Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas This week the House should vote on a bill which I have cosponsored that requires passage of a balanced budget amendment sent to states for ratification before any increase of the debt ceiling. The legislation would ensure that spending cuts outweigh any increase to the ceiling. It also ensures that the federal budget is permanently under control in part by requiring a supermajority to raise taxes and by placing a limit on spending as a percentage of GDP.
Hearing Exposes DHS Waste of Taxpayer Money
The Department of Homeland Security testified before my Committee on Oversight & Investigations that it is backing off plans to purchase more than $300 million worth of radiation detection equipment for use at U.S. ports after a report by the Government Accountability Office exposed the equipment was unreliable. Their decision came the day after the GAO report criticized plans to purchase the Advanced Spectroscopic Portal machines or ASP while not performing operational tests. Fridays hearing examined whether DHS effectively leverages existing and emerging technologies or whether it needlessly spends taxpayers money to reinvent the wheel.
As an oversight committee our job is to help reduce the cost of government. With our nations record debt approaching $15 trillion we need this now more than ever before. DHS is one area with great potential to reduce cost to taxpayers specifically in regard to its aquistitions of technology. The GAO has identified technology and acquisition at DHS as an area of high risk having greater vulnerability to waste fraud abuse and mismanagement.
The hearing also examined DHS failure to respond to private technology companies that attempt to do business with DHS. In one case DHS failed to meet with a Texas company after repeated requests. The company already has contracts with the Department of Defense for use of its equipment in Afghanistan. This is the disfunction that ultimately leads to redundant efforts and waste and slows the pace of technology adoption.
Texas Lands 2nd Drone for Border Security
A second Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will soon be based in Texas. Congressman Henry Cuellar and I formally asked DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to increase UAV coverage in Texas after we observed UAV operations in Corpus Christi in April.
Press Release
Energy and Water Appropriations Act of 2012
Last week the House passed and I supported legislation which appropriates funds for energy and water development. This bill meets Republicans pledge to roll back government spending to pre-stimulus pre-bailout levels by reducing spending by $1 billion below the FY2011 spending level and $5.9 billion below the presidents request.
Better Use of Light Bulbs Act
In an effort to roll back burdensome regulations I voted for the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act which would repeal the prohibition on manufacturing incandescent light bulbs. Unfortunately this bill was defeated.
Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011
Also last week the House passed and I supported the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 which extends by five years the authority of the National Flood Insurance Program while achieving changes to reform its financial integrity and stability.
More Power to States; Less to EPA
Finally this week the House passed and I supported the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011. This legislation transfers authority from the Environmental Protection Agency to the states to allow the states to make their own determinations about their water quality.
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas This week the House should vote on a bill which I have cosponsored that requires passage of a balanced budget amendment sent to states for ratification before any increase of the debt ceiling. The legislation would ensure that spending cuts outweigh any increase to the ceiling. It also ensures that the federal budget is permanently under control in part by requiring a supermajority to raise taxes and by placing a limit on spending as a percentage of GDP.
Hearing Exposes DHS Waste of Taxpayer Money
The Department of Homeland Security testified before my Committee on Oversight & Investigations that it is backing off plans to purchase more than $300 million worth of radiation detection equipment for use at U.S. ports after a report by the Government Accountability Office exposed the equipment was unreliable. Their decision came the day after the GAO report criticized plans to purchase the Advanced Spectroscopic Portal machines or ASP while not performing operational tests. Fridays hearing examined whether DHS effectively leverages existing and emerging technologies or whether it needlessly spends taxpayers money to reinvent the wheel.
As an oversight committee our job is to help reduce the cost of government. With our nations record debt approaching $15 trillion we need this now more than ever before. DHS is one area with great potential to reduce cost to taxpayers specifically in regard to its aquistitions of technology. The GAO has identified technology and acquisition at DHS as an area of high risk having greater vulnerability to waste fraud abuse and mismanagement.
The hearing also examined DHS failure to respond to private technology companies that attempt to do business with DHS. In one case DHS failed to meet with a Texas company after repeated requests. The company already has contracts with the Department of Defense for use of its equipment in Afghanistan. This is the disfunction that ultimately leads to redundant efforts and waste and slows the pace of technology adoption.
Texas Lands 2nd Drone for Border Security
A second Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will soon be based in Texas. Congressman Henry Cuellar and I formally asked DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to increase UAV coverage in Texas after we observed UAV operations in Corpus Christi in April.
Press Release
Energy and Water Appropriations Act of 2012
Last week the House passed and I supported legislation which appropriates funds for energy and water development. This bill meets Republicans pledge to roll back government spending to pre-stimulus pre-bailout levels by reducing spending by $1 billion below the FY2011 spending level and $5.9 billion below the presidents request.
Better Use of Light Bulbs Act
In an effort to roll back burdensome regulations I voted for the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act which would repeal the prohibition on manufacturing incandescent light bulbs. Unfortunately this bill was defeated.
Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011
Also last week the House passed and I supported the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 which extends by five years the authority of the National Flood Insurance Program while achieving changes to reform its financial integrity and stability.
More Power to States; Less to EPA
Finally this week the House passed and I supported the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011. This legislation transfers authority from the Environmental Protection Agency to the states to allow the states to make their own determinations about their water quality.
