Francis Rooney
"NO" on the Commission to Study National Women's History Museum
Washington—According to reports, Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) will vote against former Representative Scott Garrett (R-N.J.), President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Export-Import Bank. If Sen. Rounds does join Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee in voting no during next week’s executive session, he will effectively block the president’s reform-oriented nominee. Heritage Action released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Michael A. Needham: “It is extraordinarily difficult for the...
The Higher Education Reform and Opportunity (HERO) Act (S.2228), introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), would empower states with the option to develop their own systems of accrediting colleges and universities, individual courses and curricula, and apprenticeship programs. The HERO Act would decouple federal financing from accreditation so that federal dollars follow the student, not the institution, unleashing new and innovative approaches to higher education in the 21st century economy.
Washington—This week, President Trump shockingly re-nominated a leading LGBT activist to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC is responsible for federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee. If confirmed by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Chai Feldblum would serve another five years with the EEOC after becoming the first openly LGBT person to serve on...
This week, the House and Senate will vote on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), the most significant tax reform and tax cut legislative initiative since the 1986 tax reform package passed under President Ronald Reagan. The bill would make sweeping changes to the individual and corporate codes, and eliminate Obamacare's individual mandate penalty.
Later today, the House will vote on an $81 billion disaster recovery package (H.R. 4667) intended to help recovery efforts stemming from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate, and immediate relief for those fighting wildfires across California and other western states.
Next week, the Senate will vote on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S. 2311), introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). This legislation would protect unborn children by preventing abortions 20 weeks after fertilization, at which time scientific evidence suggests the unborn child can feel pain. The House passed a similar bill last fall by a vote of 237 to 189.
This week, the House will vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 4712), introduced by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). This legislation requires that appropriate medical care be given to any child who survived an attempted abortion, and establishes criminal penalties for health care practitioners that violate this requirement (the mother of a child born alive may not be prosecuted) and a civil right of action to enforce the...
Washington—According to reports, President Donald Trump suggested Congress should at least consider bringing back earmarks to help pass a massive infrastructure package later this year. Earmarks were traditionally used as a form of pork-barrel spending to buy votes and undermine conservative opposition to big-government legislation. After the Tea Party wave of 2010, Republicans in Congress courageously passed a ban on earmarks in an effort to end cronyism. In 2016, House...