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April 22, 2016 Conaway Chronicle: House Passes Legislation to Reform IRS, The Pugh River Park in Christoval, Agriculture Committee Hearing on Oil and Gas __________________________________________ |
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Thank you for reading The Conaway Chronicle, a review of my activities in Congress and the 11th District. House Passes Legislation to Reform IRS This week, the House of Representatives passed four pieces of legislation aimed at reforming the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Fairness and accountability within the American tax system should be a given, but the IRS doesn’t always see it that way. Congress shouldn’t have to pass a law preventing the IRS from rehiring individuals that were previously fired for misconduct or poor performance, or a law to require the IRS to crack down on its employees that don’t pay their taxes- it’s just common sense. Unfortunately, these scenarios have happened hundreds of times at the IRS, making this week’s legislation absolutely necessary as Congress tries to rein in an out of control IRS. It’s highly discouraging that President Obama has already issued a veto-threat on these bills, despite the obvious need for reform within the IRS. It is my hope that President Obama reexamines his indifferent stance on the IRS in order to hold the IRS accountable to taxpayers. The Pugh River Park in Christoval The town of Christoval, Texas is a riverside oasis just 20 minutes away from San Angelo, Texas, and is best known for its river recreation and wildlife. The Hummer House is a great place to see local wildlife, as it is the summer home to Texas' largest concentration of Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Pugh River Park, the park along the South Concho River, is entirely open to the public. The river is lined with oak trees- some even complete with rope swings for swimmers!
Agriculture Committee Hearing on Oil and Gas The House Agriculture Committee recently held a hearing to examine the oil and gas industry’s impact on rural America. While the committee focuses primarily on the economic impacts of agriculture, many rural communities that depend upon agriculture also rely upon the economic activity generated by energy production. In West Texas and across the country, the oil and gas sector plays a major role in providing a significant number of good paying jobs for Americans. These jobs give rural America the ability to retain young people with new opportunities, attract new residents, and increase the standard of living for all people of the community. Just like the farm economy, oil and gas is on the downturn and as a committee it is essential we recognize the hard times our rural economy is facing and explore all policy options available to mitigate the economic damage to rural America. As always, you can follow me on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Sincerely,  Rep. Mike Conaway, 11th District |
