Dear Friends,
Our state remains severely impacted by job losses, especially in our manufacturing sector. Our domestic auto industry is facing one of the most challenging times in its history, which presents a period of unprecedented challenges for our community and our country. With Michigan’s unemployment rate at 13.2% and more than 650,000 Michiganders out of work, too many families know the pain of having to tell children their parent no longer has a job; and there will be harsh sacrifices for the entire family. Despite this suffering, as in other difficult times in the life of our community, we persevered; we surmounted; and, ultimately, we prospered. We will do so again.
Communist China’s unfair trade practices have resulted in a crippling U.S. trade deficit, a Chinese foreign exchange war chest of $2.4 trillion, and China's emergence as an industrial superpower. A recent report commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce asserted China is becoming increasingly aggressive in using its vast market to push foreign companies to transfer leading-edge technologies in exchange for market access.
Creating and Protecting American Jobs
Lead Republican Sponsor of H.R. 5438 which directs the EPA to publish annually the list of fuel efficient vehicles to include domestic automobiles which were previously and unfairly omitted. The legislation will highlight and promote the ingenuity and efforts of the Big Three Automakers to design and manufacture fuel efficient vehicles
Lead Republican sponsor of H.R. 4788, to prevent domestic airlines from outsourcing their aviation jobs to their foreign partner airlines, and will prevent them from outsourcing American jobs
Co-sponsored and voted for H.R. 2751 which created the bipartisan “Cash for Clunkers” program. The success of this program allowed auto makers to build and sell more care, and keep Michigan residents working
Co-sponsored H.R. 4850 the American Jobs Creation and Investment Act, to allow companies to accelerate the use of their alternative minimum tax (AMT) credits for job creation and to spur new investment in the United States
Original co-sponsor of H.J.Res.77 which would disapprove of the ruling submitted by the EPA relating to the endangerment and cause findings for greenhouse gas. This would defend American manufacturers and other energy consuming businesses from any harm as a result of the EPA's ruling on greenhouse gas consumption
Introduced H.R.4344, to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from obligating any amounts for the regulation of emissions of carbon dioxide. This, too, would defend our manufacturers against any penalties for using energy to do their jobs
Cutting Taxes and Wasteful Spending
Proposed the elimination of the Republican House Policy Committee, which he chairs, to save taxpayers $362,000 annually
Co-sponsored H.R. 143 which would provide a two month suspension of taxes on employment and personal income
Introduced the Fiscal Integrity Through Transparency and Technology Act (H.R. 1648), to ensure the federal budget does not grow faster than the American families’ budgets
Co-sponsored H.R. 240, which would protect working families from paying higher taxes by eliminating the alternative minimum tax on individual taxpayers for taxable years beginning after 2008
Assisting the unemployed
Co-sponsored H.R. 155 which would suspend all taxes on unemployment compensation for a two-year period
Voted for H.R. 5618 which extended unemployment benefits through December 1, 2010
Co-sponsored H.R. 5453 which would extend unemployment benefits and COBRA
Promoting Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship
Co-sponsored H.R.294 which reinstates and expands the veteran-owned small business loan program, under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may provide loans to veteran-owned small businesses
Co-sponsored H.R. 2672 which provides tax credits to veterans who purchase a franchise
Co-sponsored H.R. 5141 which lessens the amount of paperwork required of small businesses as a result of the Healthcare Reform bill
Defending the Benefits of Hard Working Families
Co- sponsored H.R. 2793 which would require the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry to address the pensions of employees of Auto Dealerships who were displaced because of the Chrysler and GM bankruptcies in a report to Congress
Lead Republican Sponsor of H.R. 3455 which provides for healthcare benefits for Delphi retirees who lost their benefits in bankruptcy
Fighting Unfair Foreign Trade Practices
Co-sponsored H.R. 2378 which would neutralize the negative effects of misaligned foreign currency by allowing injured American industries and their workers to seek remedies under current trade laws
Introduced the Freedom Trade Act (H.R. 3347) to withdraw normal trade relations (NTR) treatment from the products of foreign countries which do not respect their citizens’ human rights. This will end the permanent normalization of trade relations with communist China which guaranteed this communist country’s irrevocable and low tariff access to our market; and, thereby, devastated our manufacturing base
Co-sponsored the Textile Enforcement and Security Act of 2010 (HR 5393) to more aggressively enforce our nation’s trade laws so we are not being negatively impacted by trading partners who are circumventing the rules set forth in trade agreements
Co-authored letter to the President urging an in-depth investigation of China’s illegal subsidization of its domestic paper industry
The director of the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday that the health care reform legislation would cost, over the next ten years, $115 billion more than previously thought, bringing the total cost to more than $1 trillion. See the full story at ABC. Obamacare's Hidden Costs. Hoodwinked by Health Care? How is the government spending record amounts of money when the economy is shrinking? When will a real fiscal conservative be president?
Elena Kagan was confirmed as the 45th Solicitor General of the United States in March 2009. Prior to her confirmation, Elena Kagan was the Charles Hamilton Houston Professor of Law and the 11th Dean of Harvard Law School. During her nearly six-year tenure as Dean, Harvard Law School expanded and enhanced its faculty, modernized its curriculum, developed new campus facilities, promoted public service, and improved the student experience. Read more about Elena Kagan. What do we know about Elena Kagan? If she appeals to President Obama is that enough for you to make a decision? Is she for Obama Care or against it?
Kagan A Courtroom Novice No Problem for High Court, Supporters Say - Fox
She's The Choosen One - MSNBC
The Left Struggles to Define Elena Kagan - CBS
Do We Know The Right Questions To Ask Kagan? - Washington Post
As you know, the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed President Obama’s government health care plan, after more than a year of debate. While the bill passed and is now law, the debate continues, so if you have not already done so, I encourage you to sign up for updates through my website to avoid being left in the dark during the upcoming ‘black out’ period.
House rules prohibit member offices from hosting official tele-town halls or sending out Congressional newsletters during ‘black out’ periods. In Michigan, our ‘black out’ period begins in May and runs into August.
On April 22, 2010, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new analysis of President Obama’s government health care plan, confirming our nation’s health care costs will increase rather than decrease and violating a pledge the President made to the nation on September 10, 2009. CMS concluded:
National health care expenditures will increase by $311 billion.
Health care increases to 21% of GDP by 2019.
The bill the President signed into law spends more than $828 billion for health care coverage. (CMS didn’t analyze all the tax increases, such as HSAs, FSAs, increasing the AGI threshold, etc.)
The government will spend $410 billion to expand Medicaid.
Medicaid enrollment increases by 20 million new beneficiaries.
18 million people will be uninsured (excluding 5 million illegal immigrants).
Uninsured and those employers who don’t offer coverage will pay $120 billion in taxes.
50% of seniors will lose their Medicare Advantage plans.
Some of the Medicare cost-control mechanisms may not be sustainable.
Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) will run a deficit in 15 years.
The $5 billion for High Risk Pools is not enough.
Doctors may drop out of Medicare because of the changes in Medicare reimbursement rates.
Medicare “savings” may be difficult to achieve.
So, to stay as up-to-date as possible on the latest news from Washington, and how it could affect you, your workplace, or your family budget, I encourage you to sign up to receive my e-newsletter at http://mccotter.houseenews.net/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=profile.
Or, if you would like to contact me or my staff directly, please call my Livonia office at (734) 632-0314, my Milford office at (248) 685-3494 or dial (202) 225-8171 for my office in Washington, DC.
I look forward to hearing your views on healthcare reform and all the other important issues impacting families in the 11th District and around the country.
Bart Stupak flip flopped on the health care bill and he is now retiring. He was against the bill due to federally funded abortion becoming part of the bill. After Barack Obama issued an executive order Stupak reversed his vote to support the health care bill. Is Stupak calling it quits because he fears his chances of re-election are slim?
Newt Gingrich speaking to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference about President Obamas sweeping health care legislation. According to Rassmussen Reports, Zogby International and Gallup most people in America opposed the health care bill. The fact that the bill passed through a reconciliation process and a series of back door deals indicates that congressmen in the Senate and House also opposed the bill. Conservative Scott Brown was elected in liberal Massachusetts to the US Senate running as a candidate who opposed the health care bill. His seat on the Senate made him the 41 vote against health care that would stop the bill. However Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid used a maneuver known as reconciliation that allowed them to pass the health care bill without the normal majority of votes in the Senate. Should the reconciliation process be used for such nation changing bills?
