View from the Capitol - Congresswoman Hartzler's Weekly Newsletter for the Week of February 2-6, 2015
Dear Friend,
While parts of the country were buried under a pile of snow, we were busy in D.C. working for the American people. We voted in the House to repeal Obamacare and, by so doing, protect individuals from Washington-imposed cost increases and reduced access to care and coverage. Obamacare hurts families, costs jobs, and gives federal bureaucrats control over Americans’ personal health care decisions by forcing them to purchase coverage they do not want and cannot afford. We can do better.
It is time to start over and get health care reform right. In addition to repealing Obamacare, this new legislation requires a new program to be crafted that delivers better health care solutions in America. House Republicans are already working on legislation to strengthen our health care system, reduce costs, give Americans more control over their health care choices, and empower patients with greater access to world-class care. I look forward to voting for this solution in the months to come.
Additionally this week, the president, for the first time since assuming office, released his budget proposal on time. It is ironic that he decided to release his budget on Groundhog Day, as all we saw in his proposal was a repeat of the same stale, failed policies from the past that have buried our country under mountains of debt. I had a chance to question Shaun Donovan, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, about the national defense priorities this budget reflects. Watch a clip here. You can get the astonishing facts on the president’s budget proposal here, courtesy of the House Committee on the Budget.
Click on the picture above to watch a clip of Congresswoman Hartzler questioning OMB Director Shaun Donovan on the goals of the president’s budget proposal.
In the meanwhile, in an effort to provide a more responsive, efficient, and effective government, the House passed the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act. Missouri is home to over 110,000 small businesses that employ over 1.1 million people, or about half of the state’s workforce. Currently, though, small businesses are saddled with paying around $11,000 per employee to comply with federal regulations, and that number is only going up. This bill would require federal agencies to fully consider the economic effects before blindly imposing burdensome mandates and reduce them where possible. Washington needs to work for the people, not against them.
On another note, I was pleased to meet with a group from the Missouri School Boards’ Association this week. These dedicated board members are doing great work ensuring quality education and preserving local control of schools.
Congresswoman Hartzler with members of the Missouri School Boards’ Association; (left to right) Gerry Lee, MSBA Past President; Mona Coleman, MSBA President-Elect; Congresswoman Hartzler; Phil Hutchinson, MSBA Immediate Past President; and Melissa Randol, MSBA Deputy Executive Director
Additionally, I was pleased that former Senator Kit Bond stopped by the office this week. It was a delight to meet with one of Missouri’s true statesmen to discuss national defense and foreign policy issues. His goal of prioritizing our national defense is one I share, and I was glad to hear his thoughts on how to address the broad array of national security threats we are facing. It won’t be easy, but the challenge can be met like it has in the past with unity, determination, and will.
Congresswoman Hartzler (right) speaks with former Senator Kit Bond (left)
Sadly, the events of this week proved the threat real as ISIL released a video of their burning alive of the captured Jordanian pilot. This horrific act of barbarianism is repulsive to all decent people and further demonstrates why ISIL must be stopped. I had a chance to meet with the leader of Jordan, King Abdullah II, the day of the video release, as he was in D.C. to meet with American leaders regarding this very threat. I, along with my fellow House Armed Services Committee members, offered our condolences and pledged our continued support to fight ISIL.
There are no easy solutions to eliminating evil, growing the economy, or strengthening families, but certainly we can all agree prayer is a big part of the solution. In that light, I was glad that Missouri Fourth’s Betty Hopkins of Green Ridge, and Diane Herring of LaMonte were able to travel to D.C. this week to participate in the National Day of Prayer activities. I attended the morning breakfast with them where President Obama spoke, along with keynote speaker and NASCAR legend and commentator, Darrell Waltrip. Over 3,000 people came from across America and the world to unite in prayer and purpose for this event.
Congresswoman Hartzler at the National Prayer Breakfast with Diane Herring (left) and Betty Hopkins (center)
I am encouraged. There is hope. God has blessed our nation from its founding, as His people have humbled themselves in prayer – and he promises to continue to do so as we seek Him. I invite you to join me in doing so. With God’s help, we can overcome the challenges facing us and see the fulfillment of our dreams for future generations.
Have a great week!
Sincerely,
Vicky Hartzler
Member of Congress