Working For The People
A Better Way: Defending the Constitution
Our government overreach has grown out of control. Americans have lost faith in the government that is supposed to gain its power from the people, not the other way around. The administration, by fiat, continues spending money we do not have, seizing power beyond its constitutional mandate, ignoring laws, and implementing stifling regulations.
We must get back to our Founding Fathers’ ideals…
I have been working to make our government more transparent and accountable. We must get back to our Founding Fathers’ ideals — a separation of powers to protect our constitutional liberties. Americans deserve a government they can trust, a government that follows our Constitution.
We must make our government more accountable…
Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked to hold our government agencies and bureaucracies more accountable. As the Vice Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, this has been especially important when it comes to our Department of Veterans Affairs. The administration continues to fail our Veterans, and I continue working to hold the VA accountable for the many flaws in the system.
We have held dozens of hearings, roundtables, and markups to work on legislative efforts to completely overhaul the culture of mediocrity at the VA. I co-sponsored the VA Accountability Act which gives the VA Secretary authority to fire employees who are not meeting the standards of service our Veterans deserve, and will speed up the removal process of these bad employees. My work to reform the VA, and all our government agencies, will continue.
The people must have a stronger voice…
We must work to make the government more representative. This means updating old laws, and implementing new ones, with the people’s input. This also means modernizing our legislation to reflect the advances in technology and changing times. I continue to work on legislation that encourages innovation and modernizes our government for the 21st Century. I also get some of my best ideas from constituents and utilize their life experiences to inform me on the type of legislation I should develop and champion. For instance, the 21st Century Cures Act, and the process that led to the nonpartisan bill, is a shining example of what happens when representatives truly listen to those they represent. This bill will modernize our health care system and address issues real patients and families face on a daily basis. We must learn from this example, and continue working closely with those we represent.
We must keep our government in check…
We must also restore constitutional checks, especially in regards to spending. All Americans deserve to know how the government spends money and why. Like always, I will continue to support measures plan to limit spending to better control our taxpayer dollars and rein in our debt. And, I will always, like I have in the past, support a Balanced Budget Amendment! If hardworking taxpayers must balance their household budgets, so should the U.S. government!
Checks and balances between branches of government is not some quaint political theory that was developed over two centuries ago to be admired but not practiced. Thank God it is alive and well as evidenced by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling condemning the President’s gross overreach in the infamous executive order he issued on immigration policy. I joined many other members of Congress in signing an Amicus Brief in the United States v. Texas case that chided the administration for contradicting Congress’s express and implied intent, and abdicating its constitutional duty to faithfully execute the law. The Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of our position will help protect the American people from unconstitutional government power grabs.
The American people deserve to know what is happening behind the scenes…
Finally, we must make our government more transparent. The American people deserve to know what is happening behind the scenes. I am working to encourage more data publishing throughout the administration. For example, my FTC REPORTS Act, will require the Federal Trade Commission to submit an annual plan to identify projected activities. This will promote transparency and accountability, and help better protect consumers against fraud. I will continue pushing for our government to publish more data online for the public to access.
Our Founding Fathers’ vision of America can be fully restored and I will continue my work to defend the constitution, improve our government, and help the American people feel confident in their futures.
