releases: http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=3DF04EBC-8E9A-48DA-95E1-63CE1C8FD653
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=3DF04EBC-8E9A-48DA-95E1-63CE1C8FD653 | Weekly Column: Keeping Resolutions | 2014-12-31 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Republican | House | SD | Kristi Noem | N000184 | noem.house.gov | legacy | Making New Year’s resolutions seems to be as much of a tradition as breaking New Year’s resolutions. We commit ourselves to getting in shape or quitting bad habits, but by January 5, many have already strayed. We blame it on self-discipline or holiday leftovers, but research suggests it has more to do with how we go about setting goals. Studies show we’re more likely to achieve our resolutions if we set specific goals, such as “I will lose five pounds by March 1.” And once those goals are set, we ought to tell someone so we don’t go it alone. With this approach to goal setting in mind, I sat down and put together a list of specific and public resolutions that will move us toward the larger goal of reigniting the promise of opportunity in America. First, I will work to update and simplify the tax code, which hasn’t been done since gas cost less than 90 cents a gallon. Over the last 25-plus years, special interest groups have manipulated the tax code time and again, carving out so many loopholes that we now have a 73,954-page-long tax code. As a friend of mine says, that’s 10 times longer than the Bible with none of the Good News! I want to strip out those loopholes, protect folks from an abusive IRS, and lower the tax rate for hardworking Americans, and I’m optimistic there’s positive momentum behind such changes. We won’t likely rewrite our entire tax code in a single year, but we must make progress toward creating something that’s simpler and fairer. Second, I want to open new markets for trade between South Dakota and the world. The United States is currently in negotiations with 11 nations to create a Trans-Pacific Partnership and with the European Union to create the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. South Dakota already exports around $1 billion annually to markets involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and $125 million to the European Union, but there is room to grow if we can level the playing field for U.S. exporters. Both the President and Congressional leadership are optimistic this is an area where we can put partisanship aside, find common ground and make progress on these negotiations. Finally, I want to target government agencies and programs that inhibit our liberties and lives. One of the most significant impediments to our individual liberties today is the Affordable Care Act. While I would like to see the legislation fully repealed, there is little-to-no hope that President Obama will sign legislation doing so and there isn’t enough support from Democrats in Congress to override the certain veto. Nonetheless, I’ll do all I can to weaken the law and give relief to those most impacted until we can get the support needed for a full repeal. Already, we’ve reduced the law’s funding and repealed the onerous 1099 requirements. This year, I’m hopeful we’ll also be able to repeal the law’s medical device tax and further limit its Independent Payment Advisory Board, a panel of 15 unelected bureaucrats who are charged with making decisions that could limit Medicare recipients’ access to coverage. Onerous federal regulations and roadblocks have also made energy more expensive than it has to be. I fully expect that one of the first votes I’ll take in the new Congress will be to move forward on the Keystone XL Pipeline – a pipeline that would create jobs and generate over $20 million in property taxes in South Dakota. I’ll also be looking to rein in unnecessary EPA regulations, which could help make energy more affordable for South Dakotans. I know I’ve outlined a very aggressive agenda. Some of these items can be settled in the next 12 months. Others, like simplifying the tax code and expanding trade, may take longer if we want to do it right, but this is the year to get started on these larger goals as well. I am optimistic though and I believe we have a new Congress that is prepared to govern and ready to take the tough votes that are necessary to restore the American Dream. I for one can’t wait to tackle all that 2015 has in store. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |