Last week, House Republicans released a new governing agenda to the American people focused on addressing their top priorities. This “Pledge to America” is the culmination of months of long engagement with the American people through the America Speaking Out project, which has sought their ideas and priorities for Congress. Among other things, the agenda tackles stopping the January 1 2011 tax increases, cutting the budget immediately, repealing the healthcare legislation and replacing it with solutions to bring down costs, enacting a 72 hour rule on every piece of legislation brought to the House Floor, requiring bipartisan debate on all spending bills, ending government control of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, strengthening and securing our border, and ensuring real accountability and transparency.
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Today, House Republicans unveiled a new governing agenda for the 111th Congress at Tart Lumber Company, a family-owned small business in Sterling, Virginia. The agenda includes specific plans on job creation, spending cuts, congressional reform and other priorities that were built through a process of listening to the American people through the America Speaking Out initiative.
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Today, the U.S. House of Representatives convened back in Washington during the August district work period to vote on H.R 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. As passed by the Senate, H.R. 1586 demands that the State of Texas maintains a specific level of State support for elementary and secondary education and higher education spending in order to receive any of the $10 billion in education funds under the bill. It also requires the Governor to “provide assurances to the Secretary” that the Texas Legislature will maintain that support not just for 2011, but also for 2012 and 2013. This language singles out Texas, violates the State’s constitution, and puts future State budgets in an indefensible position.
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Last night, U.S. Representative Mike Conaway (R-TX) introduced the Savings in Appropriations Act in the House of Representatives. This resolution amends the rules of the House to allow Members of Congress to offer budget reducing amendments to general appropriations bills and, in turn, will reduce the deficit or increase the surplus.
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Tonight, U.S. Representative Mike Conaway sat amongst his colleagues as President Bush gave his final State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. The President addressed the major issues facing our country and discussed a domestic agenda for America, including energy, health care, spending reform, education and immigration. He also spoke of his international agenda, including: the War on Terror, Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and trade with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Congres...
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In July, Rep. Mike Conaway (TX-11) introduced an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill to aid the border patrol in interdicting illegal immigrants trying to enter the U.S. illegally. The amendment would provide the border patrol with $5 million dollars to eradicate the tactical cover that runs along the banks of the Rio Grande River on the Texas-Mexico border. This amendment was included in the omnibus appropriations bill that passed through the U.S. House of Representatives las...
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Congressman Mike Conaway made the following statement regarding a pilot program which would open the border to 1,000 long-haul Mexican trucks: “It is the administration’s responsibility to prove to the American people that the Mexican trucking pilot program meets the safety, insurance, and environmental standards that are required at each state level. The questions that were raised during debate and following passage of H.R. 1773 should send the administration a message that the American people ...
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This afternoon, the U.S. Senate rejected attempts to bring the immigration measure to a final vote, effectively killing the legislation in its current form. The 53-46 vote against the motion for cloture was 14 votes short of the 60 votes that were needed. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) pulled the bill from consideration after the vote. Following the vote, Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) made the following statement: “This bill in its current form was unacceptable, and I am pleased that...
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Yesterday, Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) attended a meeting with Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) to discuss the immigration deal that members of the Senate proposed last week. Following the meeting, Conaway made the following statement: “I have serious concerns regarding the Senate's recently proposed immigration and border security legislation. This legislation fails to address some serious reforms, and I was able to express my apprehensions to Senator Kyl, one of the lead Republican negotiators in th...
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