Texas Insider

From Congressman Pete Sessions

Outrage over ACORN
This week, many Americans were outraged to see how their tax dollars were being used to fund the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), a liberal activist organization accused of voter fraud, tax evasion, corruption, and other criminal activity.

As a liberal interest group disguised as an anti-poverty organization, ACORN has received millions of tax dollars for housing programs thanks to Congressional Democrats’ unwavering commitment to padding the pockets of left-wing special interest groups. Already proven to be rife with corruption, ACORN faces more serious charges of criminal activity, taking advocacy for their liberal social agenda beyond the bounds of the law.

To date, nearly 70 ACORN employees have been convicted in 12 states of voter registration fraud. According to a report released by the Ranking Member of the House Government Reform Committee, ACORN has engaged in widespread criminal activity, including tax evasion, obstruction of justice, racketeering, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Despite mounting evidence of criminal activity, ACORN could receive up to $8.5 billion under the “stimulus” plan championed by President Obama. Since 1994, ACORN has received more that $53 million in taxpayer funds.

Following the release of videos showing ACORN workers providing advice on tax evasion and other criminal activity, the U.S. Census Bureau announced last Friday that it had terminated its data collection partnership with ACORN. On Monday, the Senate voted 83-7 to prohibit Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants for ACORN.

Unfortunately, in May and in July House Democrats twice rejected amendments that I offered to require full disclosure and accountability of tax dollars to ACORN, forcing repayment and banning future federal money if ACORN misused federal funding. As in previous years, Congressional Democrats chose to shield their friends at ACORN from accountability, voting down my common-sense amendments by party line votes in the Rules Committee.

Nevertheless, in light of ACORN’s most recent fraudulent conduct, I joined other Republican Members on Tuesday in sending a letter to President Obama, requesting that he publicly disclose and terminate all federal funding to ACORN and its affiliates. Noting that “ACORN is incapable of using federal funds in a manner that is consistent with the law,” my colleagues and I called for immediate action as a matter of common sense and respect for taxpayer dollars.

On Tuesday, I also cosponsored the “Defund ACORN Act,” legislation that Republican Leader John Boehner has introduced that would statutorily block federal money to ACORN and its affiliates. The bill would immediately terminate all federal ties to ACORN, including work partnerships and federal funding for grants distributed through state and local governments.

To force a vote on the issue, House Republicans on Thursday turned the Defund ACORN Act into an amendment and brought it to the House floor. I am pleased to report that the amendment to ban funding to ACORN passed the House by a vote of 345-75. However, this important amendment is now tied to a student loan bill that could take months to be signed into law. Consequently, we will continue to look for legislative ways to immediately end taxpayer funding for ACORN.
Missile Defense Abandonment
On Thursday, President Obama announced his decision to abandon the European Missile Defense agreement, which included the deployment of 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic. This abandonment rolls back years of work and funding, appearing to undermine our relationship with critical Eastern Europe allies, Poland and the Czech Republic, in favor of placating the wishes of Russia.

As a Co-Chairman of the House Missile Defense Caucus, I am deeply troubled that President Obama has chosen the pathway of least resistance and consequently compromised an effective missile defense strategy that is critical to the safety of Europe and vital to our commitments to Israel and the United States’ other allies. This policy of appeasement has cheapened our word and showcased weakness to our enemies.

At a time of rapidly-advancing ballistic missile threats from Iran, the United States should demonstrate leadership in missile defense development and courage in the face of rogue regimes. In the coming days, I will work with my colleagues in Congress to uncover the factors that influenced President Obama’s irresponsible decision and to prioritize our nation’s missile defense capabilities at home and abroad.
Cap-and-Tax Cost: $1,761 Per Family
As you may remember, the House passed Cap-and-Tax legislation (H.R. 2454) by a narrow margin in June. I opposed this legislation because it will kill jobs in the United States, make American companies less competitive, and raise prices on hardworking Americans.

This week, a Freedom of Information Act request forced the Treasury Department to release a study that revealed the Obama Administration’s estimate on the true cost of cap-and-tax legislation. Privately, the Obama Administration concluded that the legislation could cost American taxpayers up to $200 billion a year – the equivalent of raising personal income taxes by 15 percent. This means that American households could pay an additional $1,761 a year in expenses.

At a time of double-digit unemployment and economic recession, Democrats’ cap-and-tax plan promises little more than even more unemployment and higher costs as American families struggle to make ends meet. This is not the change that the American people deserve. To learn more about cap-and-tax, view the Republican House Energy & Commerce Committee Fact Sheet.
Student Loans: How “Public Option” Became Gov’t Takeover
As Congress debates health care reform, many Members in the Majority believe that the creation of a “public option” is necessary to compete with private insurance to bring costs down. However, a history of federal involvement in student lending shows us that a “level playing field” between the private sector and the government soon leads to a government takeover.

In 1965, the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) was established to facilitate higher education funding for tens of millions of Americans. This private-public partnership was designed to provide private sector lenders incentives to offer low-interest student loans to low and moderate income families and to students with a limited credit history.

In 1993, President Clinton signed into law legislation permanently establishing the Direct Loan program – a “public option” for higher education funding financed entirely by the Federal government. When Republicans took control of the House in 1995, they shifted the focus from abolishing FFELP entirely towards the promotion of a “level playing field” between private lenders and the government-run lending program.

In 2006, FFELP was overwhelmingly popular with schools and students, accounting for more than 80 percent of the student loan volume. Sound familiar? This mimics much of the satisfaction with the current health care delivery system. But yesterday, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives voted to eliminate FFELP provided by private lenders, which have enabled over 200 million loans to college students totaling nearly $800 billion. The result: a government-takeover of the student loan industry.

This is just one more reason I question whether the so-called “public option” in health care will later lead to the abolishment of private health insurance and the nationalization of our health care system. The American people have every right to be skeptical when the Obama Administration is championing a “public option” in health care while quietly eliminating the “private option” in higher education loan funding.

Champion of Healthcare Innovation Award
This week, I was pleased to receive the Champion of Healthcare Innovation Award from the Healthcare Leadership Council, a coalition of nearly 50 health care companies and organizations including the Mayo Clinic, Texas Health Care Resources, Pfizer, Baylor Health Care Systems, Johnson & Johnson, and Aetna.

The Healthcare Leadership Council has emerged as a leading advocate for bipartisan health care reform focusing on access, quality, competition, and innovation for a 21st Century health care delivery system. The Council’s top policy priorities include providing access to health coverage for the uninsured, addressing the healthcare workforce shortage, improving patient safety and privacy, and enacting medical liability reforms.

Based our shared vision for quality-driven health care for all Americans, I am honored to receive the Champion of Healthcare Innovation Award. I look forward to working with health care leaders to achieve common-sense reforms that would lower health care costs, increase access to affordable care, free the market for competition, and make coverage portable and patient-centered.