"NO" on Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Assistance
Yesterday, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced that Congressman Tim Scott will replace Senator Jim DeMint, who is leaving at the end of the year to run our sister organization, The Heritage Foundation. During a question and answer session with reporters following the announcement, Rep. Scott was asked how he compared to Sen. DeMint. After flashing a smile, he proceeded to compare his ranking on Heritage Action's Legislative Scorecard to...
Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.), ForAmerica Chairman L. Brent Bozell III, Heritage Action CEO Michael Needham, former Attorney General Ed Meese, former Rep. David McIntosh (R-Ind.) and other conservative leaders will hold a 3:00 p.m. press conference at the House Triangle Lounge to discuss Speaker Boehner's Plan B proposal, the ongoing controversy surrounding the fiscal cliff, and the impact this will have on the future of the Republican Party. WHEN: Wednesday...
"NO" on Plan B Tax Increase
Washington—Tonight, the U.S. House declined to vote on Plan B, which would have allowed tax rates to increase on some Americans and small businesses. Heritage Action released the following statement from CEO Michael A. Needham: In August, the House passed H.R. 8 with bipartisan support. It would have prevented a tax hike on hardworking Americans who are struggling under the weight of President Obama's economy. For nearly five months, Harry...
A seven second video is worth a thousand. Thank you for all of your hard work this year!
Last night, as Senate aides worked to strike a deal on the fiscal cliff, President Obama and his team were nowhere to found. Although they were apparently receiving updates on the kick-the-can deal, the disengagement of the Obama administration is palpable. Heritage Action's Tripp Baird said President Obama should look in the mirror, instead of delivering a "sanctimonious lecture" about "Congress about not doing their job." Tripp continues: The president...
This morning, even as Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Vice President Joe Biden make "major progress" on the fiscal cliff, one thing is clear: this is becoming a K Street Gravy Train. Because legislative text is unavailable, it is impossible to know just how larded up a potential deal will become, but the Examiner's Tim Carney has this nugget: An all-star lineup of lobbyists, featuring former congressmen and many of...
"NO" on Kick-the-Can Tax Increase
Last night, some predicted the Senate could vote on the fiscal cliff deal - a $600 billion tax increase - without an official score from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Sadly, that's exactly that happened. At roughly 1:40 AM, Senators took to the floor to vote on a 157-page that no one had seen. Heritage Action's key vote warned lawmakers: In addition to increasing taxes, the emerging deal contains a...
The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (H.R.152) would provide $50.507 billion in “emergency” funding intended for disaster assistance for Hurricane Sandy relief.
Together, the rule changes would weaken the rights of the Senate minority and limit the opportunity of individual senators to represent their constituents.
UPDATE (January 2 @ 4:32 PM): The House will be voting Friday on $9 billion in disaster aid for Superstorm Sandy and then will have another vote on $51 billion in aid on January 15. We will keep up with new developments as this unfolds. As usual, liberal lawmakers are forced to argue on the plane of emotion and feelings with regard to the Sandy supplemental. Due in part to...
In his seven minute victory speech last night, President Obama doubled down, saying we can't continue to cut our way to prosperity. Continue? I was unaware the cutting had begun. Instead, the goal is to tax his way to America's demise. He espoused a number of untruths throughout the speech, but his central theme was painfully clear: I'm going to tax you more, America! Throughout the supposed fiscal cliff negotiations...
When it comes to asking for money in Washington, there is often more than meets the eye. Of course, that should come as no surprise because special interest lobbying is in this city's DNA. What may be surprising, though, is even the aid package intended for victims of Superstorm Sandy isn't immune from such horse trading. Politico reports: PORT AUTHORITIES HIRE UP FOR SANDY RELIEF: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie...
President Obama has had one very noticeable contribution to this country since he's assumed office: a crushing $16.4 trillion debt. As Politico reports, this is "up about 60 percent from the $10 trillion Obama inherited when he took office in January 2009." They call it "the single biggest blemish on Obama's record." In light of this staggering debt, the upcoming debt ceiling fight is bound to be charged. This time...
The age old expression "money doesn't grow on trees" is clearly lost on most politicians. People in Washington spend our taxpayer money like it does grow on trees. The Daily Caller reports, "Green energy was a beneficiary" in the rushed fiscal cliff deal that passed the House January 1. This is not a surprise, though, since President Obama has wanted this all along, a point he made clear in his...
Some politicians suffer from the delusion that they have a monopoly on the definition of "fairness." Nancy Pelosi is one of them. An expert at framing arguments on her terms, like her friends in the White House, she encourages Americans to view life through the lens of jealousy and the prism of greed. In an interview taped on Friday with CBS's Bob Schieffer, she falsely implied that America has only...
There are a number of good contenders for "the great challenge of our time." There are a whole host of social issues, cultural and moral degradation, educational decline, economic debt and deficits that have reached unfathomable, ungraspable heights --- issues of great magnitude that need fixing. It would be difficult to decide what takes the cake, but not for 70 green groups that have boldly declared that "climate change" is...
Remember back in 2008 when then-Senator Barack Obama promised to change Washington. Well, the National Journal reports President Obama will (finally) use his second term as an opportunity to tackle big lobby groups and influential interest groups. Some liberals happily suggest that he no longer has to worry about politics. Those on the right agree, and say that Obama can implement his ideological vision with a vengeance. Things are never...