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Foxx Report |
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The House returned to Washington last week following the November 4, 2014, elections to begin work in what is often called the “lame-duck” session of Congress.
However, we got back to business immediately and passed legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline for the ninth time with bipartisan support. Why have we had to approve legislation nine times? Because the Senate has repeatedly failed to act. On Tuesday the Senate brought legislation to authorize building the pipeline to the floor for the first time, but the bill failed to reach the required 60 vote threshold. The final vote was 59 yes votes to 41 no votes.
Keystone XL is the most studied pipeline in our nation’s history. Thousands of pages prove its worth to our economy and national interest and further document its safety. It will spur job creation, help us on our way to energy independence and increase access to affordable North American oil.
For more than six years, supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline have been fighting to secure the necessary approval that would allow the U.S. to take advantage of vital oil production in Canada and the northern United States. Approving the pipeline will be one of the first items on the agenda for the 114th Congress in January.
Immigration
On Thursday President Obama announced he will take executive action to grant amnesty to millions of immigrants in the United States illegally.
The president does not have the legal authority to legislate, and President Obama’s unilateral actions on immigration are a blatant overreach of his Constitutionally-granted executive authority. The president claims to believe in the Constitution, but his actions demonstrate otherwise.
The president himself has even acknowledged that this is not how our democracy functions. Just last year he told Univision that he believed “it is very important for us to recognize that the way to solve this problem has to be legislative.”
America’s immigration system is broken. It’s not working for families, employers or taxpayers. However, it is Congress’ responsibility to pursue reforms and build consensus toward a strong immigration policy that begins with border security.
Immigration reform must be approached carefully and with ample public input. There is too much at stake to do anything else.
Transparency in Government
You couldn’t turn on a TV last week without hearing about MIT economist Jonathan Gruber’s comments that Obamacare was passed by exploiting the lack of information given to the American people. In his comments, Gruber, a key architect of the legislation, called the lack of transparency involved in passing Obamacare “a huge political advantage.”
President Obama has claimed that his administration is “the most transparent administration in history,” but statements like Gruber’s indicate otherwise. It is long past time for Congress to require more transparency from the executive branch.
Earlier this year, a bipartisan majority in the House passed my bill, H.R. 899, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, which we call UMITA. This bipartisan legislation would improve transparency and public disclosure of the true cost – in dollars and in jobs – that federal dictates pose to the economy.
Asking the federal government to disclose the costs of a mandate in addition to its benefits should not be controversial – it’s just plain common sense. Rest assured I will be working with the Senate in the 114th Congress to pass UMITA and restore government transparency.
House Republican Conference Leadership
Last week I was reelected as Secretary of the House Republican Conference for the 114th Congress. The Conference is well-prepared to solve our nation’s most pressing issues by galvanizing support behind worthy policy ideas. While we may occasionally hold diverse positions on the issues, our Conference is united in its principles of hard work, honesty and virtue. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues and look forward to continuing to work with them to build a better future for hardworking Americans.
What’s Coming Up
Next week the House will not be in session in observance of Thanksgiving. Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday.
Sincerely,
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