Today, Rep. Mike Conaway (TX-11) announced that the Greenwood Fire Department was granted $46,341 from the 2007 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant is to be used for safety and operations.“Congress recognizes the importance that first responders’ play in keeping our communities safe. Firefighter grants are vital to our nation’s fire departments and we will continue to work closely with the fire service community to help mee...
Read more
Today, Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) issued the following statement in opposition to the Democrat “energy” legislation (H.R. 2776 and H.R. 3221) that passed the House of Representatives on Saturday afternoon: “The 800 page so-called “energy” bill that the Democrats brought to the floor today takes our nation in the wrong direction on the road to energy independence. This legislation will have an adverse impact on our economy and our energy security by increasing taxes on traditional energy com...
Read more
This evening, the House of Representatives passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, legislation (S. 1927) that would amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) procedures to request and initiate an electronic surveillance order. Following passage Congressman Conaway (TX-11), who voted in support of the measure, made the following remarks: “This legislation gives our intelligence professionals the tools and authorities they need to continue conducting surveillance procedures in o...
Read more
Today, the House debated and voted to pass the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP) by a mostly party-line vote of 225 to 204. The bill, a reauthorization of the 10-year-old State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), massively expands entitlement spending, eliminates health care choices for Medicare enrollees, crowds out private insurers, raises taxes, and leaves a $73-billion gap that invites further tax hikes. “The Democrat Majority is exploiting this popular children’...
Read more
Today, Rep. Mike Conaway (TX-11) announced that the Granite Shoals Fire Department was granted $594,317 from the 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant is to be used for operations and safety.“Congress recognizes the importance that first responders’ play in keeping our communities safe. Firefighter grants are vital to our nation’s fire departments and we will continue to work closely with the fire service community to he...
Read more
Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives began consideration of H.R. 2419, the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007. The bill passed by a vote of 231-191. Earlier in the week, Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11) voiced support for the bipartisan Farm Bill that passed through the Agriculture Committee without any of the rumored tax increases or anti-business provisions that were injected into the bill. The day before the Farm Bill was to be taken up by the full House, Republicans on the Ho...
Read more
Last night, the House Agriculture Committee completed the final mark-up for the 2007 Farm Bill. The bill was reported out of committee to the full house favorably by a bipartisan unanimous, voice vote. “This is a good bill that I am proud to support,” said Conaway. “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this legislation through the House. It is of the utmost importance that rural lawmakers band together to express the importance of this legislation...
Read more
Today, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced three offices in District 11 will be closing. FSA offices in Sonora, Menard and Junction were voted to be closed today in Austin. Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11) made this statement following today’s announcement: "I believe the FSA used poor judgment in making the final decision to close the Menard, Sonora and Junction Offices. In my opinion, these communities, Junction in particular, did an excellent job in laying out facts and figures stating th...
Read more
Deep in the middle of the Farm Bill mark-up, members of the House Agriculture Committee continue to debate over one hundred amendments to the eleven titles of the Farm Bill. “The basic structure of the bill does not differ from the 2002 Farm Bill,” said Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX). “American producers like the existing plan, and we are working through the few changes that are up for dispute. We will continue today marking up a title that brings the Davis-Bacon rules into play. Davis-Bacon is...
Read more
Today, the House Agriculture Committee began full committee mark-up of the 2007 Farm Bill. Substantial debate on the bill and amendments offered will begin tomorrow. Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) made the following statement after today’s committee meeting: “As we begin consideration of the 2007 Farm Bill in full committee, I am optimistic that quality legislation will be debated and voted on in the House of Representatives before August 4th. When this bill is sent to the House floor, the deba...
Read more
