Recently in Washington 

Last week the House passed H.R. 4061, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009.  The House also voted on H.J.Res. 45, legislation to increase the debt limit.

Simpson Questions White House Budget Director on the Budget and National Debt
Congressman Mike Simpson, a member of the House Budget Committee, last week challenged White House Budget Director Peter Orszag in a House Budget Committee hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal. Congressman Simpson is an original cosponsor of H.J.Res. 1, which would amend the Constitution to require Congress to balance the budget annually.

Following a contentious back-and-forth dispute between the Democrats and Republicans on the Committee regarding which party is to blame for the current debt, Congressman Simpson addressed Dr. Orszag.

“If anybody wants to understand what the problem is in Washington, D.C., all they need to do is listen to the debate that’s gone on here, pointing fingers and trying to decide who’s to blame. The reality is the American people don’t care who’s to blame, they just want the problem solved.” Simpson continued, “This budget is not fiscally responsible over the long term, and what the American people are saying is we need to quit spending money, it’s that simple.”
 
After the hearing, Simpson added, “The people of Idaho have made their opinion loud and clear: they want their government to address the debt, and they want us to do so immediately. As I look over this budget, it strikes me the administration has not received the message. I don’t see enough serious efforts to cut spending and reduce the debt in this budget.”

The FY 2011 budget is the largest in American history. It spends $3.8 trillion and produces a deficit of $1.6 trillion, borrowing 42 cents for each dollar spent.  It will create a massive two trillion dollar tax increase over the next decade, an increase which still does not come close to covering the spending within the bill.

“The President’s proposal, though it is only a budget blueprint, illustrates why I believe we need a federal balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.  If Congress and the President, like any family, are forced to pay for every dollar spent in their budget, a new sense of fiscal responsibility would emerge.  These record deficits would stop building on each other, and Congress could actually start reducing our debt, which has ballooned to nearly unsustainable levels.”

The House Budget Committee will soon debate and mark-up the FY2011 federal budget.

To watch Congressman Simpson question Dr. Orszag, visit his YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/CongMikeSimpson#p/a/u/0/roZ8DONp0zE.

Simpson Moves to Block Climate Change Regs
Congressman Mike Simpson joined a bipartisan group of Representatives in cosponsoring legislation to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the authority of the Clean Air Act.  H.R. 4572 was introduced by Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO), Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN).  In December EPA released a finding that greenhouse gas is an endangerment to human health under the Clean Air Act, which gives EPA broad authority to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in spite of the fact that Congress has yet to pass climate change legislation. 

“The EPA’s recent decision was a shot across Congress’s bow, telling us that if we don’t act quickly to pass sweeping, controversial climate change legislation, the EPA is going to do it for us,” Simpson said.  “Unelected bureaucrats at EPA should not be allowed to circumvent the legislative process or override the will of the American people.  It’s clear that we need to take action through H.R. 4572 to prevent them from doing so.”

H.R. 4572 would amend the Clean Air Act to clarify that it does not allow for regulation of greenhouse gases on the basis of global climate change.  It would also prevent EPA from following through with additional regulations proposed last year to use calculations of indirect land use changes associated with the production of biofuels in determining renewable fuels policy.  Such regulations would disqualify ethanol and other biofuels from the renewable fuels standard, severely limiting our ability to address the energy crisis facing this nation.

“Over the past year, I’ve heard from farmers, ranchers, and employers all over the state who are deeply concerned about current efforts to push through sweeping environmental policy reforms without regard for the impact they are having on the economy and job creation,” said Simpson. “We must work to develop real solutions to our nation’s energy and environmental challenges, and I believe that H.R. 4572 is a good first step.”

Committee Update
At 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the FY2011 budget for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Jo Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and Lt. General Van Antwerp, Chief of Engineers, will testify.

At 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled, “Conserving America’s Land and Heritage: Department of the Interior FY 2011 Budget Request.”  The Honorable Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, will testify.

At 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, the House Budget Committee will hold a hearing on the Department of Education budget for FY2011.  The Honorable Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, will testify.
 

House Legislative Business This Week 

The schedule is subject to change due to the weather in Washington D.C.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2010
On Monday, the House will not be in session.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour debate and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Suspensions (6 Bills):

1. H.R. 4238 - The "W.D. Farr Post Office Building" Designation Act (Sponsored by Rep. Markey (CO) / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
2. H.R. 4425 - The "Martin G. 'Marty' Mahar Post Office" Designation Act (Sponsored by Rep. Tonko / Oversight and Government Reform Committee) 
3. H.Res. 1059 - Honoring the heroism of the seven United States Agency for International Development and Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance supported urban search and rescue teams deployed to Haiti (Sponsored by Rep. McMahon / Foreign Affairs Committee) 
4. H.Res. 1048 - Commending the efforts and honoring the work of the men and women of USNS Comfort and the United States Navy in the immediate response to those affected by the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 (Sponsored by Rep. Tim Murphy (PA) / Foreign Affairs Committee) 
5. H.R. 3695 - Billy's Law (Sponsored by Rep. Murphy (CT) / Judiciary Committee) 
6. H.Res. 1066 - Recognizing the bravery and efforts of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other members of Operation Unified Response (Sponsored by Rep. Meek / Armed Services Committee)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 AND THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business.

H.R. 2701 - Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Reyes / Intelligence Committee)

H.R. __ - Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Perriello / Judiciary Committee)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010
On Friday, no votes are expected in the House.