Recently in Washington

Last week the House passed H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act, which provides for needed medical malpractice reform and eliminates the Independent Payment Advisory Board included in President Obama’s health care bill.

House Budget Committee Passes 2013 Budget
Congressman Mike Simpson, a senior member of the House Budget Committee, last week supported the Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution offered by Chairman Paul Ryan, which passed in the Committee 19–18.

The Budget Resolution must be passed every year by the House and the Senate to set top-level spending limits that Congress then adheres to when crafting its appropriations bills that year. While the House budget sets responsible spending limits and suggests pathways for finding significant savings in mandatory spending programs, the Senate has, for the third year in a row, failed to pass a budget or even offer one.  Last Tuesday Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad filed to deem automatic spending levels without requiring a vote on them.

“I was glad to support this budget proposal and pleased it passed out of the Committee,” said Simpson. “I commend Chairman Ryan for offering this proposal, which, though it is unlikely to receive any counter proposal from Congressional Democrats beyond demagoguery, includes many bold and tough reforms.”

• Cuts spending by $5 trillion relative to the President's budget, which features a net $1.5 trillion increase in federal spending.
• Reforms our 19th century tax code to create a fairer, flatter tax rate and ends special interest loopholes while lowering tax rates for all Americans.  President Obama's budget imposes a $2 trillion dollar tax increase. 
• Protects seniors and saves the strained Medicare program by reforming it to control costs by offering choice and competition while also making no changes to the benefits of current seniors and those 55 years or older. It also ensures that traditional Medicare remains an option for anyone who wants it.  President Obama offered no substantive proposal to deal with Medicare.
• Reduces the debt to sustainable levels over the next decade and pays off the debt over time.  The President’s budget adds $11 trillion to the debt over the next decade with no plan to pay it off in the future.

Simpson has been a strong supporter of deficit reform proposals, like the Simpson-Bowles proposal, that include tax reform, entitlement reform, and significant spending reductions.  While the Republican budget is unlikely to receive bipartisan support, it signifies the intention of House Republicans to fix our spending problems and bring the debt back under control.

“This budget takes our debt problem seriously, which is, unfortunately, more than we have seen from the White House or the U.S. Senate,” added Simpson.  “House Republicans have acted, despite so-called political experts numerous claims that it will hurt us in an election year.  We have offered a budget that confronts the problems head on.”

The Budget Resolution now moves to the House floor for consideration this week.

Simpson Supports Tort Reform and IPAB Repeal Bill
Congressman Mike Simpson last week voted for legislation to improve our nation’s healthcare delivery system and bring down the costs of healthcare.  H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2011, would implement needed medical liability reforms and repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which was a part of President Obama’s 2010 healthcare bill.  The legislation passed the House last week by a vote of 223-181.

“Abuse of existing medical malpractice laws is one of the reasons healthcare in the United States is prohibitively expensive for many individuals,” said Simpson.  “Members on both sides of the aisle recognize that medical liability reform would bring down healthcare costs for taxpayers and consumers, as well as improve access to care, and yet Democrats failed to even touch this issue in the partisan Affordable Care Act.  I am pleased that H.R. 5 directly addresses the problems in our healthcare system by placing caps on non-economic damages and limiting attorney’s fees.  It is estimated to save as much as $120 billion in wasteful spending by reducing unnecessary defensive medicine practices.”

In addition to liability reform provisions, H.R. 5 eliminates the IPAB, which was buried in the Affordable Care Act and is made up of a board of unelected bureaucrats tasked with deciding payment rates for Medicare.  Included in the ACA is authority for IPAB to operate without public meetings or hearings, consider public input on proposals, or make its deliberations open to the public.

“This is a provision of the new healthcare law that I have long been concerned about,” said Simpson.  “We all know that without effective reform, Medicare as we know it will not be there for our children and grandchildren.  Any changes to Medicare must happen in public, with broad input, and with the best interests of the American people in mind.  Unfortunately, the IPAB is authorized to act in the completely opposite manner—with the power to impact America’s Medicare benefits behind closed doors and with little public or congressional oversight.”

Congressman Simpson has long been a supporter of meaningful, effective healthcare reform and is a cosponsor of H.R. 5.

Simpson Examines NPS Budget Priorities
Congressman Mike Simpson questioned the National Park Service about its budget request for FY2013 last Tuesday.  At the hearing of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which Simpson chairs, he asked NPS Director Jon Jarvis about the Park Service’s ability to address the maintenance backlog across the national park system, restoration efforts on the National Mall, and quagga mussel infestations on Park Service property, including Lake Mead.

Maintenance backlog and budget priorities:
“At the outset, I want to make an observation,” began Simpson.  “Your budget request makes a sizeable reduction from last year in construction funding, which adds to the maintenance backlog—now in excess of $11 billion—that the Park Service is facing.  The budget request also reduces funding for park operations, which may cause some park units to reduce visitor services and operating hours. 

“At the same time, the budget request for federal land acquisition is increased by 4% and the request for LWCF stateside grant funding is increased by 34%.  It seems to me that we ought to be addressing long-term maintenance and repair needs, as well as meeting the needs of the visiting public, before making additional land acquisitions that will only add to the historic funding backlog.”

Restoration of the National Mall
Chairman Simpson also asked about ongoing efforts to restore the National Mall, including repairs to the Washington Monument, which was damaged during the earthquake last summer.  “I’ve said this before, but we are loving our National Mall to death.  When Idahoans come out to Washington, DC, they are disappointed that the National Mall doesn’t look like the lush green place they’ve seen in pictures.  What are we doing about that?”

Director Jarvis outlined current restoration efforts, including restoration of the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial, implementation of an irrigation system on the Mall’s grass panels, and efforts to mitigate the impact of large events on the Mall.  Recently a private donor matched the $7.5 million appropriated in FY12 to address damage to the Washington Monument and its elevator, allowing repairs to move ahead so that the monument can reopen.

Aquatic Invasive Species
As he has done in previous hearings, Simpson raised the issue of aquatic invasive species, honing in on the Park Service’s efforts to prevent the quagga mussel infestation at Lake Mead from spreading to Idaho and other areas.  “I want to make sure that the National Park Service recognizes the magnitude of this problem and is partnering with states and other federal agencies to prevent the spread of invasive species—not just focusing only on keeping quagga and zebra mussels out of the areas it manages.”

The Park Service hearing was the tenth of 16 budget oversight hearings Simpson has scheduled for the subcommittee this spring.

Committee Schedule

Tuesday
At 9:30 a.m., Chairman Simpson will hold a House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee hearing where public witnesses will testify on Native American issues.  The hearing will continue at 1:00 p.m.

At 10:00 a.m., the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the FY13 budget request for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability at the Department of Energy.  Arun Majumdar, Acting Under Secretary for Energy and Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability; and Charles McConnell, Acting Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, are scheduled to testify.

At 10:30 a.m., the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the FY13 budget for K-12 education.

At 1:00 p.m., Chairman Simpson will hold a House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FY13 budget request for the National Park Service.  Park Service Director Jon Jarvis is scheduled to testify.

Wednesday
At 9:30 a.m., Chairman Simpson continue Native American public witness testimony at the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.

At 10:00 a.m., the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the FY13 budget request for the Bureau of Reclamation.  BOR Commissioner Michael Conner is scheduled to testify.

At 10:00 a.m., the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the FY13 budget request the Department of Labor.  Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is scheduled to testify.

At 2:00 p.m., the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the FY13 budget request for DOE’s Loan Guarantee Program and ARPA-E.  ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar and Loan Guarantee Program Acting Director David Frantz are scheduled to testify.

Thursday
At 10:00 a.m., the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a public witness hearing on the FY13 budget. 

Floor Schedule

MONDAY, MARCH 26TH
On Monday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1) H.R. 2779 - To exempt inter-affiliate swaps from certain regulatory requirements put in place by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Steve Stivers / Financial Services Committee / Agriculture Committee)
2) H.R. 2682 - Business Risk Mitigation and Price Stabilization Act of 2011, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Michael Grimm / Financial Services Committee / Agriculture Committee)
3) H.R. 4014 - To amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act with respect to information provided to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Sponsored by Rep. Bill Huizenga / Financial Services Committee)
4) H.R. 3298 - Homes For Heroes Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Al Green / Financial Services Committee)
5) H.R. 4239 - Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (Sponsored by Rep. John Mica / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee / Ways and Means Committee / Natural Resources Committee / Science, Space, and Technology Committee / Energy and Commerce Committee)

TUESDAY, MARCH 27TH
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3606 - Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act (Suspension, 40 minutes of debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Stephen Fincher / Financial Services Committee)

H.R. 3309 - Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2012 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Greg Walden / Energy and Commerce Committee)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28TH
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

Begin Consideration of H.Con.Res. __ - Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Paul Ryan / Budget Committee)

THURSDAY, MARCH 29TH
On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

Complete Consideration of H.Con.Res. __ - Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Paul Ryan / Budget Committee)

FRIDAY, MARCH 30TH
On Friday, no votes are expected in the House.

In the News

Farm Bureau Report, Voice of Idaho Ag News: Sage Grouse Fire
By David Sparks, March 23, 2012, www.aginfo.net
There has been a whole lot of talk over in Washington D.C. about the sage grouse and preventing it from becoming an endangered species. One of the most proactive people in this ongoing dialogue is Congressman Mike Simpson. In a recent meeting with the BLM, Simpson commended BLM for taking a proactive approach on the conservation of the sage grouse but warned about spending money the wrong way.

Nikki Watts, the congressman’s spokesperson in Idaho had this to say regarding this issue: "Now more than ever we need to see a return on this investment, not just waste this funding on planning exercises that don't help us reach our goal. Some of the greatest threats to the sage grouse are invasive weeds and wildfire. How will this investment be used to control cheat grass, for example, and prevent fires that destroy sage grouse habitat? Preventing this listing is a top priority for me, and it will require close partnership between federal agencies, states, and local land users.  We have to get this one right."

Director Abbey noted that the greatest threat to sage grouse is fire and indicated that the bureau is working to prevent and suppress wildfires in core habitat areas.