agency on future endeavors. It properly invests in the continued development of the next generation of human space flight systems by investing in the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion crew capsule. The bill directs significantly more funds for development of SLS and Exploration Ground Systems than was included in the President’s request.  It also ensures efficient and effective utilization of the International Space Station, the on-schedule development of the commercial crew program, and continued delivery of supplies with the Commercial Resupply Services program.   The bill also prohibits two controversial administration proposals. It cancels the proposed reorganization of NASA education programs and prohibits the administration’s poorly defined Asteroid Retrieval Mission (ARM), which has raised concerns within the scientific community. Space Subcommittee Chairman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.): “This bill ensures sustainability of purpose and budget for high-priority programs, and gives direction to NASA on future endeavors. While it is safe to say everyone on this Committee would like to see more funding for NASA, we must do the best with the hand we’ve been dealt. The good men and women who serve their country at NASA and who have devoted their lives to pushing the boundaries of human knowledge deserve no less and neither do the American people.”   H.R. 2687 was approved by a vote of 22 - 17. For additional information about the markup, including amendments and roll call votes, please visit the Science, Space, and Technology Committee website.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221183504/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/seem-fair-you,seem fair to you?,2013-07-17,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"seem fair to you? U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) Good evening-- After claiming that ObamaCare's implementation is on schedule, the administration abruptly delayed the mandate that would have penalized business owners who choose not to provide health insurance to their employees. The decision to exempt businesses from this law but still require average citizens to obtain government-approved health insurance is backwards. Does this seem fair to you? Me neither. This move hurts Americans, many of whom are facing a stagnant economy and higher taxes. What’s worse is that most of these hard-working folks are young. This is why I voted earlier today to give families and individuals the same break that the White House wants for large companies. ObamaCare is broken. And it can’t be fixed by handpicking some provisions to enforce and others to conveniently ignore. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=342720,Palazzo Praises Senate Flood Insurance Provision,2013-07-16,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS), today released the following statement praising advancement of a flood insurance provision added to the Senate version of the FY 2014 Homeland Security Appropriations bill passed on the Subcommittee level. The Senate language follows House-passage of a Palazzo provision in June, which would essentially delay flood insurance rate increases for a year by blocking implementation of Section 207 of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act.   Palazzo released the following statement: “These provisions delaying flood insurance increases are the result of a serious bipartisan, bicameral effort to address issues with NFIP changes scheduled to take place later this year. I am glad to see this provision making progress in the Senate. We must keep working to ensure the flood insurance program remains solvent while enacting changes in a compassionate way that doesn’t punish policyholders facing steep rate increases under the current law.”   Palazzo’s provision passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 281-146 in the House of Representatives in June, and had the support of the National Association of Realtors, the American Bankers Association, and the National Association of Home Builders.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=342432,Palazzo Supports Farm Bill With Reforms,2013-07-11,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Supports Farm Bill With Reforms f t # e Washington, July 11, 2013 WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS) released the following statement today after voting in support of H.R. 2642, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013  The bill provides much-needed support for Mississippi farmers while reducing overall farm policy spending by approximately $20 billion, and separates funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from agricultural industry funding. “This bill provides the support Mississippi farmers need while restoring fiscal responsibility to the way we fund agriculture. The American agricultural industry is a crucial part of our economy. I am glad we were able to pass this five-year bill with support for farmers and savings for taxpayers.” Among reforms included in the bill, it eliminates direct payments to farmers, repeals and consolidates more than 100 government programs, and saves more than $20 billion in overall spending.  ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=342091,Subcommittee Approves NASA Reauthorization Bill,2013-07-10,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – The Space Subcommittee today approved a draft bill to reauthorize programs at NASA for two years, including a topline budget of $16.8 billion dollars for the agency, which is consistent with the requirements of the Budget Control Act. Space Subcommittee Chairman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.): “My goal is to ensure that Congress – and this Subcommittee – does everything in its power to support the next generation of explorers and maintain America’s leadership in space. In order to protect the American space legacy, we must make hard choices, prioritize budgets, and give NASA direction for future endeavors. “I and many of my colleagues stand ready to work with the Senate and the Administration to find alternatives to the Budget Control Act, but at this time it is the reality under which we must operate. Until we find a way to reform entitlements and mandatory spending, the discretionary agencies will continue to see shrinking budgets.” In order to address concerns about insufficient funding, the draft bill ensures the continued development of the next generation of human space flight vehicles by investing in the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion crew capsule.  The bill directs significantly more funds for development of SLS and Exploration Ground Systems than was included in the President’s request.  It also ensures efficient and effective utilization of the International Space Station, the on-schedule development of the commercial crew program, and continued delivery of supplies with the Commercial Resupply Services program. The draft bill also addresses two problematic Obama administration proposals that witnesses have told the Committee lack in details and budget justification. Specifically, the bill halts a proposal to consolidate NASA education programs into other agencies and prohibits NASA from beginning work on the Asteroid Retrieval Mission until the administration can provide more detailed information. Chairman Palazzo: “As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to put forth serious policies with realistic approaches to the current fiscal environment and the constraints of the law. Many of my friends on the other side of the aisle voted for the Budget Control Act and while we might agree that it is far from ideal, we’ve yet to see an alternative. Until we do, we must make serious and good faith efforts to do the best we can with the hand we’ve been dealt. That is the intent of the bill we have today.” The draft bill was approved by the Subcommittee by a vote of 11 to 9. For additional information about the markup, including amendments and roll call votes, please visit the Science, Space, and Technology Committee website.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221183534/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/fair-wages,fair wages,2013-07-05,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- Earlier today, I had the privilege of speaking with thousands of advocates at the National Federation of the Blind’s annual convention in Orlando. This crowd gets it. They understand that real transformation of publicly financed supports for people with disabilities not only requires a paradigm shift, but it also requires bold, courageous, and innovative leadership. Given my strong interest in ensuring that every disabled worker has the opportunity to earn fair and moral pay, I joined the NFB-led initiative on Capitol Hill to eliminate a 70-year-old labor law that allows employers to pay subminimum wages. This program has left some disabled employees making pennies on the hour. At the same time, some of these companies are paying their executives over half a million dollars per year. This is unacceptable. And we cannot allow this confused moral perspective to continue. This discrimination is backwards. The myth that disabled workers cannot be productive employees is awful. Congress should be encouraging independence, not forcing disabled workers into an endless cycle of government dependence. It’s simple, folks: Meaningful work deserves fair pay. The subminimum wage law unjustly prohibits workers with disabilities from reaching their full potential. And it must be repealed. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221183611/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/delay-tactics,delay tactics,2013-07-03,2013,2013-07,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"delay tactics U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) Hello-- Last evening, the Obama administration delayed for one year the mandate requiring employers to provide health insurance to their workers. I’ve argued that this rule was a bad idea from the start. And once again, the White House has proven that ObamaCare is nothing short of politics above economics. During a time when nearly one in eight Mississippians is unemployed, the White House should be offering incentives for entrepreneurs to invest in our state’s economy – not burdening them with additional taxes and regulations. Let’s repeal all of the president’s health care law. Let’s consider real health care reforms. Only then will Americans receive the care that they need, from the doctors that they choose, at a cost that they can afford. God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221145654/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/telemedicine-works,Telemedicine works,2013-06-29,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- Over the last 90 days, I’ve worked with health care experts in Mississippi and across the country in drafting a bill to improve telemedicine on the federal level. Congress has to figure out a way to overcome physician shortages and reach underserved patients. One answer is telemedicine. Dr. Kristi Henderson, under the leadership of Dr. Jimmy Keeton at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has traveled to every pocket of Mississippi building one of the country’s most effective state telemedicine networks. As Kristi has noted, Mississippi’s health and economic future depend on the implementation of an innovative, culturally appropriate, community based effort to improve health outcomes. She’s right. But this is also true for America’s health and economic future. We know this: Telemedicine works. It extends care to patients by empowering health providers to increase their scope of services. It serves our aging population by providing tools for individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles through prevention education. But the rest of Washington needs to hear from you. Will you help me? Can you encourage your friends in other states to join the conversation? Together, we can make a difference. Thank you, and have a nice weekend! God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress P.S. -- We’re up to 108 cosponsors and 396 citizen cosponsors on the #KidsFirst bill! Let’s keep it up, folks.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=5cfd379d-348d-4af9-b733-01fd385b9b01,COCHRAN OPPOSES IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL,2013-06-27,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Thad Cochran,C000567,www.cochran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today voted against passage of the Senate’s immigration reform bill, determining that the legislation will not solve the border security or enforcement problems that now characterize illegal immigration in the United States. The Senate on Thursday voted (68-32) to approve an immigration reform bill (S.744) that would launch a process to grant legal status to the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants now in the United States.  It pledges $46 billion to secure the nation’s borders. “The Senate bill is fundamentally flawed.  It represents a headlong rush to offer a path toward citizenship for those here illegally, with more promises that illegal crossings on the Southwest border might finally end.  For all its reported benefits, the Congressional Budget Office also reported that it will increase unemployment, suppress wages and only reduce illegal crossings by 25 percent,” Cochran said.   “The debate on this legislation has not resulted in changes that would guarantee to the people of my state that America’s borders will be truly secured or that illegal entries into our nation will end.  I cannot support this bill,” he said. “The United States needs to improve its immigration policies and consistently enforce laws already on the books.  I believe our nation would be more secure and better able to enjoy the benefits of welcoming new citizens if the Senate had focused first on securing the border and fixing flaws in legal immigration programs,” he said. During the three-week debate on S.744, Cochran voted against the motion to proceed to the bill and consistently voted against tabling amendments to strengthen border security.  The Senator cosponsored amendments to make certain visa programs more efficient and effective.  In the end, however, the bill the Senate approved does not contain important reforms related to agriculture worker programs, and it does not fully reform the system employers use to verify the legal status of workers before hiring them.  Cochran has consistently supported increased border security funding as a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, in addition to supporting guest worker policy improvements that would benefit agriculture, seafood and other industries in Mississippi and the nation.  Cochran opposed inadequate immigration reform efforts in 1986 and 2007. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=340655,Palazzo Disappointed With Supreme Court Defense of Marriage Rulings,2013-06-26,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Disappointed With Supreme Court Defense of Marriage Rulings Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-04) released the following statements regarding the Supreme Court’s rulings today on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s marriage law, Proposition 8 (Prop 8). In a 5-4 decision, Justices Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan ruled to strike portions of DOMA that previously prohibited the federal government from recognizing marriages outside of unions between one man and one woman.  The Court declined to rule on the merits of Prop 8 on the basis that representatives of the state were not defending it in court. The Court’s refusal to rule in the case allows a lower court’s decision to stand, essentially overturning the law. “Marriage and family are the time-tested institutions that make up the very building blocks of our society. Today’s rulings raise new questions and fail to settle these matters, either legally or in the hearts and minds of many Americans. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was intended to both affirm and protect the rights of states like Mississippi to set their own marriage policies. Under this ruling, Mississippi will be able to continue exercising that right. While I am extremely disappointed with today’s decisions, this does nothing to redefine marriage nationwide.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=340405,PALAZZO STATEMENT ON MISSISSIPPI VOTER ID AND RECENT SUPREME COURT RULING,2013-06-25,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"PALAZZO STATEMENT ON MISSISSIPPI VOTER ID AND RECENT SUPREME COURT RULING Says Decision Should Allow States to Enforce Laws Without Seeking Permission from the Department of Justice f t # e Washington, June 25, 2013 PALAZZO STATEMENT ON MISSISSIPPI VOTER ID AND RECENT SUPREME COURT RULING Says Decision Should Allow States to Enforce Laws Without Seeking Permission from the Department of Justice Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) responded to a Supreme Court 5-4 ruling that struck down sections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that gave the federal government authority to hold some states to different standards of scrutiny than other states. In essence, the decision should release the state of Mississippi from needing to seek pre-clearance from the Department of Justice before enforcing its voter ID law. “Today’s ruling is a recognition of the fact that things have changed in the last 50 years,” Palazzo stated. “This should move the Department of Justice out of the way of a simple and fair Mississippi Voter ID Law that’s been held up for more than a year now. My priority is to ensure that each and every citizen has access to a voice and a vote that is free from fraud or discrimination.” In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said formulas used to justify federal pre-clearance of state laws should no longer be used because they are “based on decades-old data and eradicated practices.” ###   f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221131905/http://harper.house.gov/press-release/harper-responds-courts-voting-rights-opinion,Harper Responds To Court's Voting Rights Opinion,2013-06-25,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Section IV of the “Voting Rights Act of 1965”: “The ‘Voting Rights Act’ had no provision for removing a jurisdiction from its preclearance requirements even after a state, such as Mississippi, has demonstrated years of compliance and dramatic improvements in its voting patterns. The Supreme Court today recognized this flaw."" ### Gregg Harper is a third-term Republican lawmaker from Mississippi.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221140921/http://harper.house.gov/enewsletters/kidsfirst,#KidsFirst,2013-06-23,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Gregg Harper,H001045,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Hello-- As the father of 24-year-old son living with Fragile X Syndrome, I understand the challenges families raising special needs children face. This is why I’ve authored a bill to prioritize funding for children’s medical research instead of political parties and conventions. It’s called the “Kids First Research Act.” And the bill is fully paid for by eliminating taxpayer funding of presidential campaigns and party conventions. So far, over 100 members of the House have signed on as cosponsors of this bill. But we can’t do this alone. With your help, we can make a difference. Will you visit www.cosponsor.gov to become a citizen cosponsor? Recent breakthroughs give hope to kids with disabilities. But we can’t let up. New discoveries lead to improved diagnostics. A more timely diagnosis means better treatments. Let’s continue this conversation in the days leading up to the vote. I’ll be using the hashtag #KidsFirst on Twitter. Thanks, and let’s put kids first! God Bless, Gregg Harper Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=340078,Palazzo Says Politics Trumped People and Progress to Defeat House Farm Bill,2013-06-20,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Palazzo Says Politics Trumped People and Progress to Defeat House Farm Bill Cites Bill as Missed Opportunity for Significant Reductions and Reforms WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS) released the following statement today after voting in support of H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, or FARRM Bill. The bill failed on passage, largely due to Democrat objections to major reforms and reductions made to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), specifically an amendment that would allow states to apply welfare work requirements to the program. The bill would have provided much-needed support for Mississippi farmers while reducing overall farm policy spending and nutrition assistance by more than $40 billion.    “It’s extremely disappointing to see so many colleagues put politics ahead of people and ahead of progress. The American agricultural industry is a crucial part of our economy. Today we had an opportunity to restore fiscal responsibility to the way we fund farmers and to make the most serious changes to public assistance since welfare reform was passed in 1996. Yet Democrats in the House chose to hold farmers hostage rather than concede states the option of work requirements for assistance or close loopholes on waste, fraud and abuse. American farmers and taxpayers deserve better.” Among reforms included in the bill, it would have eliminated direct payments to farmers, repealed and consolidated more than 100 government programs and saved more than $40 billion in overall spending, including $20.5 billion in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program alone. These reforms represented a reduction of more than $16 billion over similar reductions in the Senate version of the bill.   The current authorization expires on September 30th at the end of the fiscal year.  Absent reforms or reductions, no budget savings would be achieved beyond sequestration, from which the troubled SNAP program is exempt. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://palazzo.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=340076,Draft NASA Reauthorization Prioritizes Support for Long-term Exploration Goals,2013-06-19,2013,2013-06,Republican,House,MS,Steven Palazzo,P000601,palazzo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Draft NASA Reauthorization Prioritizes Support for Long-term Exploration Goals Bill Prohibits Administration’s Asteroid Retrieval Mission Washington, D.C. – The Space Subcommittee today held a hearing to review draft legislation to reauthorize programs at NASA for two years, including a topline budget of over $16.8 billion dollars for the agency, which is consistent with the requirements of the Budget Control Act.    Space Subcommittee Chairman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss): “In addition to authorizing funding and giving direction to the agency for critical missions, the Committee has included several measures to ensure good government practices and transparency within NASA. This authorization bill reflects a sincere effort to maximize return to the taxpayer while working to protect America’s role as the world leader in space exploration.  We must ensure that every single dollar appropriated to NASA is spent effectively and efficiently.   “As mandatory spending continues to erode important discretionary investments like NASA, we are forced to make very difficult decisions.  This is unfortunately the reality we must face until the federal government can get its finances in order.  That is why this discussion draft complies with the law of the land – the Budget Control Act, which passed the Senate, the House and was signed by the President.”   The draft bill directs the administration to focus on core programs such as the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion crew capsule, the International Space Station, the James Webb Space Telescope and the Commercial Crew Program.   The President’s fiscal year 2014 NASA budget proposal requests funding for an Asteroid Retrieval Mission. Members and witnesses today indicated that this proposal lacks details, justification and support from NASA’s advisory bodies. “Because the mission appears to be a costly and complex distraction, this bill prohibits NASA from doing any work on the project and we will work with appropriators to ensure the agency complies with this directive,” Chairman Palazzo said.   The draft bill authorizes SLS at over $1.7 billion, $28 million above the Administration’s request, and the Orion crew capsule at $1.2 billion.  The Commercial Crew program is authorized at $700 million, which includes several accountability measures and a non-negotiable flight readiness deadline of December 31, 2017.  The International Space Station is authorized at over $2.9 billion, which includes a framework for NASA to determine the future life of the Station with a priority on microgravity research.   The $4.62 billion authorized for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is intended to ensure critical programs continue on schedule, including the James Webb Space Telescope and Planetary Science missions. Over the last five years the Earth Science program has grown by more than 40 percent. With 13 other agencies throughout the federal government spending $2.5 billion on climate-related research, the draft NASA reauthorization seeks a more balanced portfolio of science mission programs, while moderating recent increases to earth science.   In a letter of support submitted prior to today’s hearing, The Planetary Society stated: The Planetary Society strongly supports the funding levels authorized for Planetary Science in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2013 proposed in the United States House of Representatives. The House Science Committee, working within very stringent budgetary limitations, prioritized funding for the Planetary Science Division commensurate with its importance to NASA’s core mission of exploration.     The following witnesses testified at the hearing: Dr. Steven W. Squyres, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University Mr. A. Thomas Young, Former Executive Vice President, Lockheed Martin Corporation   For more information about today’s hearing, including witness testimony, please visit the Science, Space, and Technology Committee website.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z