url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at http://collinpeterson.house.gov/rep-petersons-newsletter-1231,Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 12/31,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,MN,Collin Peterson,P000258,collinpeterson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Mark Hartsell Library of Congress Christmas Tree Dear Friends, The 113th Congress will enter its second session on January 7th as 2013 comes to a close. Northland Community and Technical College will benefit from the Federal Aviation Administration’s recent decision to designate North Dakota as a test site for Unmanned Aerial Systems. The National Park Service is making national park entrance fees free for nine days next year, and Chippewa Forest will have a big role to play in next year’s Christmas celebrations. Sincerely, Congressman Collin C. Peterson Minnesota 7th District 2014 House Legislative Calendar Click here to view the tentative legislative calendar for 2014. Unmanned Aerial Systems This week the Federal Aviation Administration designated North Dakota as one of six test sites in the nation for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). This is also good news for northwest Minnesota and for Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls which offers a UAS maintenance-training program that was first in the nation. Thanks to the leadership team at Northland College, and all the other partners in the region who worked hard for many years to develop and implement this technology and the programs that are experiencing unprecedented growth, we will see this region as a leader in UAS. Click here to read a UAS article written by the Grand Forks Herald. National Park Service The National Park Service announced that entrance to America’s 401 national parks will be free to the public on nine days in 2014.  Dates of free admission are:  ·         January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day ·         February 15-17: Presidents Day weekend ·         April 19-20: National Park Week’s opening weekend ·         August 25: National Park Service’s 98th birthday ·         September 27: National Public Lands Day ·         November 11: Veterans Day According to National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, more than 280 million people visit America’s national parks each year. “National parks not only protect and preserve the places we most value; they also add enormous economic value to nearby communities and the entire nation. Visitor spending represents a $30 billion annual benefit to the national economy and supports more than 250,000 jobs,” said Jarvis. “Fee-free days are a great way to both thank those visitors and introduce parks to first-timers who can find a new place to call an old favorite.”  Visitors should note that this is an entrance free waiver only, so it does not cover amenity or user fees for things such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours. For more information on Minnesota’s National Parks, click here. 2014 Capitol Christmas Tree The U.S. Forest Service announced that Minnesota’s own Chippewa National Forest will provide the 2014 Capitol Christmas Tree. According to the Architect of the Capitol, the tradition of displaying a Christmas tree on the Capitol Grounds is relatively recent. Records of correspondence dating back to 1919 show that a Christmas tree was purchased that year, but it was not until 1964 that a procedure for tree selection and a tree-lighting ceremony was established. The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service has provided the trees since 1970. Minnesota has supplied the trees three times since then.  The last Minnesota tree that graced the Capitol lawn was in 1992. I look forward to seeing a Minnesota tree return to our nation’s capital next year!  This Week in American History On December 31st, 1894, Roseau County, named for the lake and river within its region, was established by an order of Governor Knute Nelson. Roseau County borders Canada and Lake of the Woods in northwest Minnesota. According to the 2010 census, the population was 15,629 and covers a total area of 1,678 square miles. Click here to learn more about the history of Roseau County. “Guitar Painting” Brady Larson (CROOKSTON) 2013 Congressional Art Competition",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-releases-year-end-report-constituents,Rep. Kelly Releases Year-End Report for Constituents,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON — Representative Mike Kelly (PA-03) released the following letter today, to be e-mailed to his constituents throughout Pennsylvania’s Third Congressional District, to serve as a year-end overview of his office’s legislative achievements and constituent relations throughout 2013. Dear Constituent: Over the past twelve months, I have had the enormous privilege of continuing to represent you in our nation’s capital during the first session of the 113th Congress. As with my first term in office, all of my work in the House of Representatives is guided by your values, your voices, and your priorities. Your goals are my goals, and every day I work hard to accomplish them. The most important of these, of course, is creating an environment that strengthens our economy and generates more jobs with family-sustainable wages for our region and our country. I’ve proudly supported every measure to secure this outcome, and opposed any obstacle to reaching it. You can learn more about every jobs bill passed in the House and follow their status here. With every new challenge that 2013 brought us – and there were many – there also came many opportunities. My staff and I worked diligently to meet all of them head-on. Fighting the IRS, Restoring Trust & Accountability in Washington When the news broke that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was targeting and harassing Americans based on their political leanings, I joined the nation in outrage. As member of the House Ways and Means Committee (and member of the Subcommittee on Oversight), I made it my personal responsibility to get answers about what went wrong and hold those responsible fully accountable for abusing the American people’s trust in such an unthinkable manner. Watch my remarks at two memorable committee hearings here and here. As a result of this scandal, during the summer I re-introduced the Government Employee Accountability Act. The legislation would give all federal agencies the power to effectively deal with delinquent Senior Executive Service employees (such as disgraced former IRS official Lois Lerner), including the ability to conduct “investigative leave without pay” and to carry out immediate termination. In other words, no more paid vacations for violating the taxpayers’ rights. The House eventually passed the legislation by a bipartisan vote of 239-176. Stopping Asian Carp, Protecting Jobs & Families in Western Pennsylvania Back home in the Third District, the threat of Asian carp are constantly on everyone’s minds — and rightly so. This 70-pound invasive species threatens our regional economy, the fishing industry, and the wellbeing of all of us who rely on the water for work or recreation. This is a fish that is so aggressive and voracious that it can sometimes eat up to four times its own weight. When it emerges out of the water – flies, is more like it – it can inflict serious physical harm upon anyone it strikes, especially toddlers and young children. As the co-chairman of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition, and as a grandfather to eight beautiful young grandchildren, I take this threat extremely seriously. This is not a Republican or a Democrat issue. This is an American issue, and the stakes are dangerously high. If drastic action is not taken, this invasive species will utterly devastate the Great Lakes and Western Pennsylvania waterways and thereby cripple a $7 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry — along with all the jobs and livelihoods that go with it. That is why this past fall I was proud to offer a bipartisan amendment to the Water Resources Reform & Development Act of 2013 (WRRDA) which will establish a multiagency effort to slow the spread of Asian carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins and tributaries, including the assistance of  the Army Corp of Engineers. In a stunning display of people before party, the House passed WRRDA – with my amendment attached – by an astounding bipartisan vote of 417-3. Protecting Americans from Obamacare, Standing up for a Patient-Centered Alternative Even before the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) became law, most Americans had a bad feeling about the federal government taking over one sixth of our economy. Now, after the first few months of its horrific implementation, and after hearing personal stories from countless constituents, there is no mistaking it: Obamacare is a national disaster. As you know, since coming to Congress in 2011, I have seized every opportunity to repeal or at least reduce Obamacare so that fewer Americans are harmed by its mandates. I have also sought to shed light on areas surrounding the law that are uncertain, if not downright murky. That’s why I’ve sent the Obama administration two separate letters demanding to know why the construction process for Obamacare’s official website was so poorly overseen and executed. American taxpayers, whose hard-earned money funded the website, deserve to know. At the same time, I have long believed that effective health care reform is indeed a national imperative that, with the right guiding principles, can and should still be achieved. After all, the mantra “repeal and replace” only holds water if “replace” has a meaning. That is why I am co-sponsoring the American Health Care Reform Act, a patient-centered alternative to Obamacare that would make health insurance more accessible and affordable to the most vulnerable among us — and do so in a way that wouldn’t damage the economy or disrupt anyone’s existing plans. You can read more about this commonsense bill here. Defending the Second Amendment & National Sovereignty All year long, I was proud to lead the congressional opposition to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), an outrageous agreement which forces the United States – the world’s most important defender of peace and democracy – onto equal footing with the world’s worst dictatorships and terror-sponsors. Ominously, the treaty excludes any specific protection for, or even mention of, the fundamental right of individuals to keep and bear arms, which only opens the door wider to future gun control impositions. Earlier this year, I introduced a concurrent resolution (existing in both houses of Congress) to oppose the ATT and helped it earn the co-sponsorship of more than a third of the House and the Senate. We later sent two letters to President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry explaining our opposition and vowing to block ATT with every tool at our disposal. In anticipation of the treaty being signed by the Obama administration (which ultimately occurred), I introduced an amendment to prohibit any federal funding for the implementation of the ATT in the Defense Departments’ annual appropriations bill. On December 26th, President Obama signed the bill, with my amendment, into law. Needless to say, this fight will continue in 2014. Meeting the Needs of the Third District All Year Round Here is a run-down of how my offices and staff were able to help me assist and communicate with my constituents in 2013. We… Expanded my social media presence, earning more than 5,000 “friends” and 4,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter respectively; and Toured more than 25 local businesses and factories to talk with both employers and employees about issues affecting their industries; Helped more than 1,900 constituents with their challenges to navigate the federal bureaucracy; Answered more than 68,000 pieces of mail, email, faxes and calls; Maintained 3 full time constituent offices and 3 satellite offices; Held 5 Tele-Town Hall Meetings to address a range of issues including help with filing tax returns and Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period; Organized or attended dozens of outreach meetings with constituency groups; Sent more than 1,500 American flags to constituents and assisted with 242 tours of the U.S. Capitol; Conducted hundreds of interviews with local, regional, and national press. As I’ve said time and again, representing you and your neighbors in the House of Representatives is the honor of my lifetime. Anytime my staff can help you with a federal matter in any specific way, please do not hesitate to contact me via the information and locations listed below. I humbly thank you for the opportunity to serve you, and look forward to having your back in Congress in 2014. Happy New Year! Sincerely, Mike Kelly   ERIE DISTRICT OFFICE 208 E. Bayfront Parkway Suite 102 Erie, PA 16507 Phone: (814) 454-8190 Fax: (814) 454-8197   BUTLER DISTRICT OFFICE 101 East Diamond St Suite 218 Butler, PA  16001 Phone: (724) 282-2557 Fax: (724) 282-3682   SHARON DISTRICT OFFICE 33 Chestnut Street Sharon, PA  16146 Phone: (724) 342-7170 Fax: (724) 342-7242   WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE 1519 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5406 Fax: (202) 225-3103   CRAWFORD COUNTY OFFICE Every Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 908 Diamond Park Meadville, PA 16335   ARMSTRONG COUNTY OFFICE Every Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 300 South McKean Street Kittanning, PA 16201   LAWRENCE COUNTY Every Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4: 00 p.m. Lawrence County Courthouse 430 Court Street New Castle, PA  16101   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://pittenger.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pittenger-announces-five-service-academy-nominations,Pittenger Announces Five Service Academy Nominations,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NC,Robert Pittenger,P000606,pittenger.house.gov,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 31, 2013     CONGRESSMAN PITTENGER ANNOUNCES FIVE SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENTS   CHARLOTTE - As the New Year begins, several students from the Charlotte area are set to start lives of service to their country.  Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) is honored to announce five young men have received appointments to United States service academies for the coming year.   Mr. Connor Calvin, a senior at Charlotte Christian School, will join the Naval Academy.  ""Every day I want to go to work leading people who seek to craft a better world for their families and liberate those under oppression,"" Connor stated.  He is the son of Leigh and John Calvin, and lives in Matthews. Mr. Peter Hetzel, who is homeschooled and also attends Grace Academy, will be a cadet at West Point.  Peter has two brothers in the Naval Academy, and joins them in a tradition of service.  He is from Weddington, and is the son of Whitney and James Hetzel. Mr. Ethan Mead, a senior at Charlotte Catholic, wanted to join the Air Force Academy.  ""I want to be able to put all of my efforts into making not only the United States a better place to live,"" Ethan said, ""but the rest of the world as well.""  The son of Delaine and Mark Mead, Ethan is from Charlotte. Mr. Mitch Renfrow, a senior at Providence Day School, plans to join the Air Force Academy.  As a lacrosse goalie and Sunday school teacher, Mitch believes ""the best leader must also be a good follower,"" and hopes to become an Air Force chaplain.  From Charlotte, he is the son of Georgene and William Renfrow. Mr. Emory Walls, a senior at Providence High School, will join the Air Force Academy.  Emory has been interested in aviation from a young age, since his grandparents gave him a copy of The Encyclopedia of Modern Aircraft for his second birthday.  He is the son of Alison and George Walls, and is from Matthews. ""By serving a cause greater than their own self-interests, each of these young Americans are embarking on an inspiring course which will make America proud,"" Congressman Pittenger commented.  ""The Ninth District is blessed with many talented young individuals, and their willingness to step forward to answer freedom's call reflects their sense of duty, devotion, and resolve.""   Congressman Pittenger has personally called all five appointees to congratulate them on this accomplishment.  The five appointees are a great start to the appointment process in the two weeks since Congressman Pittenger's office sent nominations to the service academies.   To date, there have been five appointments for 2014, joining 14 appointments for 2013.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://rokita.house.gov/editorial/rokita-report-2013-year-review,Rokita Report 2013 Year-in-Review,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,IN,Todd Rokita,R000592,rokita.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friend, Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to update you on my work in the 113th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well. As we are at the end of 2013, I wanted to use this Rokita Report as a quick ""Year-in-Review"" of some of the bigger accomplishments this year.        In September, I, along with several Republican Study Committee colleagues, introduced the American Health Care Reform Act - a consumer-driven, commonsense health care reform bill designed to increase access and reduce costs for all Americans. We introduced this legislation because we believe it is important to improve health care, not just repeal ObamaCare.  This bill now has nearly 120 cosponsors and I look forward to more of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle joining us in 2014. You can view my remarks from the press conference where we rolled out the legislation here. A brief summary of the bills reforms Encouraging a more competitive health care market - Allows Americans to purchase health care across state lines, increasing transparency in Medicare by making claims data public, and allowing small businesses to pool together to lower costs. Increasing access to portable, affordable health insurance - Implements an across-the-board standard deduction for all health insurance plans, and expanding access and options for Health Savings Accounts. Improving access to insurance for vulnerable Americans - Ensures affordable coverage for those with pre-existing conditions by funding state high-risk pools, and removing barriers that prevent continual insurance coverage. Reforming medical liability law - Caps non-economic damages, and placing a statute of limitations on liability cases. Respecting human life - Prohibits taxpayer funding for abortion. Repealing Obamacare We continue to seek input from anyone that wishes to constructively contribute to meaningful and responsible health care reform. You can read the full bill text, summaries of the bills, and learn more about the American Health Care Reform Act here.         In August, the House considered and passed the Student Success Act.  The Student Success Act, introduced in June, is a bill I authored in my role as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education that reforms No Child Left Behind and reasserts Indiana's explicit right to direct the education of Indiana's children. The Student Success Act reforms our nation's K-12 education system by restoring local and state control to our schools.  In particular, the Student Success Act gives states, not Washington, D.C., the authority and responsibility to set academic standards, to measure if students are meeting those standards, and to make changes if they are not meeting their own standards.   Rep. Rokita Responds to Student Success Act Criticism 7-19-13 No Washington bureaucrat cares more about a child than a parent does. And no one in Washington knows what is better for Indiana students than Indiana families, teachers, and school boards. That is why the Student Success Act (SSA) puts an end to the administration’s National School Board by returning control to state and local school districts.   Many Hoosiers will also be pleased to know that the Student Success Act prohibits the Secretary of Education from coercing states into adopting Common Core. I would like to thank my fellow Education and Workforce Hoosier colleagues - Reps. Larry Bucshon, Susan Brooks, and Luke Messer for their help with this legislation.  It is my hope that the Senate considers their reauthorization legislation in 2014. I look forward to working with my Senate counterparts pass this plan next year.  For more information on the bill, please click here.   Protecting your 4th Amendment Rights - Stopping the NSA from Spying on Americans Like many Hoosiers, I was greatly concerned when I learned about the various National Security Agency spying scandals that were reported this year.   As more and more revelations emerged about the NSA spying on Americans’ phone calls and electronic communications, it was clear that the Obama Administration has been slow in taking responsibility for abuses and invasions of Americans’ privacy.   Since that news broke, I have continually been working on a bipartisan basis to rein in the NSA’s domestic surveillance operations and protect Americans’ privacy through legislation and congressional oversight.   Most recently, I co-authored bipartisan legislation called the USA Freedom Act to address NSA abuses.  The USA Freedom Act makes reforms to end the dragnet collection of Americans’ phone records under Section 215 of the PATRIOT.  This bill also provides more safeguards for warrantless surveillance. In September, I introduced legislation to establish a Select Committee to investigate and report on the surveillance operations of the National Security Administration.   Also this year, I introduced another bipartisan bill to curb unconstitutional surveillance, the Ending Secret Law Act, to require declassification of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) decisions.  Read my op-ed regarding this bill from the UK's Guardian, which first broke the news of this surveillance, here. I am committed to continue and win this fight to uphold our constitutional Fourth Amendment rights.         In the spring of 2011, my office in conjunction with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce embarked on a critical initiative called “Red Tape Rollback,” to identify and roll back unnecessary and overly burdensome federal regulations that kill jobs and hurt our economy.   The purpose of Red Tape Rollback is to give businesses, individuals, and institutions across the Hoosier State one location to report information on these job-destroying rules and regulations. I’m pleased to report that at the end of 2013—just over two years into this effort—we’ve achieved 33 significant victories in our fight against excessive regulations, and we’ve made major progress on dozens of other issues.  From victories that will reshape the framework of regulation in America to more specific regulations that burden Hoosiers, we’ve achieved victories across the federal government.  We’ve pushed back against regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and more.  I will be releasing an annual report in early 2014 that contains stories about some of our successes and some of our ongoing work. However, our work is far from done. As economic leaders across the Hoosier State, the Red Tape Rollback program only works with your participation.  The Constitution vests Congress with the duty to legislate, but equally important is our duty to provide oversight of the executive branch.  As we in Congress investigate and debate the appropriateness of federal regulations, I invite you to join us in our efforts.  If you know of any regulation that is destroying jobs, inhibiting growth, or slowing our economy, I want to know about it.  It is important that we act now to remove unnecessary and burdensome regulations that destroy jobs.  It is time to put Hoosiers back to work and unleash our economy by tearing down the barriers that keep businesses from growing. To learn more about this program and to share your stories of regulatory overreach visit rokita.house.gov/redtape.   I appreciate your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts in Washington. Take care and have a great 2014. Sincerely,   Todd Rokita",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comment-of-sjc-chairman-leahy-on-chief-justice-roberts-year-end-report-on-the-federal-judiciary,Comment Of SJC Chairman Leahy On Chief Justice Roberts' Year-End Report On The Federal Judiciary,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,VT,Patrick Leahy,L000174,www.leahy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.31.13 Comment Of SJC Chairman Leahy On Chief Justice Roberts' Year-End Report On The Federal Judiciary “The Chief Justice's annual year-end report again focuses on the significant financial strain on our Federal courts.  These cuts have a real impact for Americans seeking justice, and pose real threats to the dedicated public servants who work in our nation’s Federal courts as well as to members of the public.  A return to regular order in our appropriations process will, I hope, ensure that our courts have the resources they require.   “In his report, Chief Justice Roberts warns against the danger of reduced funding to public safety. Congress earlier this month passed an extension of the Supreme Court Police’s authority to protect Justices, their staff, and official guests when they are away from Supreme Court grounds.  Our courts must have the resources they need not just to process litigation, but to protect those seeking justice.   “One threat facing our courts which is unaddressed in the Chief's year-end report are the continuing vacancies plaguing the Federal courts.  This year, the number of vacancies has hovered around 90 because obstruction in Congress has led to filibuster after filibuster of qualified nominees. We must not take for granted that we have the greatest justice system in the world, and ensuring this continues requires the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty of advice and consent.” Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/photos/december-2013,December 2013,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,VT,Patrick Leahy,L000174,www.leahy.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.31.13 December 2013 View photos from various events in December.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140222202135/http://mckinley.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=2109,"State Journal: WV population down from 2012, new census estimates show",2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,WV,David McKinley,M001180,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"West Virginia was one of two states to lose population in the past year, according to estimates released by the Census Bureau on Dec. 30. Based on births, deaths and migration, the Census Bureau estimated the state's population as of July 1, 2013, as 1,854,304, a decrease of 2,376 from the 2012 estimate of 1,856,680, but still higher than the 1,852,994 people counted in the 2010 census. Maine was the other state to show a decrease, losing 199 people to drop to 1,328,302. Maine and Rhode Island are the only states whose most recent population estimates are lower than the 2010 census count. To read entire article, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140307001348/http://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=0e414404-d5e2-4216-bfdc-138a468e167b,Alexander: Unhappy New Year for Tens of Thousands of Tennesseans Whose Health Insurance on the Job Will Change Because of Obamacare,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"December 31 2013 - Says enforcement of mandate requiring employers to provide insurance will lead to more canceled plans, higher costs *** “The president’s broken promise that ‘If you like your health insurance, you can keep it’ was an unwelcome Christmas present for 82,000 Tennesseans buying insurance on their own. Now, since nearly 13 times as many Tennesseans receive health insurance on the job, Obamacare threatens to bring an Unhappy New Year for tens of thousands more Tennesseans.” – Lamar Alexander  MARYVILLE, Dec. 31 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that since nearly 13 times as many Tennesseans receive health insurance through their employers as purchase their own individual plans, new Obamacare mandates on businesses mean that now Tennesseans receiving health insurance through employers will have to worry about Obamacare cancellations bringing an “Unhappy New Year.”     “During 2014, many of the burdensome Obamacare mandates on businesses that the Obama administration delayed will be in full force,” Alexander said. “We’ve already seen how the president’s broken promise that ‘If you like your health insurance, you can keep it’ was an unwelcome Christmas present for 82,000 Tennesseans buying insurance on their own. Now, since nearly 13 times as many Tennesseans receive health insurance on the job, Obamacare threatens to bring an Unhappy New Year for tens of thousands more Tennesseans.""  According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are more than 246,000 Tennesseans on the individual insurance market, and Alexander said at least 82,000 Tennesseans are scheduled to begin losing their current insurance because their plans were “outlawed” under Obamacare. About 3,175,000 Tennesseans get their insurance through their employers, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, or nearly 13 times as many as in the individual insurance market. Alexander said the “burdensome mandates on employers” could mean “tens of thousands more” Tennesseans will lose their current plans or see their costs increase, just as in the individual health insurance market. In 2014, employers will begin to make employee insurance and work-hour changes to prepare for the employer mandate to be enforced by the Obama administration, which requires employers with 50 employees or more to provide health insurance or pay a penalty. Alexander said the employer mandate will limit the options employers have to provide affordable insurance for all employees – leading to some existing plans no longer being legal, and insurance being more expensive, just as Americans saw in the individual health insurance market this year.  The senator also noted that many employers are already starting to reduce employee work hours and limit new hires and reconsider business expansions in order to lessen their burdens under Obamacare. The Obama administration in July of 2013 delayed enforcement until Jan. 1, 2015, instead of Jan. 1, 2014. Alexander continued, “Enforcement of burdensome mandates on businesses will mean fewer choices as health insurance plans offered by employers are outlawed under Obamacare, as well as higher costs for both Tennesseans and businesses that are trying to create jobs.” The Obama administration is expected to release rules related to the employer mandate soon. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be releasing its final rule on the employer mandate, and the Internal Revenue Service will begin to reveal how much paperwork and personal information it will require businesses and employees to provide. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/give-virginia-the-gift-of-strong-ethics-laws,Give Virginia the gift of strong ethics laws,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Give Virginia the gift of strong ethics laws Washington Post Op-Ed Tuesday, December 31, 2013 The new year presents a superb opportunity to fix a major Virginia weakness: our lax ethical laws. Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe and the state legislature have a clear chance to do something right, popular and necessary. They should strike immediately and achieve a legacy accomplishment early in 2014. The principal fix needed is a dramatic restructuring of gift laws. Under current law, anyone can give anything to an elected official so long as it is reported. If the gift is from a “friend,” it need not be reported. If the gift is to an official’s spouse or other family members, it need not be reported. Virginia’s wide-open rule is justified by a smug attitude: We can trust ourselves to do the right thing, and transparency is all that is needed to keep the system honest. But since the 2011 prosecution of former Newport News delegate Phil Hamilton for bribery and extortion, the revelation that advocates of uranium mining in the commonwealth flew legislators to France and the recent controversy around gifts to the family of Gov. Bob McDonnell, we can no longer pretend Virginia’s law makes sense. Gifts to elected officials can create a subconscious sense of gratitude in even the most upright public servants. And the public probably will perceive such gifts as creating improper influence, whether or not that happens. With no limit on the amount of such gifts and with the exceptions for friends and family so broad, Virginia’s system is all but guaranteed to create problems. Meanwhile, many people who advocate for important positions and perspectives cannot afford to give gifts to officials. This puts them at a disadvantage when compared with those who can. I served under the Virginia law for nearly 15 years and received gifts that were duly reported. But serving in the U.S. Senate, I must abide by a much tougher standard. Gifts from lobbyists are banned, as are gifts worth more than $50 from anyone else. All gifts, aside from a narrowly defined exception for friends, must be reported. Most states have similar rules, and some are even stricter. Having served under both systems, I can say that the benefits of the federal rule are obvious. I regret that I didn’t propose adopting it when I was governor of Virginia. If a bipartisan group of Virginia’s leaders were to propose a gift ban, it would have huge popular support. This would fix a problem that has become embarrassing for the commonwealth. A few legislators who have grown used to the current system may be reluctant to adopt such a ban, but most of them realize that our state’s reputation needs a boost. The real benefits of public office are the intangible joys of helping others rather than advancing oneself. Gifts to officials and their families need to be restricted to show that Virginia understands what public service is all about. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/dartmouth-alumni-magazine-profiles-king-as-man-in-the-middle,Dartmouth Alumni Magazine Profiles King as “Man In The Middle”,2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Dartmouth Alumni Magazine Profiles King as “Man In The Middle” Tuesday, December 31, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine last Friday published a profile of U.S. Senator Angus King (Class of ’66) entitled “Man In The Middle” in which author Matthew Mosk captures King’s role in resolving the student loan crises, his thoughts on the October government shutdown, and his broader efforts at tackling partisanship in the U.S. Senate. In addition to Senator King, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Rob Portman (R-OH) are also graduates of Dartmouth College. The profile is below and can also be read by clicking here. +++ Man In The Middle  Independent Maine Sen. Angus King ’66 went to Washington, D.C., hoping to help opposing parties find common ground. Frustration has set in. It is the morning of September 11, 2013, and on this day, for a change, no one on Capitol Hill is talking about the looming impasse on the federal budget. Syria has been accused of using chemical weapons, and a fierce debate over the correct response is under way. On one side of Congress are the hawks who, like President Obama, say a red line has been crossed in a manner that demands a military response. On the other side, a sizable coalition that is weary of war and uneasy about the fallout of a strike in the Middle East. Then there is Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who finds himself in a familiar posture—standing in the middle. King arrived in Washington, D.C., last January as the newest of four U.S. senators from Dartmouth. After eight years as governor of Maine and an almost 10-year hiatus from public office, he won handily a tumultuous three-way Senate campaign with 53 percent of the vote, becoming only the second member of the chamber not affiliated with a major political party. (He caucuses with the Democrats.) King assumed the seat vacated by three-term moderate Republican Olympia Snowe, who left, she said, because Congress had become an impossible place from which to govern effectively. King’s campaign promised not just a moderate, business-friendly agenda that was left-leaning on social issues but also to do what Snowe considered impossible: provide a bridge between the increasingly factionalized parties to get things done. “He’s independent and a problem solver,” actor Sam Waterston of Law & Order said in a television ad for King that aired in the closing weeks of the campaign. “I think they’re afraid of Angus in Washington, which might be the best reason to send him there.” Today King is in his office suite for a weekly open house. Tall and lean, with the ruddy, stiff-jawed look of a Maine lobsterman, King smiles warmly as a staff member snaps photographs of the senator with organic dairy producers and members of the New England Farmers Union. A Los Angeles Times reporter briefly corners King in his conference room. The Syria question was the first one keeping him up at night since he took office, King says. “I am trying to learn as much as I can to understand the ramifications of this question, which are enormous,” he says. “Is there more risk to the national interest in doing nothing, or is there more risk to the national interest in acting?” With the help of his staff King ends the interview quickly and returns his attention to the dairy farmers. The Syria question would resolve itself before King was forced to take a firm stance, and in a matter of days focus would be back on the issue that has most stymied Washington in recent times: the budget. Across the Capitol complex in the House, the first rumblings are emerging that a government shutdown is looming. In part because of the deep divisions it would emphasize, the shutdown would present an enormous opportunity for King. It could become the first test of his desire to snuff out gridlock and dysfunction. The Real Thing King’s childhood in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington offers few clues to his political leanings. He describes his parents as Roosevelt Democrats but says he grew up a fan of President Eisenhower. King applied to Dartmouth, sight unseen, because between his junior and senior years in high school his sister married Dartmouth alum Jim Neff  ’59, “and I liked the guys at the wedding,” he says. King’s interest in politics was immediate. He recalls, in detail, the lectures of longtime Dartmouth government professor Vincent Starzinger. “I remember him using the movie The African Queen to explain the two different views of natural law,” King says. “Humphrey Bogart wakes up in the boat to see Katharine Hepburn dumping his gin out into the river, and he’s very upset. He says to Hepburn, ‘It’s only natural, ma’am, that a man should want to drink every now and then.’ That’s one view of natural law. Hepburn said, ‘Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are here to rise above.’ That’s the other view of natural law. It has been 50 years and I remember every word of that lecture.” Larry K. Smith, a former Dartmouth history professor now retired after a career in Washington, remembers “Gus” in “History 56,” the political history of the United States since 1864. The class, which was a study in power and how it’s used politically, Smith says, attracted ambitious students. When political discussions would get going, “you could feel the heat in the room,” he recalls. King stood out: “For all of his prestige on campus, you never got the sense that he was a politician of any sort. And yet he was clearly recognized to be the class of his class. He carried himself with such ease and grace.” Despite his clear interest in politics, King’s involvement was largely as an observer. He worked at WDCR and traveled in 1964 to New York City to broadcast results from the Goldwater-Johnson election. “We were part of a national college radio election-night program, and it was like our own NBC,” King says. “We got results. I was a commentator, talking about who was winning and who was losing and what it meant.” A year earlier, Dartmouth students had learned of the Kennedy assassination listening to WDCR. They heard the news from King, who broke into a music program to report as the day’s events came over a teletype machine. (King says he carried the printout announcing Kennedy’s death in his wallet for decades until it finally crumbled into pieces.) The radio job helped prepare King for the career he forged after law school and a brief stint on Capitol Hill with Maine’s Democratic Sen. William Hathaway—as a television interviewer and commentator on the public broadcast affiliate in Maine. He moved from there into the alternative energy industry. It was from this business perch that King followed a path into politics as an independent. Throughout his tenure as governor King’s approval numbers in statewide polls never dipped below 50 percent. Still, competing views formed about him. One Maine Republican—a Dartmouth alum who previously worked in government—agreed to provide his view of King in a series of emails on the condition he not be identified. He says, “King seems the ultimate ‘hail fellow well met’ with the balm of an aphorism for every situation, even if he has never seen it before…and really knows little about it.” The GOP critic says he considers King “a faux independent,” a Democrat who does not want to admit his leanings. Others, including his early mentor Smith, say the politician’s independence comes from deep within. “People will use the rhetoric of being a moderate and it’s crap,” says Smith. “With Gus it’s a real thing. There are phony moderates or phony independents who are often unwilling to take positions. Gus takes positions and does so as a matter of conviction. It just happens that his convictions don’t fit neatly into either party. Fortunately for him, he comes from a state that enables him to run as that person.” King says that when he arrived in Washington he knew there would be doubts about him on both sides of the aisle. When he first approached Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to talk about his ideas on regulatory reform, King says he expected skepticism. At that point he was known only as the man the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent $1.2 million trying to defeat in 2012. “I’m sitting with Roy telling him my views on regulatory reform,” King says, “and I could see his expression change, like, ‘This isn’t the guy I thought he was. Why did we spend a million dollars to kill this guy?’ ” An Issue That Resonates King’s first real foray into the murky political waters of the U.S. Senate came almost by accident. It was May of 2013 and a member of his staff had flagged one of the Senate’s many looming deadlines: Without congressional action the interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford student loans was poised to double on July 1 from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. “It seemed to fit philosophically with some of the things that the senator has taken issue with down here, these sort of artificial deadlines, lurching from year to year, without really coming up with long-term, sustainable solutions,” one King staffer explains. In many ways the student loan issue presented an ideal political opportunity for King. On one side were liberal Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who believed the government should support a subsidized loan program that would greatly relieve the financial burden facing college students, even if it came with a hefty price tag. On the other side were Republicans whose proposal, very similar to Obama’s, was for a market-based loan program that operated much like traditional loans, giving students competitive borrowing rates while possibly turning a profit. King and a small coalition of senators including Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) decided they would try to create a revenue-neutral program that fell somewhere between the rival versions. In June, when senators were presented with votes on the Democratic and Republican versions of the student loan bill, King and Manchin broke ranks and voted against both of them. King released a statement to the press saying he believed “that we can bridge the differences between the competing proposals to reach a compromise solution that can acquire wide support. We just need to set the politics aside and do the work.” The rogue group of senators drafted its proposal and introduced it in late June, just days before the loan rates would double. At first their attempts to bring more senators on board met with resistance. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the powerful committee chairman who oversaw education issues, was not happy with their proposal. A number of Republicans were also skeptical that rates could be brought down without costing the federal government. As the deadline passed, a second attempt was made to bring the Democratic plan to the floor for a vote, but it again fell short. Once that failed, the president got involved. King, along with Manchin and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) were summoned to the White House, where they found Harkin and Burr waiting with Obama. The goal was to broker a compromise bill. “The president wanted this off his plate,” King’s staffer explains. After the meeting the number of senators willing to vote for the King-Manchin bill started to rise. During the course of several weeks King tried to keep an accurate count of his bill’s support, but it was tough. Every time he would shave off a section to bring more Democrats on board, he risked losing support from Republicans. When the date for the vote finally came, King’s staff had calculated they had just barely enough support for the measure to pass. When the vote got under way, Durbin, whose job as Senate majority whip is to muster and keep count of votes, walked up to King on the floor and handed him a small scrap of paper. It had a number on it: “74”—a projected tally of “aye” votes. The bill, King realized then, was going to pass. King was near the center of a group of Republicans and Democrats hovering over Obama on August 9 as the president prepared to sign the bill into law. The president praised the “extraordinary coalition” that had led to the passage of the compromise bill, then noted wryly, “It feels good signing bills. I haven’t done this in a while. Hint, hint. Hint, hint.” Shutdown The government shutdown has been under way for two days and back in a plush Senate conference room King is speaking to representatives from a group of Maine credit unions who stopped in to visit him that day. He is offering his take on the Tea Party’s budget maneuvers: “I remember in college we heard a great way to make money. Do you know the story about how to make money with a cocker spaniel and a gun? You put a picture up that says, send $10 or I shoot the dog,” King smiles. “I didn’t say that, did I?” Back in his office King explains that he has given deep thought to this impasse and its causes. Because of the way congressional districts have been drawn, members of Congress for the most part occupy safe seats—until they are threatened by primary opponents from the most orthodox wings of their parties. “We can have broad national consensus that this shutdown is a bad idea, and it’s not going to affect an individual member as he or she looks to their district in Louisiana or Tennessee or Idaho or wherever it is. If that Republican electorate is fired up and wants to kill Obamacare or shut down the government, there’s no political incentive for that person to sit down and talk,” King says. “That’s dangerous.” More than that, King has fixed his concern on what he sees as a new and dangerous approach to legislating that he believes Tea Party Republicans are employing. He pulls out a paper that he says contains a list of demands House Republicans have made in order to get them to pass a budget and reopen the government. He rattles them off, growing increasingly incredulous with each alleged demand. “This small group in the House is trying to create a new way of legislating that’s not in the Constitution,” King protests. “You legislate by passing a bill through the House, passing it through the Senate and sending it to the president. They’re saying, ‘We don’t have the votes to do that, therefore we’re going to grab the entire U.S. government or the credit of the entire U.S. government and say we won’t do anything unless you legislate what we want—unless you agree to what we want.’ That’s not the way the system was designed.” King insists he is not ready to give up. He has, for instance, joined a group of moderate House and Senate members who began meeting in hopes of cobbling together a budget document both sides could live with. He has also joined a group of 14 senators formed by his Maine colleague, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, to try to piece together a deal. “Right now is a moment of maximum frustration,” he says. “My whole deal is trying to find common ground and find solutions. What’s holding me up is that I don’t know if you want to find common ground in a situation where you’re being held hostage. If you do, this will be the routine way we’ll do business around here. “It goes against my basic orientation of trying to find solutions,” he says. It is inescapable, King realizes now, that the nation’s capital is different than it was 40 years ago, when he first came to town as a Senate staffer. In 1973, he says, there were probably 20 senators who overlapped ideologically—moderate Republicans who were arguably more liberal than conservative Democrats. “Now there are literally none,” King says. The 2013 federal government shutdown lasts for 16 days and, according to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, it is expected to have cost the U.S. economy between $2 and $6 billion in economic output. It is resolved not by diplomacy from moderate politicians looking to broker an agreement, but by wrenching public pressure and a short-term fix of the sort King has publicly protested. A month has passed when King, brimming with good cheer, arrives in the sleek television studio that is hidden away in the basement of the Capitol Visitor Center. Bright theater lights hang from the ceiling and a variety of sets include a fireplace, a Christmas tree with wrapped presents and a modern-looking TV news desk. King takes a seat in front of what appear to be French doors and an American flag. He is about to hold a 45-minute Skype conversation with social studies students at Mt. Ararat High School back home in Maine. The father of five is jovial and at ease. Such talks, which he calls “Capitol Class with Angus,” are a staple of King’s tenure. He explains to the students that, as a member of a committee tasked with finding solutions to the problems that led to the shutdown, he sits at the center of negotiations to develop a budget. “We had our first meeting last week,” he says. “There are a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiations going on now as we try to arrive at an agreement that will make everyone equally unhappy, I guess is the best way to put it.” Students then rotate into a seat in front of the camera to ask how he juggles his work and personal life, whether he plans to seek reelection and what he considers his greatest challenges. A student named Emma takes the seat and asks King what it means for him to be an independent in Washington. “It gives me the opportunity to work across the aisle and try to find solutions,” he continues. “It was amazing when I first got here and I went around meeting senators. A number of them said, sort of almost under their breath, ‘Boy, you’re in just the right place.’ They really liked the idea that I could try to build bridges, and in fact that’s what we’ve tried to do.” King tempered that sunny view from the center shortly after the Skype conversation ended and he headed back to business. “I’m very optimistic that the partisanship can be overcome when the challenge is a small- or intermediate-sized issue,” he says, hearkening back to his experience with the student loan legislation. “But on the big issues…,” he pauses. “I’ll be honest with you, on the big issues I’m just not so optimistic.” Matthew Mosk, an Emmy-winning investigative reporter for ABC News in Washington, D.C., lives in Annapolis, Maryland. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/blog?ContentRecord_id=8826bd89-1c86-470a-a14b-5099ebe326b6,"Senator Lee has 100,000 Followers on Twitter - Top Tweets of 2013",2013-12-31,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,UT,Mike Lee,L000577,www.lee.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Early this morning, my following on Twitter surpassed 100,000. I would like to thank everyone that has joined the dialogue with me on Twitter. I have compiled a list of my most popular tweets from 2013. As you read through this list of tweets, you will see the important role you have all played in this dialogue. This year we have had important debates about controlling federal spending, protecting constitutional rights, protecting Americans from the negative effects of Obamacare, reforming immigration, and a variety of other topics. On January 1, 2013, I had ~15,700 followers on twitter.  Surpassing 100,000 followers is a great benchmark, and it verifies that more and more Americans are becoming engaged in the debate about the future of our country.  I am hopeful that we can continue to carry this dialogue forward into 2014 to even more people.   I look forward to being a part of this debate.  Here are the Twitter highlights from 2013.  Retweet your favorites: Everything about the #fiscalcliff deal was a failure: what Congress did, how Congress did it, and what Congress failed to do. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 2, 2013 Senator Ted Cruz has created his official Twitter account @SenTedCruz. You should follow him. Please RT #tcot #tlot #tgdn #txpol #pjnet — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 15, 2013 Unfortunately, the president is using Newtown tragedy to advance proposals that would do little to prevent such acts: http://t.co/SX7SjSKe — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 16, 2013 The president’s approach is inconsistent w/ #2ndAmendment rights, and it encroaches on state and local governments: http://t.co/7cRF13GR — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 16, 2013 #NLRB decision represents vindication of principled stand I've taken against President’s disregard of Constitution: http://t.co/jTHPsxr4 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 25, 2013 The Budget Act requires president to submit budget to Congress by today. Not surprisingly, he failed to do so: http://t.co/Y6RqI4cT #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) February 4, 2013 After disappointing hearing, unanswered questions, failure to comply with transparency requirements I cannot support #Hagel for SECDEF. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) February 7, 2013 Let's cut improper food stamp payments before cutting aircraft carrier deployments. #CutThisNotThat pic.twitter.com/uHotSRDClS — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) February 27, 2013 We should look into getting rid of free government cell phones before cutting border security. #CutThisNotThat #tcot pic.twitter.com/iZmLzNBcNb — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) February 27, 2013 I join @SenTedCruz in objecting to Senate consideration of any CR w/out a vote on delaying funding of #Obamacare. http://t.co/F9W90o19eF — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 6, 2013 As @SenRandPaul began his filibuster of Brennan, I was questioning Holder on #drone strikes: http://t.co/CoFbBMjUfz — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 6, 2013 This is what I was doing on March 7 at 12:18 a.m. What were you doing? #StandWithRand http://t.co/ojXrrWrYNG — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 7, 2013 Sen. McConnell says he will support the Cruz/Lee amendment to CR to defund #obamacare: http://t.co/oYpPlcLkKd #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 8, 2013 We should cut USDA food tasting extravaganzas before food inspections. #CutThisNotThat #tcot pic.twitter.com/sumRy9kBRv — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 8, 2013 Our first priority to reduce spending should be to #DefundObamacare #CutThisNotThat pic.twitter.com/wsDQjbG4J0 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 12, 2013 Rand Paul, MIke Lee, and Ted Cruz threaten filibuster on guns: http://t.co/nV4vGseZ3H #2A #tcot #tgdn #tlot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 26, 2013 We must ensure that Constitutional rights are not taken away casually: http://t.co/rDhWy4SNmc #2ndAmendment #tcot @SenTedCruz @SenRandPaul — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 28, 2013 Here is my response to the president's #guncontrol address: http://t.co/cGE1nPnrp2 #2ndAmendment #tcot @SenRandPaul @SenTedCruz — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 28, 2013 Push RT button. I just received word @MarcoRubio & Senator Inhofe have signed Paul, Cruz, Lee Letter to protect #2ndAmendment. @InhofePress — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 28, 2013 Momentum is Building to Protect #2ndAmendment in Senate: http://t.co/GVGLWan3Gl Please RT @SenRandPaul @SenTedCruz @MarcoRubio @Inhofepress — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 29, 2013 Constitution Wasn't Written to Maximize the Convenience of Government: http://t.co/YYyvAPasum #2ndAmendment #UniversalBackgroundCheck — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 30, 2013 I have joined 34 senators to prevent ratification of UN Arms Trade Treaty, which undermines #2ndAmendment rights: http://t.co/0blxK8X02i — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 3, 2013 #Guncontrol isn't about guns, it's about control. The right to bear arms isn't about the arms, it's about the right: http://t.co/bcXpQTWpKF — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 4, 2013 #UniversalBackgroundCheck bill S.649 doesn't keep guns out of hands of criminals, it turns gun owners into criminals: http://t.co/tPBMtwkZRk — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 5, 2013 President doesn't want filibuster because it prolongs debate. #Protect2A Add your voice: http://t.co/z83jhlMWci pic.twitter.com/qXTQ1GWdcq — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 9, 2013 Universal Background Check bill authorizes Eric Holder to create rules to require gun transfer records: http://t.co/UtXBveS1yb #Protect2A — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 9, 2013 .@SenateDems Here is the bipartisan list of 50 Senators who already voted to protect the #2ndAmendment. #Protect2A pic.twitter.com/mdr6vjnF2P — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 9, 2013 I am headed to Senate floor right now to share #Protect2A submissions. Add your voice if you haven't already: http://t.co/V25SqXm65l #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 10, 2013 The Senate is voting now on a gun control bill that senators haven't been able to read yet: http://t.co/FuWDvqE6uh #Protect2A — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 11, 2013 MT @sentedcruz: In statement w/ @SenMikeLee & @SenRandPaul: http://t.co/noFN6t8cFY Why is Senate voting on bill no one has read? #Protect2A — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 11, 2013 It's unfortunate that we will have so little time to #ReadTheBill before holding hearings on #immigration reform: http://t.co/89kvAkZsQk — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 16, 2013 I voted NO on Toomey/Manchin background check proposal. The Amendment failed to receive 60 votes. #Protect2A — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 17, 2013 After sequester, #FAA still has $9.2 billion to cover the $6.5 billion they need to operate #CutThisNotThat pic.twitter.com/N1HHMtwL1n — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 24, 2013 The Senate should formally review public policies that led to the illegal abortion practices of #Gosnell and others: http://t.co/x4GQYioUUX — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 6, 2013 Americans should be able to exercise constitutionally protected rights w/out fear of political retribution from #IRS: http://t.co/azPhK5vMIf — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 13, 2013 The #Gosnell trial is not about one man, it's about an unaccountable industry that preys upon vulnerable & innocent: http://t.co/IMsW0DrEZj — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 13, 2013 The #IRS scandal is the inevitable consequence of a government that has gotten too big & too expensive to control: http://t.co/zqV0oBynP2 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 15, 2013 When an agency like the #IRS can single out Tea Party groups, we are no longer citizens but subjects. http://t.co/h0uuGwv2Pc — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 15, 2013 Firing a few #IRS employees won't solve the problem. American people need to demand that government be less involved and less intrusive. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 15, 2013 Senate Democrats block @senrandpaul resolution condemning #IRS: http://t.co/6p4NSqZAUt #Protect1A — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 15, 2013 I joined a press conference today to speak out against a government that has grown so large it can't be managed. #IRS pic.twitter.com/VtdNLKBfAV — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 16, 2013 Help share this --> The Obama Scandals Aren’t About Bad Government, but Big Government http://t.co/3kcrY9kCfc #TCOT #IRS — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 16, 2013 Obama's recess appointments ruled unconstitutional again today by 3rd Circuit: http://t.co/9vGr3pf2jV #StopIgnoringTheConstitution — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 16, 2013 To prevent the next abuse of government power, we need to reduce government power: http://t.co/gk5B4rPRP1 #Rush #tcot #IRS #Scandal — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 17, 2013 Don't be surprised that a $3.7 trillion government is corrupt. Be surprised that anyone expects a $3.7 trillion government not to be. #IRS — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 21, 2013 I joined Senator Rubio and @SenTedCruz to oppose raising the debt ceiling through budget conference: http://t.co/aCQ8gkuIhN Please RT #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 22, 2013 ""The American people don’t trust Congress – or either party, & we have given them 17 trillion reasons not to."" http://t.co/T4wLyVkpXF — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 23, 2013 VIDEO: Senator Lee Explains Why Senator McCain is Mistaken about Back Room #DebtCeiling Increase: http://t.co/CFm1xL1kV6 #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 25, 2013 Please RT if you agree that US should at least track & report the billions of taxpayer dollars we send to #UN: http://t.co/n3avOOmc0l — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 31, 2013 #NSA surveillance of #Verizon cell phone records illustrates why I voted against Patriot Act: http://t.co/6G2PuvJICu #Protect4A — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 6, 2013 Please RT if you think the government needs to #GetAWarrant: http://t.co/DqEcGB3gFr #Protect4A #NSA #Verizon — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 6, 2013 #Gangof8 talking points don't match reality of Gang of 8 legislation: http://t.co/5wzH7dWWjY — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 10, 2013 I voted against motion to proceed to #Gangof8 bill. I think it is a bad vehicle for reforming immigration system. pic.twitter.com/yc00tK4e93 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 11, 2013 S.744 surrenders control of #immigration law to the Secretary of Homeland Security and other unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. #CIRfloor — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 12, 2013 S.744 authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security in hundreds of instances, to simply ignore #immigration law. #CIRfloor — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 12, 2013 We don’t need another 1,000 page bill full of unintended consequences. We need real #immigration reform. http://t.co/5Mp6TyLsBp #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 12, 2013 Here is the twitter version of my #immigration speech from today: http://t.co/Rlaf2DJigV Please help me RT these #tcot #Gangof8 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 12, 2013 Please RT if you don't think President Obama should shut down energy development on public lands: http://t.co/FG3k6ocsXs — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 13, 2013 Mike Lee and Ted Cruz challenge Obama with new military religious freedom amendments http://t.co/Ejj5v90i6g via @DCExaminer — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 18, 2013 Congress should have to approve DHS border security plans. Cutting out Congress means cutting out American people: http://t.co/NqXWSCy85r — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 19, 2013 Please RT if you agree w/ me, @SenRandPaul, @SenatorTomUdall, & @ChrisMurphyCT that we shouldn't send military funds to Syrian opposition. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 20, 2013 Please RT if you agree w/ me, @SenRandPaul, @SenatorTomUdall, & @ChrisMurphyCT that we shouldn't send military funds to Syrian opposition. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 20, 2013 From day one, the country was misled about what was in #Go8 bill. The talking points never matched bill's reality: http://t.co/8uM7N7bSFY — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 27, 2013 From day one, the country was misled about what was in #Go8 bill. The talking points never matched bill's reality: http://t.co/8uM7N7bSFY — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 27, 2013 I support immigration reform. But #Go8 is not immigration reform. It is big government dysfunction. I am voting no: http://t.co/0Rx1s0lT78 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 27, 2013 Read & RT if you agree that Americans need public answers on data government is collecting on them via #PatriotAct: http://t.co/KaSpgvFtjr — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 28, 2013 Please RT if you agree that #Obamacare is unaffordable and unfair: http://t.co/VcsdvAGOp4 #DontFundIt — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 17, 2013 Labor Unions: Obamacare Will 'Shatter' Our Health Benefits, Cause 'Nightmare Scenarios': http://t.co/LK6RLy6dIF #ObamacareReadingList — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 21, 2013 RT if you agree: Since President admits he can't follow #Obamacare, then Congress shouldn't fund it. http://t.co/D7x9Ke27TG #DontFundIt — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 23, 2013 Add your voice to the effort to eliminate funding for #ObamaCare: http://t.co/YeYCKFTiH9 #DontFundIt Make this go viral w/ RTs — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 25, 2013 If House passes bill to #DefundObamacare, will Senate Democrats fund government or shut it down to protect Obamacare? http://t.co/lAIYGRSrpP — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 5, 2013 It's the president who is threatening to shut down government, though media won't cover it that way: http://t.co/9ruyoqlDOf #DefundObamacare — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 14, 2013 Share this clip of @SenTedCruz discussing #DefundObamacare if you are part of the grassroots tsunami: http://t.co/LwQwd7jSqi #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 26, 2013 I need help to defeat the false narrative that the effort to #DefundObamacare is an effort to shutdown government: http://t.co/qQPo0tOrna — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 27, 2013 Before taking action in #Syria, the president should present his plan's cost, objectives, and timeline to Congress and get authorization. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 28, 2013 If the president believes the situation in #Syria presents a threat to U.S. national security, the right thing to do is call back Congress. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 30, 2013 If the president can't convince Congress that #Syria crisis threatens our national security, military intervention should be off the table. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) August 30, 2013 After participating in #Syria briefings yesterday, I do not believe that military action should be taken: http://t.co/Ta8BXGgI5g — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 5, 2013 #DefundObamacareBecause it was unconstitutionally rewritten twice by the Supreme Court and multiple times by the president. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 19, 2013 The House of Representatives has listened to the American people and just voted to #DefundObamacare. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 20, 2013 Take time today to thank your member of the House of Representatives if they voted to keep the government open and #DefundObamacare. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 20, 2013 The American People Are Rallying Around the effort to #DefundObamacare: http://t.co/IvRSP2Zr0W RT if Republicans should hold our ground. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 22, 2013 It is now time for the Senate to act to #DefundObamacare: http://t.co/h9av2tsffy via — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 24, 2013 Just today my office has received 1,093 emails, and almost every single one is asking me to do all I can to #DefundObamacare #MakeDCListen — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 25, 2013 I don't understand why voting to give Harry Reid power to gut the House defund bill is a vote in favor of House bill. #MakeDCListen — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 25, 2013 I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep. #MakeDCListen — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 25, 2013 I would like to thank @SenTedCruz for his extraordinary effort to #MakeDCListen. http://t.co/Px0pRUn1Zk — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 25, 2013 Senate Republicans can prevent Sen. Reid from funding #Obamacare in the House CR if they stay unified: http://t.co/oIl6iggvdk #MakeDCListen — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 26, 2013 ""The American people will always have the final word"" http://t.co/2KBRluXXSp RT if you agree #NoOnCloture #MakeDCListen #DefundObamacare — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 27, 2013 ""If #Obamacare is the law, why won't the president follow it?"": http://t.co/qOIVSZry7f #MakeDCListen @FoxNewsSunday — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) September 30, 2013 We shouldn't have to fund everything in order to fund anything: http://t.co/bqrTnxO7lY #Shutdown #MakeDCListen — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 3, 2013 Today Senate Democrats made it clear that unless we fund #Obamacare, they won't fund veterans' benefits: http://t.co/86bw3yNJsk — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 4, 2013 House continues to pass bipartisan bills to fund government. Senate Democrats & president still refuse to negotiate: http://t.co/kt2fsk0tOr — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 5, 2013 Obama Admin’s behavior during week 1 of #shutdown has been the best argument against #Obamacare anyone has ever made: http://t.co/EC4s0D4btl — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 7, 2013 Government will use – and misuse – its power to advance its own interests, even if that means punishing Americans: http://t.co/cMZJ6dYKaN — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 7, 2013 The message behind Obama Admin’s #shutdown bullying is the same message sent by IRS’s abuses of political opponents: do what I say, or else — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 7, 2013 The #shutdown is introducing us to the abusive, partisan, unaccountable bureaucracy that, will soon be running America’s health care system. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 7, 2013 Each day of #shutdown brings a new and more vivid example of why it's critical that we not allow Washington to reach further into our lives. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 7, 2013 We now see how determined the president is to expand power of federal government & use that power to harm the country to get what he wants. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 7, 2013 It is time to stop using the word ""public"" when talking about land owned and managed by the federal government: http://t.co/9UGqVNnkhO — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 8, 2013 Almost 10k people signed my #DontFundIt letter during 1st day online. #Obamacare had 6,200 sign-ups on its first day: http://t.co/xTju20exB1 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 10, 2013 Today, @RushLimbaugh read one of my e-newsletters on his show. Many are asking where they can find it. Here's a link: http://t.co/Zk12tc2qTH — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 10, 2013 Here is a link to the Values Voter Summit speech I delivered earlier today: http://t.co/M5QVifhXSn #VVS13 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 11, 2013 Read and share the letter I signed with 49 other senators to announce our opposition the UN Arms Trade Treaty: http://t.co/fx8GLTWs7n #UNATT — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 15, 2013 Here we are again: A proposal that maintains status quo, very little time to read & evaluate the bill, & no time to explain it to Americans. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 16, 2013 It appears that this fight will end the same way #Obamacare began: in a last-minute back-room deal forced on Congress & the American people. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 16, 2013 The media keeps asking, was it worth it? My answer is that it is always worth it to do the right thing: http://t.co/VIOhWj4zOA — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 16, 2013 Fighting against an abusive government in defense of individual rights and freedoms is always the right thing: http://t.co/M77ByEtoe5 #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 16, 2013 Avoiding difficult battles is how we ended up in this mess: $17 trillion in debt, a broken entitlement system, a tax code no one understands — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 17, 2013 When the avoidance of political risk becomes our dominant motivation, only the Washington establishment wins. And the American people lose. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 17, 2013 We must remind the American people of the harmful effects of #Obamacare at every opportunity if we are ever going to see it repealed. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 17, 2013 Americans are realizing that with #Obamacare the Administration has either been dishonest or incompetent – or both: http://t.co/mlL5WHujv1 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 17, 2013 There will be very real consequences for people in both parties as a result of #Obamacare. American people will have the last word. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 17, 2013 This is not over. We have an obligation to fight for the American people. And I do not intend to let the people down. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 17, 2013 Help me RT this: It is always worth it to do the right thing: http://t.co/8bmygWEetA #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 17, 2013 We've got to launch this website to find out what is in it: http://t.co/yg814leYHH #Obamacare — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 18, 2013 House Leaders Must Shut Back Door To Comprehensive #Immigration Bill http://t.co/HRe6ZMx0u8 via @BreitbartNews @SenatorSessions — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 18, 2013 This is one of the best articles I have read about why the effort to #DefundObamacare was necessary: http://t.co/gw26A6M9cf #MakeDCListen — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 20, 2013 Americans are spending more time reading health plan cancellation notices than Democrats spent reading #Obamcare pic.twitter.com/H1aHO5s7es — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 21, 2013 #ButWaitTheresMore Aside from website problems & policy cancellation notices, employers are cutting hours and jobs: http://t.co/zHcjHg0IgD — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 22, 2013 #ButWaitTheresMore If website doesn't work, operators are standing by to redirect you back to the broken website: http://t.co/7gTZJe4pPE — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 22, 2013 #ButWaitTheresMore You have no reasonable expectation of privacy on #Obamacare website: http://t.co/SLdhni0yil — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 22, 2013 #ButWaitTheresMore Many believe technical problems plaguing #Obamacare website indicate the entire law is broken: http://t.co/1NaWssrEps — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 23, 2013 #ObamacareInOneWord ShamWow ... without the wow. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 24, 2013 The recent vote to fund government at current levels is touted as compromise, but it was really an act of collusion: http://t.co/0UQLz8VGBK — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 27, 2013 I am announcing new proposals tomorrow as part of the conservative reform agenda referenced in this speech: http://t.co/mIm1FlUv38 #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 28, 2013 Here's the text from my speech from yesterday: What's Next For Conservatives http://t.co/y1l5kVijep #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 30, 2013 It is time for a new, unifying conservative reform agenda: http://t.co/HGg9zAXxSu #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 30, 2013 Learn more about my Family Fairness and Opportunity Tax Reform Act, that I introduced yesterday: http://t.co/yHt0zKZNQ6 #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 31, 2013 The president is resorting to scripted acts of deception instead of trying to protect Americans from #Obamacare: http://t.co/Wc7LDltgSn — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 7, 2013 The president now acknowledges that people relied on his promises about #Obamacare to their detriment: http://t.co/LRdvYDbTor — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 8, 2013 May God continue to bless those who have blessed our nation with their service and sacrifice. Happy Veterans Day! http://t.co/PJRhFDKUv9 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 11, 2013 A new conservative agenda must speak to the challenges and aspirations of those left behind by big government: http://t.co/h8RhSHQOu0 #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 12, 2013 People are hungry for a debate about how conservative principles can be applied to solve the nation's problems: http://t.co/N2ukkFeIqP #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 13, 2013 Four cyber security experts warn Americans not to use #Obamacare website in House hearing: http://t.co/6oZHmyzat5 #MakeDCListen — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 19, 2013 Today's decision by the Democrats to break Senate rules is a partisan attack on the very purpose of this institution: http://t.co/jQC5RWxR53 — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 21, 2013 I am concerned that we are loosening Iran's sanctions. #Iran doesn't have an inspiring history of keeping its word: http://t.co/ufTN7rq6TB — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 25, 2013 Happy Thanksgiving! May God continue to bless our great nation. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 28, 2013 Click to read why I can't support the #budget deal that was recently introduced: http://t.co/5kI5GFbM0s Please RT if you agree. #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) December 11, 2013 I can't vote for a bill I think is going to make our budgetary situation worse rather than better: http://t.co/NFcKf8immc #tcot — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) December 13, 2013 Today’s court decision regarding #NSA highlights the constitutional concerns I have raised about metadata program: http://t.co/vKA82cA2dv — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) December 16, 2013 Blocking debate on #NDAA violates the rights of the American people to have this bill debated and amended: http://t.co/BRcbbVnmY5 #utpol — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) December 19, 2013 Merry Christmas from my family to yours! pic.twitter.com/Bj7i3ZzM0O — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) December 25, 2013",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365154,"Washington Post editorial'In international abduction cases, quiet diplomacy is not working'",2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"SEAN GOLDMAN was 4 years old when his Brazilian-born mother took him from their New Jersey home for what Sean’s father, David Goldman, thought would be a two-week vacation. Five years passed before the father again laid eyes on his son. “It was very painful,’’ David Goldman recalled. “The first time I saw him after nearly five years, he looked at me and asked me where have I been all this time. . . . He was told that I didn’t love him, that I abandoned him, that I never wanted him.”  The only unusual feature of this story is that David Goldman eventually regained custody, though even after the boy’s mother died in 2008 her Brazilian family continued to resist his efforts. He succeeded in part because Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) relentlessly focused attention and pressure on the case. Now a bill written by Mr. Smith, the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act, has been approved by the House, 398 to 0, and is set for consideration in the Senate. But the State Department doesn’t want the additional diplomatic tools the bill would provide. According to State, 1,144 children were reported abducted from the United States in 2012. There were 1,367 in 2011 and 1,492 in 2010. State Department officials say they work hard to get those children back — or at least to get the cases fairly adjudicated — but they can’t or won’t say how many of those abducted children remain overseas. That raises questions about their claims for success for “quiet diplomacy.” In a letter to Mr. Smith, Robert E. Wallace, executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), said the abduction of children by a separated spouse is a particular problem for service members, especially in Japan. Mr. Wallace said the service members’ appeals for help “are too often met with bad legal advice, misinformation or indifference. . . . It is time for the U.S. government to take concrete action.” An organization of victimized parents said that the result of quiet diplomacy is “that the Government of Japan has not once assisted in returning a single abducted child.” Japan at least is in the process of acceding to an international treaty on the subject; most countries have not done so. The House bill provides for a series of graduated sanctions against countries that demonstrate a pattern of non-cooperation; it also would encourage the United States to negotiate agreements with countries that have not ratified the treaty. In both cases, the executive branch would act only if it chose to do so; the bill provides for a presidential waiver. Nonetheless, a State Department official told us putting tools in the tool kit would be counterproductive because U.S. officials would face pressure to use them and other countries would resent the implied threat. Given the administration’s inability to quantify its success, or to report any results at all, the argument for the status quo is not persuasive. An aide to Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told us that the committee will take the measure up soon. We hope soon means soon. For thousands of parents deprived of the chance even to communicate with their children, quiet diplomacy isn’t getting the job done.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/give-parents-more-tools-in-international-abduction-cases/2013/12/28/2d0a96aa-6c0e-11e3-aecc-85cb037b7236_story.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cole.house.gov/fiscal-times-five-members-congress-watch-2014,Fiscal Times: Five Members of Congress to Watch in 2014,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,OK,Tom Cole,C001053,cole.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Fiscal Times - Eric Pianin Call it cockeyed optimism or simply battle fatigue, but we’re beginning to hear some loose talk from Capitol Hill and the White House about the prospects for more bipartisan deal-making in 2014 springing from the budget deal. Congress, of course, just concluded one of its least productive sessions in history and inflicted a 16-day government shutdown on the country that sent lawmakers approval ratings tumbling. With an important mid-term election looming next fall, renewed partisan squabbling would seem the order of the day. Yet President Obama and congressional leaders departed Washington earlier this month voicing cautious optimism that there were other deals to made before the 2014 congressional and gubernatorial campaigns really heat up. While the first order of business will be converting the bipartisan budget agreement into major spending legislation before a Jan. 15 deadline, there are other legislative prospects as well – including an extension of the expiring supplemental unemployment insurance, reauthorization of farm legislation, tweaking of the Affordable Care Act, renewal of expiring tax provisions, and even an overhaul of the immigration system. The usual suspects, including House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, will have a lot to say about future legislative successes or failures. And we can expect to hear a great deal from Tea Party bomb throwers such as Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rand Paul (R-KY) Here are five other important House and Senate members to watch as events in 2014 begin to unfold. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)  Wyden, 64, a veteran lawmaker and fiscal policy wonk with something of a maverick streak, is moving to center stage  as the new chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which is responsible for writing tax, entitlement and trade legislation. Wyden is certain to bring as much—if not more—energy and fresh ideas to the debate over tax and entitlement reform as his predecessor, Max Baucus, who was recently tapped by President Obama to be the next ambassador to China. Wyden has repeatedly pressed for passage of creative bipartisan ideas, including an overhaul of the tax code that he initially jointly sponsored with then Republican senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and later co-sponsored with Republican Dan Coates of Indiana. The Wyden-Coates plan would cut the corporate rate to 24 percent from 35 percent. It would end the ability of U.S. multinationals to defer tax on income earned abroad but would allow them a one-time opportunity to bring old earnings back to the U.S at a very low rate. Wyden ruffled Democratic feathers in late 2011 when he briefly joined forces with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) to draft major revisions to the Medicare law that would have given seniors a choice between a traditional plan and private insurance funded with a government voucher. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)  In her first term, the highly telegenic former state attorney general has made a rapid ascent within the GOP ranks, thanks in part to a close alliance with two prominent conservative defense hawks—Sens. John McCain (AZ) and Lindsey Graham (SC). Ayotte, 45, one of only four Republican women in the Senate, was blessed with a handful of high profile committee assignments—including Armed Services, Budget, Commerce and Small Business—that thrust her into virtually every key issue this year, from Obamacare to U.S. policy in the Middle East. She was highly critical of the Obama administration’s handling of the terrorist attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador. And she recently dismissed the Affordable Care Act as a hopeless “mess,” even after the administration eliminated many of the technical problems with the online system. Unlike many of her GOP colleagues who have vowed to repeal or sidetrack Obamacare, Ayotte says she is working with Democrats on incremental changes to the law, such as expanding health savings accounts and repealing a medical devices tax. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)   The cerebral House Budget Committee chairman made his name in Washington and earned the No. 2 spot on the 2012 GOP presidential ticket by promoting  a series of extraordinarily tough GOP spending and tax blue prints. The eight-term House veteran honed a conservative wish list of cuts and overhauls of Medicare and Medicaid, revisions of the tax code, and numerous cuts in other social safety net programs to energize his party’s base. Amid the political rubble of this year’s partisan budget warfare and the government shutdown, Ryan late this year finally sought common ground with Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) on a compromise budget. That plan, approved by both houses and signed by the president, lifted the sequester cuts for two years, boosted defense and domestic discretionary spending somewhat, and made modest progress in reducing the long term deficit. Now Ryan, 43, is angling to become the next chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, after Dave Camp of Michigan is forced to step down at the start of 2015 because of term limits. If Ryan gets his way, he will become the leading GOP voice on tax and entitlement reform in the coming years. The question many political analysts are asking is whether Ryan really has the fire in his belly to run for president in 2016, or whether he would be more content to steadily work his way up the House GOP leadership ladder—possibly all the way to Speaker. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), a veteran Oklahoma House member, has emerged as a sage of the House Republicans.  Cole is a cool head and thoughtful strategist for Boehner and other GOP leaders, and is a valuable counterweight to rabble-rousing Tea Party conservatives in the House. The 64 year old affable former State Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party has plenty of experience with fiscal matters, having served on both the House Appropriations and Budget Committees. He’s also a familiar figure on cable TV news programs and likes to mix it up with reporters just outside the House chambers. Time Magazine identified him as “one of the sharpest minds in the House.” So it was significant when Cole recently asserted that some type of bipartisan compromise on immigration reform was possible in the House next year after disagreement within the House GOP led to a standoff on reform. According to The Hill, Cole said that House Republicans would likely vote on multiple reform measures next year, with the caveat that Boehner   refuses to bring up the Senate-passed comprehensive bill that includes a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)   New York’s junior senator is a shrewd, persistent and some say annoying player who is not afraid to step on the toes of her colleagues to raise money or get her way on legislative matters. The first-term senator and her allies made enormous headway this year in forcing the hidebound military to respond to sexual assaults.  She has vowed to press on for changes that the military brass and even some senior Democrats oppose. Congress passed a broad set of changes to U.S. military personnel policy late last week as part of the annual defense authorization bill that will force the Pentagon to revamp how it deals with cases of sexual assault and rape. Angered by the sharp increase in cases and the lack of reporting them, Gillibrand, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and a bipartisan coalition in the House drafted proposals to address the problem. The legislation would end the statute of limitations for cases of sexual assault or rape; bar military commanders from overturning jury convictions in sexual assault and rape cases; and make it a crime to retaliate against people who report such crimes. But that’s still not good enough for Gillibrand, 47. She is pushing to remove military commanders from any involvement in assault and rape cases and have the cases assigned to specialized, independent military prosecutors. The hard-charging Gillibrand has met with or button-holed nearly every other senator to seek their support for her plan. Even Rand Paul, a noted libertarian, and Tea Party favorite Ted Cruz have signed on to her proposal.  And she is expected to get a vote on it in 2014. Online: The Fiscal Times",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cole.house.gov/looking-back-and-ahead,Looking Back and Ahead,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,OK,Tom Cole,C001053,cole.house.gov,,,legacy,"It’s hard to believe that 2013 is already reaching an end. While Congress didn’t solve everything we could’ve hoped for this year, there were numerous victories for the country. Most importantly, I was encouraged to watch both sides work together on several occasions to find common ground and display true bipartisanship. It’s a reminder that when we start where we agree, we can function in divided government. We started off the year on the verge of a “fiscal cliff,” caused by the terms of the Budget Control Act of 2011. Without any congressional action, all Americans would have experienced a tax hike and reimbursement rates for doctors of Medicare and Medicaid patients would have seen severe cuts. In addition, sequestration, across-the-board spending cuts on every program in government, regardless of merit or efficiency, was scheduled to take place. I was pleased that we were able to pass the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which made the Bush tax cuts permanent for 98 percent of taxpayers. It also delayed devastating military cuts for two months and prevented other damaging tax policies. I wish we could’ve achieved more, but this agreement was a major victory for American workers and for the economy. In mid-January, just a couple months after Hurricane Sandy I supported legislation that would provide relief assistance for victims of the storm. At the time, the vote was a no-brainer, especially given our own state’s history and risk for severe weather. Little did we know, a few months later, Oklahoma would experience a horrific round of tornadoes that leveled entire neighborhoods, claimed precious lives and shook several communities, including my hometown of Moore. In the days that followed the disastrous tornadoes in Oklahoma, never once were we lacking assistance. Oklahoma felt the immediate support and prayers of individuals across the nation—a reminder that, in times of crisis, Americans of all parties and political points of view come together to help their fellow Americans. The same night that Moore was hit by the deadly storm, I was contacted by the president, who directly offered and issued assistance from FEMA. Shortly after that, President Obama, Homeland Secretary Napolitano and FEMA Director Fugate personally came to Moore to survey the damage, offer support and ensure Oklahoma received adequate recovery aid. In addition, colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House extended their condolences and offered assistance in relief efforts. Throughout the entire emergency, state and local officials led with great skill, strength and compassion. I am thankful for Governor Mary Fallin, Civil Emergency Director Albert Ashwood, Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis, Moore City Manager Steve Eddy, Newcastle Mayor Karl Nail and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, whose tireless work pulled us through a nightmare. As a member of the Chickasaw Nation, I was especially proud to support reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) earlier this year. This legislation, which passed through both chambers and was signed into law by the president, preserves the existing authority of tribal courts and allows them to have jurisdiction over non-Indian sex offenders on Indian lands. I am pleased that VAWA helps tribal women see justice served more quickly. Since the beginning of the year, problems with Obamacare have been numerous, causing even more Americans to doubt the president’s so-called plan for affordable healthcare. Not one House or Senate Republican voted in favor of the law, and since its passage, House Republicans have voted more than 40 times to repeal the law partially or completely. In fact, seven of these bills passed the Senate and were signed into law by the president. Unfortunately, as long as the law’s namesake is in the White House, full repeal of the Obamacare is unlikely. I’ve never been supportive of Obamacare and have remained a constant critic of the law, and as we’ve noticed especially in the last few months with its website failures, it was and is not ready for primetime. Even the Obama Administration has admitted that the law is unworkable by choosing to delay key portions of it. Earlier this fall, in a worthy effort to help Americans, some Senate and House Republicans proposed we refuse to pass a government funding bill if it included funding for Obamacare. While I supported the desire to stop the unworkable and unfair law, I warned against this doomed tactic that would surely lead to a government shutdown and still not solve anything. Unfortunately, due to the expiration of appropriated dollars, government shutdown occurred on October 1. While I wish shutdown would’ve been avoided in the first place, I was relieved when both sides eventually agreed on a short-term funding measure to reopen the government and protect the full faith and credit of the United States. Along with the short-term funding agreement, 29 lawmakers from both chambers were appointed to a budget conference committee and tasked with reconciling two very different budgets by December 13. As a member of the conference, I was encouraged by the willingness of Chairman Paul Ryan and Chairman Patty Murray to negotiate real reforms. But most importantly, I was pleased to watch both sides reach across the aisle, focus on areas of agreement, rather than disagreement, and ultimately restore regular order. After weeks of discussion with each other and with the input of other conferees, Chairmen Ryan and Murray announced a two-year budget deal on December 10. The Bipartisan Budget Act passed both chambers with strong, bipartisan support and was signed into law by the president. When I remember the pain caused by the recent shutdown, I am encouraged that this conference was able to reach a deal that finds savings, eases sequester, brings down the deficit and removes the threat of shutdown in the near future. It doesn’t solve all our fiscal problems, but it brings promise of future reform.   I was also pleased to see both chambers work together in reconciling their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation that funds our vital military and ensures they have the resources they need to defend our country. This year marks the 52nd consecutive year that the NDAA has passed Congress and been signed into law by the President.   Overall, this has been a productive year. Through the fiscal cliff agreement at the beginning of the year and the recent bipartisan budget deal, I am pleased that lawmakers showed they can work together and find common ground with each other and the president. I hope that this willingness to negotiate and find real reforms will continue into 2014, even in the midst of divided government.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=E71FF577-B64F-4BA4-A19F-07C1C496D7ED,Weekly Column: A Resolution to Succeed,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,SD,Kristi Noem,N000184,noem.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Rep. Kristi Noem ‘Tis the season for resolutions!  January 1 is a new beginning, so it’s no surprise that setting New Year’s resolutions has become a holiday tradition for many.  While we all know that commitment to upholding many of these resolutions often fades, Abraham Lincoln reminds us that “your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”  I join many South Dakotans in being frustrated with the progress made in Washington over the last few years.  But it is a new year, and I am coming to the table with a renewed resolution to succeed. Toward the end of 2013, Congress gained significant momentum on a number of issues that matter to South Dakota.  That momentum has not been lost.  First and foremost, Farm Bill negotiations continued through the holidays.  The lead negotiators – Rep. Frank Lucas (a Republican) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (a Democrat) – have come to a consensus on an outline of the reforms they agree can be made in the Farm Bill.  Right before Christmas, they were able to get estimates back to see how much these reforms would cost – or in some cases, save.  Now, it is a matter of tweaking the bill to make sure all the numbers add up, but we are on track to finish a comprehensive five-year farm bill during the first part of 2014. We also began to make progress on new sex trafficking legislation.  Sadly, this is an issue South Dakota has seen more of in recent years.  Local law enforcement officers have done a good job of identifying and bringing into custody those who are selling the victims of human trafficking.  Many of the convicts are brought to justice under federal law, as there are harsher penalties – namely, life in prison – for sex trafficking at that level. To ensure local law enforcement officers have all the tools they need and that there are no gaps in federal law, I’ve been driving the End Sex Trafficking Act in Washington.  This legislation addresses sex trafficking from the demand side by strengthening the federal law when it comes to those who solicit, patronize or obtain the services of a trafficked victim.  As President George W. Bush stated during a Justice Department training on sex trafficking, “We cannot put [human traffickers] out of business until and unless we deal with the problem of demand.” Additionally, this year, I’ll be working to reform the level of influence the government can wield over our local school lunches.  Under current law, South Dakota schools face significant limitations when it comes to what they can serve our kids.  In fact, the law says that schools can only serve an average of 2 oz. of meat per meal.  That’s just three chicken nuggets for a high school student. Yes, we all want our kids to be healthier, but we don’t want them to go hungry either.  In mid-December, I introduced a new bill to lift the law’s onerous meat and grain limitations, giving schools more flexibility to decide what they will feed our kids at lunchtime.  Simply put – bureaucrats in Washington shouldn’t be able to dictate what goes on our kids’ plates here in South Dakota.  This is an issue that is gaining momentum and will be a focus of my attention over the next year. Congress ended 2013 with a refreshing level of cooperation that I hope will be carried on throughout the next year.  And as I prepare to return to Congress, I am determined to again instill in Washington something that President Abraham Lincoln spoke about: a resolution to succeed.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-congratulates-alejandro-mayorkas-new-dhs-deputy-secretary,"Kilili congratulates Alejandro Mayorkas, new DHS Deputy Secretary",2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan says he applauds the recent promotion of Alejandro Mayorkas to be Deputy Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security.  Mayorkas previously served as Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and has had a critical, decision-making role in the transition to federal management of immigration in the Northern Marianas. He was sworn in as Deputy Secretary on December 23.             “I congratulate Mr. Mayorkas on his nomination by the President and applaud the Senate for agreeing to fill this top leadership position at the Department of Homeland Security with someone who understands the challenges facing the Northern Mariana Islands,” said Congressman Sablan.             “I also extend my deepest appreciation to Mr. Mayorkas for all he has done as USCIS Director over the last five years to help make the immigration transition as least difficult as possible.”             Mayorkas played a critical role in the decision to extend humanitarian parole to persons who were born in the Northern Marianas between 1974 and 1978 but who did not have U.S. citizenship, to persons with Northern Marianas Permanent Resident status and their immediate relatives, and to the immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. People in these situations previously had legal status under Commonwealth immigration law. The parole policy Mayorkas approved allowed these individuals the opportunity to remain and work in the Northern Marianas legally. Without parole they would have been forced to leave the after November 28, 2011.             “Director Mayorkas called me personally on Thanksgiving Day in 2011 to tell me about that decision,” Sablan said.             “I thought of all the families I had knew, who were facing separation until that moment. It is a Thanksgiving Day I will always remember.” Originally, the parole for these people was to be available through the end of 2012.  At Congressman Sablan’s request, however, Mayorkas later provided a two-year extension of the parole eligibility. Protection for caregivers Mayorkas can also be credited for the parole policy for caregivers in the Northern Marianas. Under local immigration law, families had been able to employ in-house caregivers to tend to older parents or to younger family members with disabilities. But the federal regulations on foreign workers issued in September 2011 did not provide any immigration status for these caregivers. Congressman Sablan arranged for USCIS officials from Washington and from the Honolulu regional office to meet with him and some of the caregiver families in the Saipan congressional office in September. That face-to-face meeting had an impact. One month later Mayorkas announced that caregivers, too, would be eligible for humanitarian parole. “The Northern Mariana Islands could not ask for anyone more knowledgeable about our immigration issues or more compassionate in executing the law of the land to serve as second in command at Homeland Security than Alejandro Mayorkas. I wish him every success in his new role.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://scottpeters.house.gov/media-center/op-eds/an-attitude-of-cooperation,An Attitude of Cooperation,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Scott Peters,P000608,scottpeters.house.gov,,,legacy,"As seen in UCCA December Newsletter - http://www.universitycitynews.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Dec-Jan-201314.pdf During my time on the San Diego City Council and as a Commissioner for the Port of San Diego, I was proud to work with members of both parties to address difficult problems facing the region. We worked with the mentality that while we wouldn’t always agree on every issue, we would put the interests of constituents above all else to reform our local government. Since taking office in January to represent San Diego in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have worked to bring that same attitude of cooperation to Washington to cut through gridlock, change the culture of dysfunction, and reform Congress. One major change that needs to be made in Congress is making our representatives live by the same rules as everyone else. That’s why one of the first pieces of legislation I supported was ‘No Budget No Pay,’ a bill that applies the commonsense concept that if members of Congress don’t do their job and pass a budget, they don’t get paid. To help fix Congress, I also became a member of the ‘No Labels Problem Solvers’ coalition made up of more than 80 Republican, Democrat, and Independent members of the House and Senate. I also joined the bipartisan United Solutions Caucus made up of newly elected House members. These groups are working to build the kind of bipartisan coalitions we expect in San Diego and need in Washington.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://titus.house.gov/press-releases/titus-announces-selection-of-nevada-as-uas-test-site,Titus Announces Selection of Nevada as UAS Test Site,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,NV,Dina Titus,T000468,titus.house.gov,,,legacy,"December 30, 2013 Las Vegas, NV - Today the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Nevada as one of the six sites selected to test integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) into the national airspace. Congresswoman Dina Titus, a member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, has long-advocated for Nevada’s application for this vital program.    “From the development of the U-2 spy plane in the 1950’s, to the MQ-1 and MQ-9 systems stationed at Creech Air Force Base, just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada has a decades-long, proud history advancing our nation’s aerospace industry,” said Congresswoman Dina Titus. “The selection of Nevada as a test site for the integration of UAS technologies is a perfect fit and I am proud to have advocated on behalf of our state. This decision will help grow local businesses already working in the UAS industry, as well as attract new ventures to Nevada.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.hoeven.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=e775431b-bf47-4ba9-9363-e4912b854e56,"HOEVEN, HEITKAMP, CRAMER AND DALRYMPLE: FAA SELECTS GRAND FORKS TO BE UAS TEST SITE",2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.30.13 Hoeven, Heitkamp, Cramer and Dalrymple: FAA Selects Grand Forks to be UAS Test Site ND Leaders Worked to Secure Designation to Build GF as Premier Northern UAS Hub WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp, Congressman Kevin Cramer and Governor Jack Dalrymple today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected Grand Forks as one of six sites to test unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for integration into the National Airspace. The announcement comes after years of work by North Dakota’s leaders to position Grand Forks as the premier northern UAS hub.   The FAA Reauthorization bill passed by Congress in February 2012 includes an amendment introduced by Hoeven that directed the agency to establish the test sites and integrate UAS into the National Airspace System. Hoeven’s amendment instructed the FAA Administrator to consider factors including geographical and climatic diversity, as well as the location of ground infrastructure, in selecting the test sites.   Hoeven has worked, both as governor and now as U.S. Senator, with the state’s UAS community to establish and maintain North Dakota’s leadership in UAS technologies and to grow UAS operations in the Grand Forks region. In 2006, Hoeven and former Senator Byron Dorgan worked to seed the Center for UAS Research, Education and Training on the UND campus. Dorgan got the center designated as Department of Defense Center of Excellence for UAV Education. The same year, the North Dakota Centers of Excellence Program, initiated by then-Governor Hoeven, awarded the center $2.5 million, which it matched and leveraged to $15.8 million in federal and private-sector funding.   “We’ve said all along that Grand Forks is an ideal location to test UAS integration, and now the FAA has agreed with us,” Hoeven said. “This test site designation, combined with Grand Sky, the Grand Forks region’s new aerospace technology and business complex on Grand Forks Air Force Base, is tremendously important and enables the entire region to advance the work it has been doing to become the premier northern hub for unmanned aerial systems. As a test site, Grand Forks will be integral in developing the future commercial use of UAS for our nation and the world.”   “The selection of Grand Forks as a UAS test site is an affirmation that the Grand Forks area is an ideal location for military installations, and unmanned aerial systems in particular,” said Senator Heitkamp. “This designation is the result of collaboration between community leaders, the University of North Dakota, and local, state and federal officials. The test site will help grow the UAS industry throughout the nation and help make sure it can become a key part of North Dakota’s economy. Grand Forks is very deserving of this program, and I look forward to continuing to support the community and program throughout its implementation.”   Since taking office, Heitkamp has relentlessly advocated for the selection of Grand Forks as a UAS test site. Heitkamp has held numerous meetings with top military and Administration officials, including FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to urge them to select Grand Forks. Heitkamp, who co-founded the Defense Communities Caucus, also helped facilitate an Enhanced Use Lease between the Air Force and Grand Forks County, which will help grow the UAS industry in the area.   “North Dakota’s UAS Team did an outstanding job highlighting the superior assets of the Grand Forks area. In addition to the obvious advantages of uncongested air space, climate diversity and a culture of aviation, it is clear the unified voice of the many partners was a major factor in the FAA’s decision,” said Congressman Cramer. “State and local officials from North Dakota and Minnesota working with education, business and military leaders presented a unified front giving confidence to the decision makers.”   Cramer is directly involved with UAS development as a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus.   Gov. Dalrymple and Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley have led the state’s efforts to establish a national UAS test site in North Dakota. The state has invested more than $14 million to establish a national UAS test site and to advance UAS research and development. In May, Dalrymple established the Northern Plains Unmanned Aircraft Systems Authority and appointed Lt. Gov. Wrigley to lead the state’s efforts to land a test site and to pursue other UAS opportunities. Following Dalrymple’s recommendation, the 63rd Legislative Assembly also supported the state’s pursuit of a national UAS test site by appropriating $5 million, with $4 million in operations funding contingent on North Dakota being selected one of six test sites.   “The FAA’s decision to locate one of only six national UAS test sites in North Dakota is good news for our state and for the entire nation,” Dalrymple said.  “We have worked very hard to make sure North Dakota is well positioned for this designation and to make sure that the FAA recognizes the many strengths that we offer in helping to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the national airspace. With this test site designation, we have a great opportunity to become a national hub for UAS research and development, to expand our national leadership in aerospace sciences and to further diversify our state economy.”   The North Dakota leaders, along with the Grand Forks Base Realignment Impact Committee (BRIC), North Dakota Airspace Integration Team (AIT) and Grand Forks leaders have held meetings with the FAA regarding the site selection process to make the case for Grand Forks.   In addition, Hoeven and Heitkamp worked to help Grand Forks County secure an Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) with the U.S. Air Force for the development of Grand Sky, a cutting-edge UAS technology and business park the county plans to build on approximately 217 acres at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB). Last year, Hoeven brought senior Northrop Grumman officials, including Tom Vice, Northrop Grumman’s Corporate VP and President of Aerospace Systems, to Grand Forks to see firsthand the tremendous synergies that are developing between Grand Forks BRIC, UND, the UND Aerospace Foundation and Northland Aerospace Foundation. He also worked to get Northrop Grumman, one of the world’s premier aerospace and defense technology companies, to commit to be the park’s first tenant. Northrop Grumman makes the RQ-4 Global Hawk, which is operated by the Air Combat Command unit at GFAFB.   “We envisioned collaborations here in practical and original ways to create a dynamic environment for the military, industry and education,” Hoeven said. “Now all of those elements are coming together in a coordinated way to spur innovation, boost our economy and create jobs in the Grand Forks region.”   -###-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=60d716f6-0e15-444d-b30a-ff915ffabd93,Sen. Moran Calls on OSHA to Stop Unlawful Regulation of Family Farms,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and U.S. Senator Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) have called on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to immediately stop their unlawful regulation of family farms. Sens. Moran, Johanns and a bipartisan group of 41 their Senate colleagues have also directed OSHA to issue updated guidance correcting their misinterpretation of current law. The request was made in a joint letter to Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, who oversees OSHA. ""This is not the first time this administration has proved that Washington’s values are not rural America’s values through regulatory over-reach into the family farm,"" Sen. Moran said. ""I am committed to working with my colleagues to protect the individual rights of farmers and make certain OSHA does not continue to misinterpret the law."" Since 1976, Congress has exempted small, family-run farms from OSHA regulations, but in a 2011 memo OSHA asserted that on-farm grain storage and handling was not part of farm operations. The memo essentially expanded OSHA’s regulatory scope to nearly every farm in the country without going through the established rule making process that allows Congressional review and public comment, in defiance of the law. A copy of the senators’ bipartisan letter is below: December 20, 2013   The Honorable Thomas E. Perez Secretary U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20210   Dear Secretary Perez: We write to you regarding reports that regulators at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have begun taking regulatory actions against farms that are specifically exempted by Congress from regulatory enforcement conducted by OSHA. Since 1976, Congress has included specific language in appropriations bills prohibiting OSHA from using appropriated funds to apply requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1976 to farming operations with 10 or fewer employees.  It has come to our attention that OSHA is now interpreting this provision so narrowly that virtually every grain farm in the country would be subject to OSHA regulations.  OSHA’s interpretation defies the intent of Congress in exempting farming operations from the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.  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 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.    A memo issued by the Director of Enforcement Programs on June 28, 2011, stated that “many of these small farm employers mistakenly assume that the Appropriations Rider precludes OSHA from conducting enforcement activities regardless of the type of operations performed on the farm.”  The memo declares that all activities under SIC 072—including drying and fumigating grain—are subject to all OSHA requirements (the memo did not even mention grain storage).  There are many farms that have grain dryers on-farm to address wet harvest conditions or fumigate grain to prevent pests from ruining a crop prior to marketing.  These are basic, common, and responsible farming activities that OSHA has arbitrarily decided are non-exempt.  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.  We would ask that you direct OSHA to take the following three steps to alleviate this concern.  First, OSHA should cease all actions predicated on this interpretation, which is inconsistent with Congressional intent.  It is important that OSHA also issue guidance correcting this misinterpretation of the law.  We suggest consulting with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and organizations representing farmers to assist with this guidance.  Finally, we ask that OSHA provide a list and description of regulatory actions taken against farms with incorrectly categorized non-farming activities and 10 or fewer employees since the June 2011 memo.  Given the nearly four decades of Congressional prohibition of OSHA enforcement against farms, this should be a simple request to fulfil.  We would appreciate your response by February 1, 2014, to include a copy of the corrected guidance, the data regarding enforcement actions on farms, and confirmation that OSHA will cease such enforcement.    # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kind.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ron-kind-calls-congress-extend-unemployment-benefits,Rep. Ron Kind Calls on Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,WI,Ron Kind,K000188,kind.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) is calling on Congress to immediately return to Washington to vote on an extension of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, which expired for 1.3 million job-seeking Americans on December 28th. Congress needs to reconvene immediately and extend the benefits that so many job-seeking Americans and their families rely on, said Rep. Kind. Allowing UI benefits to lapse doesn't just hurt long-term unemployed workers; it directly harms entire communities, too. When families can't afford to buy groceries and other necessities at our Main Street businesses, our local economies feel the impact. In Wisconsin, approximately 23,700 people lost their benefits when the federal UI program expired last weekend. It's estimated that almost 100,000 people across the state will be affected by the loss of benefits over the course of the next year. The average job hunter in America needs 8 months to find employment, and nationwide there are three unemployed workers available for each job opening. Even though we are seeing positive changes in the economy, the job market has not recovered sufficiently to absorb all the job seekers who are trying to join the workforce, concluded Rep. Kind. And we know that if UI benefits aren't extended, almost 250,000 jobs could be lost due to reduced spending in our local economies. Job seekers are getting hit from all sides, and it's time for Congress to step up and fix this.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://price.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/price-praises-etheridge-appointment-head-nc-fsa,PRICE PRAISES ETHERIDGE APPOINTMENT TO HEAD NC FSA,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,NC,David Price,P000523,price.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Representative David Price (D-NC) issued the following statement today after President Obama appointed former North Carolina Representative Bob Etheridge as the next North Carolina State Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency. Bob Etheridge worked tirelessly in Congress to help farmers in his district and across North Carolina. A farmer himself, Bob will bring a wealth of practical and policy experience to bear as the State Executive Director of the FSA, a position that provides critical support to our state's largest industry. I applaud the Obama Administration for appointing not just a qualified individual, but a dedicated and diligent public servant. The Administration announcement is included below. We are pleased to make the following personnel announcement: Bob Etheridge State Executive Director (North Carolina), Farm Service Agency Bob Etheridge was born in Sampson County, North Carolina but spent all of his school-age years in Johnston County. He attended Cleveland School, a union school that housed grades K-12. He graduated with the class of 1959. The son of tenant farmers, Etheridge worked for two years after high school graduation saving enough money to enter Campbell College. In 1978, Etheridge was elected to the N.C. House of Representatives and served as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee from 1984-1988. He introduced the Basic Education Plan, which focused on providing millions of dollars to the public school budget for North Carolina and establishing a core curriculum for all students in K-12, in both rural and urban areas of the State. In 1988, Etheridge was elected as State Superintendent of Public Instruction, becoming the first non-educator since 1856 to hold that post. In eight years as superintendent, Etheridge quickly cut the state bureaucracy in the Department of Public Instruction by 25% and instituted an accountability system that has greatly improved student test scores. In 1996, Etheridge was elected to Congress from N.C.'s second district. He served fourteen years in Congress where he served for twelve years on the House Agriculture Committee and as Chairman of the General Farm Commodity and Risk Management Subcommittee for two years. Etheridge then moved to the House Ways and Means Committee for two years, the first North Carolinian to serve on that committee for 60 years. In the spring of 2011, Etheridge was appointed by Gov. Beverly Purdue to monitor federal stimulus recovery funding. Following a devastating tornado in central NC and a devastating hurricane in eastern North Carolina, he was asked to identify and secure funding for the victims of those natural disasters. Four institutions of higher learning have conferred honorary doctor degrees to Etheridge: Campbell University, Fayetteville State University, Pfeiffer College and Shaw University. He is also a member of the Campbell Sports Hall of Fame and the Johnston County Sports Hall of Fame. Etheridge and his wife, Faye, have been married for 48 years and have three children and eight grandchildren. Bob is an active member of Leaflet Presbyterian Church where he is an elder, president of the Presbyterian men and a long-time Sunday School teacher. Bob still spends as much time as he can on the family farm where he has beef cattle. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://stabenow.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1238,Senator Stabenow Nominates 33 Michigan Students to Service Academies,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,MI,Debbie Stabenow,S000770,stabenow.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Upper Peninsula Office 1901 W. Ridge Suite 7 Marquette, MI 49855 Phone: (906) 228-8756 Northern Michigan Office 3335 S. Airport Road West Suite 6B Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: (231) 929-1031 West Michigan Office 3280 E. Beltline Court NE Suite 400 Grand Rapids, MI 49525 Phone: (616) 975-0052 Mid-Michigan Office 221 W. Lake Lansing Road Suite 100 East Lansing, MI 48823 Phone: (517) 203-1760 Southeast Michigan Office 719 Griswold St. Suite 700 Detroit, MI 48226 Phone: (313) 961-4330 Flint/Saginaw Bay Office 432 N. Saginaw St Suite 301 Flint, MI 48502 Phone: (810) 720-4172 Washington DC 731 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-2204 Phone: (202) 224-4822",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140104063829/http://www.blumenthal.senate.gov:80/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-files-amicus-brief-supporting-medical-associations-in-lawsuit-against-uhg_-,Blumenthal Files Amicus Brief Supporting Medical Associations In Lawsuit Against UHG,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"In The Brief, Blumenthal Argues That Connecticut Patients Are Facing A “Hobson’s Choice” As A Result Of UHG’s Actions Monday, December 30, 2013 (Hartford, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) filed an amicus brief in support of the Fairfield County Medical Association and Hartford County Medical Association, both of whom filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealthcare Group (UHG) in November alleging the nation’s largest insurer is breaking its contractual obligation with association members by dropping them from its Medicare Advantage network. In the brief, Blumenthal argues that Connecticut patients are facing a “Hobson’s Choice” as a result of UHG’s actions. “In the absence of an injunction, the patients of the over 2,200 terminated physicians will face irreparable harm by being effectively denied access to their long-standing and chosen physicians,” the brief states. “Connecticut patients will immediately face the Hobson’s choice of having to give up their current physicians, thereby risking medical errors arising from lack of continuity of care, or paying much higher rates to retain their current physicians.” In the brief, Blumenthal lists 11 examples of patients and providers who are facing “irreparable harm” as a result of UHG’s actions. In one example, a 75-year-old Branford, CT resident was informed that he would no longer be able to receive his medically necessary cancer treatment as a result of UHG dropping his treatment team from its network. In another example, a provider in Stafford Springs, CT states that his full-time family practice, the only one in Stafford Springs, is at risk of financial devastation, and that many of his patients, 38 percent of whom are Medicare beneficiaries, will be left without a primary care physician close to home as a result of UHG dropping him from its network. In all cases, the patients and providers reached out to Blumenthal’s office for help. “These examples confirm the District Court’s finding of irreparable harm inasmuch as ‘the disruption of the physician-patient relationship can cause irreparable harm that justifies issuing preliminary injunctive relief, particularly when the patient belongs to a vulnerable class or may have a deep trust relationship with the physician because of the serious nature of the patient’s illness or medical needs,” the brief states. “The examples related above are just the tip of the iceberg.  The termination of 2,200 physicians from a health care plan in a state the size of Connecticut creates enormous risks to patient safety on a state-wide basis.”    Full text of the brief can be found here.  Press Contact Kamara Jones - 202-224-0309 Kamara_Jones@blumenthal.senate.gov",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140104063839/http://www.blumenthal.senate.gov:80/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-ct-veteran-job-training-report,Blumenthal Statement On CT Veteran Job Training Report,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Monday, December 30, 2013 (Hartford, CT) – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued a statement following the release of a Connecticut Veterans Legal Center report calling for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to share military job training data with state and local occupational licensing boards in an effort to expedite the credentialing process for recent veterans seeking employment. “This report provides powerful evidence – and a roadmap for reform – for opening more job opportunities to veterans with specific skills gained through military training. This report could make Connecticut a national model in tailoring veteran job programs and targeting occupation and professional licenses that match military skills.  More comprehensive data is needed from the Department of Defense and the VA in order to make veteran training programs more effective and to better assist veterans to find jobs.  As a member of the Senate's Veterans Affairs Committee, I will use this report to help shape new national veterans employment efforts.” Blumenthal has long advocated for improving the credentialing process for recently returned veterans, having led the successful push to pass the Veteran Skills to Jobs Act, which requires acceptance of military training for all federal credentials. A link to the full report can be found here; key recommendations can be found below: 1. The DoD should share its MOS data with DoL, the VA, and the public to permit an analysis to determine which federal, state, or local occupational or professional licensing requirements should be reformed to maximize Gulf War II veteran employment by more fully crediting military training and experience. Stakeholders should also use these data to identify MOSes that are at risk for civilian unemployment. 2. In the absence of DoD cooperation, state departments of veterans’ affairs should survey Gulf War II veterans by MOS and share the results with state policymakers, employers, and the public, so that all can better understand the skills and experience of Gulf War II veterans and how to reform licensing regimes to credit more fully this military training and experience. The Connecticut study suggests that health care and commercial driver’s licenses may be among the most fruitful for reform. 3. The DoD, VA, and DoL should collaborate to identify unemployment rates for Gulf War II veterans by MOS in order to better inform service members about post-service employment prospects when they make decisions regarding which military specialty to pursue. As a result, service members would know whether they are entering an MOS with a high risk for civilian unemployment. 4. The DoD branches with Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL), or COOL equivalent, websites should coordinate with the DoL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics to provide service members access to information in one website regarding civilian licenses and occupational outlooks for states in which they reside, or plan to return to upon completion of their service obligation. As of December 20, 2013, the Marine Corps does not have a COOL website, and the Air Force Credentialing and Education Research Tool (CERT) site is not operational. Both the Air Force CERT and the planned Marine Corps COOL site should emulate the content and functionality of the Army and Navy COOL websites. 5. The Connecticut MOS Task Force, created pursuant to Connecticut Special Act 13-5, should examine whether the licensing requirements related to 29 of the 32 most common MOSes held by Gulf War II veterans can be reformed to more fully credit military training and experience. Additionally, the Task Force should include this analysis in its report to the Connecticut Legislature Press Contact Josh Zembik – 202-224-6452 Josh_Zembik@blumenthal.senate.gov",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221011918/http://farenthold.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365158,U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold Calls TAMUCC Designation as FAA Test Site for UAS a “Huge Win”,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,TX,Blake Farenthold,F000460,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced its selection of Texas A&M University Corpus Christi as one of six public entities that will develop unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research and test sites around the country.  U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold (TX-27) praised the FAA’s selection of Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. “The combination of expertise from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi and wide open airspace in Texas make this an excellent choice for UAS research and development,” said Congressman Blake Farenthold, a member of the Congressional Caucus on Unmanned Systems and Congressional Privacy Caucus.  “This is a huge win for TAMUCC and the whole state of Texas.  It gives our region the opportunity to take a leadership role in both the technology and policy challenges that will arise as these unmanned systems are developed, refined and deployed.”   “As a longtime supporter and advocate for the use of unmanned systems along the border, I congratulate Texas A&M Corpus Christi for this victory in becoming one of only six national test sites for UAS,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Unmanned Systems.  “It has been a long process bringing this test site to Texas and we in the caucus have had several conversations with the FAA.  It has been my pleasure to work alongside Congressman Farenthold and the other members of the Caucus to secure this site.” Congressman Farenthold, along with Congressmen Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), Gene Green (D-TX-29), Pete Olson (R-TX-22), and John Carter (R-TX-31), have sent letters to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, the most recent in December highlighting Texas’ commitment to the promising technology of unmaned aircraft. “We believe Texas would be a strong partner with the FAA in carefully managing the research and development of the UAS technology,” the Congressmen said in the letter.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving steadily ahead to safely integrate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the largest, most complex air traffic systems in the world. The agency’s activities must address the needs of a diverse aviation community while ensuring current users both in the air and on the ground remain safe. The testing sites will allow the agency to develop research findings and operational experiences to help ensure the safe integration of UAS into the nation's airspace as we transition to NextGen air traffic control technologies and procedures. Texas A&M University Corpus Christi plans to develop system safety requirements for UAS vehicles and operations with a goal of protocols and procedures for airworthiness testing. The selection of Texas A&M contributes to geographic and climactic diversity.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221185436/http://maloney.house.gov/enewsletter/looking-back-2013,Looking back on 2013,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Saving consumers $21 Billion by Stopping Credit Card Industry Abuses A team of researchers, including one from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, has found that the 2009 Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD) I authored and worked to pass is saving consumers $21 billion every year. Thanks to the CARD Act, consumers have saved billions of dollars, young people are better protected from predatory practices, and people all across the country are more satisfied with their credit cards than they’ve been in years. Renewing the Violence Against Women Act A renewal of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was long delayed by conservatives in the House and Senate. n March, we finally passed an improved VAWA that includes the SAFER Act language I authored to reduce the nation’s untested DNA rape kit backlog. The legislation also included provisions of the Campus SaVE Act I authored to aid colleges in reducing sexual violence on campuses. Providing Resources for Hurricane Sandy Recovery After months of hard work, we secured $60 billion in federal funding that was desperately needed to help New Yorkers recover from Superstorm Sandy. The funds are being used to help people who lost their homes and assist business owners who suffered large losses. They will also help pay for repairing subway and commuter rail lines, fixing bridges and tunnels, and to undertake initiatives that will mitigate the effects of future natural disasters. Monitoring Progress on the 2nd Avenue Subway Building the Second Avenue Subway has been one of my top priorities since I was first elected to Congress. New York City’s subway system has not added capacity in over 60 years, and we need to expand. I secured $1.3 billion in federal funding for Phase I of this project, and all but $16.8 million has already been appropriated. We’re making progress—the MTA has completed all tunnel boring, awarded all ten of the project contracts, fulfilled three of the contracts, completed all blasting, and initiated dismantling of muck houses. The overall project has remained on time and on budget for four straight years. Keeping Tabs on the East Side Access Project Last year, I celebrated the news that tunnel-boring had been completed on the East Side Access project, which will connect Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to Grand Central Terminal. This is the largest mass transit initiative under construction anywhere in the United States. When it is finished the ESA will carry LIRR passengers directly to Grand Central Terminal in the core of Manhattan’s Central Business District. It will also create a new LIRR stop in Sunnyside, Queens, helping commuters reach the business district in Long Island City—the fourth largest business district in New York City and the largest in Queens. The federal government is providing $2.6 billion of the project’s cost, currently estimated at $7.3 billion. Securing High Speed Rail Funding to Improve Harold Interlocking After Florida declined Federal funds for high-speed rail as part of the Recovery Act, I urged President Obama to direct a portion of that funding to New York. The administration responded by directing $295 million of those funds to improve the “Harold Interlocking,” a century-old intersection of 14 tracks in the Sunnyside, Queens rail yards where hundreds of Northeast Corridor trains converge each day. Fixing the Kosciuszko Bridge In May, I released a report highlights new data on the Kosciuszko Bridge’s increasingly decaying conditions. The bridge is notorious for accidents and traffic delays and inspectors have flagged several problems that need to be addressed. That’s why it’s so important to move forward with the New York State Department of Transportation’s $800 million Kosciuszko Bridge Project. Roughly 85 percent of the funding, or $670 million, will be provided by the federal government. The project will create thousands of new jobs, including 1,000 to 1,200 full time construction jobs. Reducing Overcrowding in our Schools As more New York City families choose to raise their children in our communities, class sizes have risen resulting in the need for new public schools. The average elementary school classroom in America has about 20 students, but many of the classrooms in New York’s 12th Congressional District have more than 28 students. I have engaged in a multi-year effort to address this problem, and the task forces I initiated have led to the creation of more than half a dozen new schools, including the Eleanor Roosevelt High School, PS 151, PS 267 and PS 527. This year I was delighted to join Department of Education officials and many of my colleagues for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at PS 281, which opened in September at the old Con Ed Waterside site, the largest undeveloped site on the East Side of Manhattan. I was also pleased to join elected officials and residents of Western Queens for the PS 312/IS 404 ribbon-cutting ceremony at Hunters Point South this fall. Expanding Senior Housing Older New Yorkers should have the option of living in supportive housing that will be affordable and provide the services they need as they age, but the demand for such housing far exceeds the supply. This fall I was pleased to join HANAC to celebrate the opening of PCA Residence, a 66-unit affordable housing development for seniors. The $23 million development received $22 million in federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a loan through HUD’s HOME investment partnership program, low income housing tax credits and a grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank. In addition, residents will receive Section 8 subsidies. Since being elected to Congress, I have worked with local developers to obtain federal funding for six senior housing developments. Stein Senior Center One of New York City’s largest senior centers, Stein Senior Center, recently lost its space and urgently needed funding to renovate a new space at the Uniformed Firefighters Association headquarters building at 204 East 23rd Street in Manhattan. I worked to ensure that the NYC Department for the Aging would allocate more than $750,000 from the federal Community Development Block Grant to support the rehabilitation of the Center’s new home. This elegant new facility will allow Stein to serve a larger group of seniors, hold a greater variety of classes, and offer even better programs. Opposing Garbage Dumps in Residential Communities Since my early days in Congress, I have opposed garbage transfer stations in residential areas. Nonetheless, the city’s current solid waste transfer plan calls for the development of a transfer station at 91st Street on the East River (MTS). The site is adjacent to two public housing developments, three public parks, several schools and a senior center. This area flooded badly during Superstorm Sandy, raising concerns that a similar storm could result in trash running through local streets. In fact, new flood maps recently released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency show that the transfer station is located six feet below the flood plain. The mitigation called for by the Department of Sanitation is woefully inadequate. I have authored legislative language, testified at hearings and repeatedly written and spoken with representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to express these concerns. This fall, I worked to attach an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act reauthorization bill on the House floor. My amendment would have required the ACE to review permits issued in areas devastated by Sandy to make sure flood risks were properly understood and evaluated. Unfortunately, the House Rules Committee rejected my amendment on a party line vote. I’ll continue working to resolve this issue in the coming year. Fighting for Stronger Gun Safety Laws A year after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School little has been done at the federal level to prevent gun crimes. I have supported several measures to stop the bloodshed on our streets, in our schools and other public spaces, including introducing the first bipartisan bill that would make firearms trafficking a federal crime and impose stronger penalties on those who buy guns for convicted felons or others who are prohibited from buying guns on their own. I also cosponsored a bipartisan bill to strengthen background checks. We owe it to the victims of Sandy Hook to take commonsense actions that will prevent future tragedies. Standing Against Cuts to Food Assistance We should focus on reducing poverty, not nutrition assistance, but the House majority has not relented in their effort to slash SNAP assistance for needy families. After their first attempt at cutting $20 billion in benefits failed, Republicans doubled down with a proposal to cut $40 billion. I’m working to make sure these reductions in food aid are rejected. These cuts are driven by an ideological agenda that benefits nobody and harms those struggling to put food on the table. Leading a Bipartisan Effort to Bring a National Women’s History Museum to DC I am working with Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, to bring a National Women’s National History Museum to Washington, DC. Our bill would form a commission to study the best way to move this project forward. We recognize money is tight, that’s why the entire project, the commission and the study would be funded through private contributions. Bipartisan support is growing in Congress and throughout the country for a museum that acknowledges and commemorates the deep and lasting contributions women have made throughout our history. Reintroducing the Equal Rights Amendment Many people today take for granted that equal rights between men and women are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution – and are shocked when they learn that they are not. To this day, the right to vote is the only constitutionally guaranteed right to the women who make up more than 50 percent of the population. That is why I have reintroduced the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to give women the constitutional protection they need and deserve. Promoting Women in STEM Careers In February, I hosted a forum and career fair that promoted women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The two-part event was held at the CUNY Graduate Center and was attended by about 400 high school and college-aged students. The forum featured six prominent female leaders from different STEM fields who shared their thoughts on the future of STEM, the importance of encouraging women to enter STEM fields, and how students can best prepare themselves for professional careers in STEM. Protecting Access to Affordable Mortgages As the senior Democrat on the House panel that oversees the housing market, I am working to ensure that middle-class families continue to have access to affordable ways to purchase a home. In November, I hosted roundtable discussions in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan to get feedback from real estate, mortgage and housing experts. I’m continuing to stand against proposals that would make it harder for New Yorkers to own their own homes. Introducing the Overdraft Protection Act To build on the success of the CARD Act, I’ve reintroduced the Overdraft Protection Act to stop banks from charging exorbitant overdraft fees. The bill would require fees to be reasonable and proportional to the amount of the overdraft, limit overdraft fees to one per month and six per year, require banks to get a consumer’s permission before opting them in to an overdraft protection program, and stop banks from manipulating the order of transactions to maximize overdraft fees. If you’ve been a victim of overdraft fee abuse, please contact my office today.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140222035637/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-faa-selection-new-jersey-virginia-partnership-national-test-site,LoBiondo Applauds FAA Selection of New Jersey-Virginia Partnership for National Test Site of Unmanned Aircraft Systems,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"MAYS LANDING, N.J. – U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, today applauded the announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the joint application by the states of New Jersey and Virginia has been selected as one of the six national test sites for integrating commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace. LoBiondo, working closely with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, led the New Jersey’s Congressional efforts to secure the designation. “Today’s announcement is a GREAT way to kick off the New Year, promising significant economic opportunities in the aviation field particularly for South Jersey,” lauded LoBiondo, chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee. “A years-long effort has been spent on putting forth the strongest application - including forming a solid working partnership with Virginia - to ensure the FAA recognized our existing assets for this project. I appreciate Governor Christie’s unwavering support throughout the process as well as the efforts of my Congressional colleagues and those working on the ground in South Jersey on our proposal.” The states’ joint application was put forth by Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) and Rutgers University with support from the Governors of New Jersey and Virginia. The other 5 test sites selected by the FAA are in: Alaska-Hawaii-Oregon; Nevada; North Dakota; Texas; and New York. UAS test sites will operate until February 2017 with the first site being operational within 180 days of today’s announcement. There is no federal funding from the FAA for any test site. The William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center will be the lead facilitator of data collected from each of the six test sites, working to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace as mandated by the 2012 FAA Authorization Act – a provision LoBiondo advocated for inclusion during the bill’s drafting and debate. While each test site will have specific regulations to protect the privacy of surrounding residents and businesses, Congress continues to evaluate further legislative options to address civil liberty concerns. “The outstanding partnership between New Jersey and Virginia, between Governors Christie and McDonnell, between Rutgers and Virginia Tech and various state and private entities made for a winning result. Our cooperative efforts, in conjunction with the FAA Tech Center in Egg Harbor Township, will continue as our test site takes off and commercial unmanned aircraft systems open up new economic opportunities for our states,” concluded LoBiondo.                                                 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140222202200/http://mckinley.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=2105,"Exponent-Telegram: About 7,000 state resident set to lose federal jobless benefits Saturday",2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,WV,David McKinley,M001180,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Federal unemployment benefits are set to expire on Saturday for nearly 7,000 West Virginians, officials said. In North Central West Virginia, 341 people are expected to be affected in the Clarksburg area, while 231 people in the Fairmont area would lose benefits, according to WorkForce West Virginia. Those individuals are among approximately 1.3 million Americans unemployed for 26 weeks or more whose benefits come from an account that is almost empty. To read entire article, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140222202209/http://mckinley.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=2104,Charleston Gazette Mail: Photos show 'the other West Virginia',2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,WV,David McKinley,M001180,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Betty Rivard's upcoming lecture based on her book of photos of the state during the 1930s and '40s will focus on ""the other West Virginia"" -- not the one that garners mostly negative national attention. ""When I say the other West Virginia, I'm talking about the positive part of West Virginia,"" Rivard said. ""The book does include some images of people in very destitute situations, but that's not the major part of the book, and that was deliberate."" Rivard's book, ""New Deal Photographs of West Virginia: 1934-43,"" was produced by 10 professional photographers who visited the state as part of the Farm Security Administration Project. To read entire story, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140228010514/http://kinzinger.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=600,Morris Daily Herald: Kinzinger kicks off District 16 Agriculture Advisory meeting,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,IL,Adam Kinzinger,K000378,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"OTTAWA – U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, met this month with representatives from throughout the 16th District in the first meeting of a new Agriculture Advisory Committee. The committee will serve as a forum for Kinzinger to hear from members of the agriculture community on policy issues that affect them most directly, according to a news release. “With Washington debating a whole host of issues affecting Illinois farmers, from the farm bill to renewable energy, this committee will be a great way to ensure the voices of Illinois’ farmers are heard,” Kinzinger said in the news release. Held Dec. 19 in Ottawa’s City Hall building, the meeting covered topics that included the reauthorization of the farm bill, pending legislation to streamline waterway projects, renewable energy mandates, crop insurance provisions and immigration reform, according to the news release. The committee, which consists of farmers and producers from all 14 counties of the 16th District, plans to meet once annually, with teleconference and local meetings throughout the year. For the full posting, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140301024731/http://reed.house.gov/press-release/reed-highlights-district-successes-2013,REED HIGHLIGHTS DISTRICT SUCCESSES IN 2013,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NY,Tom Reed,R000585,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Reflecting on the past year, Congressman Tom Reed pointed to the many community wide successes and the day to day stories of families and individuals helped through his office. “Working with constituents to provide solutions on problems big and small is what we are here to do and it is by far the most important part of the job,” Congressman Reed said. “We’ve held more than 110 town halls throughout our eleven counties and helped constituents work through more than 5,000 constituent cases as we continue to make their priorities our priorities.” Reed reflected on some of the district’s major victories in the past year, including keeping the NRG plant in Dunkirk, awarding Salamanca School District impact aid, maintaining the Elmira Psychiatric Center, working with the FAA and Corning Hospital to expedite construction, strides combating the invasive species Hydrilla and efforts to keep the tower at the Ithaca Tompkins airport open.   He also reflected on working with families on the day to day issues that Reed says are so critical to the role of the office. “We were able to help one constituent who because of a medical condition, her father was not able to recall where he put his mortgage discharge paperwork in order to sell the business. In another instance, we helped a local organization recently get their 501c3 status that had been stalled since 2007. “It’s these kinds of issues we tackle on a daily basis that have the biggest impact and really stand out,” Congressman Reed continued. “There will undoubtedly be plenty of talk about politics but despite all of that talk, I will continue to focus on what really matters: constituents of the 23rd district and their needs and concerns.” #####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/comunicado-de-prensa?ContentRecord_id=3aaf7260-065d-4191-a55b-803272a86c10,Heller responde al anuncio de FAA nombrando Nevada un sitio de prueba de aviones no tripulado,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NV,Dean Heller,H001041,www.heller.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – El Senador de los Estados Unidos, Dean Heller, Republicano por Nevada, hoy respondió a la Administración Federal de   Aviación (FAA) anuncio que Nevada ha sido designado como un sitio para sistemas de aviones no tripulado con la siguiente declaración: “Teniendo en cuenta que Nevada continúa liderando a la nación en el desempleo, la decisión de la FAA es bienvenido y oportuna. Nevada ha sido un líder en el desarrollo de sistemas de aviones no tripulado y también pruebas de esos sistemas. Dada la ubicación geográfica de nuestro estado, mano de obra muy calificada y sólidas alianzas con universidades, Nevada está bien posicionada para asegurar el éxito de estos programas. Estoy seguro que el FAA, el Congreso y el estado de Nevada pueden lograr un equilibrio entre la oportunidad y el desarrollo de normas de privacidad y las salvaguardias que garanticen los derechos constitucionales de los ciudadanos de Nevada y los estadounidenses en todo el país,"" dijo el senador Dean Heller. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=6be35a83-83a2-4edb-930f-caf166d127d6,Heller Responds to FAA Announcement Naming Nevada a Drone Test Site,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NV,Dean Heller,H001041,www.heller.senate.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) today responded to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) announcement that Nevada has been designated as an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test site with the following statement: ""Considering that Nevada continues to lead the nation in unemployment, the FAA’s decision is both welcome and well-timed. Nevada has long been a leader in UAS development and testing. Given our state’s geographic location, extremely qualified workforce, and strong partnerships with universities, Nevada is well-positioned to ensure the success of these programs. “I am confident that the FAA, Congress, and the State of Nevada can strike a balance between this opportunity and the development of privacy standards and safeguards that will guarantee the constitutional rights of Nevadans and Americans across the country,” said Senator Dean Heller.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-heitkamp-cramer-and-dalrymple-faa-selects-grand-forks-to-be-uas-test-site,"Hoeven, Heitkamp, Cramer and Dalrymple: FAA Selects Grand Forks to be UAS Test Site",2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.30.13 Hoeven, Heitkamp, Cramer and Dalrymple: FAA Selects Grand Forks to be UAS Test Site ND Leaders Worked to Secure Designation to Build GF as Premier Northern UAS Hub WASHINGTON Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp, Congressman Kevin Cramer and Governor Jack Dalrymple today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected Grand Forks as one of six sites to test unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for integration into the National Airspace. The announcement comes after years of work by North Dakota's leaders to position Grand Forks as the premier northern UAS hub. The FAA Reauthorization bill passed by Congress in February 2012 includes an amendment introduced by Hoeven that directed the agency to establish the test sites and integrate UAS into the National Airspace System. Hoeven's amendment instructed the FAA Administrator to consider factors including geographical and climatic diversity, as well as the location of ground infrastructure, in selecting the test sites. Hoeven has worked, both as governor and now as U.S. Senator, with the state's UAS community to establish and maintain North Dakota's leadership in UAS technologies and to grow UAS operations in the Grand Forks region. In 2006, Hoeven and former Senator Byron Dorgan worked to seed the Center for UAS Research, Education and Training on the UND campus. Dorgan got the center designated as Department of Defense Center of Excellence for UAV Education. The same year, the North Dakota Centers of Excellence Program, initiated by then-Governor Hoeven, awarded the center $2.5 million, which it matched and leveraged to $15.8 million in federal and private-sector funding. We've said all along that Grand Forks is an ideal location to test UAS integration, and now the FAA has agreed with us, Hoeven said. This test site designation, combined with Grand Sky, the Grand Forks region's new aerospace technology and business complex on Grand Forks Air Force Base, is tremendously important and enables the entire region to advance the work it has been doing to become the premier northern hub for unmanned aerial systems. As a test site, Grand Forks will be integral in developing the future commercial use of UAS for our nation and the world. The selection of Grand Forks as a UAS test site is an affirmation that the GrandForks area is an ideal location for military installations, and unmanned aerial systems in particular, said Senator Heitkamp. This designation is the result of collaboration between community leaders, the University of North Dakota, and local, state and federal officials. The test site will help grow the UAS industry throughout the nation and help make sure it can become a key part of North Dakota's economy.Grand Forks is very deserving of this program, and I look forward to continuing to support the community and program throughout its implementation. Since taking office, Heitkamp has relentlessly advocated for the selection of Grand Forks as a UAS test site. Heitkamp has held numerous meetings with top military and Administration officials, including FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, to urge them to select Grand Forks. Heitkamp, who co-founded the Defense Communities Caucus, also helped facilitate an Enhanced Use Lease between the Air Force and Grand Forks County, which will help grow the UAS industry in the area. North Dakota's UAS Team did an outstanding job highlighting the superior assets of the Grand Forks area. In addition to the obvious advantages of uncongested air space, climate diversity and a culture of aviation, it is clear the unified voice of the many partners was a major factor in the FAA's decision, said Congressman Cramer. State and local officials from North Dakota and Minnesota working with education, business and military leaders presented a unified front giving confidence to the decision makers. Cramer is directly involved with UAS development as a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus. Gov. Dalrymple and Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley have led the state's efforts to establish a national UAS test site in North Dakota. The state has invested more than $14 million to establish a national UAS test site and to advance UAS research and development. In May, Dalrymple established the Northern Plains Unmanned Aircraft Systems Authority and appointed Lt. Gov. Wrigley to lead the state's efforts to land a test site and to pursue other UAS opportunities. Following Dalrymple's recommendation, the 63rd Legislative Assembly also supported the state's pursuit of a national UAS test site by appropriating $5 million, with $4 million in operations funding contingent on North Dakota being selected one of six test sites. The FAA's decision to locate one of only six national UAS test sites in North Dakota is good news for our state and for the entire nation, Dalrymple said. We have worked very hard to make sure North Dakota is well positioned for this designation and to make sure that the FAA recognizes the many strengths that we offer in helping to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the national airspace. With this test site designation, we have a great opportunity to become a national hub for UAS research and development, to expand our national leadership in aerospace sciences and to further diversify our state economy. The North Dakota leaders, along with the Grand Forks Base Realignment Impact Committee (BRIC), North Dakota Airspace Integration Team (AIT) and Grand Forks leaders have held meetings with the FAA regarding the site selection process to make the case for Grand Forks. In addition, Hoeven and Heitkamp worked to help Grand Forks County secure an Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) with the U.S. Air Force for the development of Grand Sky, a cutting-edge UAS technology and business park the county plans to build on approximately 217 acres at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB). Last year, Hoeven brought senior Northrop Grumman officials, including Tom Vice, Northrop Grumman's Corporate VP and President of Aerospace Systems, to Grand Forks to see firsthand the tremendous synergies that are developing between Grand Forks BRIC, UND, the UND Aerospace Foundation and Northland Aerospace Foundation. He also worked to get Northrop Grumman, one of the world's premier aerospace and defense technology companies, to commit to be the park's first tenant. Northrop Grumman makes the RQ-4 Global Hawk, which is operated by the Air Combat Command unit at GFAFB. We envisioned collaborations here in practical and original ways to create a dynamic environment for the military, industry and education, Hoeven said. Now all of those elements are coming together in a coordinated way to spur innovation, boost our economy and create jobs in the Grand Forks region. -###-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-warner-and-kaine-applaud-faas-selection-of-virginia-tech-proposal-to-test-unmanned-aircraft-systems,Sens. Warner and Kaine Applaud FAA’s Selection of Virginia Tech Proposal to Test Unmanned Aircraft Systems,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sens. Warner and Kaine Applaud FAA’s Selection of Virginia Tech Proposal to Test Unmanned Aircraft Systems Region to be one of six U.S. sites chosen to test and research variety of UAS issues Monday, December 30, 2013 WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement today following the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selection of Virginia Tech’s proposal to spearhead a regional research effort on  the safest and most effective ways to incorporate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the existing airspace.  Virginia Tech’s proposal, one of six from across the country selected by the FAA today,  includes a cooperative agreement to work with research institutions and facilities across  Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. “We want to congratulate Virginia Tech and its partners for this success. Virginia’s selection provides an opportunity for the mid-Atlantic region to become a major hub for UAS research and testing, leveraging the growing private sector interest in UAS as well as incorporating military and NASA assets across our region. That’s why we have long supported Virginia's selection, and have worked to highlight the strengths of a Virginia-Maryland-New Jersey partnership with the FAA,” Sens. Warner and Kaine said. “We hope this FAA research and testing also helps sort-out the legitimate public concerns about privacy and air safety as we move toward a safe and responsible integration of unmanned aircraft.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/news-releases?ID=0fcf598a-e91b-42fb-9f5c-f2162f42e672,Klobuchar Calls for Action to Crack Down on Cell Phone Thefts,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,MN,Amy Klobuchar,K000367,www.klobuchar.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Nearly one-in-three robberies involve phone theft and consumers lose more than $30 billion each year to lost and stolen phones; in Minnesota, recent cell phone thefts at the Mall of America and the University of Minnesota have threatened public safety In a letter to wireless industry leaders, Klobuchar urges companies to take action to stem mobile device thefts by ensuring consumers have access to the most advanced security features such as a “kill switch”  WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today called on the wireless industry to take action to crack down on cell phone thefts. The thefts are becoming a growing problem across the country with nearly one-in-three robberies involving phone theft. It’s estimated that each year consumers lose more than $30 billion to lost or stolen phones. In Minnesota, recent cell phone thefts at the Mall of America and the University of Minnesota have threatened public safety. In a letter to wireless industry leaders, Klobuchar urged companies to take action to stem mobile device thefts by ensuring consumers have access to the most advanced security features, such as a “kill switch” that would deter criminals who intend to illegally resell the devices. “Mobile devices aren’t just telephones anymore – increasingly people’s livelihoods depend on them,” Klobuchar said. “That’s why we need to do more to crack down on criminals who are stealing and reselling these devices, costing consumers billions every year. The wireless industry needs to step up to the plate and address these thefts, and make sure consumers have the most advanced security technology at their fingertips.” Klobuchar is a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and chairs the Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, and has been a leader in standing up for consumers and boosting competition in the marketplace. She authored legislation—the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act and the Wireless Consumer Choice Act—to strengthen consumer protections in the wireless industry, including looking at allowing consumers to unlock their phones. Klobuchar has also pushed the FCC to examine the competitive impact on consumers from the wireless carriers’ exclusive arrangements with cell phone manufacturers. Klobuchar also cosponsored legislation led by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that adds criminal penalties of up to five years in jail for tampering with cell phones in order to circumvent the service ban on a stolen phone. The full text of the letter is below: December 30, 2013 Mr. Lowell McAdam                                                  Mr. Dan Hesse Chairman and Chief Executive Officer                    Chief Executive Officer Verizon Communications, Inc.                                 Sprint Communications, Inc. 140 West Street                                                         200 Sprint Parkway New York, New York 10007                                     Overland Park, Kansas 66351   Mr. Randall Stephenson                                           Mr. John Legere Chief Executive Officer                     `                       President and Chief Executive Officer AT&T, Inc.                                                                    T-Mobile USA, Inc. 208 South Akard Street                                            12920 Southeast 38th Street Dallas, Texas 75202                                                   Bellevue, Washington 98006   Mr. Kenneth Meyers President and Chief Executive Officer U.S. Cellular Corporation 8410 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 700 Chicago, Illinois 60631   Dear Messrs. McAdam, Stephenson, Hesse, Legere, and Meyers: I am writing to express my concern regarding the increase in crimes involving the theft of mobile devices across the country.  As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, I understand that consumers are utilizing more mobile technology and this is spurring growth in our economy.  Unfortunately, more and more consumers are also at risk of being targeted by criminals looking to steal cell phones and other devices for illegal resale.  I appreciate the work the industry has done in creating a database to keep stolen phones from being reactivated, but more action is needed. According to the Federal Communications Commission, almost one-in-three robberies involve phone theft and the cost to consumers of lost or stolen phones is more than $30 billion each year.  I’ve heard from local law enforcement officials about the continued call for the wireless industry to engage with them further and to adopt “kill switch” technologies on devices.  Additionally, state Attorneys General have suggested that wireless carriers have not taken adequate steps to fight cell phone theft.  As Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, I expect wireless carriers to compete against one another to ensure consumers are offered the most advanced security features and offerings.  Your five companies are the nation’s leading wireless carriers, collectively serving more than 90 percent of the nation’s wireless subscribers. With that market share comes an obligation to do all you can to utilize technologies available to protect consumers. While I understand your companies are continuing to work with law enforcement on the stolen cell phone database, it is clear that consumers want and deserve a comprehensive strategy to prevent mobile device thefts.  That is why I respectfully request that each of your companies provides my Judiciary Subcommittee detailed information on the following issues by January 9, 2014: Information explaining whether you have had offers by handset manufacturers to install “kill switch” technology, and, if so, why your company has or has not adopted such technology.  Information about whether you have considered including this solution on handsets made by manufacturers now competing with Apple’s activation lock technology that operates as a “kill switch” on iPhones.  If not, please describe your reasoning behind the decision made by your company.  How your company will include such technology options at no cost to consumers in the future and how your phone security offerings differ from your competitors.  Identifying ways to curb mobile device theft is a top priority of mine and I will continue to advocate for the American wireless consumer.  I also believe additional action to protect wireless consumers is necessary and that's why I am asking you for this information.  The status quo is not acceptable. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=458f0cfe-49d1-4835-bd37-cf49cc55f1da,Portman Statement on Federal Aviation Administration's Decision Regarding Unmanned Aerial System Test Site Locations,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today released the following statement in response to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision not to select Ohio as a location for an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test site:   “I am deeply disappointed by the FAA’s decision not to select the Ohio/Indiana UAS Center as the location for one of the FAA’s six UAS test sites across the country. Ohio is a national leader in aerospace, and would have been an ideal location for one of the sites.  Over one hundred thousand Ohioans work in aerospace, where they develop and build cutting-edge technologies and world-class commercial and military equipment. In addition, assets like Dayton’s U.S. Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and industry partners throughout the state provide outstanding technical expertise and more than $9 billion in Research and Development and testing every year. I have worked extensively to strengthen these unique capabilities and increase Ohio’s leadership in defense and aerospace.   “I remain committed to advancing Ohio’s leadership role in aerospace and unmanned systems.  The Ohio/Indiana UAS Center will move forward with its plans to serve the needs of federal, state, local, and private entities as they continue research and development of UAS.  Keeping Ohio’s aerospace industry strong and competitive is critical not only to our state’s economy, but to the national security of the United States.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=0d57aa3a-821b-431a-acda-e3e1b79e1e93,Sens. Warner & Kaine Applaud FAA Selection of VaTech Proposal on Unmanned Aircraft,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement today following the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selection of Virginia Tech’s proposal to spearhead a regional research effort on the safest and most effective ways to incorporate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the existing airspace. Virginia Tech’s proposal, one of six from across the country selected by the FAA today, includes a cooperative agreement to work with research institutions and facilities across Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. “We want to congratulate Virginia Tech and its partners for this success. Virginia’s selection provides an opportunity for the mid-Atlantic region to become a major hub for UAS research and testing, leveraging the growing private sector interest in UAS as well as incorporating military and NASA assets across our region. That’s why we have long supported Virginia's selection, and have worked to highlight the strengths of a Virginia-Maryland-New Jersey partnership with the FAA,” Sens. Warner and Kaine said. “We hope this FAA research and testing also helps sort-out the legitimate public concerns about privacy and air safety as we move toward a safe and responsible integration of unmanned aircraft.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=a61cf7b4-5603-49bb-b0b0-9578e6756aa1,Sen. Warner Calls for Hearing into Target Consumer Data Breach,2013-12-30,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today requested a hearing by the Senate Banking Committee to examine whether companies and financial service providers are taking all actions necessary to safeguard consumer data and protect against fraud and identity theft, and whether stronger industry-wide cybersecurity standards are needed. In the wake of Target’s recent account data breach affecting some 40 million U.S. customers, Sen. Warner and Banking Committee colleague Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) wrote to Chairman Tim Johnson and Ranking Member Mike Crapo:  “With our economy and financial sector becoming increasingly information-based and data-reliant, consumers depend on the companies and financial service providers with whom they do business to protect their sensitive information.  As companies collect, store, and process ever-greater quantities of consumer data, they—and our regulators—must become even more vigilant against breaches and improper use.” Just days before Christmas, Target announced that a data breach occurred between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, affecting about 40 million credit and debit card accounts, compromising customers' names, card information and security codes. Target has yet to disclose how the hackers penetrated its data security. The Warner/Menendez letter follows:   December 30, 2013 The Honorable Tim Johnson Chairman Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Washington, DC 20510                     The Honorable Mike Crapo Ranking Member Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Washington, DC 20510   Dear Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Crapo:           We write to request that the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hold a hearing as soon as reasonably possible regarding consumer financial data security.           As you know, earlier this month, Target Corporation announced a data breach that affected roughly 40 million customer credit and debit card accounts – one of the largest such corporate security breaches in history.  Thieves reportedly gained access to information including cardholders’ names, card information, and security PIN codes, potentially exposing millions of consumers to the risk of fraud, identity theft, and other hardships during the peak of the holiday shopping season.  Breaches such as this also expose businesses, banks, and card companies to losses from fraudulent charges or withdrawals using stolen information.           With our economy and financial sector becoming increasingly information-based and data-reliant, consumers depend on the companies and financial service providers with whom they do business to protect their sensitive information.  As companies collect, store, and process ever-greater quantities of consumer data, they—and our regulators—must become even more vigilant against breaches and improper use.           We believe it would be valuable for the Committee to examine whether market participants are taking all appropriate actions to safeguard consumer data and protect against fraud, identity theft, and other harmful consequences, and whether we need stronger industry-wide cybersecurity standards.  Some industry experts, for example, have called for faster and more uniform adoption of technologies such as EMV “smart” chips to improve credit and debit card transactional security, among other proposals.  We also believe it would be helpful for the Committee to hear from our financial regulators as to whether they have the necessary tools, information, and authority to ensure that financial companies and service providers are doing enough to protect consumer data, and, in the event that a breach does occur, to minimize the harm to affected parties and take appropriate enforcement actions.           When it comes to data security, consumers’ interests must come first.  We appreciate your attention to this important matter and look forward to working with you to address it. Sincerely,   Mark Warner United States Senator                                                   Robert Menendez United States Senator",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://gosar.house.gov/editorial/healthy-forests-key-averting-tragedies,Healthy forests key to averting tragedies,2013-12-29,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,AZ,Paul Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,,,legacy,"When it comes to wildfires, recent years have proven devastating to Arizona and many of the western states. The tragic Yarnell Hill Fire, which claimed the lives of 19 elite Hotshot firefighters, is still a fresh and painful wound throughout Arizona. share: f t Healthy forests key to averting tragedies By Paul Gosar When it comes to wildfires, recent years have proven devastating to Arizona and many of the western states. The tragic Yarnell Hill Fire, which claimed the lives of 19 elite Hotshot firefighters, is still a fresh and painful wound throughout Arizona. Fires in other western states like Colorado's Black Forest wildfire and California’s Rim Fire also caused great destruction. We must ensure that we are doing everything we can to prevent future tragedies. Although it is impossible to prevent all fires, federal, state and local land management policies can make them less frequent and less intense when they burn. By maintaining healthy forests, we can improve public safety, save endangered species and put people back to work. As a rural Arizonan and a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, I am fighting for policies that facilitate more active forest management on federal lands. This means smarter spending and better, more effective tools to implement ecological health projects like the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) and the White Mountain Stewardship Project.  Overgrown forests are susceptible to wildfire, so prevention starts with responsible thinning. Approximately 80 million acres of forest across the West are overgrown. There are now hundreds of trees per acre on lands that once contained only 10 to 25 trees per acre. Our budgets should prioritize wildfire prevention instead of focusing primarily on response. Although the need to suppress fires is never going to go away, we must shift our priority towards proactive management of our federal lands.  My bipartisan legislation, the Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act, addresses many of these issues. It passed the House earlier this year as part of a larger forest health package, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, and the Senate already held a hearing on it.  My bill eliminates red tape, streamlines wildfire-prevention projects, improves local coordination and brings more accountability to the process.  It will expedite the review and approval process for thinning and grazing projects, so that wildfire-prevention projects can move forward quickly when the public is at-risk. It also gets the government out of the way and empowers the private sector to create rural jobs by resurrecting the timber industry, as loggers thin millions of acres of overgrown forests. Congress can fight fires on federal lands before they even start through pro-active land management policies like those included in my Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act. I’m optimistic that Congress will enact comprehensive forest health legislation next year that will help prevent destructive wildfires as well as stimulate our rural economies. This op-ed appeared in the print edition of The Arizona Republic on December 29, 2013.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://juliabrownley.house.gov/media-center/op-eds/julia-brownley-urgent-need-to-extend-lifeline-to-unemployed,Julia Brownley: Urgent need to extend lifeline to unemployed,2013-12-29,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Julia Brownley,B001285,juliabrownley.house.gov,,,legacy,"Everyone remembers what happened five years ago when our economy fell into the worst recession since the Great Depression. Everyone knows someone — or knows of someone — who lost their job through no fault of their own during this severe economic downturn. It’s not just our families and friends who have suffered, but our local businesses who depend on their customers doing a little home improvement, replacing an old refrigerator, getting their car fixed, or buying some new clothes for their kids. Yet, while we are still climbing back during this long and slow recovery, we have an extreme tea party faction in Congress who — despite the facts and history — refuses to help the 1.3 million Americans whose unemployment insurance was cut off just three days after Christmas. For 214,000 Californians, it’s anything but a happy holiday season. Families should be coming together to celebrate and enjoy the holidays, but they are worrying about whether they can afford to pay for food, rent or electricity. To most of us, $303.37 per week — the average weekly benefit — doesn’t seem like a lot. We can’t pay our monthly bills on that. But for our 4,600-plus friends and neighbors in Ventura County who rely on the benefit, it helps them make ends meet so they can look for work. We’ve all heard the statistics: there are three people looking for work for every job opening. Our country faces a jobs shortage, and the only way to solve it is to create more jobs and to prepare our workers for the jobs that do exist. Open up the classified section of this newspaper and others around the country. Every week, there are lots of job listings in computer programming, network administration, high-tech manufacturing, and nursing and medical support roles. Those are the very sectors for which we need to train those looking for work. Most people who depend on unemployment insurance can’t find employment because the jobs they once had will never return. We need to help them retool and retrain so they can go from where the good-paying jobs of the 20th century were to where the good-paying jobs of the 21st century are. But when Congress adjourned for the year, it left without extending a lifeline to those who simply cannot find work before their unemployment benefits run out, despite the fact that the rate of Americans unemployed for longer than six months remains near historic highs due to a slow and fragile economic recovery still underway. In addition, another 325,000 people in the Golden State will lose their benefits in the first six months of 2014 if Congress fails to act. Speaker John Boehner is giving into the extreme right-wing tea party faction of his party by not allowing the House to vote to extend this vital relief for people who worked hard, played by the rules, and lost their jobs largely due to a Wall Street-fueled real estate binge. Where’s the holiday spirit in that? Where’s the goodwill toward men (and women) in that? Boehner and the tea party extremists in his own party would rather continue to give tax breaks to Big Oil and hedge fund managers than to help middle class families that fell on hard times. Merry Christmas to these special interests, they say, while giving lumps of coal to the most vulnerable among us. But what about the 240,000 jobs in the U.S. — 46,000 of them in California — that would be lost if extended unemployment insurance is ended? Should we just turn a blind eye on our friends and neighbors as they go from making a middle-class living to having to work two minimum-wage jobs just to make ends meet? These may be the values of Boehner and his tea party colleagues, but they are not Ventura County values and they are not the values of the vast majority of the American people. After we recover from the holiday festivities, let us once again find the bipartisan consensus that finally reopened the government after the disastrous tea party-led shutdown, and resolve to help our friends and neighbors find their footing in 2014. We cannot adequately grow our economy, expand the middle class and stay true to our values as a nation if we do not.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://roby.house.gov/roby-news/congress-could-reconsider-military-pension-cut-january,Congress could reconsider military pension cut in January,2013-12-29,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,AL,Martha Roby,R000591,roby.house.gov,,,legacy,"A cut to military retirement pay in the budget signed Thursday by President Obama has already triggered such a backlash that Congress may vote in January to toss it out. Some lawmakers who represent districts with a military presence — and who voted for the overall budget — are vowing to overturn the pension change as soon as the House and the Senate reconvene Friday. Several House and Senate lawmakers in both parties, responding to heavy lobbying from advocates for service members and veterans, already have introduced bills that would restore full cost-of-living increases for military retirees of working age. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Michael G. Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) have introduced a bill that would restore the annual cost-of-living adjustment for about 800,000 enlisted troops and officers who retire in their early 40s, then take other jobs outside the military. In the budget passed this month, the COLA for working-age retirees was reduced by 1 percentage point; once the retirees turn 62, they go back to receiving the full increase. The cut is expected to save the government about $6 billion over 10 years, and it is set to be phased in over three years. Davis and Fitzpatrick’s bill would find the savings instead by asking the Internal Revenue Service to crack down on Americans who file fraudulent claims for child tax credits. “I think we need to make the fix right now,” said Davis, whose Illinois district includes many former service members and employees at nearby Scott Air Force Base. At a meet-and-greet with constituents in his district recently, many voters were livid at the pension cut, Davis said. To them and him, he said, the federal government is unfairly breaking a promise it made to service members. “A lot of people joined the military and made huge sacrifices because they were promised a benefit,” he said. “To go back on that is wrong.” Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) said she is partnering with Fitzpatrick on the legislation. “I believe that this is a fix the Republican conference can rally around,” she said in a statement one day after the budget was approved. “In my opinion, it should be the first item on the docket for 2014.” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who is up for reelection next year, has introduced a bill to replace the $6 billion saved by the COLA cut by instead “eliminating a tax loophole for offshore corporations,” a news release from her office said. Republican Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), James M. Inhofe (Okla.), Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) and others also have come out against the COLA cut. On Dec. 23, Reps. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) and Ted Poe (R-Tex.) introduced similar measures that would repeal the provision. “As a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I believe our servicemembers, veterans, and their families must receive the benefits they have earned and deserve,” Brownley said in a statement. “These benefits are owed to them without equivocation. That is why I have introduced legislation to repeal the military retiree COLA reduction.” It is unclear whether either proposal includes cuts to offset the elimination of the COLA savings. Even lawmakers who support the COLA cut agree that the provision should be changed to exempt at least disabled veterans who were forced to retire for medical reasons, as well as survivors. The budget legislation also requires newly hired civilian federal employees to contribute more to their pensions. To read this article on the publication's website, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/dod-budget-has-293m-divert-airfield-nmi,DoD budget has $29.3M for divert airfield in NMI,2013-12-29,2013,2013-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Barack Obama signed into law on Thursday (Friday, CNMI time) the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2014 that provides $29.3 million for the development of a U.S. Air Force divert airfield in the CNMI. The new law also requires the Pentagon to report to Congress by June 25 the feasibility of having a National Guard in the CNMI and American Samoa. The defense bill also includes almost $495 million in spending for military construction projects in Guam. “Our economy could definitely use that money,” Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) told Saipan Tribune, referring to the $29.3 million for the development of a divert airfield in the CNMI. The divert airfield is intended to be an alternative landing base for Air Force planes if Andersen Air Force Base in Guam becomes unavailable because of weather or war.  Sablan worked with the U.S. House Armed Services Committee to place some limits on the Air Force, because there is still a question about where to put this facility: on Tinian or Saipan.  “I think that Northern Marians officials decided long ago that Tinian would be the preferred location for military expansion in the Northern Marianas, but the Air Force has other ideas. So, at my request, the Committee report directs the Air Force to work with the governor to find a mutually agreeable resolution to this siting issue,” Sablan said. The delegate added that the Air Force is also barred from spending any of the $29.3 million until it reports to Congress on all the alternatives that have been considered, the overall construction requirements, and the cost/benefits of options for the land needed. Gov. Eloy S. Inos said last week that the CNMI remains unified in its voice to have a divert airfield on Tinian where two-thirds of lands are already leased to the U.S. Department of Defense, instead of Saipan where the U.S. military had planned on placing it. The governor told the Air Force that its request to lease 33 acres of land on Saipan for the next 50 years “is quite an undesirable conclusion as it would impede future commercial development in the area.” H.R. 3304 or the 2014 NDAA also moves the Commonwealth toward possibly having its own National Guard.  DoD now has 180 days to report to Congress on the feasibility of having the CNMI’s own National Guard, just like Guam and all of the other states and territories, except American Samoa.  “We have 16 of our people deployed with the Guam National Guard—and returning safely home soon. So, clearly, there is an interest. But do we have enough people for a full Guard unit? Do we have the needed infrastructure? Will our local legislature support establishing a Northern Marianas National Guard? These are the questions the report will answer. And we should know by June 25,” Sablan said. Sablan introduced legislation in 2011 to set up a CNMI unit of the National Guard. Besides the CNMI-specific provisions, the annual Defense authorization makes some other changes worth noting. Sablan said military personnel will be getting a 1-percent raise.  “And the new law addresses the issue of sexual assault in the military, which is a problem that seems to be increasing and puts anyone in the armed service—men and women—including our people from the Northern Marianas, at risk. The new law bars commanders from overturning jury convictions in assault cases; and it mandates dishonorable discharge for anyone convicted—all steps in the right direction,” he said. Obama, in a statement, said the defense measure is a “welcome step” toward closing Guantanamo Bay prison. “The detention facility at Guantanamo continues to impose significant costs on the American people. I am encouraged that this Act provides the Executive greater flexibility to transfer Guantanamo detainees abroad, and look forward to working with Congress to take the additional steps needed to close the facility,” the president said. https://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=152580&cat=1",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/in-the-news/las-cruces-sun-news-op-ed-tom-udall-and-martin-heinrich-monument-will-preserve-lands-for-future-generations,Las Cruces Sun-News: OP-ED: Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich: Monument will preserve lands for future generations,2013-12-29,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,NM,Martin Heinrich,H001046,www.heinrich.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Las Cruces Sun-News: OP-ED: Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich: Monument will preserve lands for future generations By:  Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich Sunday, December 29, 2013 The Organ Mountains and surrounding area form a beautiful and iconic backdrop for Las Cruces and are beloved by New Mexicans who visit Doña Ana County to hunt, picnic, hike, and explore. This month, we were proud to introduce legislation to ensure that future generations of New Mexicans can continue those traditions, while boosting tourism and recreation opportunities. Our Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act would designate the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, putting a star on recreation maps around the world, highlighting the area's unique culture and history, and drawing tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. The most recent study estimates that a national monument designation would generate $7.4 million in new economic activity every year. There's a reason a recent survey found that 83 percent of people in Doña Ana County support the creation of a monument. The biologically and culturally rich terrain stretches from the granite peaks of the Organ Mountains, to the cinder cones, lava flows, and increasingly rare grasslands of the Potrillo Mountains, and from the caves, limestone cliffs, and winding canyons of the Robledos to the Uvas Mountains and the secluded Broad Canyon. These landscapes define southern New Mexico. The protected habitat for deer, quail and javelina guarantees some of the best hunting in the state. The canyons are home to species of birds, cacti, daisies, grasshoppers and other plants and animals, some found nowhere else in the world. And the region has been important throughout history -- Billy the Kid and Geronimo hid in these hills, and World War II soldiers and astronauts from the Apollo space mission trained here. Within the proposed national monument, eight wilderness areas would be guaranteed permanent protection. The monument would continue to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management, as it is today. And the BLM would be directed to ensure that grazing continues under the exact same rules as it does today, while the state would continue to manage wildlife and game within the monument. We've written the legislation to require that ranchers can continue to use all existing roads necessary to access stock improvements, including all roads leading to water troughs, pipelines and corrals. And the wilderness provisions allow primary roads to remain open so that the public can continue to use them, ensuring that you are never more than four miles from a road within the wilderness areas. First introduced by Senator Jeff Bingaman, the current bill is the result of years of work. It reflects the help and comments of ranchers, nearby communities, stakeholders, recreation groups and area businesses, and other stakeholders, as well as state agencies, White Sands Missile Range, Fort Bliss and the U.S. Border Patrol. We want to thank everyone who has provided insight; the proposal is better for it. For example, our bill increases the operational flexibility of Border Patrol beyond existing law, and creates new opportunities for expanded surveillance, pursuit and patrol. By releasing 30,000 acres from existing wilderness study area designation, the bill increases the current 0.3 -mile buffer between the Mexican border and protected lands to a full five-mile buffer. It also designates an east-west vehicular route within the Potrillo Mountains Wilderness to allow Border Patrol and other law enforcement to conduct border security operations. The legislation further supports county and local government efforts to implement early warning systems for extreme weather and flood prevention. It makes explicit the Bureau of Land Management's authority to issue new rights-of-way for flood prevention and watershed restoration projects within the monument. It also clarifies that the BLM must include a full assessment of opportunities for watershed restoration as a part of its plan to manage the monument. With this legislation, we honor the countless individuals who have made their way to the Organ Mountains and surrounding desert peaks to build a life and enjoy the abundant resources of this magnificent region. From those who left their marks carved into the cliff walls centuries ago, and the early homesteaders and travelers on the Butterfield Stagecoach Trail, to the modern business owners, ranchers, and families who use and explore the cliffs and grasslands of the proposed Organ Mountain-Desert Peaks National Monument today. We all have the same goal. We all want to ensure that these natural and cultural treasures are preserved for future generations and that communities in Doña Ana County can continue to grow and prosper. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich both represent New Mexico in the U.S. Senate. Both are Democrats.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.manchin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=41ca79c9-be97-49db-9947-e020e5cca9de,Manchin named Statesman of the Year for willingness to compromise | Clarksburg Exponent,2013-12-29,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,WV,Joe Manchin,M001183,www.manchin.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 29, 2013 Manchin named Statesman of the Year for willingness to compromise | Clarksburg Exponent WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Manchin built his reputation at home in West Virginia as a politician who didn’t subscribe to the ideals of either major national party. With more than three years in the U.S. Senate now under his belt, Manchin, D-W.Va., is a fixture in national news for his efforts to bridge the gap between Democrats and Republicans. In both roles, the constant theme has been putting constituents first, according to those who’ve worked with him. “He has done a fantastic job in putting a face on West Virginia as a state where we care about people,” said West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Tim Miley, D-Harrison. “We care about balancing our budget. We care about doing the right thing, regardless of differences on the issues. ... He is a great ambassador for the state of West Virginia.” Miley, who was elected to the House of Delegates the same year Manchin was elected governor, said he’s learned a lot over the years from Manchin. When Miley was elected speaker, Manchin called him up. “The most poignant thing that he shared with me is that good policy always makes for good politics and good policy and good politics transcend party lines,” Miley said. West Virginia Senate Clerk Joe Minard described some other achievements from Manchin’s days in state politics, including work on medical malpractice reform and tort reform. “He’s always been fairly independent,” Minard said. “He never was a straight party man. I guess you might say he was always an independent thinker.” Now that the backdrop is one of the most fiercely divisive political landscapes of recent memory, Manchin’s attempts can sometimes seem like wishful thinking. But sometimes they work. Most recently Manchin, The Exponent Telegram Statesman of the Year, worked with a group of bipartisan senators on a proposal to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling. Manchin teamed up with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine to find common ground, and the resulting template was used to draft the final bill that ended the shutdown. Manchin used that accomplishment as an example of when compromise can work. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get discouraged, especially as other initiatives, including a bill to expand the gun sale background check system, have stalled. The reaction to that bill showed how disillusioned citizens are with Washington, according to Manchin. “I get very frustrated,” he said. “I really do. I keep thinking, ‘how come it’s not so plain to everyone else to see what we’re doing to our great country?’ How can we not see that and not take more positive steps? ... I guess the thirst of power and all the money that’s involved. We’ve got to work past it.” State and Washington, D.C., politics are different beasts, in Manchin’s eyes. “It’s the city itself of Washington, D.C.,” he said. “It’s the power and the money that goes with this city — the prestige, the world stage we’re on. It makes it a little more challenging to get people to look to put our country before them or their party or their purpose that they’re here. It should be all about country.” But the junior senator from West Virginia also has a lot of bipartisan successes to be proud of, including an agreement on stronger federal regulation of toxic chemicals. Before an update to the Toxic Substances Control Act, which had not been improved in more than 30 years, thousands of chemicals were allowed to remain on the market without being tested for safety. Manchin was credited for helping broker a deal between New Jersey Democrat Frank Lautenberg, who advocated for a tougher bill, and Louisiana Republican David Vitter, who supported a more lenient, industry-backed proposal. Manchin also worked with a bipartisan group of senators on a bill to reduce student loan interest rates after they doubled to 6.8 percent on July 1— to 3.86 percent for subsidized and unsubsidized loans for undergraduate students, 5.41 percent on unsubsidized loans for graduate students and 6.41 percent on PLUS loans for parents and graduate students. To prevent dramatic increases in the future, the bill also required that for each academic year, all newly-issued student loans be set to the U.S. Treasury 10-year borrowing rate, and that interest rates never exceed 8.25 percent for undergraduate students, 9.5 percent for graduate students and 10.5 percent for PLUS borrowers. Manchin was proud of the FDA’s recent announcement that it will recommend rescheduling hydrocodone combination drugs from a Schedule III to a Schedule II controlled substance. He had fought for stricter control of the drug for years, including sponsoring the “Safe Prescribing Act” with Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and Representatives Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and Ed Markey, D-Mass. “That’s not going to win the war on drugs,” Manchin said. “But it’s going to help us have a better tool in the arsenal to fight it, and I think it will save a lot of lives.” Manchin said he will continue working on more bipartisan efforts because that’s why he was sent to Congress in the first place. “When I take that oath of office, I take the oath to represent and to serve everybody, not just the Democrats or the people that voted for me. ... I take it very seriously,” he said. By:  Erin Beck",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365150,Hastings' Statement on the Expiration of Unemployment Benefits,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,FL,Alcee Hastings,H000324,alceehastings.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hastings' Statement on the Expiration of Unemployment Benefits f t # e Fort Lauderdale, FL, December 28, 2013 Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) released the following statement after emergency unemployment benefits lapsed for the first time since 2008:   “Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for having left so many Americans out in the cold this holiday season.   “Starting today, an estimated 1.3 million Americans will face new hardships because of Republicans’ failure to extend unemployment benefits. Millions more may lose their unemployment in the upcoming year, if Republicans do not allow Congress to extend these vital benefits.   “Unemployment compensation is neither reckless nor wasteful spending – it is a lifeline for millions of families struggling to recover from the worst economic recession of our time. Congress’ first order of business in the new year must be to address this failure, and to ensure that Americans facing difficult times are provided with the support they need as they continue to look for work.”   Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-expiration-unemployment-insurance,Cicilline Announces Bill to Extend Federal Unemployment Insurance and Calls on Speaker to Act Immediately,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,RI,David Cicilline,C001084,cicilline.house.gov,,,legacy,"PAWTUCKET –  Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI) stressing the urgency of extending federal emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) at a press conference in his Pawtucket office this afternoon, announced that he will introduce a bill to extend EUC and called upon the Speaker to Act immediately. Cicilline was joined by several First District residents who discussed the impact this loss will have on them and their families.  As of today, 1.3 million Americans including 4,900 Rhode Islanders will no longer received federal emergency unemployment benefits.   “The day the Republican-led Congress skipped town for the holidays it left behind 1.3 million Americans who rely upon this assistance to survive as they continue to look for work. Nearly 5,000 Rhode Islanders who have already exhausted their state benefits are now without their last safety net,"" said Cicilline.  ""I'm not giving up this fight until we renew emergency unemployment benefits for people struggling to find work.  We can't turn our back on more than a million Americans, especially in Rhode Island where our unemployment rate is the highest in the nation."" Until today Rhode Islanders who had exhausted their 26 weeks of unemployment benefits from the state were eligible to receive an additional 47 weeks of federal benefits.   If Congress fails to extend federal EUC, 4.9 million Americans, including 21,700 Rhode Islanders over the course of 2014 will be affected according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Analysis of Budget Deal.   The Economic Policy Institute has estimated that failure to extend Unemployment Insurance could cost the national economy 310,000 jobs over the course of the coming year. ""I voted against the budget, which was the last vote Congress took before adjourning for the year because it failed to include an extension of these critical benefits.   The minute Congress is back in session on January 7th I will introduce a bill to retro-actively extend these benefits and make sure it is paid for by eliminating unnecessary subsidies and closing corporate tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas. I have written a letter to Speaker Boehner asking that he take up this bill immediately upon our return."" Rhode Islanders in the First District can contact Cicilline’s Pawtucket Office at 729-5600 to receive more information regarding the expiration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation and to find other ways to receive state and federal aid.  Below is a copy of the remarks Cicilline delivered at his press conference this afternoon: Today I am standing with my constituents to talk about the importance of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation that expires today and that lawmakers in Washington left town without addressing or renewing. The day the Republican-led Congress skipped town for the holidays it left behind 1.3 million Americans who depend on this assistance to survive as they continue to look for work. Nearly 5,000 Rhode Islanders who have already exhausted all of their state benefits are now without any income to meet their basic needs, no safety net at all. These are individuals who have worked hard, played by the rules, but have been hard hit by the Great Recession. There are just not enough jobs for those looking for work I am here today to make it clear that I'm not giving up this fight until we renew emergency unemployment benefits for people struggling to find work.  We can't turn our back on more than a million Americans, especially in Rhode Island where our unemployment rate is the highest in the nation. Until today Rhode Islanders who had exhausted their 26 weeks of unemployment benefits from the state were eligible to receive an additional 47 weeks of federal benefits.   Constituents like Rhonda from Rumford who has worked all her life, sometimes with more than one job, to make ends meet. She needs our help and she needs it today. Constituents like Rhonda don’t need a fix from Congress in a few weeks, they need help to buy groceries and keep a roof over their children’s heads. If Congress fails to extend federal EUC, 4.9 million Americans, including 21,700 Rhode Islanders over the course of 2014 will be affected according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Analysis of Budget Deal.   Failure to extend Unemployment Insurance is not only devastating for individuals, but will hurt our economic recovery. The Economic Policy Institute has estimated that failure to extend Unemployment Insurance could cost the national economy 310,00 jobs over the course of the coming year. These people have written to me and called my office with stories of hard work and dedication and their efforts to support themselves and their families. Erica of North Providence wrote saying: “One month of help can be the difference between someone getting a job and getting back on their feet or falling further into debt and hopelessness. I know this from repeated personal experience. I have hope that someday I will be able to help others instead of needing that help. But right now, I need help. I am genuinely terrified.” I voted against the budget, which was the last vote Congress took before adjourning for the year because it failed to include an extension of these critical benefits.   The minute Congress is back in session on January 7th I will introduce a bill to retro-actively extend these benefits and make sure it is paid for by eliminating unnecessary subsidies and closing corporate tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas. I have written to Speaker Boehner today, asking that he take this bill up immediately upon our return to Congress. I want to thank my constituents gathered here today for taking the time to tell their stories and I want you to hear what I have heard over the past months. Lawmakers in Washington need to understand the urgency and essential nature of these benefits and act now to help the more than one million Americans who are fighting for their lives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-2013-defense-authorization-becoming-law,Cramer Statement on 2013 Defense Authorization Becoming Law,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Kevin Cramer released the following statement on the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) being signed into law by President Obama: “The new defense authorization law is the result of a compromise reached by the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The House passed the NDAA with a bipartisan majority in June including an amendment I sponsored to keep the active Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) silos at Minot Air Force Base in a warm status. It is disappointing this protection against unilateral nuclear disarmament by the Obama Administration was stripped by Senate negotiators. “The defense appropriations bill passed by the House in July added even more protection by prohibiting the Obama Administration from going forward with an environmental impact study on deconstructing ICBMs, the first step toward reducing the fleet. Unfortunately the Senate has not passed a defense appropriations bill. “However, I am pleased the NDAA supports increased troop pay, rejects the Administration’s proposals to increase military medical fees, prohibits base closure, and addresses sexual assault. It also includes the new KC-46 tanker to be potentially stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, the new Long Range Strike Bomber to replace the B-52 bomber currently stationed in Minot, and prevents the premature retirement of the Global Hawk Bock 30 unmanned aircraft.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://gwenmoore.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=966,Gwen Moore Pushes for Unemployment Insurance Extension,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,WI,Gwen Moore,M001160,gwenmoore.house.gov,,,legacy,"Jamil Smith, @JamilSmith   Even after facing backlash for effectively killing an act historically seen as a bi-partisan non-issue, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is short on answers explaining precisely why he and a number of his fellow Republicans opposed the Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization.   “Majority Leader Cantor has worked hard seeking to move the bill forward so we can protect all victims and prosecute offenders,” Cantor’s office told Melissa Harris-Perry Thursday in a written statement. “The majority leader has been working with our members and directly with Vice President Biden to seek common ground across party lines and put an end to violence against women.”   But the House version Cantor supports, by definition, does not protect “all victims.” That description would apply more accurately to the more inclusive version, which added provisions granting legal protections to American Indians, undocumented immigrants, and lesbian and trans women, and passed with a supermajority in the Senate. But per a new report today from Talking Points Memo‘s Sahil Kapur, what happened when it got to the House was vintage GOP obstructionism:   Republican leaders deployed their female members to make the case for it, notably Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), a leadership member, and Rep. Sandy Adams (FL), herself a victim of domestic violence. Over the objections of advocates for abused victims, but with the support of a so-called men’s rights group, House GOP leaders passed their version on a partisan vote, despite a White House veto threat. And that’s when the legislation stalled, never to recover.   A Republican source who complained of House Democratic tactics to TPM pointed to a Dec. 7 letter from the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women applauding Cantor’s “good faith” negotiations with Democrats like Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont concerning the new VAWA provisions. Dec. 7 was a while ago; what are they saying now? In a statement posted on their site Thursday expressing their “anger” over the failure to pass a new VAWA, it appears the national task force has run out of patience. “The U.S. House of Representatives continued to voice strong opposition to offering basic protections to certain vulnerable populations…” the task force wrote. “There is no time to waste in addressing the needs of victims.  We call on the 113th Congress to act immediately on VAWA this month and pass a bill that safely and effectively meets the needs of all victims.”   One member of that new Congress, Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, has been one of the more vocal advocates for passage of the Senate version of VAWA. She was the author of a December letter signed by ten House Republicans urging that passage, and delivered to Cantor–among others. On Thursday, her office released this statement to Melissa Harris-Perry, seeking to show that the VAWA isn’t “dead,” in the purest sense:   However, reports that VAWA is “dead” are untrue; VAWA’s authorization expired over a year ago, but its programs and services continue to operate under language last updated in 2005. Still, VAWA’s current form is in serious need of the updates and enhancements suggested by the domestic violence and sexual assault community.   We must continue to fight for funds for VAWA through the appropriations process, and we absolutely must make sure that the sequester doesn’t hit at the end of February. The sequester’s cuts to VAWA programs would be incredibly harmful, particularly at the state and local level.   Our goal for the next few weeks and months is to speak out on behalf of VAWA and ensure it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of the debt ceiling and ongoing budget-related discussions.   We must reauthorize VAWA, and we must do it now.   House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi echoed Moore in her statement, but is passage of a new VAWA likely in this new Congress? Moore, a survivor of sexual assault, is one of a record 80 women now–as of today’s swearings-in–serving in the House of Representatives. A record 20 now serve in the Senate. But as both Tara Culp-Ressler in The Atlantic and The Cycle co-host Krystal Ball noted today, the problem may lie in the fact that those numbers aren’t nearly high enough. After listing the new Senate protections referenced above, Ball wrote, “I don’t know how you could object to any of those things. The only explanation is a lack of personal connection to the problem.”   To view this article online, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://meeks.house.gov/press-release/end-year-report,End of the Year Report,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,NY,Gregory Meeks,M001137,meeks.house.gov,,,legacy,"NY State of Health New York State’s official health plan marketplace, NY State of Health, is in full swing! As of last week over 350,000 New Yorkers have completed their applications and over a hundred thousand have chosen their plans and coverage will begin for them on January 1, 2014. This is a 34% increase in the enrollment rates from December 9 and those who have purchased their health plan have seen a 53 percent decrease in their premium rates.  In addition to this cost savings, it is estimated that nearly three-quarters of individual enrollees will qualify for financial assistance. If you have not done so already please visit https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov, call toll-free 1-855-355-5777, or in-person through a navigator and sign up for healthcare today! Farm Bill and Food Stamps The House and Senate both passed their versions of the Farm Bill this year and now conference committee deliberations are underway to come to an agreement between these bills.  A major point of contention in conference is undoubtedly the major disparity in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or food stamps.  Over the 10-year budget window, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Senate bill would cut spending for SNAP by approximately $4 billion and that the House’s version would reduce spending by approximately $39 billion.  SNAP currently helps more than 48 million Americans, nearly half of whom are children, meet their basic food needs. This program has suffered enough already due to sequestration and at the expense of millions of children and working families.  The deep cuts to SNAP whether in the form budgetary reductions, categorical eligibility calculations, new work-related requirements, or mandatory drug testing are all unnecessary and unfair attacks against millions of Americans who rely on these benefits to feed their families. Below is a statement I made on the House floor earlier this year on the issue. Sandy Related News and Flood Insurance FEDERAL FUNDS APPROVED TO REBUILD ELEVATE AND REIMBURSE HURRICANE SANDY STORM VICTIMS In response to Hurricane Sandy, Congress appropriated funds to deal with several critical relief programs.  This included almost $16 billion for New York City Community Development Block Grants, which will enable disaster recovery funds.  I am pleased that the first tranche of CDBG funding was allocated, and will finally be disbursed.  I to thank, Sean Donovan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, who headed the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force set by President Obama for the input and their approval. The Mayor's Housing and Recovery Operations - New York City Build it Back Program The New York City Build It Back Program which falls under the New York City's Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG), provides communities with resources to address a wide range of community development needs as well as, to support recovery from Hurricane Sandy, and to build resilience to the challenges of climate change and New York City infrastructure and other city services. I am encouraged to hear that all New Yorkers and interested parties have taken the initiative to become better acquainted with this process. However, I feel the pace of this program needs to be accelerated to meet the existing needs. FEMA Releases Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps for New York City I am pleased the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for New York City that reflect the latest refinements to the ongoing analysis of flood hazards. This release is the next step in the coastal Flood Insurance Study update. The Preliminary FIRMs replace the Preliminary Work Maps for New York City that were released earlier this year in June as an interim product. The new maps are extremely important as FEMA and the City continue to work in partnership to support resilient communities, and to avoid or reduce the loss of life and property, and the financial impacts of flooding. The Preliminary FIRMs reflect the same coastal flood risks as the Preliminary Work Maps and have now been updated to include river flooding in the Bronx and Staten Island. The release of the Preliminary FIRMs indicates the first step in the official regulatory review process. The next step is a statutory 90-day appeal and comment period, which is expected to begin in Spring 2014.  Property owners and interested parties will have the opportunity to appeal the Preliminary FIRMs by submitting technical documentation to New York City during this period.  Once the appeal period is over, and all appeals are resolved, FEMA will issue a Letter of Final Determination (LFD) to the City that initiates the six-month adoption period before the maps become effective.  Upon becoming effective, expected to occur in 2015, the new FIRMs will determine flood insurance rates. In the meantime, to promote higher standards for building performance and reduce potential future flood insurance costs, New York City has revised the building code to require the standards reflected in the Preliminary FIRMs for the construction of new and substantially improved structures. Information on the comment and appeals process and New York City’s updated building code is available on www.nyc.gov Along with a bipartisan coalition in Congress, I have negotiated and introduced a solution to fix the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  “The Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2013” delays rate increases for about four years for primary residences that are currently grandfathered; for all properties sold after July 6, 2012; and for all properties that purchased a new policy after July 6, 2012.  In addition, as mandated by the Biggert-Waters bill, the bill directs FEMA to complete an affordability study to ensure that the program remains widely accessible and affordable to the many who are at risk of having their payments skyrocket.  JFK Airport JFK Airport is an incredible economic engine for our community, but something must be done about the noise.  That’s why I recently cosponsored legislation that would greatly reduce noise pollution created by aircraft.  The bill, known as the Silent Skies Act, phases out louder aircraft engines and supports the introduction of new technology that significantly reduces the environmental impact of aircraft engine noise.  This will help diversify and increase investment in the district, add value to our homes, and improve the overall quality of living in Queens. Gun Reform Neglecting overwhelming public opinion and widespread acknowledgement that our nation desperately needs to reform our gun laws, I believe the Republican majority has chosen not to bring any significant gun legislation to a vote. They have ignored every proposal aimed at improving our nation’s gun laws, from expanding background checks to closing the “gunshow loophole.” One bipartisan bill in particular introduced in the House, H.R. 1565, the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Act, addresses most of these shortcomings and has 186 bipartisan cosponsors. The bill would provide much needed improvements to the background check system including an upgrade to the criminal history record program that will better identify violent individuals with a criminal history attempting to purchase firearms, it would also institute the inclusion of mental health records in background checks. Further, it would finally close the “gun show loophole” requiring those that purchase weapons at gun shows undergo background checks as well. Unfortunately, this legislation has not been moved out of the Judiciary Committee.  In 2014, I hope Congress is given the opportunity to vote on meaningful gun reform legislation that the nation supports. Immigration Reform The Senate passed a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill earlier this year, S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, by a substantial margin. However, Speaker of the House John Boehner has not brought a comprehensive immigration bill to the floor even though there is bipartisan support in Congress to pass one. He adjourned the House of Representatives for the remainder of the year without bringing a single piecemeal immigration reform bill to the floor for a vote. I was inspired to see movement on immigration reform on the Senate side, only to become sorely disappointed when the Republican majority in the House refused to move forward with this issue. In the upcoming year, I hope the Speaker of the House will finally allow the House of Representatives to take a vote that will address our nation’s flawed immigration system. Budget and Unemployment Insurance I voted in support of H.J. Res 59, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, in spite of it’s many flaws.  The bill lifts the sequester on government spending which made indiscriminate and damaging cuts to programs like childhood education, public housing, and other vital government services and replaces it with $63 billion dollars in additional spending split almost evenly between non-defense and defense spending over the next 10 years.  The budget agreement provides a welcome departure from the recent 16-day government shutdown that slowed our economic output and cost the economy $24 billion. My support of the bipartisan budget resolution is not without deep reservations.  One of its most critical shortcomings is its failure to extend unemployment insurance for millions of struggling Americans. I urge Republican leadership to act in time to prevent devastation to the many unemployed Americans who need continued support as they look to recover from difficult economic times.  Now is not the time to turn our backs on those in our nation who are most in need. Foreign Affairs I have cosponsored a Resolution, H. Res 443, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the September 23, 2013 decision of the Dominican Republic Constitutional Court that places hundreds of thousands of Dominican born persons (majority of which are of Haitian descent) at risk of statelessness. Over 240,000 Dominican-born people of Haitian descent are at risk of harm from statelessness. This ruling, if fully implemented, could greatly destabilize an already vulnerable region.  I am deeply concerned about this potential humanitarian crisis and hope that through the work of regional partners and nations, a resolution is reached that respects international standards for basic human rights. Strengthening Transatlantic Relations November 25- 26 I traveled to Brussels and Berlin with Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) to meet members of the German Bundestag and the European Parliament.  During these visits, my colleagues and I discussed the importance of maintaining a strong transatlantic alliance. We also discussed the scope of U.S. intelligence collection and addressed a broad spectrum of issues that represent the longstanding cooperation between the United States and Europe, including current negotiations towards a comprehensive, high-standard trade agreement. Engagement with a Rising Power - China Along with other members in the Congressional Black Caucus, I participated in a trip to China, to discuss CBC priorities in foreign policy.  We raised tough issues head on including China’s poor human rights record that involves suppressing challenges to the communist party, as well as concerns about commercial cyber spying, and the intentions behind China’s military modernization.  We also discussed important areas of cooperation, including U.S.-China efforts to revive the global economy, and multilateral efforts to address tough issues like Iran and Syria – some of which are bearing fruit today in the form of the P5+1 interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.  I witnessed clear signs of China’s rapid transformation, and their commitment to continuing to deepen ties between the U.S. and China through people to people exchanges. Honoring a World Legend I was deeply honored to be part of the official Congressional delegation representing the United States at the memorial services of former South African President, Nelson Mandela on December 11, 2013.  As I remember the legacy of Nelson Mandela, I will always remember his electrifying visit to New York shortly after his release from prison.  And I will always cherish having met Nelson Mandela on several occasions — especially the laughter, stories, and insight he shared with me and other members of a congressional delegation during a wonderful lunch at his home.  Thank you Madiba for all you have done not only for South Africa but for the world.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/fourth-deadly-and-unprovoked-attack-camp-liberty-residents-underscorres-need,"Fourth Deadly and Unprovoked Attack on Camp Liberty Residents Underscores Need for Administration to Push Iraqi Government and the UN to Do More for their Protection, Says Ros-Lehtinen",2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,FL,Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,R000435,ros-lehtinen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Fourth Deadly and Unprovoked Attack on Camp Liberty Residents Underscores Need for Administration to Push Iraqi Government and the UN to Do More for their Protection, Says Ros-Lehtinen Miami, Florida – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, made the following statement today following the latest deadly, unprovoked attack against Camp Liberty yesterday that killed two and left a number more in critical condition. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “This latest attack is the fourth of its kind on Camp Liberty this year, and those responsible must be swiftly brought to justice. For over a year now, I have urged the Administration to take immediate action to ensure that the residents of the camp are provided the safety and the security they were guaranteed in a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Iraq and the UN. Sadly, neither party has been willing to live up to its obligations and the vicious and unprovoked attacks continue, both on Camp Liberty and Camp Ashraf. Both the UN and the Iraqi government must take the steps necessary to protect the residents of Camp Liberty and Camp Ashraf until they can be safely relocated. This includes the installation of t-walls and other measures that can be done to make the Camps more secure. Last month I pressed Secretary Kerry to use the full leverage of the State Department and the Administration to press the Iraqi government's swift action on this installation, and will continue to do so until these residents are sufficiently protected.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=366351,Only a few serve U.S. in office and in uniform,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON — About two days out of every month, Rep. Brad Wenstrup gets a gut check when he leaves Capitol Hill for his other job: surgeon for the Army Reserve. share: f t WASHINGTON — About two days out of every month, Rep. Brad Wenstrup gets a gut check when he leaves Capitol Hill for his other job: surgeon for the Army Reserve. He travels the 12 miles to Bethesda, Md., where the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center has treated servicemen and women since 2011, and he pitches in where he can. Sometimes, that means talking to residents; other times, it means helping in surgery. Because he serves two days a month, he can’t develop long-term relationships with patients. On Memorial Day, he had planned to enjoy a recess from his congressional duties. Then he got a call: Many casualties were coming in from Afghanistan, could he help? The Cincinnati Republican changed his plans, staying Friday and Saturday to help with sometimes complicated surgeries that required multiple surgeons. Wenstrup, 55, is a rarity, one of just 14 members of the U.S. House who still serve in the military through the Guard or Reserves. One senator also serves in the Reserves, according to the Congressional Research Service. And yet Wenstrup isn’t the only Ohio lawmaker who balances military and congressional duties. Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, is a member of the Ohio National Guard. He graduated from the Army War College last year and drills one weekend a month plus two weeks in the summer. “It’s Congress that has the ultimate authority to decide whether to declare war,” Stivers said. “ So having someone who understands what that means, and what that means in a human price for all these soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, is a good thing.” Others in Ohio’s congressional delegation also have served. House Speaker John Boehner, R-West Chester, enlisted in the Navy in 1968 but was honorably discharged after eight weeks because of back problems, and Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, served in the Air Force from 1973 to 1999. Still, the number is shrinking, according to the Congressional Research Service: At the beginning of the 113th Congress, there were 108 members who had served or were serving in the military, 10 fewer than at the beginning of the 112th Congress and 12 fewer than in the 111th Congress. According to CQ Roll Call, the House currently has 88 veterans while the Senate has 18. Congressional veterans served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. Stivers and Wenstrup both came to Congress after serving on active duty in the Middle East. Stivers joined the Ohio National Guard in 1985. He was called up while serving in the Ohio Senate in October 2004, and went to Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and Djibouti as battalion commander overseeing mail delivery. He returned home in December 2005 and was awarded a Bronze Star for his work. Currently, he runs the Ohio Regional Training Institute, which is the training academy inside the Ohio Air National Guard. Stivers was selected for the Army War College before he became a member of Congress. He began attending the War College in May 2010 and was elected to Congress six months later. Even as he was putting his congressional staff together, his War College classes were becoming more demanding. Most of the classes were distance learning. Typically, Stivers read three or four books for a specific course, posted on online forums as late as 1 a.m., then woke up early to read the replies. In July 2011, he went to Carlisle, Pa., for two weeks of on-campus training. Others in his class have dropped out; Stivers did not. Six-hundred began War College; roughly 400 completed it. “When I commit to do something, I think it’s important to follow through and finish up,” he said. His education, he added, helped him become more informed as a member of Congress about war strategies. For example, when there is talk of entering a military conflict, Stivers is sure to ask about exit plans and what outcome would be considered a success. When Congress was weighing action in Syria, Stivers drew upon his War College education and ultimately spoke against military involvement. His military service, he said, has given him sympathy for other public servants, especially fellow members of Congress. “Being in the military, regardless of the branch, helps you understand service,” he said. “And this job is a public service.” Wenstrup signed up to serve in 1998. He kept seeing reports of attacks on the United States — the flight over Lockerbie, the conflict in Lebanon — and he felt moved to help. He’d heard of local doctors who were serving and liked the idea. But instead of signing up immediately, he waited; he was a bone-marrow donor for his sister, who had leukemia, and wanted to wait until she’d reached the five-year survivorship mark before he joined. Wenstrup was called up in 2005 and 2006, serving in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, after the notorious scandal involving the torture of military prisoners. At Abu Ghraib, he treated service members and prisoners alike. “My commitment was eight years,” he said. “And after that experience, while I was in Iraq, I came home and said, ‘I’m not leaving now.’ ” He re-enlisted, but spoke about his experience in front of crowds. Eventually, he was recruited to run for Congress and defeated Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, in the 2012 primary election. While the more dramatic injuries have died down as troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan, Wenstrup’s first few months at Walter Reed were a harsh reminder of the toll troops can pay. On his first day helping out, he worked on a man with several fingers and both legs gone. Now, Wenstrup treats wounded veterans, but in a different way. He recently helped an amputee who had hurt himself piloting a Sea-Doo from New York to Key West. The veteran wins pull-up contests. “ He’s just blowing everyone away,” Wenstrup said. During one visit, he met the vet’s 4-year-old son and asked the boy what he wanted to be when he grew up. “A Navy SEAL like my dad,” the boy replied. Being in Congress, Wenstrup said, is a different sort of challenge. As a soldier, he’d get his mission and complete it. As a doctor, he examines a patient, makes a diagnosis, talks with the patient about options, decides on a course of action and follows it. Congress, he said, hardly works so neatly. His trips to Walter Reed, he said, are a telling reminder of what determination can do. “It’s an honor to be there and see these troops,” he said. “You’ll see a guy for the first time trying to go up the steps with two prosthetics, and he’s just determined and he’s sweating. And he just keeps going.” jwehrman@dispatch.com",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gwenmoore.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2138,Gwen Moore Pushes for Unemployment Insurance Extension,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,WI,Gwen Moore,M001160,gwenmoore.house.gov,,,legacy,"After the New Year, I urge my colleagues to act in the best interests of our constituents and make this extension a priority. share: f t Contact: Staci Cox (202) 225- 4572 Milwaukee, WI Today, approximately 1.3 million Americans will lose their unemployment insurance. Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) released this statement: This holiday season, Congressional Republicans have given Americans a gift' of uncertainty they did not ask for and did not deserve. Today approximately 23,700 Wisconsinites will lose their unemployment insurance benefits. In the first six months of 2014, these benefits will expire for approximately 41,800 more Wisconsinites. ""Each day, struggling families across our nation wonder how they will feed their families and warm their homes. Unemployment insurance helps to reduce this anxiety and increase the well-being of many. In our slowly recovering economy, the decision to extend these benefits to assist our families, friends and neighbors should not be difficult. ""After the New Year, I urge my colleagues to act in the best interests of our constituents and make this extension a priority. As lawmakers, we should give a hand to struggling American families, not remove their resources."" To watch Rep. Moore support unemployment insurance on MSNBC, please click here. ### For Moore News Updates",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221184342/http://bass.house.gov/press-release/statement-calling-ugandas-president-veto-anti-homosexuality-legislation,Statement Calling on Uganda's President to Veto Anti-Homosexuality Legislation,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Karen Bass,B001270,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Today, Congressmember Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Africa, released the following statement calling on Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to veto the recently passed Anti-Homosexuality Bill: ""I join with Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) in calling on Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to veto the Uganda's parliament recently passed Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Rights of LGBT people around the world are human rights, and I am deeply concerned regarding the harassment, discrimination and violence that Uganda's LGBT community will certainly face should this legislation become law. ""As the world moves forward on ensuring equality under the law of the LGBT community, this proposed law is a giant step backwards. It sets a 14-year jail term for a first-time conviction for men who are convicted of engaging in sexual relations with other men, and a life imprisonment for committing aggravated homosexuality. The bill also criminalizes 'promotion and recognition' of homosexuality that will cause unnecessary harassment to health care workers who are working in Uganda to provide services to those living with HIV/AIDS. ""One of the great lessons of human history-- and one certainly that the United States knows all to well-- is that any government which legalizes the subjugation of a portion of its citizenry ultimately regrets that decision and will have to face the judgement of the world.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/time-to-pass-a-farm-bill,Time To Pass A Farm Bill,2013-12-28,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Time To Pass A Farm Bill Daily News-Record Op-Ed Saturday, December 28, 2013 As we give thanks this holiday season, it’s important to remember the family farms that produce the food we will enjoy with friends and relatives. But farmers’ hard work deserves more than recognition — Congress owes it to farmers here in the Valley and across the country to swiftly pass a final farm bill. Among all sectors of our economy, agriculture, the largest industry in Virginia, is unique for a simple reason —  its output supports our very lives. The market may wax and wane, but we will always need food. A drought or a heavy flood means a bad year for the farmer, whose output is reduced, and a bad year for the consumer, who has to pay more for groceries. In any given year, the impact of unpredictable events on agriculture could send a domino effect of either prosperity or hardship through the economy. This inherent volatility means it is in everyone’s interest to ensure there is a stable, predictable market for agricultural goods. That is why farm bills have traditionally maintained a system of payments tailored to the varying needs of different regions and crops along with federal support for crop insurance premiums. Clear flaws in this system have emerged, such as direct payments to millionaires, or to property caretakers who aren’t even farmers but qualify for payments through legal loopholes. I’m pleased that along with other important reforms, both the Senate and House farm bills end direct payments, expand crop insurance, and restructure the commodity title. But that won’t help if we fail to pass a final bill —  or if we pass another one-year extension. Whether it’s peanut and cotton farmers in Southside or poultry growers in the Valley, farmers deserve certainty from their government. That’s why I was proud to support a farm bill in the Senate last summer that passed with 66 bipartisan votes. I’m disappointed that negotiators won’t be able to work out the differences between the Senate and House bills before the end of the year, but it’s critical we pass a final package in early January to restore this certainty for Virginia farmers and to protect consumers from possible price increases. One major area in which the Senate and House bills differ is in treatment of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps. The Senate bill I voted for saves approximately $4 billion by tightening loopholes in the SNAP benefit calculation, while the House bill cuts $40 billion by reducing SNAP eligibility. The difference is between curbing program misuse and curbing actual use by the neediest Americans. I hope the final bill maintains SNAP benefits that keep millions of children, disabled, and elderly people out of hunger. Moreover, nutrition support makes economic sense as a way that food commodities produced by American farmers reach hungry people at home and abroad. Additionally, the final farm bill will likely contain incentives to bolster support for local food networks. Consumers deserve to know where their food is coming from, and farmers deserve policies that enable them to sell to local consumers and businesses. I support expanding farmers markets and access to local, healthy, and organic foods. This issue resonated with me this year when a report found that my hometown of Richmond contains the most “food deserts” – areas without easy access to fresh food – of any city of its size in the nation. Congress must do all it can to support farmers as they put quality local food on the tables of Virginians, over the holidays and every day. For the sake of our family farmers and consumers across the country, it is time to pass a farm bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-calls-for-extension-of-unemployment-benefits-as-first-order-of,CASTRO CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AS FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquín Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,,,legacy,"San Antonio, TX – 1.3 million Americans, including over 64,000 Texans, are losing all of their federal unemployment insurance tomorrow, December 28. An additional 106,900 Texans will lose their unemployment insurance in the first 6 months of 2014. Rep. Joaquin Castro is calling on Speaker Boehner to bring up this important piece of legislation for debate as the first order of business in the new year. U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro along with 173 other members of Congress urged Speaker Boehner to not adjourn before extending this crucial program for millions of struggling Americans.   “As the economy recovers, the American people deserve a Congress that puts their needs first. As folks continue to look for jobs and strengthen our economy, we must ensure that they are supported. Yet, at a time when families should be coming together to celebrate and enjoy the holidays, hundreds of thousands are seeing their entire lifeline cut-off because the  Speaker decided to adjourn before dealing with this important program,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro. “I am calling on Speaker Boehner to make extending this vital program the first order of business when Congress returns in January. This will restore hope for folks who have worked hard, played by the rules, and continue to look for a job.”   The federal unemployment insurance program – formally called Emergency Unemployment Compensation – took effect in 2008 and has been reauthorized several times since as the economy continues its recovery. Despite the real progress the economy has made since its near collapse in 2008, there are still 1.3 million fewer jobs than there were before the recession began and long-term unemployment as a percentage of the unemployed is 37 percent, far higher than during previous recessions. On average, nationwide, the program provides about $300 a week to recipients.   Failure to extend federal unemployment insurance would also hurt job growth locally and throughout the nation, costing the economy 240,000 jobs, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramers-first-bill-signed-by-president-obama,Cramer's First Bill Signed by President Obama,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama signed Congressman Kevin Cramer's first bill into law yesterday, December 26. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Streamlining Act, House Resolution 767, passed the House of Representatives on May 15 and the Senate on December 20. The bill will improve the efficiency of processing federal oil and natural gas permits in North Dakota while retaining all existing standards for approval. While the legislation first passed the Senate after being introduced by Senator Hoeven in the 112th Congress and again by Hoeven with Senator Heitkamp in the 113th Congress, it was never considered by the House until Cramer introduced it in the 113th Congress. “North Dakota will join other states in a streamlining pilot project to alleviate the increased workload of federal permit review,” said Cramer. “I am pleased the President accepted these modest improvements and am hopeful we can build on this achievement to find more common ground in the future.” Congressman Cramer is a member of the Natural Resources and Science, Space and Technology Committees, including the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, and the Subcommittee on Energy of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-applauds-enactment-kelly-amendment-ban-funding-un-arms-trade-treaty,Rep. Kelly Applauds Enactment of Kelly Amendment to Ban Funding for UN Arms Trade Treaty,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Amendment included in final NDAA bill signed by president WASHINGTON — Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) issued the following statement today commending the signing of the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 which included his amendment to ban funding for the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The Kelly amendment requires a one year ban on the use of funds by the Department of Defense to implement the ATT unless the treaty receives the advice and consent of the Senate and is the subject of implementing legislation, as required, by the Congress. The NDAA agreement was passed by the House on December 12, 2013, by 350-69; passed by the Senate on December, 19, 2013, by 85-14; and signed by President Obama on December 26, 2013. “As I and many others have long stated, the ATT is a clear threat to our national sovereignty and the Constitutional rights of all Americans and should never have been signed. I am therefore glad to say that a major victory has been achieved in the fight to make sure this dangerous treaty never affects the United States in any capacity. Earlier this month, the House and Senate acted in a bipartisan manner to affirm my amendment’s resistance to the treaty by including it in the NDAA’s final passage. Now that the NDAA has been signed by President Obama, the White House has joined Congress in taking a belated stand for American strength and sovereignty by making this crucial amendment the law of the land.” NOTE: Rep. Kelly is a national leader of the movement to stop the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). On March 15, 2013, he introduced H. Con. Res. 23, a bipartisan concurrent resolution expressing opposition to the treaty on behalf of members of Congress. The resolution currently has 149 co-sponsors in the House and 36 supporters in the Senate. On May 30, 2013, Rep. Kelly submitted a bipartisan letter with 130 co-signers from Congress to both President Obama and Secretary Kerry urging them to reject the treaty. He sent a similar bipartisan letter to the president following Secretary Kerry’s signing of the treaty on October 15, 2013, which was signed by 181 members of Congress, including multiple committee chairmen. On June 14, 2013, Rep. Kelly introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 to prohibit federal funding for the implementation of the ATT for one year by the Department of Defense. The amendment was adopted unanimously by a voice vote and included in the final passage of the NDAA by the House of Representatives. The House-Senate compromise NDAA, which included an updated version of the Kelly amendment, was passed by the House on December 12, 2013; passed by the Senate on December, 19, 2013; and signed by President Obama on December 26, 2013. On July 24, 2013, the House Appropriations Committee approved the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2014 which imposes a one-year ban on the use of federal funds for the implementation of the ATT by the State Department. The ban is based on language from a bipartisan letter which Rep. Kelly authored and submitted to the State and Foreign Operations subcommittee on April 18, 2013.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364759,Blaine's Bulletin: Preserving Your Privacy,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"As I reflect on 2013, one of the issues that seemed to be of great concern to the people of the 3rd District was the government’s ever-growing presence in the private lives of American citizens. And over the course of the last 12 months, I have sought to work on your behalf to protect your privacy form the prying eyes of government. share: f t As I reflect on 2013, one of the issues that seemed to be of great concern to the people of the 3rd District was the government’s ever-growing presence in the private lives of American citizens. And over the course of the last 12 months, I have sought to work on your behalf to protect your privacy form the prying eyes of government. The first test we faced came earlier this spring when I met personally with U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) Inspector General Patrick O’Carroll, Jr. That meeting confirmed there was a violation of normal agency protocol when the agency requested and received sensitive data for more than 100,000 Missouri driver’s licenses and concealed carry permits. The admission was a stark one and I appreciated the quick work of the Social Security Administration, especially after it was learned that the information provided by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in the fall of 2011 was unreadable on the SSA investigator’s computer and the data was destroyed. It was not long after, however, that we faced another privacy challenge that resurfaced amidst a national scandal involving the Internal Revenue Service. In May, the IRS confessed that it was targeting conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status while rubberstamping similar requests from liberal groups. At the same time, it seemed clear to me the IRS was refusing to look at similar liberal groups like the Humane Society of the United States. For three years, the IRS had stonewalled my attempts to get to the bottom of constituent concerns that HSUS was involved in political and lobbying activities that were in direct violation of its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status that prohibits such activities. We are still waiting for answers on that issue and we have received assurances the IRS is finally investigating the issue. More recently, I have sponsored and co-sponsored legislation dealing with the protection of your privacy. For example, I am the lead sponsor of the Protecting Education Privacy Act (PEPA) that would strengthen federal student privacy policy and keep student records by rolling back regulatory changes made by the current administration. This legislation will keep parents minds at ease because they will have the ultimate control over whether or not third parties can access their children’s information. I also have recently co-sponsored the USA FREEDOM Act that aims to reign in the dragnet collection of data by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other government agencies.  The bill specifically would ensure that different authorities cannot be used to support bulk collection of information of American citizens and it increases transparency of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), among other things. Finally, I am also co-sponsoring the NSA Inspector General Act that calls for the creation of an Inspector General (IG) of the NSA and requires that both the IG and the NSA Director be appointed by the president with the consent of the U.S. Senate.  The American people are guaranteed a right to privacy and in recent years, it has become clear that those rights have been violated and continue to be under attack. This is unacceptable and I have spent the better part of the last year working to protect Americans from their government’s prying eyes. As we look ahead to 2014, I will continue to support legislation that will protect your privacy and restore perhaps some of your faith and trust in the American government. With that said, I want to wish you a very Happy New Year. CONTACT US: As always, for those of you with Internet access, I encourage you to visit my official website. For those without access to the Internet, I encourage you to call my offices in Jefferson City (573-635-7232) Washington, Mo. (636-239-2276), or Wentzville (636-327-7055) with your questions and concerns. If you want even greater access to what I am working on, please visit my YouTube site, Facebook page, and keep up-to-date with Twitter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/divert-field-nmi-national-guard-pay-raise-sexual-assault-all-part-new-defense-law,"Divert field, NMI National Guard, pay raise, sexual assault all part of new defense law",2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"On Thursday, the President signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, which contains important provisions specific to the Northern Mariana Islands. $29.3 million will be available for a divert airfield in the NMI to use if Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base is closed by weather or war. But I also worked with the House Armed Services Committee to place limits on the money because of the question of siting: Tinian or Saipan? I think we decided long ago that Tinian is the preferred location for military expansion in our islands, but the Air Force has other ideas. So, at my request the Committee report directs the Air Force to work with the Governor to find a mutually agreeable resolution to this siting issue; and the law bars any expenditure of the $29.3 million until Congress gets a look at all the alternatives that have been considered. The NDAA also gives the Defense Department 180 days to report to Congress on the feasibility of a Northern Marianas National Guard, just like Guam and all of the other states and territories, except American Samoa, have. We have 16 of our people deployed with the Guam National Guard – and returning safely home soon. So, clearly, there is an interest. But do we have enough people for a full Guard unit? Do we have the needed infrastructure? Will our local legislature support establishing a Northern Marianas National Guard? These are the questions the report will answer. I introduced legislation in 2011 to set up an NMI unit. If the feasibility study comes back positive, we could push towards that goal. We should know by June 25. Besides these Northern Marianas specific provisions the annual defense authorization makes some other changes worth noting: Our military personnel will be getting a 1 percent raise. And the new law addresses the issue of sexual assault in the military, which is a problem that seems to be increasing and puts anyone in the armed service – men and women, including our people from the Northern Marianas – at risk. The new law bars commanders from overturning jury convictions in assault cases; and it mandates dishonorable discharge for anyone convicted – all steps in the right direction.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://thompson.house.gov/press-release/thompson-military-transition-telemedicine-amendment-signed-law,Thompson Military Transition Telemedicine Amendment Signed into Law,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,,,legacy,"BELLEFONTE, Pa. – President Obama Thursday signed into law the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act. The bipartisan measure, which recently passed the House by a vote of 350 to 69 and the Senate by a vote of 84 to 15, authorizes funding and sets policy for the U.S. Department of Defense.  Thompson, who voted to support the bill, successfully included an amendment that will expand health care coverage through telemedicine for service members transitioning to civilian life. “I am very pleased that members of the House and Senate were able to find common ground and pass this important bill that offers critical support to the military, our service members and their families,” stated Rep. Thompson. Under the previous policy, service members and their families could utilize 180 days of health care coverage during the transition from military to civilian life through what is known as the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP). Thompson’s amendment is designed to protect individuals coping with Post-Traumatic Stress, which may not present symptoms in some cases until 8-10 months after leaving the military (see: here and here).  The amendment extends TAMP coverage by an additional 180 days for all services rendered through telemedicine. “For those who are burdened by physical and psychological injuries as a result of their service in uniform, we must take every action to help them rebuild,” Thompson added. “This bill takes meaningful steps to improve the support we offer these brave men and women as they transition to civilian life, especially those coping with behavioral health injuries, while also making it easier to access care.” The amendment builds on Thompson’s 2011 STEP Act, now Public Law 112-81, Section 713, which expanded service member health care services and the use of telemedicine at the Department of Defense.     ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://swalwell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-swalwell-urges-immediate-extension-federal-unemployment-insurance,Rep. Swalwell Urges Immediate Extension of Federal Unemployment Insurance,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Eric Swalwell,S001193,swalwell.house.gov,swalwell,https://swalwell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,,0,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140113181229/http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/carper-coons-carney-to-host-kent-county-job-fair,"Carper, Coons, Carney to host Kent County job fair",2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,DE,Christopher Coons,C001088,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, December 27, 2013 CONTACT: Brian Cunningham at 302-573-6054 Carper, Coons, Carney to host Kent County job fair Delegation will host first job fair of 2014 at Delaware Technical Community College Terry Campus DOVER, Del. – Committed to continuing to help out-of-work Delawareans find employment, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative John Carney in partnership with Brandywine Counseling and Community Services, announced Friday that they will host their first job fair of the year in Kent County.  The job fair will take place on Thursday, January 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Delaware Technical Community College on the Terry Campus (North Delaware Tech Drive, Dover, DE 19904) at the Education Technology Building Conference Center. Interested companies seeking to fill positions can contact Senator Coons’ office at 302-573-6345 or via email at workshop@coons.senate.gov.  Businesses will be on hand at the fair to interview potential new employees. Delawareans are encouraged to come dressed for success with resumes in hand. “Last year, we held job fairs in all three counties to connect out-of-work Delawareans with good-paying jobs, and we’re doing it again in 2014,” said Senator Tom Carper. “I always say the role of government is not to create jobs, but to provide a nurturing environment for job creation and job growth, and I’ll continue my work to do just that in Washington each and every day.” “With continued gridlock in Washington making it harder and harder to pass legislation that would meaningfully help the tens of thousands of Delawareans still looking for work, this job fair is a small way to make a difference in our neighbors’ lives,” Senator Coons said. “Like the job fairs we've hosted in previous years, our goal for these fairs is to help Delawareans connect with real job opportunities.” “Putting Delawareans back to work is my top priority. Too many qualified Delaware workers are having trouble finding the jobs they need to support themselves and their families,” said Congressman Carney. “Just as we have the last few years, Sen. Carper, Sen. Coons, and I are organizing job fairs to connect Delawareans with employers ready to hire. I hope that all those looking for their next job opportunity can make it to Dover next month.” Since 2011, the Congressional delegation has hosted 16 job fairs in Delaware, including four specifically for veterans. For more information on how to participate as an employer or job seeker, please call Senator Coons’ office at 302-573-6345, or email workshop@coons.senate.gov. Pre-registration is not required. Tags: Job Fair,  Delaware Technical Community College,  Jobs",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://womack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365109,Arkansas Delegation Supports Disaster Assistance for State Following Snow and Ice Storms,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,AR,Steve Womack,W000809,womack.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3), along with U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman and Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-1), Tim Griffin (AR-2), and Tom Cotton (AR-4), today sent letters to President Obama and FEMA Administrator Fugate supporting Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe’s request for a disaster declaration following devastating snow and ice storms in the state. The full text of the letters can be found below: We are writing in support of Governor Mike Beebe’s request for a major disaster declaration for the following counties in Arkansas: Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Marion, Newton, Polk, Scott, Searcy, Sebastian, Sharp, and Van Buren.  Beginning on December 5, 2013, and continuing through December 8, 2013, these counties experienced overwhelming amounts of snow and ice.  The winter storms brought freezing rain and sleet that covered entire roadways and created hazardous conditions.  The winter storms caused power outages for 62,000 electrical customers, contributed to the loss of one life, and left the affected communities overwhelmed with tremendous amounts of storm debris. Preliminary assessments indicate that the most severe impact was to roadways and public facilities. This year has been a particularly difficult year for Arkansans impacted by natural disasters, and Governor Beebe’s request is the fourth major disaster declaration request for Arkansas in 2013. The compounded nature of the disasters across the state makes recovery efforts particularly difficult. Arkansas is working tirelessly to mitigate loss and recover from the winter storm, but further assistance is needed. Pursuant to the provision of Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.36, we ask that Arkansas receive a major disaster declaration for these counties due to the damage assessed.  We would also like to specifically request Public Assistance (Categories A-G) for the counties listed above and Hazard Mitigation statewide. As you know, the State of Arkansas and its rural districts are working tirelessly to save lives and begin the process of cleaning up and ultimately rebuilding.  All available resources at the state and local level, including the Arkansas National Guard, are being used, but greater federal assistance is needed to help our communities recover.  Arkansas is a predominantly rural state and this series of disasters has exceeded the ability of our local government to respond.  The past several years have been particularly difficult for Arkansas residents due to numerous severe weather events.  We appreciate the financial assistance received as a result of several federal disaster and emergency declarations, many of which impacted the same communities still in the recovery process, and the quick, comprehensive response of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  We hope that a similar response will follow this disaster.    ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/weekly-columns?ContentRecord_id=358dd626-a17f-443c-8953-f009ae9a18a0,Wreaths Across America,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,AR,John Boozman,B001236,www.boozman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"It’s hard not to be in the Christmas spirit when you smell the cookies baking, see the neighborhoods twinkling with lights and find yourself humming the familiar holiday tunes. This season of giving illustrates that we have a lot for which to be thankful.  During the rush of the season as we check off our long ‘to-do- list’ it can be easy to forget about the men and women who gave us the gift of freedom.  To show appreciation for the people who selflessly sacrificed for our way of life, communities across the country are joining in a new Christmas tradition to pay tribute to these heroes by placing a wreath on the graves of fallen servicemembers and veterans.  “Wreaths Across America” started at Arlington National Cemetery in 1992 and continues to grow nationwide. Since 2008, Congress has recognized the second Saturday in December as “Wreaths Across America Day.”  This is a great opportunity to show our gratitude to the men and women who proudly served our nation. I’m proud to support this tradition that honors our veterans, fallen troops and their families. These events in Arkansas and throughout the country are sponsored by individual and corporate donations and there is overwhelming support. This is a testament to the sacrifice of those who wore our nation’s uniform and demonstrates our appreciation for their courage, service and commitment to protecting our nation.  It’s inspiring to join veterans, families and volunteers, to place the wreaths on the graves. For families, it can be especially difficult knowing that their loved ones can’t celebrate Christmas with them.  These Christmas symbols transformed cemeteries across the state at the Little Rock, Fort Smith and Fayetteville National Cemeteries and the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock, Oaklawn Cemetery in Jonesboro and the State Veterans Cemetery in Birdeye into a truly inspiring holiday scene.  We commemorated this tribute at the U.S. Capitol with a wreath dedicated to honor the sacrifice of our veterans and remember the men and women who serve in the military will area separated from their families this holiday season.  Thanks to the generosity and spirit displayed by volunteers, generous contributors and families, we have a fitting honor for our veterans during the Christmas season that demonstrates our appreciation for their courage, service and commitment to protecting our nation. We are helping “Wreaths Across America” accomplish its mission: Remember. Honor. Teach. We will remember and these brave men and women, honor their sacrifice and teach that doing something for the greater good makes the world a better place.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/article/man-in-the-middle,Man In The Middle,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Man In The Middle Independent Maine Sen. Angus King ’66 went to Washington, D.C., hoping to help opposing parties find common ground. Frustration has set in. By:  Matthew Mosk Friday, December 27, 2013 It is the morning of September 11, 2013, and on this day, for a change, no one on Capitol Hill is talking about the looming impasse on the federal budget. Syria has been accused of using chemical weapons, and a fierce debate over the correct response is under way. On one side of Congress are the hawks who, like President Obama, say a red line has been crossed in a manner that demands a military response. On the other side, a sizable coalition that is weary of war and uneasy about the fallout of a strike in the Middle East. Then there is Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who finds himself in a familiar posture—standing in the middle. King arrived in Washington, D.C., last January as the newest of four U.S. senators from Dartmouth. After eight years as governor of Maine and an almost 10-year hiatus from public office, he won handily a tumultuous three-way Senate campaign with 53 percent of the vote, becoming only the second member of the chamber not affiliated with a major political party. (He caucuses with the Democrats.) King assumed the seat vacated by three-term moderate Republican Olympia Snowe, who left, she said, because Congress had become an impossible place from which to govern effectively. King’s campaign promised not just a moderate, business-friendly agenda that was left-leaning on social issues but also to do what Snowe considered impossible: provide a bridge between the increasingly factionalized parties to get things done. “He’s independent and a problem solver,” actor Sam Waterston of Law & Order said in a television ad for King that aired in the closing weeks of the campaign. “I think they’re afraid of Angus in Washington, which might be the best reason to send him there.” Today King is in his office suite for a weekly open house. Tall and lean, with the ruddy, stiff-jawed look of a Maine lobsterman, King smiles warmly as a staff member snaps photographs of the senator with organic dairy producers and members of the New England Farmers Union. A Los Angeles Times reporter briefly corners King in his conference room. The Syria question was the first one keeping him up at night since he took office, King says. “I am trying to learn as much as I can to understand the ramifications of this question, which are enormous,” he says. “Is there more risk to the national interest in doing nothing, or is there more risk to the national interest in acting?” With the help of his staff King ends the interview quickly and returns his attention to the dairy farmers. The Syria question would resolve itself before King was forced to take a firm stance, and in a matter of days focus would be back on the issue that has most stymied Washington in recent times: the budget. Across the Capitol complex in the House, the first rumblings are emerging that a government shutdown is looming. In part because of the deep divisions it would emphasize, the shutdown would present an enormous opportunity for King. It could become the first test of his desire to snuff out gridlock and dysfunction. The Real Thing King’s childhood in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington offers few clues to his political leanings. He describes his parents as Roosevelt Democrats but says he grew up a fan of President Eisenhower. King applied to Dartmouth, sight unseen, because between his junior and senior years in high school his sister married Dartmouth alum Jim Neff  ’59, “and I liked the guys at the wedding,” he says. King’s interest in politics was immediate. He recalls, in detail, the lectures of longtime Dartmouth government professor Vincent Starzinger. “I remember him using the movie The African Queen to explain the two different views of natural law,” King says. “Humphrey Bogart wakes up in the boat to see Katharine Hepburn dumping his gin out into the river, and he’s very upset. He says to Hepburn, ‘It’s only natural, ma’am, that a man should want to drink every now and then.’ That’s one view of natural law. Hepburn said, ‘Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are here to rise above.’ That’s the other view of natural law. It has been 50 years and I remember every word of that lecture.” Larry K. Smith, a former Dartmouth history professor now retired after a career in Washington, remembers “Gus” in “History 56,” the political history of the United States since 1864. The class, which was a study in power and how it’s used politically, Smith says, attracted ambitious students. When political discussions would get going, “you could feel the heat in the room,” he recalls. King stood out: “For all of his prestige on campus, you never got the sense that he was a politician of any sort. And yet he was clearly recognized to be the class of his class. He carried himself with such ease and grace.” Despite his clear interest in politics, King’s involvement was largely as an observer. He worked at WDCR and traveled in 1964 to New York City to broadcast results from the Goldwater-Johnson election. “We were part of a national college radio election-night program, and it was like our own NBC,” King says. “We got results. I was a commentator, talking about who was winning and who was losing and what it meant.” A year earlier, Dartmouth students had learned of the Kennedy assassination listening to WDCR. They heard the news from King, who broke into a music program to report as the day’s events came over a teletype machine. (King says he carried the printout announcing Kennedy’s death in his wallet for decades until it finally crumbled into pieces.) The radio job helped prepare King for the career he forged after law school and a brief stint on Capitol Hill with Maine’s Democratic Sen. William Hathaway—as a television interviewer and commentator on the public broadcast affiliate in Maine. He moved from there into the alternative energy industry. It was from this business perch that King followed a path into politics as an independent. Throughout his tenure as governor King’s approval numbers in statewide polls never dipped below 50 percent. Still, competing views formed about him. One Maine Republican—a Dartmouth alum who previously worked in government—agreed to provide his view of King in a series of emails on the condition he not be identified. He says, “King seems the ultimate ‘hail fellow well met’ with the balm of an aphorism for every situation, even if he has never seen it before…and really knows little about it.” The GOP critic says he considers King “a faux independent,” a Democrat who does not want to admit his leanings. Others, including his early mentor Smith, say the politician’s independence comes from deep within. “People will use the rhetoric of being a moderate and it’s crap,” says Smith. “With Gus it’s a real thing. There are phony moderates or phony independents who are often unwilling to take positions. Gus takes positions and does so as a matter of conviction. It just happens that his convictions don’t fit neatly into either party. Fortunately for him, he comes from a state that enables him to run as that person.” King says that when he arrived in Washington he knew there would be doubts about him on both sides of the aisle. When he first approached Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to talk about his ideas on regulatory reform, King says he expected skepticism. At that point he was known only as the man the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent $1.2 million trying to defeat in 2012. “I’m sitting with Roy telling him my views on regulatory reform,” King says, “and I could see his expression change, like, ‘This isn’t the guy I thought he was. Why did we spend a million dollars to kill this guy?’ ” An Issue That Resonates King’s first real foray into the murky political waters of the U.S. Senate came almost by accident. It was May of 2013 and a member of his staff had flagged one of the Senate’s many looming deadlines: Without congressional action the interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford student loans was poised to double on July 1 from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. “It seemed to fit philosophically with some of the things that the senator has taken issue with down here, these sort of artificial deadlines, lurching from year to year, without really coming up with long-term, sustainable solutions,” one King staffer explains. In many ways the student loan issue presented an ideal political opportunity for King. On one side were liberal Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who believed the government should support a subsidized loan program that would greatly relieve the financial burden facing college students, even if it came with a hefty price tag. On the other side were Republicans whose proposal, very similar to Obama’s, was for a market-based loan program that operated much like traditional loans, giving students competitive borrowing rates while possibly turning a profit. King and a small coalition of senators including Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) decided they would try to create a revenue-neutral program that fell somewhere between the rival versions. In June, when senators were presented with votes on the Democratic and Republican versions of the student loan bill, King and Manchin broke ranks and voted against both of them. King released a statement to the press saying he believed “that we can bridge the differences between the competing proposals to reach a compromise solution that can acquire wide support. We just need to set the politics aside and do the work.” The rogue group of senators drafted its proposal and introduced it in late June, just days before the loan rates would double. At first their attempts to bring more senators on board met with resistance. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the powerful committee chairman who oversaw education issues, was not happy with their proposal. A number of Republicans were also skeptical that rates could be brought down without costing the federal government. As the deadline passed, a second attempt was made to bring the Democratic plan to the floor for a vote, but it again fell short. Once that failed, the president got involved. King, along with Manchin and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) were summoned to the White House, where they found Harkin and Burr waiting with Obama. The goal was to broker a compromise bill. “The president wanted this off his plate,” King’s staffer explains. After the meeting the number of senators willing to vote for the King-Manchin bill started to rise. During the course of several weeks King tried to keep an accurate count of his bill’s support, but it was tough. Every time he would shave off a section to bring more Democrats on board, he risked losing support from Republicans. When the date for the vote finally came, King’s staff had calculated they had just barely enough support for the measure to pass. When the vote got under way, Durbin, whose job as Senate majority whip is to muster and keep count of votes, walked up to King on the floor and handed him a small scrap of paper. It had a number on it: “74”—a projected tally of “aye” votes. The bill, King realized then, was going to pass. King was near the center of a group of Republicans and Democrats hovering over Obama on August 9 as the president prepared to sign the bill into law. The president praised the “extraordinary coalition” that had led to the passage of the compromise bill, then noted wryly, “It feels good signing bills. I haven’t done this in a while. Hint, hint. Hint, hint.” Shutdown The government shutdown has been under way for two days and back in a plush Senate conference room King is speaking to representatives from a group of Maine credit unions who stopped in to visit him that day. He is offering his take on the Tea Party’s budget maneuvers: “I remember in college we heard a great way to make money. Do you know the story about how to make money with a cocker spaniel and a gun? You put a picture up that says, send $10 or I shoot the dog,” King smiles. “I didn’t say that, did I?” Back in his office King explains that he has given deep thought to this impasse and its causes. Because of the way congressional districts have been drawn, members of Congress for the most part occupy safe seats—until they are threatened by primary opponents from the most orthodox wings of their parties. “We can have broad national consensus that this shutdown is a bad idea, and it’s not going to affect an individual member as he or she looks to their district in Louisiana or Tennessee or Idaho or wherever it is. If that Republican electorate is fired up and wants to kill Obamacare or shut down the government, there’s no political incentive for that person to sit down and talk,” King says. “That’s dangerous.” More than that, King has fixed his concern on what he sees as a new and dangerous approach to legislating that he believes Tea Party Republicans are employing. He pulls out a paper that he says contains a list of demands House Republicans have made in order to get them to pass a budget and reopen the government. He rattles them off, growing increasingly incredulous with each alleged demand. “This small group in the House is trying to create a new way of legislating that’s not in the Constitution,” King protests. “You legislate by passing a bill through the House, passing it through the Senate and sending it to the president. They’re saying, ‘We don’t have the votes to do that, therefore we’re going to grab the entire U.S. government or the credit of the entire U.S. government and say we won’t do anything unless you legislate what we want—unless you agree to what we want.’ That’s not the way the system was designed.” King insists he is not ready to give up. He has, for instance, joined a group of moderate House and Senate members who began meeting in hopes of cobbling together a budget document both sides could live with. He has also joined a group of 14 senators formed by his Maine colleague, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, to try to piece together a deal. “Right now is a moment of maximum frustration,” he says. “My whole deal is trying to find common ground and find solutions. What’s holding me up is that I don’t know if you want to find common ground in a situation where you’re being held hostage. If you do, this will be the routine way we’ll do business around here. “It goes against my basic orientation of trying to find solutions,” he says. It is inescapable, King realizes now, that the nation’s capital is different than it was 40 years ago, when he first came to town as a Senate staffer. In 1973, he says, there were probably 20 senators who overlapped ideologically—moderate Republicans who were arguably more liberal than conservative Democrats. “Now there are literally none,” King says. The 2013 federal government shutdown lasts for 16 days and, according to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, it is expected to have cost the U.S. economy between $2 and $6 billion in economic output. It is resolved not by diplomacy from moderate politicians looking to broker an agreement, but by wrenching public pressure and a short-term fix of the sort King has publicly protested. A month has passed when King, brimming with good cheer, arrives in the sleek television studio that is hidden away in the basement of the Capitol Visitor Center. Bright theater lights hang from the ceiling and a variety of sets include a fireplace, a Christmas tree with wrapped presents and a modern-looking TV news desk. King takes a seat in front of what appear to be French doors and an American flag. He is about to hold a 45-minute Skype conversation with social studies students at Mt. Ararat High School back home in Maine. The father of five is jovial and at ease. Such talks, which he calls “Capitol Class with Angus,” are a staple of King’s tenure. He explains to the students that, as a member of a committee tasked with finding solutions to the problems that led to the shutdown, he sits at the center of negotiations to develop a budget. “We had our first meeting last week,” he says. “There are a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiations going on now as we try to arrive at an agreement that will make everyone equally unhappy, I guess is the best way to put it.” Students then rotate into a seat in front of the camera to ask how he juggles his work and personal life, whether he plans to seek reelection and what he considers his greatest challenges. A student named Emma takes the seat and asks King what it means for him to be an independent in Washington. “It gives me the opportunity to work across the aisle and try to find solutions,” he continues. “It was amazing when I first got here and I went around meeting senators. A number of them said, sort of almost under their breath, ‘Boy, you’re in just the right place.’ They really liked the idea that I could try to build bridges, and in fact that’s what we’ve tried to do.” King tempered that sunny view from the center shortly after the Skype conversation ended and he headed back to business. “I’m very optimistic that the partisanship can be overcome when the challenge is a small- or intermediate-sized issue,” he says, hearkening back to his experience with the student loan legislation. “But on the big issues…,” he pauses. “I’ll be honest with you, on the big issues I’m just not so optimistic.” Matthew Mosk, an Emmy-winning investigative reporter for ABC News in Washington, D.C., lives in Annapolis, Maryland.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-introduce-legislation-to-assist-maine-veterans-who-trained-at-cfb-gagetown,"Senators Collins, King Introduce Legislation to Assist Maine Veterans Who Trained at CFB Gagetown",2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Collins, King Introduce Legislation to Assist Maine Veterans Who Trained at CFB Gagetown Friday, December 27, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have introduced legislation that would help Maine veterans with claims made to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contending they have suffered from health problems as a result of being exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange during military training at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Gagetown.  For years, veterans who trained at Gagetown have attempted to gain recognition from the VA that their health problems stem from exposure to Agent Orange, which was previously sprayed there in 1966 and 1967.    The bill would direct the VA to establish a registry of U.S. veterans who have served or trained at CFB Gagetown and who have subsequently experienced health problems, which may be related to this chemical exposure.   The establishment of a registry will provide veterans with a way to make their claims known to the VA and to identify commonalities among their shared experiences.  It also provides the VA with a mechanism to reach out to veterans concerned with this specific issue.   In addition, the Collins-King bill requires the VA to commission an independent study tasked with investigating the linkage between service at Gagetown and the development of health problems and disease associated with exposure to Agent Orange.  Unfortunately, a previous study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relied exclusively on previous Canadian studies and included no new research, such as interviews with those who trained at CFB Gagetown.   “Protecting the health of those who have served our nation is a solemn responsibility, and I have raised this issue directly with Secretary of the VA Eric Shinseki,” said Senator Collins.  “Just as the Government of Canada found a way to offer compensation to service members exposed to toxic herbicides at Gagetown, the VA should likewise be able to find a way to recognize the similar concerns voiced by Maine veterans.”   “Through their service, our veterans have demonstrated an unyielding commitment to our nation, and in return, our country has a duty to protect their health and well-being,” Senator King said. “I am hopeful that this piece of legislation will bring us a step closer to providing more robust answers for Maine’s veterans who served at Gagetown, and I am proud to join Senator Collins in that effort.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=ccd5642e-829f-4b91-81ef-ff69a81ca47c,STATEMENT BY SENATOR McCAIN ON THE GOVERNOR OF OKINAWA’S DECISION TO SIGN LANDFILL PERMIT FOR FUTENMA REPLACEMENT FACILITY,2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,AZ,John McCain,M000303,www.mccain.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on the Governor of Okinawa's decision to sign the landfill permit for construction of the Futenma replacement facility at Camp Schwab-Henoko Bay in Okinawa: “Governor Nakaima's decision to sign the landfill permit is a major achievement for Okinawa, for Japan, and for the U.S.-Japan alliance – an achievement for which Prime Minister Abe and his Administration also deserve much credit. “After 17 years of hard work and setbacks, today's action paves the way for the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility at Camp Schwab, the redeployment of U.S. Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, and the broader realignment of U.S. forces on Okinawa and in the Asia-Pacific region. “It is all the more important now for the Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense to continue working together to ensure that the necessary military plans and force requirements are in place to carry out and sustain the realignment of U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also essential, in this time of constrained resources and increased scrutiny on spending, that the cost estimates for this realignment be responsible and strictly adhered to over the years ahead. I was pleased to continue working with my colleagues in the Congress this year to make additional progress toward these goals in the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act. “The U.S.-Japan alliance is the foundation of the enduring U.S. commitment to the peace, prosperity, and freedom of the Asia-Pacific region. The United States will continue to work with Japan and our other friends and allies to maintain a favorable balance of power in this vital region. I commend Governor Nakaima and Prime Minister Abe for bringing us one important step closer to achieving our mutual vision of regional security.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=9c3f1633-3315-4701-8b3b-4863fc292fc8,"New Opportunities, New Priorities in a New Year",2013-12-27,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator John Thune As we reflect on the highs and lows of 2013, we begin to chart course for the start of a new year. Theodore Roosevelt once said, ""Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."" While the partisan divides of Washington remain a barrier to stimulating the lagging economy and reining in federal spending, more can be done in the new year to solve short-term problems and achieve long-term goals that will keep America secure and financially stable. South Dakota ranchers and farmers are in urgent need of a new five-year Farm Bill. An unfinished Farm Bill creates uncertainty for agriculture producers, ag-related businesses, consumers, rural economies, and the stewardship of our land and water. Numerous western South Dakota ranchers were hard-hit by the early October snowstorm, many losing high percentages of their breeding herds as well as the current year’s calf crop. The passage of a five-year Farm Bill, including the livestock disaster programs, will provide critically important economic assistance to these producers. I will continue to work with my colleagues on the Senate Agriculture Committee and members of the conference committee to ensure the passage of a defensible five-year Farm Bill. Congress needs to create incentives for good jobs through a pro-growth tax structure. Comprehensive tax reform can make American businesses more competitive in the global economy and can benefit families who are dealing with a growing and increasingly complex tax code. Tax reform can also help to address our ever-expanding budget deficit by unleashing economic activity that will ultimately raise federal tax receipts, even at lower tax rates. I will continue my work in the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee to fight for a tax structure that will create wealth and improve take-home pay for the people of our state and nation. The new year holds important opportunities for our men and women stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The Air Force record of decision is expected to reach a conclusion on the expansion of the Powder River Training Complex by March of 2014. This would be the largest terrestrial airspace training range expansion in U.S. history. Following my request for a swift decision, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Force are currently working together to finalize the FAA record of decision by the summer of 2014. For two years, Hot Springs’ Black Hills Health Care System has been waiting in limbo for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reach a decision on the future of the VA facility. On December 13, 2013, I sent a letter along with Senator Johnson and Representative Noem to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki calling for him to return Hot Springs’ Black Hills Health Care System (BHHCS) to full operation following the lack of leadership and breach of good faith by the VA over the past two years. I will continue to work with the Hot Springs community and stakeholders to fight for the VA to withdraw its proposal to reconfigure the BHHCS and return the Hot Springs VA campus to its former levels of operation and staff. While we are certain to face many challenges in the new year, the year also holds the promise of new opportunities to improve conditions in South Dakota and around the country. I look forward to new opportunities to serve South Dakota in the coming year and wish all South Dakotans a happy, safe, and healthy new year.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-expresses-concern-over-allegations-misconduct-against-fishery-council,Kilili expresses concern over allegations of misconduct against fishery council,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"THE Western Pacific Fishery Management Council has not acted on recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office and U.S. Congressmen Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan and Henry A. Waxman have expressed concern over allegations of misconduct. In a letter to National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration acting administrator Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, and acting administrator for fisheries Samuel D. Rauch III, Kilili and Waxman wrote: “We understand that the Council has taken some positive steps, such as clarifying its record-access policy in their Statement of Organization and Practices and Procedures guidelines. Unfortunately, in the four years since the GAO report, the Western Pacific Council has failed to comply with all the GAO recommendations.” They said they are troubled by reports that WESPAC is not adequately fulfilling its responsibilities to the people of the territories. In 2009, GAO issued a report that looked into the allegations and made the following recommendations: (1) GAO recommended that NOAA direct the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council or WESPAC to maintain documentation of all requests for information from federal and state legislators. This was to help ensure compliance with OMB Circular A-122 requirements governing federal grant recipients. GAO also stated that to reduce the risk of loss or unauthorized use associated with reimbursing meeting participant expenses with cash, it asked that NOAA direct WESPAC to pay per-diem costs for meeting participants by check to the extent practicable. It also called for WESPAC to implement actions such as (1) notifying NOAA regional counsel before meeting with federal or state legislators or testifying before one of their committees; (2) asking NOAA regional counsel to provide an annual briefing to council members and staff on the rules governing their conduct, including limits on contacts with legislators; (3) adopting procedures that require council meeting minutes to include not only a council member’s statement of recusal from voting, but also the nature of the financial interest that would be affected; (4) maintaining current and archived copies of the council’s administrative records, including council meeting minutes, on the council’s Web site; (5) developing and making available the council’s policy regarding the types of records that are available to the public at the council office, the types of records that are available through a Freedom of Information Act or FOIA request, and the procedures for reviewing or requesting these records; (6) communicating directly with a council member who has requested council information and, if necessary, negotiating a timely response so that council members needing information do not have to file FOIA requests; and (7) clarifying the council’s advisory role by not describing itself as a policy-making body. In their letter to NOAA, Sablan and Waxman cited the council’s failure to make available on its website the briefing materials used by Council members to make decisions. “This is a notable deficiency, as all seven of the other Regional Fisheries Management Councils have extensive documentation online,” Sablan and Waxman said. Their letter also said the lack of documentation “is a particular concern in the case of the Western Pacific, where currently a concerned citizen of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or Guam would have to spend $2,000 and travel 4,000 miles to Hawaii to review documents in person.” The U.S. congressmen said the council should follow the lead of other fishery management councils and make their documents accessible on the website. “The Western Pacific Council’s lack of transparency has led to continued allegations of financial and ethical misconduct, most notably from the nonprofit group Environmental Hawaii,” said Sablan and Waxman. They said the GAO report in 2009 did not examine the council’s activities in the Northern Marianas, Guam or American Samoa. They said allegations of misconduct that may have occurred in the CNMI have never been investigated. “We urge NOAA to conduct a thorough analysis of the Western Pacific Council’s conduct and to require that the council immediately comply with the GAO recommendations,” the letter said. They asked that WESPAC respond to their questions. They asked if there is an itemized account of how federal funds allocated to the Western Pacific Council are spent. They asked what oversight NOAA has over grants and contracts let by WESPAC. They asked if there are accountability and performance standards in place. They also raised the issue of conflicts of interest by council members and whether NOAA reviews the decisions. They also asked if NOAA has investigated WESPAC executive director’s role in developing and promoting the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs’ petition to remove the green sea turtle from the endangered species list. Variety was unable to get a comment from WESPAC. - See more at: https://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/61599-kilili-expresses-concern-over-allegations-of-misconduct-against-fishery-council#sthash.qexBPpfY.dpuf",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-old-moe-formula-remains-intact-pss,Kilili: Old MOE formula remains intact for PSS,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan says the central government is still required to give the Public School System $7 million in unremitted maintenance-of-effort funds, pursuant to the mandates of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This comes after Sablan confirmed that the U.S. Department of Education issued no response or action to the proposal of the CNMI government to change the formula in calculating the MOE award.  The CNMI received in 2009 $44 million in SFSF funds, of which $32.3 million is for public education. When the CNMI was awarded the SFSF grant, one of the conditions was that PSS must be given a specific amount of the overall budget of the CNMI government—at the time equivalent to 40 cents to $1 dollar or 25 percent of the overall CNMI government budget. The issue over the MOE formula came to light after the CNMI government filed a waiver application for it in 2012. The USDOE has not issued a response up to now. “The fact that there’s no decision [by USDOE] means we have to live with the first decision, which is good for PSS. The MOE’s first formula remains and that has not changed,” Sablan told Saipan Tribune. Saipan Tribune learned that in PSS books, the central government owes it $7 million in unremitted MOE for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan just wants the whole matter done and over with. “For me, I wanted it resolved. I just want that MOE issue out of the way. The whole issue here is that the central government owes us millions of money that is badly needed in our classrooms. It’s the government’s responsibility to pay us,” she said.  Once they receive the funds, it will all be utilized for the classroom and instructional needs of schools. She is firm that there’s no way all or a portion of this unremitted MOE will be used to pay CUC arrears. “Whatever federal money we get from MOE will go to the classrooms where it belongs,” she added. As to when this money will go to PSS is uncertain up to this time. Saipan Tribune learned that the original amount of unremitted MOE for PSS was $11 million. However, in the late part of school year 2010-2011, the central government remitted some $2.6 million to pay for personnel salary. https://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=152550",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/feinstein-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=c9d00393-37ca-45da-a1cd-b06da8afd09a,Transfer of planes a good start against wildfire - Oakland Tribune,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Dianne Feinstein,F000062,www.feinstein.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Being from opposing parties as well as opposite ends of the political spectrum, it is not surprising that Sens. Dianne Feinstein and John McCain don't agree on many issues. But when they do agree on one, it should warrant our close attention. Such is the case when the pair co-sponsored language -- inserted into a defense bill by Feinstein -- that will double the size of the U.S. Forest Service fleet of large air tankers used to help fight wildfires. It is an upgrade that is desperately needed. The Government Accountability Office reports that federal air tanker fleet that had once topped 40 planes had dwindled to eight. Those of us who live in the West know that the nation's wildfires have not waned in a like manner. We know firsthand the devastation that can be caused by wildfires and know what tremendous benefit air tankers bring to firefighting, especially in rugged terrain. Just last week the 500-acre wildfire in Big Sur destroyed more than a dozen homes, but it was tiny compared to the 250,000-acre Rim Fire that scorched parts of Yosemite National Park for two months, leaving more than $50 million in damage. In the East Bay, we saw a fire that engulfed the southside of Mt. Diablo as it burned more than 3,000 acres and cost more than $5.3 million to extinguish. Air tankers were used in fighting that blaze and we can only image how much more devastating it would have been without them. But property damage and equipment costs are trivial compared to the death of the 19 members of an elite firefighting crew last June near Prescott, Ariz. It is important to be clear that this bill is not some government spending boondoggle. In fact, we believe it is smart fiscal policy. Instead of purchasing new aircraft, the bill merely transfers seven HC-130H Hercules U.S. Coast Guard aircraft that have been deemed surplus to the Forest Service. The transfer effectively doubles the size of the air tanker fleet virtually overnight. That should be of significant help to the service. Feinstein says the planes can carry a combined 21,000 gallons of water or fire retardant. In addition, the transfer includes 15 smaller C23-B Sherpa aircraft, which are essential for transporting cargo and are used to deploy the legendary smoke jumpers, who parachute into difficult fire areas. While this bill is smart policy, it clearly is not enough. We believe that Congress must do more to bolster federal firefighting efforts throughout the country, especially in the West. But we applaud this first step.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dent.house.gov/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=A5C4F809-604D-4C84-AF6E-F7890D13C378,Dent Works to Protect Pennsylvania Children from the Presidents Health Care Law,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,PA,Charlie Dent,D000604,dent.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Charlie Dent (PA-15th) spearheaded an effort to protect and preserve Pennsylvania’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (PA CHIP) from the effect of President Obama’s Health Care Law. Rep. Dent organized a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking her to accede to Governor Corbett’s request that the Department work with him to help preserve the program. “The practical impact of the Health Care law has been to compel thousands of families with income levels between 100% and 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to lose their PA CHIP coverage and be forced into a comparatively substandard Medicaid program,” Rep. Dent stated. “CHIP in Pennsylvania is a clear success story,” said the Congressman. “It is lauded as a national model by other states and consistently receives extremely high marks in customer satisfaction surveys,” Dent noted. “Forcing people out of this program and into the comparatively substandard Medicaid program is yet another harmful impact of the President’s Health Care law.” Rep. Dent was joined by ten fellow Pennsylvania Republicans on the letter. Some of them, including Rep. Dent, voted to establish the PA CHIP law in 1992. Rep. Dent also voted to strengthen and enhance the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) at the federal level. “President Obama heard the outcry of millions of Americans who lost their coverage as a result of the health care law and was forced to act and grant them the ability to maintain existing coverage. I, and my fellow Representatives, want the same opportunity for the thousands of Pennsylvania families that have received superior care through PA CHIP,” Dent concluded. Currently, PA CHIP covers over 188,000 children. Contact:  Shawn Millan (610) 770-3490 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=112,President Obama Signs Frankel Provision on Military Sexual Assault into Law,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,FL,Lois Frankel,F000462,frankel.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Barack Obama today signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes Congresswoman Lois Frankel's provision that directs the military to examine the need for a new definition of rape and sexual assault in cases when someone abuses their position in the Military Chain of Command. Frankel's provision was inspired by constituent Elisha Morrow, a former Coast Guard recruit and victim of sexual harassment in the military, who brought her harrowing story to Frankel and they worked together to try to strengthen the flawed military justice system. The measure in the national defense bill seeks to address a flaw in current military law, which requires proof of physical harm or threat of life in order to prosecute a commanding officer for serious sexual crimes. The current law does not account for situations in which the superior abuses his or her position to take advantage of victims. Senator Bill Nelson introduced a companion measure to Frankel's. The National Defense Authorization Act passed the House earlier this month and the Senate last Thursday night. Our sons and daughters who put on the military uniform deserve a new day for justice, said Frankel, who is the mother of a Marine war veteran. No military recruit or service member should endure what Elisha and countless other men and women have. This national defense bill is a significant step forward, however we cannot rest until the men and women who protect us know that we will protect them. I cannot put into words how much it means to see this bill signed into law, said Elisha Morrow, a Boynton Beach resident. Though the opportunity for justice in our case has passed, it is truly healing to know future military members will now be able to receive the justice due to them. Additional resources on Frankel's provision: Sun-Sentinel Boot-camp hell leading to new law WFLX-Elisha Morrow's Quest for Justice for Military Sexual Assault Victims with Rep. Frankel Frankel's Floor Speech on the Provision Inspired by Elisha Morrow ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-supports-plan-protect-volunteer-firefighters-and-emergency,Greg Walden supports plan to protect volunteer firefighters and emergency responders from health law mandate,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,OR,Greg Walden,W000791,walden.house.gov,,,legacy,"Greg Walden supports plan to protect volunteer firefighters and emergency responders from health law mandate December 26, 2013 HOOD RIVER U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) announced today that he has signed on as a co-sponsor of a bill to exempt volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians from the employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act (H.R. 3685) was introduced in the U.S. House on December 10 with bipartisan support. Volunteer fire firefighters and emergency responders serve their communities every day to protect lives and property and keep their neighbors safe. Their units shouldn't be forced to choose between buying life-saving equipment and complying with IRS mandates under the new health care law. I'm co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to protect these volunteer units from Obamacare's mandate so they can focus on their mission: keeping Oregonians safe, Walden said. Hood River Fire Chief Devon Wellsapplauded Walden for his support. I believe it is critically important that emergency service agencies not be required to offer health insurance to their volunteer personnel. Most of those agencies do not have the financial resources to provide that type of benefit to their volunteers. Also, most volunteers have no expectation of receiving health insurance from their fire agency, Wells said. The financial impact this could have on volunteer agencies would be devastating, potentially reducing the number of volunteers and the level of service provided to the citizens they are sworn to protect. The bill that has been introduced to exempt volunteer emergency service workers from the ACA provides an opportunity for volunteer fire agencies to continue providing exceptional service without worrying about the loss of volunteers or financial difficulties. The IRSwhich is charged with enforcing many of the mandates contained in the new health care lawconsiders volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians working 30 hours per week as full time employees, forcing them to provide health insurance or pay a fine if they are large enough. These IRS regulations could have a big impact on fire departments in Oregon. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, nearly 90% of Oregon's 297 fire department are classified as all volunteer or mostly volunteer agencies.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walorski.house.gov/walorski-military-sexual-assault-provisions-signed-into-law/,WALORSKI MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT PROVISIONS SIGNED INTO LAW,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,IN,Jackie Walorski,W000813,walorski.house.gov,,,legacy,"Thursday, December 26, 2013 Freshman HASC Member Authors Measures in NDAA to Encourage Reporting MISHAWAKA, IN Earlier today President Obama signed bipartisan provisions into law, authored by Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, to extend whistleblower protections to military sexual assault victims as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This year's defense bill contains historic provisions to combat the growing military sexual assault epidemic and create an environment for safe reporting. I am pleased to see these bipartisan measures signed into law to begin eradicating this horrific problem, said Walorski, a freshman member of the House Armed Services Committee. Walorski's military sexual assault provisions specifically designate reports of sexual assault as a form of communication under existing whistleblower protections. Her provisions also require an Inspector General investigation into allegations of retaliatory personnel actions taken against victims who have reported alleged instances of rape, sexual assault, or other forms of sexual misconduct in the military. Earlier this year, H.R. 1864 was passed as a standalone bill in the House by a vote of 423-0. Companion legislation was introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Claire McCaskill and included in both the House and Senate versions of the NDAA.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131231153442/http://www.blumenthal.senate.gov:80/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-calls-on-ups-to-provide-refunds-to-customers-whose-christmas-shipments-did-not-arrive-on-time,Blumenthal Calls On UPS To Provide Refunds To Customers Whose Christmas Shipments Did Not Arrive On Time,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CT,Richard Blumenthal,B001277,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Thursday, December 26, 2013 (Hartford, CT) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today called on United Parcel Service (UPS) to provide refunds to consumers across the country who were quoted arrival dates before Christmas, but whose packages and gifts did not arrive at their destinations on time. “I am disappointed to learn that so many consumers in Connecticut and across the country made purchases this holiday season expecting their gifts to arrive in time for Christmas, but instead were left empty-handed. The men and women of UPS – as well as the United States Postal Service and FedEx – do tremendous work this time of year, putting in grueling, long hours delivering gifts, and we are all grateful for their efforts. It is incumbent upon these companies, however, that when a customer is quoted a delivery date ahead of Christmas, gifts arrive on time. In a very real sense, Christmas is on the line. I call on UPS to do the right thing and provide refunds to people whose Christmases were a little less cheery as a result of their late deliveries.” Press Contact Josh Zembik – 202-224-6452 Josh_Zembik@blumenthal.senate.gov",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140222202435/http://mckinley.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=2101,Charleston Gazette: DOE: Gas to outpace coal by 2040,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,WV,David McKinley,M001180,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Natural gas will overtake coal to provide the largest share of U.S. electrical power generation by 2040, according to the latest projections from the federal Department of Energy. Natural gas will produce about 35 percent of total U.S. generation, compared to 32 percent for coal, in 2040, according to the department's Energy Information Administration estimates. ""Projected low prices for natural gas make it a very attractive fuel for new generating capacity,"" the agency said in a preview of its 2014 Annual Energy Outlook. ""In some areas, natural gas-fired generation replaces generation formerly supplied by coal and nuclear."" Just last year, the EIA had projected coal to maintain its dominance over natural gas, with 35 percent of generation in 2040, compared to 30 percent for natural gas. To read entire article, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140301153307/http://frankel.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/president-obama-signs-frankel-provision-on-military-sexual-assault-into,President Obama Signs Frankel Provision on Military Sexual Assault into Law,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,FL,Lois Frankel,F000462,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"President Barack Obama today signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes Congresswoman Lois Frankel’s provision that directs the military to examine the need for a new definition of rape and sexual assault in cases when someone abuses their position in the Military Chain of Command. Frankel’s provision was inspired by constituent Elisha Morrow, a former Coast Guard recruit and victim of sexual harassment in the military, who brought her harrowing story to Frankel and they worked together to try to strengthen the flawed military justice system. The measure in the national defense bill seeks to address a flaw in current military law, which requires proof of physical harm or threat of life in order to prosecute a commanding officer for serious sexual crimes. The current law does not account for situations in which the superior abuses his or her position to take advantage of victims. Senator Bill Nelson introduced a companion measure to Frankel’s. The National Defense Authorization Act passed the House earlier this month and the Senate last Thursday night. “Our sons and daughters who put on the military uniform deserve a new day for justice,” said Frankel, who is the mother of a Marine war veteran. “No military recruit or service member should endure what Elisha and countless other men and women have. This national defense bill is a significant step forward, however we cannot rest until the men and women who protect us know that we will protect them.” “I cannot put into words how much it means to see this bill signed into law,” said Elisha Morrow, a Boynton Beach resident. “Though the opportunity for justice in our case has passed, it is truly healing to know future military members will now be able to receive the justice due to them.” Additional resources on Frankel’s provision: Sun-Sentinel Boot-camp hell leading to new law WFLX-Elisha Morrow’s Quest for Justice for Military Sexual Assault Victims with Rep. Frankel Frankel’s Floor Speech on the Provision Inspired by Elisha Morrow       ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140328084221/http://brady.house.gov/creativity-2013,Creativity 2013,2013-12-26,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,PA,Robert Brady,B001227,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Creativity 2013 Dec 26, 2013 [...] April U.S. Rep. Robert Brady, who maintains an office at 1907-1909 S. Broad St., was on hand at Horace Furness High School, 1900 S. Third St., to dole out Congressional Award medals to area students for achievements in service. The Pennsport institution fostered many of the day’s honorees and all of them participate in the Migrant Education Program that operates out of United Communities Southeast Philadelphia, 2029 S. Eighth St. The medals are given out based on a student’s accumulated hours of service and horizon-broadening adventures: bronze medal winners are responsible for collecting 200 hours of service in three areas (voluntary community service, tending to personal development and physical fitness, and executing an expedition or exploratory adventure), with silver medal recipients doubling those totals, and gold medal winners tripling them. The Congressional Medal Act of 1979 has been celebrating 14- to 23-year-olds for decades, and over the last 34 years the Congressional Award Foundation has honored more than 50,000 youths. [...] December 26, 2013, Bill Chenevert, South Philly Review",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cook.house.gov/media-center/newsletter/a-special-holiday-message,A Special Holiday Message,2013-12-25,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,CA,Paul Cook,C001094,cook.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friends,  On behalf of myself, my family, and my staff, Merry Christmas and best wishes to your family in the coming New Year!  Please keep our service members and their families in your thoughts and prayers as you gather with loved ones in the coming weeks. They’re serving our nation far away from their families and in harm’s way. They put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and for this we're especially grateful.                                       Please click here to watch my holiday messageAs always, you can follow everything I'm working on in California and Washington, DC, through my website https://cook.house.gov/, on Twitter @RepPaulCook, and through Facebook at Congressman Paul Cook.  Happy Holidays,",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://dennisross.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=366428,The Laker/Lutz News: Mobile Office Hours for Rep. Ross,2013-12-25,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,FL,Dennis Ross,R000593,dennisross.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Laker/Lutz News: Mobile Office Hours for Rep. Ross f t # e Florida, December 25, 2013 The Laker'Lutz News MOBILE OFFICE HOURS FOR REP. ROSS December 25, 2013 By Mary RathmanU.S. Rep. Dennis Ross’s staff will host mobile office hours across Florida’s 15th Congressional District with a stop at the Lutz Library, 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road on Jan. 14 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The staff will be on hand to assist with questions on seniors’ Social Security and disability, veterans’ VA claims and military service problems, students’ financial aid, small business loan applications, and taxpayers’ tax problems. For information, call (813) 752-4790.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://womack.house.gov/blog/?postid=365087,Merry Christmas!,2013-12-25,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,AR,Steve Womack,W000809,womack.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friends,As we celebrate Christmas, close out 2013, and look toward the New Year, I feel it’s appropriate to reflect on the blessings the year has brought. We live in the greatest country the world has ever known.  And though we’ve been through a lot of tough times – wars, civil unrest, economic turbulence, acts of nature, acts of man – we’ve always landed on our feet.  That’s what great countries do.  That’s what Americans do.  And I’m blessed with the comfort of knowing that, even in the times of uncertainty we face today, we will do so yet again. America faces many challenges.  But the greatest challenge we face is leaving our country better than we found it so our children and grandchildren – like my new grandson, Kaden – can live the American dream, too.  As we fight to restore fiscal responsibility and government accountability in Washington, I could not be more grateful to represent you and the people of Arkansas’s Third District. I look forward to serving you as we work toward getting America back on track and preserving our great nation for our children and grandchildren. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a prosperous, healthy, and blessed 2014.  Congressman Steve Womack Arkansas Third District",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365091,"Trentonian Page 1'Plainsboro mother seeks help from Congress to bring her kidnapped sons home'",2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Sherrina Navani, The Trentonian - All Bindu Philips wants for Christmas are her two young sons back, and thanks to a new bill passed by the House of Representatives, she may be closer than ever to getting her wish granted. Members of the House voted unanimously, in early December, to pass a bill to help bring home American children abducted to overseas destinations. The legislation, dubbed, the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2013, will help left behind parents of American children abducted to India, Japan, Egypt, India, Brazil, Russia, England and other countries where most are forced to live overseas and never return, according to Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th) — the author of the legislation and chairman of the House congressional panel which oversees human rights. Not all countries have signed The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the standing international treaty which addresses parental abductions via the justice system. The treaty provides for the quick return of abducted children, and access rights to both parents. Sadly, even Hague signatories, like Brazil, often don’t enforce its provisions. “What we are asking the State Department to do with this bill, is to start accounting for all the children who have been abducted to other countries,” said Jeff Sagnip, District Director for Smith, noting the State Department would be required to issue an annual report. “If this bill is passed, it cannot force abducting parents who have already taken their children to other countries, to bring them back, however it will start taking account of the thousands of U.S. children who are taken and held overseas. Also, local congressional leaders will become aware of all the children who are being kidnapped from their districts; it will help keep our government’s attention on the cases and work to bring them home.” The Plainsboro township mother, Philips, has not seen her five-year-old twin sons, Albert Philip Jacob and Alfred William Jacob, since 2008. Her husband, Sunil Jacob, took the family on an impromptu vacation to India and decided to keep the kids there despite the mother’s wishes. Philips believes, her husband Sunil Jacob, was being investigated by the FBI regarding his official role as a Wealth Management Specialist for CitiBank and may have spooked the United States Naturalized Citizen, to run back to his homeland of Kerala India. “It was all a big shock to me, I had no idea what was going to happen when we left in December 2008 for the family vacation,” said Phillips. “Through an investigation the Plainsboro Police and the FBI learned that he had been planning this for months in advance and he even had all of our belongings shipped to India, so when I got home there was nothing left, no car, no clothes, nothing.” Philips, whose husband banned her from having any contact with her children shortly after they arrived in India, decided to leave the county in the hopes that the United States legal system would expedite bringing her children back. However, her nightmare, which she believed would only last a month, has turned into a five-year battle that has taken her to the Indian Supreme Court, to her Legislators and now to the State Department. Smith, the FBI and a slew of lawmakers have listened to Philip’s ordeal and have been champions of the proposed bill, which hopes to circumvent any future abductions. As of late, Rep. Rush Holt (D-12th), has reached out to Taranjit Singh Sandhu , Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington D.C., asking Sandhu to bridge the legal gap between the two countries. If passed by the Senate, the law will recommend that the president withhold exchanges with countries that harbor kidnapped children. For example, U.S. development assistance, foreign aid or cultural exchanges may be delayed or withheld if the defiant country does not accept legal initiatives to return the child to their parent, based in the United States. “I’m completely cut-off from the children, they’ve only seen me for 15 minutes in the last five years,” said Philips as tears began to trickle from her eyes. “But I refuse to give up hope, I am clinging on, with the hope of being reunited with my children, and I cannot think anything else. I cannot give up on my hope.” Above text was printed Dec. 24, 2013, and edited for clarity. Original can be read at: http://www.trentonian.com/government-and-politics/20131223/plainsboro-mother-seeks-help-from-congress-to-bring-her-kidnapped-sons-home",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lowenthal.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365266,Holiday Greetings from Congressman Lowenthal,2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Alan Lowenthal,L000579,lowenthal.house.gov,,,legacy,"Holiday Greetings from Congressman Lowenthal f t # e Washington, D.C., December 24, 2013 The holiday season is a time when most of us find it just a little easier to smile, perhaps a little easier to give of ourselves, and a little easier to think the best of each other. But let us not forget that there are too many Americans who may pass this time of year worrying about where the most basic things might come from: a solid meal, a warm bed, or a change of clothes. Be fortunate for the love and compassion in your life, and, please, consider sharing that same love and compassion with the people in your community. It will mean a happier and more joyous season for everyone. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/26677-awarded-diesel-emission-reduction,"$26,677 awarded for diesel emission reduction",2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$26,677 awarded for diesel emission reduction Dec 24, 2013 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation $26,677 to reduce unsafe diesel emissions in the Northern Marianas Islands. CUC will use the money to help retrofit its generators, improving efficiency and cutting pollution. Congratulations to CUC.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://scottpeters.house.gov/media-center/op-eds/progress-in-dc-but-hold-off-celebrating,"Progress in D.C., but hold off celebrating",2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Scott Peters,P000608,scottpeters.house.gov,,,legacy,"Pomerado News Chieftan - http://www.pomeradonews.com/2013/12/24/guest-column-progress-in-d-c-but-hold-off-celebrating/ When I ran for Congress, I was tired of the crisis-to-crisis pattern that Congress had adopted. I called for “No Budget – No Pay” — if Congress didn’t pass a budget, they shouldn’t get a paycheck. Well, maybe we weren’t the only ones who felt that way. For the first time in four years, Congress passed a budget, and it looks like we’ll avoid another irresponsible shutdown that cost our economy jobs. This budget is not the solution to every problem facing our country nor is it perfect, but it is a step in the right direction. Most important, the budget provides stability and predictability for the next two years to agencies, the military and the large and small businesses that interact daily with the federal government. Finally the two sides are talking, and working, together. To San Diegans that’s not a novel concept, but bipartisan collaboration has been sadly uncommon in Washington, D.C. There is optimism that Congress may avoid further self-inflicted crises, a fact that should give the economy a chance to grow and expand at a greater rate. It’s not yet time to celebrate, however. Everyone knows that Congress has significant issues to address, but this Congress remains on pace to be among the least productive in history and was in session fewer hours in 2013 than in any recent year. Logic and common sense would bring both sides together to address the overly burdensome tax code, replace the foolish across-the-board sequester cuts with smarter ones that don’t undercut our future competitiveness or national security, cut waste and fraud, ensure a fair and sustainable safety net and fix the broken immigration system. These are areas where a vast, bipartisan majority of Congress agrees action is needed, and finding productive solutions to any of them would yield huge economic benefit for the country. It is no secret that I have been frustrated with the gridlock and lack of bipartisan progress in Washington. The D.C. weather is not why I fly cross-country twice a week. San Diego is poised to lead in science, technology, and innovation, and our businesses and community could teach a lot to Washington about collaboration and cooperation. That’s what I have seen in the last year, through meetings with constituents in Poway, Coronado, and San Diego, on-site visits to local businesses, research facilities and military bases, and in dialogues with students at local universities. Life-changing things are happening here every day. Further, my district office here in San Diego is working to bring due benefits and navigate federal agencies for thousands of constituents by hosting workshops and handling casework claims. Over the next year, I will continue to be a vital advocate for San Diego’s interests in Congress. I hope that the recent budget deal is the beginning of a thaw in the D.C. gridlock. San Diegans, and all Americans, deserve a government that works for them and gives a clear path to economic growth, not a series of politically generated, manufactured crises. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, represents the 52nd District, which includes much of inland North County.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365153,Christmas Thanks and Hope for the New Year,2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"As we celebrate the season’s holidays, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the blessings in our lives and say thank you to all those who make them a bit easier and a lot safer. In particular, I hope everyone will take a few minutes to think of the brave men and women in our armed services, especially those serving in hot spots around the globe, who help keep the peace and allow us to be safe during these troubled times. I want us to remember, too, their families, especially those living near us, who can’t be with their loved ones for Christmas. It’s my wish that all of us will let them know how much we appreciate the work they do to keep the home fires burning. And how grateful we are of the work these courageous service men and women do. We thank them for their work and sacrifice. I am so proud of them all. There are so many folks to thank for their work, from the cop walking the beat, to the bus driver who delivers passengers safely to their destinations, to the teacher who opens up a new world to a child as he or she masters a new skill. Even the barista at the coffee shop deserves an extra smile and thanks – that cup of joe may be the little extra boost that keeps you alert as you drive the family to the next Christmas gathering. Amidst all the hoopla, it can be challenging for some of us who have lost someone dear to our hearts. I can only hope that you find a moment of solace, a moment when something sparks a reminder of those earlier happy times and you can smile. Amey and I extend our best wishes to you and your loved ones and pray that the spirit of the season brings joy and happiness to your heart now and throughout the new year. May God bless us all.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://yoho.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/yoho-introduces-bill-to-repeal-aca-if-enrollment-numbers-are-not-met,YOHO INTRODUCES BILL TO REPEAL ACA IF ENROLLMENT NUMBERS ARE NOT MET,2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,FL,Ted Yoho,Y000065,yoho.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Yoho has introduced legislation to hold the Obama Administration accountable to the enrollment goals they set for the Affordable Care Act. According to estimates put out by the Congressional Budget Office, seven million people need to be enrolled in the healthcare exchanges  by the end of the 2014 open enrollment period. The costs of insurance plans can be expected to increase if this figure is not hit, further burdening the American taxpayer. In order to hold the Administration accountable to these enrollment numbers, Congressman Yoho has introduced H.R. 3784, the Nullifying the Unconstitutional Mandate By Evaluating Results (NUMBER) Act. This legislation fully repeals the healthcare law if seven million people are not enrolled in the exchanges by March 31st. Congressman Yoho was joined by Reps. Bridenstine (OK), Duncan (SC), Franks (AZ), Graves (GA), Hall (TX), Hudson (NC), Hultgren (IL), Jones (NC), LaMalfa (CA), Massie (KY), Messer (IN), Pittenger (NC), Rice (SC), Salmon (AZ), Scott (GA), Stockman (TX), Weber (TX), Westmoreland (GA), and Wilson (SC). Upon introduction Congressman Yoho said, “The Obama Administration likes to claim that this healthcare law is hugely popular and is wanted by the American people. I disagree. If the Administration can’t even make their own target numbers then the American taxpayer should not be further burdened by this terrible law. This commonsense bill simply holds the Administration accountable to those numbers, and if they are not met the Affordable Care Act is fully repealed.” Congressman Yoho is also a cosponsor of H.R. 2300 and H.R. 3121, two alternative proposals to the Affordable Care Act.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221213512/http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365089,Congressman Smith Urges Extension of Unemployment Benefits,2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,WA,Adam Smith,S000510,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Congressman Smith released the following statement on unemployment insurance: “Despite consecutive months of job growth, our economy is still recovering from one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. Through no fault of their own, millions of hardworking Americans continue to struggle to find employment.  Yet, even with rates of long-term unemployed Americans near historic highs, federal unemployment insurance is set to expire three days after Christmas for 24,400 Washingtonians and for 40,000 more in the first half of 2014 if Congress does not act. That is unacceptable.   “Unemployment insurance benefits provide essential support for individuals and families while they are searching for work. Congress should extend unemployment benefits for hardworking Americans, not stand idly by as they expire.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140222062516/http://lorettasanchez.house.gov/2014-fafsa-workshops-making-college-affordable,2014 FAFSA Workshops - Making College Affordable,2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Loretta Sánchez,S000030,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Applying for federal aid for college can be overwhelming and complicated, which is why our office will be hosting workshops across Orange County in January and February to help students and families file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and explore scholarship opportunities.  There is no registration is necessary. For more information, please contact Beatriz Fernández in my Garden Grove office at (714) 621-0102.  Thursday, January 16 6:30 pm Godinez Fundamental High School 3002 W Centennial Rd, Santa Ana, CA 92704   Tuesday, January 21 6:00 pm Valley High School 1801 S Greenville St Santa Ana, CA 92704   Wednesday, January 22 6:30 pm Segerstrom High School 2301 W MacArthur Blvd Santa Ana, CA 92704   Thursday, January 23 6:00 pm Saddleback High School 2802 South Flower Street Santa Ana, CA 92707   Monday, January 27 5:30 pm Century High School 1401 S Grand Ave Santa Ana, CA 92705   Thursday, February 6 6:00 pm Anaheim High School 811 W Lincoln Ave Anaheim, CA 92805    ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.manchin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=0986c8c9-01e5-412a-b293-69ef5d837547,Manchin: Democratic Success in Republican State | The Associated Press,2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,WV,Joe Manchin,M001183,www.manchin.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 24, 2013 Manchin: Democratic Success in Republican State | The Associated Press FRIENDLY, W.Va. (AP) — Many locals around here see Sen. Joe Manchin as one of them, so much so they greet the 30-year veteran of West Virginia politics by his first name more often than by his title. But in the Senate, the 66-year-old upstart stands out as a rare breed: A back-slapping, gun-owning Democrat who attracts widespread support from working class whites in an increasingly Republican state. Last November, two years after winning a special election to succeed the late Robert Byrd, Manchin won his first full term with more than 60 percent of the vote. He ran 25 percentage points ahead of President Barack Obama, posting the Senate's top crossover spread in two election cycles. That success could offer Democrats a road map in other GOP strongholds, particularly Southern states that share West Virginia's conservative makeup. The grandson and great-grandson of immigrants, Manchin — taken from the Italian ""Mancini"" — calls his delicate walk between his party and his own identity a journey of ""balance"" and ""common sense."" And he attributes his success to his small-town upbringing and experience as a state legislator, secretary of state and governor dating back to 1982. In a whirlwind of stops across the state, Manchin praises federal programs, implemented under Democratic presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Lyndon Johnson, which helped West Virginia over the years; but he's also quick to tout the work ethic of beneficiaries of such programs, telling one crowd, ""If you think government should do everything for you, I'm the wrong person for you."" He turns questions about party and philosophy into indictments of Washington acrimony: ""I'm a proud West Virginia Democrat, but I'm willing to work with anybody."" On the revolving fiscal fight in Congress, Manchin bemoans Republicans who reject all tax hikes and Democrats who blast most spending cuts. ""They're both right and they're both wrong,"" he says, offering his own solution that seems to combine a little of both. He's also open to reviewing the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-wage workers, while calling for increasing the minimum wage to at least $10 per hour. He insists that environmentalists and the energy industry can reconcile, if government sets ""reasonable and attainable"" pollution limits and fossil fuel plants embrace them. As governor he sued Obama's Environmental Protection Agency and still hammers the administration for ""pie-in-the-sky"" environmental standards. Those are necessary tactics for any statewide elected official in this leading coal state, but they're also true to the Manchin form: ""We can balance the economy and the environment."" ""Balance"" is also his defense when he's chastised — and it happens often — for a gun compromise he pushed after last year's Connecticut elementary school massacre. The measure didn't include new weapons or ammunition bans. Instead, it would have extended existing background checks to more gun sales, but not to private transactions between parties who know each other. Perhaps Manchin's deftest tightrope walk concerns the president himself. Obama got walloped twice in West Virginia, and a recent poll suggested that almost half the state's voters want him impeached. Manchin says Obama's poor standing isn't about him being the first black president, even though about 19 out of 20 West Virginia residents are white. Manchin contends that Democrats have a more general cultural problem on everything from guns to abortion, and that Obama's environmental positions escalate the distrust. ""People have to like you and trust you,"" he said. Manchin insists that ""the White House and I don't exactly get along,"" but he nonetheless defends the president on some matters. Almost pre-emptively, he says at several stops, ""Whether he's a Republican or Democrat, we should always respect the president and want him to succeed, because we want the nation to succeed."" When one woman in Moundsville blasted Obama as an insufficient defender of Israel, Manchin interrupted her: ""I don't think that's true."" Manchin supported the immigration overhaul that Obama backed and that has been stymied in the GOP-run House. ""You can't just deport 11 million people,"" he told people angry about his vote. The Affordable Care Act passed before he took office, but Manchin tells voters ""the intentions were right"" and insists that a full repeal isn't practical or beneficial. Even as he criticized implementation of the health care law, Manchin said Congress' job is to make it work. But he also reminds his more partisan critics that he opposes the confirmation of Janet Yellen, Obama's nominee for Federal Reserve chairman. He voted, too, against a Senate rules change that allows Democrats to confirm certain nominees with a simple majority of 51 votes, rather than the 60 previously required when the minority party objected. ""Most people know he doesn't just follow the party line,"" said Republican Bob Miller, a Marshall County commissioner. Although he supported Manchin's Republican opponent in the last two Senate elections, Miller said he's ""never looked at Joe as Satan."" Manchin said he operates as he did at the statehouse in Charleston, where he remains an influential figure. State Sen. Larry Edgell, a Democrat, said then-Gov. Manchin met regularly with both party caucuses and also hosted small, bipartisan groups of lawmakers. Manchin now uses the same strategy inviting groups of senators out on a boat he keeps docked near Washington. The social outings have produced pairings like Republican Ted Cruz of Texas and Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York, according to Manchin's staff. ""You've got to find leverage"" on issues, Manchin said, ""and have the relationships to use it."" Manchin said he's not trying to amass influence to ""be a lifer"" in the Senate. He also didn't reject the possibility of looking beyond West Virginia, should an opportunity arise. ""I'm not sure I'd put my family through that,"" he said of his own national campaign. But he added, ""I'm happy to help wherever I can."" By:  Bill Barrow",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://bera.house.gov/media-center/amis-updates/grateful,Grateful,2013-12-23,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Ami Bera,B001287,bera.house.gov,,,legacy,"I sent an e-mail update today to express my thanks for such an incredible year and give an update about my office during the Holidays.  Join my e-newsletter now so you don't miss out on any future updates!   With Christmas almost here and 2013 quickly coming to an end, I want to thank you for such an incredible year. I am grateful for all of your letters and emails, your questions at my Congress on Your Corner meetings, your input on my surveys and social media, and most of all, for allowing me to serve as your representative. Listening to you is my most important job. It’s your advice, suggestions, and constructive criticism that inform my work for you in Washington. If you should need help from my office between Christmas and New Years Day (December 25th through January 1st) or if you would like to share your views with me, please call my Rancho Cordova office at (916) 635 0505 or my Washington DC office at (202) 225 5464.  My staff will be checking messages frequently throughout the holidays so that we can continue serving you, but like many local businesses and government offices, my offices will be closed during this time. Best wishes for a happy holiday season, and a happy and healthy 2014! Be well, Ami Bera, M.D.  Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://bera.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-bera-applauds-local-manufacturer-siemens-usa-in-win-for-a-multi,"Rep. Bera applauds local manufacturer, Siemens USA, in win for a multi-state contract to build new locomotives, creating jobs in Sacramento",2013-12-23,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,CA,Ami Bera,B001287,bera.house.gov,,,legacy,"Sacramento – The Siemens USA's facility in Sacramento has won a contract from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to build and assemble approximately 35 new electronic locomotives for several Midwestern and West Coast states, the company announced Friday. The high-performance, 125 mile per hour, diesel-electric locomotives will be built using funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. visited Siemens in July during the Congress at your Company tour and advocated for the project with the U.S. Department of Transportation. “This is a huge win for Sacramento County and exactly the kind of project that both creates jobs, and improves our infrastructure safety for the American people,"" said Bera. ""It will bring jobs to our region, and help spur our local economy. As we continue to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families, we must work to attract high-tech jobs to the region,  improve our infrastructure, and invest in education that prepares our children for the jobs of the 21st century economy."" Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Rail Systems in the U.S., said ""We are extremely proud to have been selected as a rolling stock partner to help bring the next era of passenger rail service to Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, California and Washington State. Leveraging Siemens’ proven rail expertise and technology, we look forward to building the most energy-efficient, advanced technology, diesel-electric locomotives in North America at our solar-powered transportation manufacturing facility in Sacramento, California.” Siemens Rail Systems is bringing one of the most modern and efficient passenger rail, diesel electric locomotives in the world to the U.S. marketplace.  Cummins' QSK95 diesel engines will be used in Siemens' diesel electric locomotives in the U.S., resulting in one of the most energy-efficient, lightweight, smart, diesel electric locomotives available today in North America. Leveraging Siemens proven rail technology, these locomotives will be designed and built specifically for today's new train passenger, providing a smoother, more reliable and more energy-efficient riding experience.  The state-of-the-art locomotives will also deploy a new engine after treatment system that will deliver a cleaner ride with better air quality and reduced emission rates.  Importantly, these smarter, lighter trains are being developed with passenger and crew safety top-of-mind. Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He’s fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country’s debt in a responsible way. One of Bera’s first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don’t pass a budget, they don’t get paid. As a co-chair of No Labels' Problem Solvers, he’s working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation’s challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit https://www.bera.house.gov.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365088,South Sudan Fighting Endangers Many,2013-12-23,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The expanding fighting in the Republic of South Sudan has killed more than 500 people in recent days and injured four U.S. military personnel who were evacuating Americans and other foreigners from the country. The conflict endangers not only citizens of that country but threatens to negatively impact the country’s neighbors and the international community, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.     “Already more than 500 people are reported dead,” said Smith. “More could be killed or injured, and not only in South Sudan—the conflict may spread, threatening people in neighboring countries. The escalating fighting in South Sudan could likely lead to more terrorist activities in an already-volatile region. The Administration’s call for a Christmas season cease-fire must be augmented by intense diplomacy with both sides.”     South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, borders countries already troubled with terrorist activity by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and various Islamic radical and other militia groups in the Central African Republic, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Analysts fear that a South Sudan distracted and divided by civil war would provide an easier operating ground for terrorist groups. The LRA terrorist group, notorious for kidnapping children and forcing them to serve as child soldiers, still operates in the region and poses a danger to the lives of civilians in all four countries.     Meanwhile, Islamic radicals have infiltrated countries in the region, most notably Somalia, but also Ethiopia and even Uganda. An unstable South Sudan will only further empower them by providing the kind of chaos in which the radicals thrive. The entire Sahel region of north-central Africa has been targeted, with Mali having been torn apart by their violent activities and nations such as Niger, Chad and Central African Republic continuing to be adversely affected by their militant and terroristic actions.     Last year’s nine-month oil dispute between South Sudan and Sudan cut oil production from a combined 450,000 barrels per day to what amounted to a mere trickle, and isn’t predicted to return to pre-crisis levels until 2017 at the earliest. The fighting in South Sudan further endangers that timetable as the northern hemisphere heads into winter, and therefore greater oil consumption. Because oil is the only major export for the South Sudanese economy, the economic impact of losing more of its oil production could bring additional suffering to the already-impoverished people of South Sudan. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cohen.house.gov/press-release/cohen-announces-more-13-million-help-prepare-shelby-county-children-school,Cohen Announces More Than $13 Million to Help Prepare Shelby County Children for School,2013-12-23,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,TN,Steve Cohen,C001068,cohen.house.gov,,,legacy,"[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that Shelby County has been awarded a $13,161,380 grant from the Department of U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) to support Head Start projects that help promote school readiness of children from birth until the age of 5 by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. “Today’s funding is an investment in our children, an investment in our families, and an investment in our future,” said Congressman Cohen. “Because of this important funding, children from low-income families throughout Shelby County’s will be healthier and better prepared to learn when they enter school. We will see countless benefits down the line as today’s children grow into tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, doctors, scientists, and productive members of our society. This is an important program that I am proud to support.” Head Start is a federal program that provides comprehensive services to enrolled children and their families, which include health, nutrition, social services and other services determined to be necessary by family needs assessments, in addition to education and cognitive development services. Shelby County Head Start provides these services to over 3,000 children in Memphis and Shelby County. Today’s funding will complete the funding needed for the school year that ends in May 2014. An announcement about who will administer the Head Start grant for the 2014-1015 school year is expected within the next few months, along with additional funding for this vital program. The Head Start program was founded as part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty in 1965 as an eight-week demonstration project. Since its founding, Head Start has served over 30 million children and their families in urban and rural areas in every corner of the nation and has grown to include full day as well as year services and numerous program options.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://duffy.house.gov/press-release/hunger-homelessness-summit-focuses-on-awareness,Hunger & Homelessness Summit Focuses on Awareness,2013-12-23,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,WI,Sean Duffy,D000614,duffy.house.gov,,,legacy,"Wausau, WI – More than 100 registered participants joined U.S. Congressman Sean Duffy (WI-07) for his first Hunger & Homelessness Summit held in Wausau this past Wednesday. The daylong summit brought together volunteers and representatives from dozens of organizations from across the 7th Congressional District. The event included several panel discussions, a keynote address from Steve Berg from the National Alliance to End Homelessness and concluded with a “bright spots” session that challenged participants to implement a takeaway from the event. In his opening remarks to the attendees, Rep. Duffy offered: “My team and I wanted to do what we could to try to make a difference with those who have fallen on hard times and make sure we can collaborate together on community resources. Also collaborate on the Federal and state side to make sure resources don’t just flow to the urban parts of the country but can actually come to the parts of the country that have real problems but don’t have huge staffs to cut through the red-tape.” Offering his thoughts on the summit, Rep. Duffy said, “We found that by reaching out to each other and building a coalition within our community we can be more effective in our efforts to serve the neediest in our area.” Rep. Duffy’s office plans to post the entire summit on YouTube. Click here to watch and check back for updates from the daylong event. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://higgins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-higgins-presents-family-of-wwii-veteran-simon-zulia-with,Congressman Higgins Presents Family of WWII Veteran Simon Zulia with Bronze Star,2013-12-23,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,NY,Brian Higgins,H001038,higgins.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Brian Higgins presented the family of United States Army veteran Simon Zulia with a Bronze Star and additional military recognitions for his exemplary service in two of World War II’s most prominent campaigns.  Also, in a surprise to the family, Simon’s son, Steve Zulia was presented with a medal he never received for sustaining life threatening injuries while on duty as a Niagara County Sheriff’s Deputy.       “Simon Zulia demonstrated great courage and commitment as a member of the United States Army and it is our honor to pay tribute and express gratitude for the contributions he made to this great nation,” said Congressman Brian Higgins, a member of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security.  “Simon’s love for his country was matched only by his love for his family and the medals they are receiving today will stand as a lasting legacy of this patriarch’s noble character.”   City of North Tonawanda Mayor Robert Ortt added, “It is great to see Simon Zulia receive the recognition he deserves due to his service and sacrifice for our country.  It is never too late to say thank you to our veterans.  As a recipient of the Bronze Star, I know what it takes to earn this medal and am proud that our government has finally recognized Simon for his service to our nation.  We should all be proud of North Tonawanda veterans and Americans such as Simon.”     Senator George Maziarz said, “Earning the Bronze Star is no easy feat, and today’s presentation shows that Simon played a notable role in helping to win the Second World War.  This is the season of giving, and Simon Zulia gave so much to our country and our community that he deserves to be recognized and honored.”   Born December 4, 1925 in Lockport, NY, Simon Zulia, “Slim” to those who knew him best, attended Lockport High School before entering into the United States Military service on July 28, 1944 amidst the nation’s involvement in World War II.  Simon completed basic training at Ft. McClellan in Alabama and then went to Ft. Meade in Maryland before being sent overseas.     Assigned to an Infantry Unit, Zulia participated in both the Rhineland and Ardennes campaigns, the latter of which became notable as the site of two major battles that helped to define the outcome of the war – the Battle of France and the Battle of the Bulge.  Due to its concealed, hilly terrain, Allied generals felt the Ardennes region could not be navigated by armored vehicles and therefore did not need to be heavily fortified. However, Nazi Germany tested the maneuverability of the region, twice using it as an invasion route into Northern France and Southern Belgium.  Zulia once recalled a time he was in a bunker in Germany with other soldiers that were wounded and close to death.  German soldiers saw them and Simon pretended he was dead just to stay alive.   Zulia served in a combat infantry unit as a rifleman until he was wounded in action but that did not stop his commitment to his country. He then became a truck driver and drove all types of vehicles that carried troops and supplies over various terrains. Zulia was honorably discharged on April 24th, 1946 from Fort Dix, New Jersey.    Simon’s two brothers, John and Sam, also served in World War II.  John served in the Air Corps and was stationed in the South Pacific.  Sam, Simon’s twin, proudly served in the Navy and served four tours overseas.     Simon Zulia was married to his wife, Evelyn, for 44 years before he passed away in 1995.  In the early years of their marriage he ran the Lake Breeze Inn in Olcott and Slim’s Dinette in Lockport before working at Harrison Radiator for over 20 years.  The couple had four children, Marina Zulia Fery of Brockport, NY; Regina Zulia Sullivan of Lockport, NY; Steve Zulia of North Tonawanda, NY; and Peter Zulia from Cincinnati, Ohio.      For his commendable conduct and courage throughout his military service, Congressman Brian Higgins presented Simon Zulia’s widow and all four children with: the Bronze Star, European-African- Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 bronze service stars, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, and Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII.      The Bronze Star is awarded to members of the military distinguishing themselves by heroic service while engaged in an action against an armed enemy.  It is one of the highest awards presented to the military for acts of merit.   Simon’s son Steve, a former Niagara County Sheriff Deputy, was ambushed and shot in the face and upper body while answering a domestic call in Middleport on Saturday, November 7, 1987.  After many months of surgeries and rehabilitation, Steve went on to complete    Master’s Degree from Buffalo State College and continued his doctoral work at Albany State. He currently works as a professor at Niagara University, teaching Criminal Justice.   Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour presented Steve Zulia with the Police Combat Cross medal, which is given to public safety officers who have successfully and intelligently performed an act of extraordinary heroism, while engaged in personal combat with an armed adversary under circumstances of imminent personal hazard to life.   Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour said, “On December 16, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge was launched with deadly ferocity.   The largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in World War II, it was to become Simon Zulia’s crucible.     “15,666 days later and 3,793 miles west of his father’s bitter Belgian battlefield, Steven Zulia was drawn into his own combat zone.  But time and distance did not write different scripts for them.  They were both wounded.  They both moved on to prominence in new roles.  Both have made a difference in other people’s lives.   “Simon Zulia returned home to Niagara County determined to give his family the opportunity to live the American Dream, a dream he willingly risked his life for.  He became a respected owner of businesses and a loyal and valuable worker in his community.  Jarred by the sudden end to his career in law enforcement, Steven Zulia persevered, studied and ascended to acclaimed status of college professor at Niagara University, also in Niagara County.   “Years and miles cannot keep Simon and Steven Zulia apart.  Simon’s gifts of love of family, courage, integrity and sense of service course through Steven even to this day.  Father and son, one and the same, united forever.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://jeffries.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-jeffries-lauds-decision-to-keep-interfaith-medical-center-open,Rep. Jeffries Lauds Decision To Keep Interfaith Medical Center Open,2013-12-23,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,NY,Hakeem Jeffries,J000294,jeffries.house.gov,,,legacy,"Brooklyn, NY – Today, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8) released the following statement on the postponement of Interfaith Medical Center’s closure: “The community is thankful that Governor Cuomo and the State Department of Health have recognized the need to continue supporting Interfaith Medical Center at this difficult moment. The hospital remains on life support, but today we have taken a significant step forward by avoiding closure. Bedford-Stuyvesant and the communities of Central Brooklyn deserve a thriving medical institution, and we will not rest until that vision becomes a reality.”  # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z