Last week the House of Representatives barely passed a “cap and trade” bill, and the Senate may take up similar legislation later this year. Should a cap and trade program similar to the one passed by the House become law, it would have a significant impact on all sectors of our economy, so it is important that Congress considers this legislation with thoughtful debate and an open exchange of ideas. Unfortunately, it appears as though the Obama Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency is not interested in open debate, but rather pushing through a closed ideological agenda.

Recently, an email exchange has been made public in which Dr. Al McGartland, Director of the National Center for Environmental Economics (NCEE), apparently suppresses the scientific views of Dr. Alan Carlin, an NCEE economist. Dr. Carlin strongly believed that the EPA erred in determining that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses should be regulated by the EPA under the authority of the Clean Air Act. In his email, Dr. McGartland states: Read the rest of this entry »

I was pleased that the question on medical justice reform I submitted via YouTube for the White House town hall on health care was selected to be asked of President Obama.

Even more so, I was pleased to hear that President Obama and I share the common goal of reducing medical liability insurance rates and the constant threat of lawsuits many doctors and hospitals face. As a practicing physician for 25 years, I know how costly practicing defensive medicine can be. I want to make sure that overzealous trial attorneys and the unmerited lawsuits they often bring about do not compromise the care provided by a doctor to his or her patient. It is not the intention of medical liability reform to deny a patient who has been legitimately harmed what is due to them. Read the rest of this entry »

Recently, the American people woke up to the news that the CEOs of many large financial institutions are receiving bonuses that are way out of touch with the rest of the working world.

It’s one thing to pay executives well if their company performs well, but it’s another to provide astronomical bonuses when they perform poorly.

Unfortunately, I believe many agencies in the federal government are doing the exact same thing by paying bonuses to outside contractors who do not perform well. Read the rest of this entry »

Ron Bonjean, President of The Bonjean Company, said:

“Most Americans don’t understand the arcane rules of the United States Senate. What they do understand are bipartisan accomplishments reached by Congress on issues like the economy, health care and climate change. Therefore, the 60 seat threshold might only serve the Democrats well on procedural votes.”

Lanny J. Davis, Pundits Blog contributor, said:

“Al Franken’s biggest impact in joining the Senate is Al Franken himself - he’s smart, progressive, and a lot more pragmatic than his talk show persona might suggest. If he follows Hillary Clinton’s method - be a workhorse, not a shorthouse - he will have an immense impact.”

John Samples, Director of the Center for Representative Government at the Cato Institute, said:

“Al Franken’s court-awarded victory in Minnesota will not completely end filibusters and gridlock in the Senate. His victory is much less significant than what many congressional observers are saying.

It has, however, affected how the Democratic leadership will need to distribute pork to bring controversial legislation to a vote.

If Franken had lost, Democratic leaders would have needed to attract at least one Republican vote to end a filibuster. Norm Coleman, Franken’s opponent, was not likely to be that vote. Coleman’s voting record in 2008 was much less liberal than the two Republicans from Maine. One of those two could have extracted benefits for Maine voters in exchange for agreeing to override a filibuster. Now their votes may matter less, and voters in Maine should expect less from Washington for the time being. READ THE FULL RESPONSE HERE.

Larry J. Sabato, Director of the UVA Center for Politics and professor of politics, said:

“Obviously, it’s both, depending on the day and circumstance. The Senate has many razor-thin votes, and this one additional Democrat will make the difference on some nominations and controversial policy issues. At the same time, the 60-mark is overemphasized. Senators aren’t automatons, or as Trent Lott put it in his book title, rounding up senators for anything is like ‘herding cats.’”

Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, said:

“One more vote always matters.”

Dean Baker, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, said:

The point is not that reaching 60 seals everything for the Dems either in reality or symbolically. The point is that it is a big step towards changing the dynamics on important votes.

By making it substantially easier to get to sixty on key votes, the additional seat changes the logic for the marginal senator from being a determined holdout to being a dealmaker. There is a lot to be gained from being the 60th vote, there is little value in being 61.

There is likely to be a greater willingness by the few remaining Republican moderates to cut deals in the cases where the Dems can’t sustain a unified bloc.

Tom McClusky, Senior Vice President for FRC Action, said:

“Will this be the year of Al Franken? Or the decade? Doubtful. While Senator Franken (excuse me, a little bit of my breakfast just reappeared in my mouth as I said that) supports the out there agenda that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wants to push, he still does not give the Majority Leader the blessed sixty votes needed to pass some of the radical things he is proposing. Card check, Obama’s version of immigration reform, forcing taxpayers to pay for abortions, or the Democratic leaders vision of government takeover of health care - these are all to out of the mainstream for many voters, including those in conservative states with Democratic Senators. And while now it appears that Al Franken is good enough, and smart enough for the U.S. Senate - that says more about how far the Senate has fallen then how high the former comedian has risen. Only in this topsy-turvy world could the Senator from Minnesota end up making Senators like Chris Dodd with his questionable sweetheart financial deals and John Ensign with his questionable sweethearts look good by comparison. I think after a while Senator Reid might start missing Norm Coleman.”

Herbert London, President of the Hudson Institute, said:

“Franklin’s victory in Minnesota not only gives the Democrats a 60-40 edge in the United States Senate, it also offers a filibuster proof majority. There is virtually nothing the Republicans can do to offset Democratic legislative initiatives other than convincing Senator Lieberman that he should caucus with Republicans.

In my judgment, this is not merely a sad day for the Republican party; it is a sad day for the Republic when one party so dominates the legislative agenda.”

Bertha Lewis, CEO of ACORN, said

“Yes.”

READ THE LAST BIG QUESTION HERE.

Moving forward, it’s vital that we make the necessary reforms to our financial regulatory framework, but the President’s proposals miss the mark.

First of all, he proposes expanding the role of the Federal Reserve – the big spender that has pumped about $8 trillion of your money into Wall Street’s bailout with just about no accountability, oversight, or transparency.  Turning the Fed into a super-regulator is not the answer.

But, he also proposes a new agency that will give government bureaucrats the task of deciding which financial products are suitable for consumers.  This proposal raises more questions than it answers.

Read the rest of this entry »

Today new benefits go into effect that will make monthly student loan payments more manageable and affordable for millions of students and borrowers struggling to stay afloat in this tough economic climate.

These benefits were enacted as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, a law I sponsored in 2007 that made historic investments to help more Americans earn a college degree. With the economy against this year’s college graduates, this relief couldn’t come at a better time. Read the rest of this entry »

As popular as Medicare is now, it is hard to believe that it was once bitterly opposed. Medicare came into existence 43 years ago today, in the face of many who doubted that it could cover millions of people, provide them with excellent care, and keep costs low.

By now, though, Medicare has proven to be one of the most efficient ways of collecting and dispensing health care payments. It has meant peace of mind for generations of senior citizens and a boost to American industry, especially in the form of the wrap-around plans that have reduced health care costs for companies while actually increasing quality of care. Read the rest of this entry »

America’s Clean Energy and Security Act” (Waxman-Markey bill) passed by a vote of 219 to 212. Even with a large Democratic majority, the Democratic leadership and President Obama were forced to do everything possible to get this bill passed. Arms were twisted and chits were traded.

Al Gore was called in, then waved off.  Despite the enormous pressure, 44 Democrats astoundingly voted against this bill. Those who supported the bill may experience repercussions come campaign season.  One thing is clear: this razor-thin vote in the House spells doom in the Senate.

Read the rest of this entry »

I opposed the “national energy tax” bill because it will only encourage the movement of more manufacturing overseas and increase global pollution to areas of the world that will not be encumbered by similar regulations.  There were numerous problems with the bill.  As a Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I wanted to have a specific debate on creating the International Climate Change Adaptation program in Title IV of H.R. 2454 because I  do not support the establishment of yet another redundant foreign assistance program that will harm American manufacturers.  Unfortunately, because the committee declined to act on H.R. 2454, I offered this amendment to the Rules Committee.  Regrettably, my amendment wasn’t even allowed to be debated on the House floor.

The International Climate Change Adaptation program calls upon the United States to transfer to developing nations a portion of America’s emission allowances so that these nations can continue to pollute.  By giving away additional allowances, H.R. 2454 will decrease America’s global competitiveness.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Supreme Court has now decided Ricci v. DeStefano, commonly known as the New Haven firefighter case. The Supreme Court reversed the lower court decision that was joined by Judge Sotomayor. The Second Circuit saw the case as an easy victory of for the city of New Haven because the city’s refusal to follow the merit-based test was “simply” trying to avoid a lawsuit. The Supreme Court flatly disagreed. According to the Supreme Court, the city’s conduct was not only unlawful but “antithetical to the notion of a workplace where individuals are guaranteed equal opportunity regardless of race.” And while the Supreme Court vote was divided, all nine Justices had criticisms of how the case was resolved in the lower courts. Read the rest of this entry »