Texas GOP Vote

Today, I supported a bill that requires the Senate to pass a budget or forfeit their pay. The No Budget, No Pay Act (H.R. 325) passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 285-144. An overwhelming majority of Texas Republicans supported the measure.

Americans across the nation set budgets for their family’s expenses. They accomplish every single day a task that the Senate has neglected for four years. A fundamental responsibility of the government is to set budgets and stick to them.

We just passed a tax increase so we can have more spending. It was hardly what we were promised, nor did the Middle Class get a tax cut. While tax rates remained the same, their overall taxes went up... The average Joe and Jan will see their taxes go up at least $1000 a year, and when that first pay check comes in, they will find their paycheck a little lighter. This is just a down payment for the coming Obama expansion of the entitlement state.   Read more »

Welcome to 2013! May God smile on you, your families, your businesses, and our country.

If you can, please come with us to Austin this Tuesday to watch the noontime swearing in of our new Texas House representatives. It’ll be wonderful to celebrate the success of our election work, and to reaffirm our partnership with our conservative legislators when they vote our values. They need us, and we need them.

Today I released the following statement regarding the Department of Labor’s unemployment report for the month of December:

As our nation continues to be burdened with chronic high unemployment and a sluggish economy, I remain committed to policies that will help North Texas families and small businesses. That is why I supported making critical parts of our tax code

U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas), a Member of House Republican Leadership, today released the following statement regarding House approval of the American Taxpayer Relief Act:

I am pleased to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to make critical parts of our tax code permanent for all North Texans. As job-destroying taxes from ObamaCare hit families and businesses this year, it is crucial to provide permanent tax certainty in the marketplace to allow our economy to grow and for small businesses to invest and hire.   Read more »

Here in Washington, Congress rang in the New Year, but it was certainly not a happy one. After months of debate, the House voted last night on the “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.” I voted "no" because this so-called “deal” is toxic for American families and small businesses. Make no mistake about it: this bill is not intended to pay down the deficit. It is just another massive Washington spending bill in disguise. And the American people will once again be left to pick up the tab.

According to the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, this "deal" in effect would raise taxes on 77% of U.S. Households

The Senate today approved legislation authored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) to reauthorize provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a law that governs the surveillance of foreign terrorists and spies. The FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 (H.R. 5949) passed the Senate by a vote of 73-23.

The FISA Amendments Act allows intelligence officials to more quickly and effectively monitor the communications of foreign terrorists and spies operating overseas. The bipartisan bill reauthorizes the FISA

Today U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and I announced the Senate passage of their bill to rename legislation championed by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) to allow working spouses and homemakers to contribute the same amount to their IRA savings as the ‘Kay Bailey Hutchison Spousal IRA.’ Senator Hutchison spearheaded the effort after she was sworn-in to the Senate in 1993 with the support of Senator Mikulski, and saw the legislation signed into law as part of the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996.     Read more »

As Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, I released the following statement as the FY13 National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report was signed by conferees:

Throughout this Congress, my subcommittee has highlighted the need for increased missile defense for the homeland. In spite of the concerns raised by my subcommittee, and the full House Armed Services Committee, the Administration has continuously cut funding to counter the threat of ballistic missile attack on the United States. The planning and study for an additional U.S. missile defense

As Congressional leaders and President Obama continue to work on a plan to avert the fiscal cliff, I remain committed to a solution that protects as many families and small businesses in Texas as possible from seeing an automatic tax increase on January 1. Additionally, I believe it is imperative that we take serious steps towards reducing our nation’s unsustainable spending and address the long-term drivers of our debt.   Read more »