Weekly Columns
May 8, 2017
In what has become an all too familiar exercise, last week Congress passed a Consolidated Appropriations bill, sometimes known as an Omnibus, at the 11th hour thereby narrowly averting a government shutdown. This legislation extended funding for the remainder of the 2017 Fiscal Year. It is work that should have, and could have, been completed last December.
May 1, 2017
In 1945, following the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II, the Korean peninsula was divided on the 38th parallel with the southern portion occupied by the United States and the northern potion occupied by the Soviet Union. The arrangement was intended to be temporary until a reunification could be negotiated.
April 24, 2017
This past week marked the twenty second anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. That day is still fresh in my memory. At the time, it was and still remains the largest and most deadly act of domestic terror the United States had ever suffered. I, like so many other Americans, wondered how could something so horrible, so unthinkable occur in America's heartland? Sadly, it wasn't the last time that America witnessed terror on our soil.
When the Alfred P.
April 17, 2017
For the past sixteen years, the United States has been engaged in several military conflicts, primarily, but not exclusively, in the Middle East. Unfortunately, after eight years of President Obama's erratic and uninformed foreign policy, the threats to the United States have only grown.
April 10, 2017
The sudden and untimely death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016 left an enormous void in our nation's judicial system. It would not be an overstatement to say he was one of the most consequential justices in American History. It was a fitting and appropriate decision, therefore, to delay hearings and a confirmation vote until the people had the opportunity to weigh in through their vote for president.
April 3, 2017
President Trump and his administration have laid out a very ambitious legislative agenda. Health care reform, border security, tax reform, increased military spending and a massive investment in our nation's infrastructure are just a few examples of the complex policy changes the Administration is pursuing.
While I support the Administration's overall policy agenda, with a few exceptions, I believe Congress needs to take care of our basic responsibilities before embarking on the more difficult and time-consuming agenda items.
March 27, 2017
Last week, Congress came very close to delivering on our promise to repeal and replace Obama Care. For the past seven years, Americans have been burdened by this so-called Affordable Care Act, which caused premiums and deductibles to increase, while choices and providers dwindled.
Issues:Healthcare
March 20, 2017
Each year, Congress has the responsibility to pass a budget, and then appropriate funds in accordance with that budget to fund the federal government agencies. The process typically starts in February when the President submits his proposed budget. But Congress has no obligation to adhere to the President's budget or even to put it to a vote. President Obama's budgets were routinely rejected - and not on a partisan basis.
March 20, 2017
Each year, Congress has the responsibility to pass a budget, and then appropriate funds in accordance with that budget to fund the federal government agencies. The process typically starts in February when the President submits his proposed budget. But Congress has no obligation to adhere to the President's budget or even to put it to a vote. President Obama's budgets were routinely rejected - and not on a partisan basis.
March 13, 2017
In the past seven years, Congress has voted to repeal Obamacare more than 60 times. However, repeal was never successful due to obstructionists in the U.S. Senate and a certain veto by President Obama. With a new President and conservative leadership in Congress, repeal of Obamacare is now well within our reach.
Last week, two key House committees passed the first draft of the American Health Care Act, setting the stage for the ultimate repeal and replacement of Obamacare.
Issues:Healthcare