From Congressman Michael McCaul
R&D Tax Credit
As co-chairs of the House High Tech Caucus Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and I are leading a bipartisan effort to reauthorize research & development (R&D) tax credits. These credits were recently stripped from a Senate jobs bill.
More than 120 members have signed our letter calling for the R&D credits to be a part of any jobs bill Congress passes.
I would like to see R&D credits made permanent. They play a significant role in innovation and job creation and are the primary issue I hear from high tech companies I meet with regularly.
NASA
Last Thursday during a Science and Technology Committee hearing NASAs Administrator Charles Bolden Jr. could give me no assurances that jobs in the Houston area would be safe if the Obama administration carries out its plans to cut funding to the Constellation program.
Im concerned about the human space flight mission being completely cut out of this budget and funding increased for climate change and weather observation.
There is great bipartisan opposition to the presidents plan and we are working together to ensure we advance NASAs core mission of human space flight and exploration.
Intelligence Authorization Act for 2010
Last Friday the House passed H.R. 2701. This bill provides funding and authorizes activities for 16 US intelligence agencies.
I voted against it because it fails to address the intelligence failures that led to the recent terror attacks against the US including Ft. Hood and the Christmas Day bomber.
Further it unnecessarily provides the Government Accountability Office (GAO) with the authority to accesses any sensitive information it deems relevant to investigations related to our intelligence community.
Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act
Last Wednesday I voted for and the House passed H.R. 4626 by a vote of 406-19. This legislation repeals the anti-trust exemption for health insurers
that was established in the McCarran-Ferguson Act.
Health insurance companies have been regulated at the state level since 1945 and this bill will further ensure that insurers do not engage in price-fixing bid-rigging or market allocations while providing health insurance coverage.
USA Patriot Improvement & Reauthorization Act
Last Thursday the House passed H.R. 3961. This bill will extend several provisions of the Patriot Act until February 28th 2011.
Extending each of these will allow for an efficient way to track suspected terrorists ultimately better protecting our nation from foreign attacks.
