Patrick Davis Consulting

Weekly Clips from December 15, 2011 to December 29, 2011

 

Hatch: Essential Health Benefits Will Cause Premiums to Rise, Restrict Choices

US Senate Committee on Finance: Newsroom: Ranking Member’s News: December 16: “There is no question essential health benefits will increase the cost of insurance for almost every American,” said Hatch. “The framework proposed by the Administration takes away the right of individuals to choose the health care plan that best fits their needs.  Unfortunately, the partisan health care law is bending the health care cost curve in the wrong direction with more mandates, regulation, and price controls.  I will carefully scrutinize this process as it moves forward.” More…

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Hatch Statement at Senate Finance Committee Open Executive Session on Treasury, Tax Court, & Social Security Nominations

US Senate Committee on Finance: Newsroom: Ranking Member’s News: December 16: That said, let me move on to discussing the nominees at hand.  I have chosen to support the nominations of Mary John Miller to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury; Alastair M. Fitzpayne to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury; and Kathleen Kerrigan to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court.

I have chosen, also, to vote against the nomination of Dr. Henry Aaron to be a Member of the Social Security Advisory Board, with Chairmanship of the Board as the ultimate destination.  Dr. Aaron has chosen to spend most of his time and efforts in the past decade or so on health care issues and advocacy.  Indeed, the vast majority of writings that he offered in support of his nomination have to do with health care, not Social Security.  Focusing one’s energies on health care, rather than analyzing Social Security policy, is not a choice to be faulted.  It does, however, give me pause about the extent to which Dr. Aaron has considered Social Security issues and analytical advances in the field over the past decade or more.

Dr. Aaron has written about Social Security more extensively in the past, but having written extensively does not guarantee analytical rigor, or conclusions and prescriptions with which everyone agrees.  And I do not always agree with his prescriptions.

Of course, differing opinions about policy prescriptions or analytical techniques and developments need not preclude voting in favor of a Board nominee.  I generally believe in reasonable deference to the President for nominations involving positions designed to provide advice to the President and his administration.  The Social Security Advisory Board, however, is set up to provide bipartisan advice on Social Security issues to Congress and the Social Security Commissioner, as well as the President.  And the ability of the Board Chair to work toward gathering bipartisan consensus is crucial to the Board functioning as an analytical advice body, as opposed to a body where political division and partisan rhetoric are the norm.

Therefore, it is necessary to consider the nomination of Dr. Aaron, who the President ultimately intends to Chair the Board, from the perspective of bipartisanship.  A nominee for Board Chair must demonstrate an ability to promote and garner bipartisan consensus.  The evidence does not convince me that Dr. Aaron would, as Board Chair, be able to set aside his partisan ideas — and penchant for higher taxes as the solution to entitlement challenges — and manage the Board in a bipartisan fashion that aims at consensus in analysis and conclusions.  More…

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Hatch Statement on Short-Term Senate Deal

US Senate Committee on Finance: Newsroom: Ranking Member’s News: December 17: “Though I remain concerned with the continued extension of a temporary payroll tax holiday and its long-term implications for social security, I’m supporting this legislation, because it allows the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to move forward and prevents physicians from getting hit with a 27.4 percent pay cut that could hinder access to quality care for American seniors. For one of the most anti-American-energy Administrations in recent memory, I’m glad this legislation will force the President to make a decision rather than punting on this shovel-ready, private-sector project that will spur job-creation now and in the future. The President can no longer avoid making a tough decision until after the elections.” More…

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Hatch On White House Withdrawal Of Craig Becker Nomination To NLRB; Urges President To Not Bypass Senate With NLRB Recess Appointments

December 15: News Room: Press Releases: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “Craig Becker wasn’t confirmed by the Senate for valid reasons, and the Obama Administration never should have circumvented the will of the Senate by recess appointing him,” Hatch said. “I would strongly urge the White House against bypassing the Senate and making any recess appointments to the NLRB. Americans deserve to know who these members are, what they stand for, and that they will serve them, not any special interest group.”  More…

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Senate Republicans To President Obama: No More Recess Appointments For NLRB Nominees

December 19: News Room: Press Releases: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): In the letter, the Senators write that “Appointments to the NLRB have traditionally been made through prior agreement of both parties to ensure that any group of nominees placed on the board represents an appropriate political and philosophical balance.” The Senators noted that the “controversial recess appointment of NLRB Member Craig Becker is an example of an NLRB nominee having been appointed over the objection of the Senate and the result of that decision has been unending controversy throughout Member Becker’s entire term on the Board and, which has undermined the credibility of the entire NLRB.” More…

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Hatch Statement On Short-Term Senate Deal

December 19: News Room: Press Releases: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “Though I remain concerned with the continued extension of a temporary payroll tax holiday and its long-term implications for social security, I’m supporting this legislation, because it allows the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to move forward and prevents physicians from getting hit with a 27.4 percent pay cut that could hinder access to quality care for American seniors. For one of the most anti-American-energy Administrations in recent memory, I’m glad this legislation will force the President to make a decision rather than punting on this shovel-ready, private-sector project that will spur job-creation now and in the future. The President can no longer avoid making a tough decision until after the elections.” More…

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Hatch Votes Against Trillion Dollar Spending Bill

December 19: News Room: Press Releases: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “Our national debt is more than $15 trillion, and unfortunately this bill continues to spend more money that we simply don’t have. Utahns are sick and tired of Washington spending us blind. It’s time to get serious about getting our spending under control so we strengthen the economy for current and future generations of Utahns, and that’s why I opposed this spending bill today.”

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Senate Republicans to President Obama: No More Recess Appointments for NLRB Nominees

December 19: News Room: Press Releases: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): In the letter, the Senators write that “Appointments to the NLRB have traditionally been made through prior agreement of both parties to ensure that any group of nominees placed on the board represents an appropriate political and philosophical balance.” The Senators noted that the “controversial recess appointment of NLRB Member Craig Becker is an example of an NLRB nominee having been appointed over the objection of the Senate and the result of that decision has been unending controversy throughout Member Becker’s entire term on the Board and, which has undermined the credibility of the entire NLRB.” More…

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Hatch On House Payroll Tax Extension Vote

December 20: News Room: Press Releases: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “The only way to resolve this impasse is for the President to weigh in and force Senate Democrats to reconvene to iron out the differences with the House.”

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Hatch Statement on New BLM Guidelines for Sage Grouse

December 29: News Room: Press Releases: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “Yet again, the BLM is trying to muscle its way into a situation where the State of Utah, private landowners, private industries and other stakeholders have already taken action. This type of one-size-fits-all environmental policy may be good for bureaucrats in Washington but it sure doesn’t work for Utah. Utahns don’t need any more direction from the BLM. The BLM needs to let Utahns continue to do their jobs and for the BLM to stop standing in the way of the economic and recreational opportunities that make Utah great.” More…

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Hatch: I’m not a terrorist

Salt Lake Tribune: Political Cornflakes: December 19: Sen. Orrin Hatch is tried of being forced to go through the full-body scanners at the airport instead of being allowed to go through a regular metal detector. It’s a complaint he has heard from Utahns and one he pressed with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Wednesday.

“Maybe I look like a terrorist, I don’t know, but I don’t think so,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m really very kind and loving.” More…

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Hatch: Obama is a ‘scaredy cat’

POLITICO: December 16: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is so frustrated by President Barack Obama that the senator blurted out Friday morning in a TV interview that the president is a “scaredy cat hiding in some closet in the White House.”

Hatch was criticizing Obama on Fox News for dilly-dallying on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project.

“I mean, my gosh, it makes sense. It is a shovel-ready project, ready to go right now. The pipes are already bought. It just has to be done,” Hatch said. “All we need [is] a president who will step up and start to lead and quit acting like some scaredy cat hiding in some closet in the White House.”

Hatch quickly added, “Maybe that is not — maybe I shouldn’t have said it that way, but that’s the way I feel right now.”

The Utah Republican also said Obama seems to want to “play games” with the controversial proposal.

“His environmental extremists don’t want it, and yet all of his union people, including the Teamsters, do want it because it means 20,000 new highly paid jobs, and it also means an alleviation of some of our dependency on foreign oil,” Hatch said. More…

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Hatch and the rich

Salt Lake Tribune: December 17: Sen. Orrin Hatch needs to explain how it is that a small payroll tax cut given to everyone for one year isn’t helpful to economic or job growth, but a nine-year tax cut for the wealthy is (“Hatch opposes temporary payroll tax cut,” Tribune, Dec. 3).

The wealthy have been receiving a tax cut for the past nine years, yet studies show that there is no relationship between tax cuts for the wealthy and job growth.

A good portion of our current debt is because of this tax cut. Why would anyone, other than the wealthy, support the continuation of this tax cut?

Tom Day

Salt Lake City

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Payroll deal sails through Senate, 89-10

POLITICO: December 17: “I think we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, and we don’t have any money to pay Peter back,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). “That bothers me a lot.” More…

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Keystone Pipeline Faces Uncertain Fate Despite Senate Deal

FOX News: December 17: Republicans hope that in an election year, Obama will side with those pushing for job creation and approve the permit. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told Fox News it would be “crazy” to deny the project just to please “radical” environmentalists. More…

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The Top-10 Utah Political Stories of 2011

Utah Pulse: December 19: 2011 was an eventful year in Utah’s political universe. From the passage and repeal of HB 477 to Rep. Jason Chaffetz deciding not to challenge Sen. Orrin Hatch to the once-a-decade redistricting process. We asked our “political insiders” what they thought were the top-10 stories of 2011.

UtahPolicy.com “political insiders’” choices for the top-10 Utah political stories of 2011
#5After years of deficit, Utah is once again running a budget surplus.

#6Forbes magazine names Utah the “Best State for Business”
#9After a long flirtation with a run, Rep. Jason Chaffetz chooses not to challenge Sen. Orrin Hatch for the GOP nomination in 2012  More…

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Tea Party ‘super PAC’ going after Sen. Orrin Hatch

iWatchNews: December 20: An outside spending group affiliated with the conservative Tea Party movement is targeting long-time Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch in 2012 for not being conservative enough.

FreedomWorks for America is a so-called “super PAC,” meaning it can accept unlimited donations from corporations, individuals and labor unions and spend the funds on advertising and other expenditures aimed at electing or defeating a candidate.

On Tuesday, the group reported to the Federal Election Commission that it spent more than $43,000 on expenditures to oppose Hatch, including payments to a Utah communications firm for research, a D.C.-based polling firm, an Oregon-based yard sign manufacturer and a North Carolina online services company.

The group is affiliated with the conservative FreedomWorks 501(c4) nonprofit group, which also spends money on campaign advertising, but is not required to reveal its donors.

Ryan Hecker, a spokesman for the super PAC, told iWatch News the group opposes what it calls Hatch’s support for increased federal government spending and support of the Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The organization is required to reveal its donors, but is too new to file a report. The super PAC launched in September and promised a grass roots approach to organizing rather than a massive ad buy. More…

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Orrin, Jim and Rob?

Salt Lake Tribune: December 26: My compliments for the editorial “Victory for terror: Lee and Chaffetz defend liberties” (Our View, Dec. 19), which discussed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 and its provision allowing for the detention of American citizens without due process for indefinite periods. That should scare the socks off any thinking individual, and it will if enough news media take up the challenge.

One wonders why Sen. Orrin Hatch and Reps. Jim Matheson and Rob Bishop voted for it. Somebody ought to ask them.

Bart Carter

Highland

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‘New Year’s Resolutions’ for 2012

Utah Pulse: December 27: 2011 is winding down, and we asked our insiders to come up with some “New Year’s Resolutions” for someone or something in Utah politics.

“May Orrin Hatch resolve to just be the solid Senator with wisdom he has been all these years and forget what some are trying to make him out to be.” More…

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Founders of Patrick Henry Caucus moving on

Daily Herald: December 29: “Our goal has been to push the state sovereignty movement and a conservative agenda,” said Herrod, who is expected to run against Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, in 2012. “From my perspective we have become a little frustrated because some of the things we have wanted to accomplish we are finding can only be done at a federal level. I think that is why you see three members of the caucus looking at running for the federal delegation and one to be the governor.” More…

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Dan Liljenquist

Liljenquist resigns from Utah Senate, may challenge Hatch

Deseret News: December 15: Sen. Dan Liljenquist, R-Bountiful, resigned from the Utah Legislature on Thursday, perhaps paving the way for a run against U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

Liljenquist declined Thursday to say whether he planned to challenge the six-term senator, instead saying he will make an official announcement in January.

“I’ve so enjoyed serving the people of south Davis County,” he said. “It’s been a great honor. I’ve worked hard, and we’ve gotten some good things done.”

Liljenquist said he’s hoping the timing of his resignation allows enough time for south Davis County residents “to select a suitable replacement who can hit the ground running” in time for the start of the 2012 legislative session on Jan. 23.

In a letter delivered to Senate President Micheal Waddoups on Thursday afternoon, Liljenquist said his resignation is “effective immediately.”

“I do this with a sense of gratitude and optimism,” the letter states. “Life is short. It’s time to move on.”

Liljenquist said he “tried to bloom where … planted,” and thanked Waddoups for assigning him to work on ethics, business and retirement issues.

“He was involved in a lot of things,” Waddoups said of Liljenquist. “He represented his people up in Davis County well. He’ll be missed. They’ll be hard pressed to replace him.”

In October, Liljenquist was honored as one of the nation’s nine “2011 Public Officials of the Year” by Governing magazine. He was recognized by the magazine for his overhaul of the state’s pension plan to compensate for the loss of more than $6 billion in the economic downturn.

Liljenquist sponsored a number of bills beginning in the 2010 Legislature to avoid having to put $400 million annually into the system for the next 25 years.

Last month, Liljenquist was named “Legislative Entrepreneur of the Year” by FreedomWorks, a national tea party organization based in Washington, D.C.  More…

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Meet Orrin Hatch’s Tea Party threat

Washington Examiner: Joel Gehrke: December 21: “God bless Orrin Hatch for his service to this state,” said state senator Dan Liljenquist, R, who is strongly considering a run against Hatch, in a recent telephone interview. “I was two years old when he was elected and he’s been there a long time representing the state. But elections really are about the future, and I’m looking for leadership on these entitlement issues, the issues I focused on in the Utah legislature: long term spending, the long term trajectory of our budgets, and trying to make sure those issues are tackled before they become disastrous.”

The implicit commentary, that Hatch — a 36-year U.S. Senator — has been in Washington too long, calls to mind Hatch’s original campaign for Senate against an 18-year incumbent, Democrat Frank Moss. “What do you call a Senator who’s served in office for 18 years?” Hatch asked of the incumbent Senator in 1976. “You call him home.”

Liljenquist, who recently received the “Legislative Entrepreneur of the Year Award” from the conservative group Freedomworks, is willing to put a sharp edge on the apparently positive gloss on Hatch’s career. “He’s certainly an institution, but there’s a whole new generation of people getting involved in politics who are saying, ‘where have our leaders been, how did we get here, and who is going to get us out of it?’”

Congress has “driven more and more decisions away from Utah and to the federal government — from 1979 when Sen. Hatch and others voted to establish the federal Department of Education — to as recently as this decade, with the massive expansion of entitlement programs.”

Liljenquist even laid the aspects of Obamacare most detested by the Tea Party at Hatch’s door. “It was this generation of politicians, Republicans and Democrats, that laid out the constitutional argument for individual mandates in the early 90s,” he said, “As states, we deal with the aftermath of these decisions, and in many ways we’re being blackmailed with our own money.”

Were he to run for Senate and win (and he certainly sounds like a candidate), Liljenquist says he would want to lead the charge on entitlement reforms, while emphasizing the need to honor commitments made to seniors dependent on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. “We as a country will not survive unless we put Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security on a sustainable footing,” he said. Liljenquist promised to advocate The Path to Prosperity proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. He allowed, however, that Newt Gingrich’s critique of the plan — that the change in Medicare should not be mandatory — identified an imperfection in Ryan’s plan.

“People in my generation, we need a different deal,” Liljenquist concluded. “I think people in my generation are willing to make that tradeoff. They’d rather have a free country and have the government do a little bit less for them than to be ensnared, entrapped, and crushed by debt. The time for that debate has come, and that’s exactly where I’m interested in stepping up.”

Liljenquist told The Washington Examiner that he will announce his final decision on whether to run in January. More…

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Here’s what Utah’s politicians wished from Santa

Deseret News: December 25: Sen. Orrin Hatch sought nothing for himself this Christmas. He respects the financial and fiscal skills of possible opponent State Sen. Dan Liljenquist so much that he asked Santa to deliver a church mission call to Liljenquist to overhaul the LDS Church retirement system.

Liljenquist’s Christmas request was also quite simple: He just asked Santa to help Hatch “act his age” with a bounteous number of “senior moments” in 2012. More…

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Mia Love for Congress

Rep. Jim Matheson leads all comers in Utah’s new 4th Congressional District, poll shows

Deseret News: December 25:  Incumbency has its privileges, even in a congressional district without an incumbent.

Rep. Jim Matheson leads all challengers, none of whom in these early stages can match his name recognition or likability, in Utah’s recently drawn 4th Congressional District, a new poll shows.

The Democratic six-term congressman quickly established himself as the frontrunner in the new district after jumping a week ago from the 2nd District for the 2012 election. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t in for a tough fight.

“Jim Matheson will have a lot of work to do win,” pollster Dan Jones said. “I believe this is one the Democrats are counting on winning, but it’s going to be a close race at every level.”

The Utah Legislature redrew congressional boundaries this fall to reflect the 2010 census that gave the state a fourth U.S. House seat. Lawmakers carved Matheson’s current district four ways. The new 4th District contains southwestern Salt Lake County, western Utah County and all of Juab and Sanpete counties — all heavily Republican.

“I’ve never let the boundaries of a district define what I’ve done. I try to act in the interest of all of the state of Utah. I think people know that,” Matheson said.

The poll shows Sandstrom and Wimmer in a dead heat for the GOP nomination, with Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love hanging close. State delegates next spring will choose a nominee or send two candidates to a primary election.

“It’s going to be hard fought,” Jones said. “I don’t see any way they can avoid a primary.”

Jones sees Wimmer, Sandstrom and Love as viable primary contenders.

“Any one of the three could win it,” he said.

The Democratic congressman does well — as he has in each of his campaigns over the years — with independent voters, winning at least two-thirds of them against each of the four GOP opponents in the poll.

Love found the numbers encouraging. She said they confirm what she believes, that Utahns are looking for someone new to better serve their interests.

“I just see it as a great opportunity. It’s a clean slate. I get to focus on the things that are important to all of us,” she said. More…

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Mia Love making a run in Utah’s new 4th Congressional District

Salt Lake Tribune: December 22: “I am running for Congress, yes,” Love said Thursday while waiting for furniture to arrive at her campaign digs situated between offices for a dentist and an eye doctor in River City Plaza.

A Republican, Love enters an already crowded GOP field including high-profile candidates Rep. Stephen Sandstrom and Rep. Carl Wimmer, along with lawyer Jay Cobb. And now there’s an incumbent to contend with since Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson last week decided to jump from the 2nd District to the 4th District.

“You can send a whole bunch of Wimmers to Congress. You can send a whole bunch of Sandstroms to Congress. You can only send one me,” Love said.

Being a conservative African-American woman sets Love, 36, apart from the other challengers. “I’m always saying in Washington if you can’t blend in, you might as well stand out,” she said.

But she said that’s not what will get her elected. Rather, Love says, it’s her budget-cutting experience as mayor and focus on limited government and family values that will resonate with voters.

“This is about leadership. It’s not about throwing bombs or throwing messages out there and hope they stick. It’s about tackling problems,” said the first-term mayor who also served six years on the Saratoga Springs City Council.

Love said she is “rapidly” raising money in Utah and from some sources in Washington, though she wouldn’t identify them. She also wouldn’t address how much she thinks she needs to run a competitive campaign. More…

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Weekly Clips from December 15, 2011 through December 29, 2011

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-MT and Steve Daines for Montana

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-MT

Tester: Extend employment protections to all Guardsmen and Reservists  

December 15: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: Senator Jon Tester is pushing to protect the jobs of National Guardsmen and Reservists who are called to military service while working for the Transportation Security Administration.

Tester this week introduced a bipartisan bill to force the TSA, which provides security at the nation’s airports, to comply with a federal law that protects the jobs of National Guardsmen and Reservists who are deployed overseas, ensuring their jobs are available upon their return. In the aftermath of 9/11, Congress exempted the newly formed TSA from the law in an effort to give the agency the flexibility it needed to quickly ramp up its workforce.

Tester’s bill removes the exemption, giving TSA employees who serve as Guardsmen and Reservists the same protections as other workers.

“We owe it to all Montanans who answer the call of duty to guarantee that their jobs will be there when they return, regardless of where they work,” Tester said. “It’s time for us to protect the jobs of Montana’s Guardsmen and Reservists who have been called upon to serve our nation in unprecedented numbers. It’s the right thing to do.” More…

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Senate passes Tester-Hutchison measure to reassess overseas bases  

December 15: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: The Senate today approved a bipartisan provision from Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) to save taxpayers money by reassessing America’s overseas military bases. The Tester-Hutchison amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act calls for an independent organization to review the military’s overseas basing needs and their associated costs as a first step toward closing obsolete facilities.

Both Senators hailed amendment passage, calling the review an important, bipartisan step to cut spending and cut the deficit.

“Given our budget outlook, we have a responsibility to look for savings across our government,” Tester said. “We need to be smart, and we need to work together. Our time has come to look at overseas bases and do things that will enhance our opportunities to fight the War on Terror while saving taxpayer dollars over the short-term and the long haul.” More…

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Tester, Montana officials team up with Facebook to tackle online safety  

December 15: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: Senator Jon Tester and several Montana officials are teaming up with social media giant Facebook to address the risks of online social media for Montana’s students.

Tester will host community forums with Facebook on Thursday, January 5 in Kalispell and Billings to help educate parents and teachers about online safety for children.

Tester will be joined by Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger, Attorney General Steve Bullock and Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau.

Joining Tester in Kalispell will be Mayor Tammi Fisher and Superintendent of Kalispell Public Schools Darlene Schottle.

Joining Tester in billings will be Mayor Tom Hanel and Superintendent of Billings Public Schools Jack Copps.

Facebook representatives will discuss how social media builds positive connections for young people and demonstrate the reporting tools available to report improper, threatening and dangerous behavior. More…

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Tester secures Montana priorities in bipartisan bill  

December 16: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: From new tools for Montana firefighters to education to improved access to public lands, Senator Jon Tester today highlighted provisions he secured for Montana in the bipartisan year-end funding bill.

The Senate is now expected to pass the legislation, which cuts $6 billion in government spending compared to last year.

“After some pretty extreme proposals by the House of Representatives over the past year, we’ve made this agreement better for Montana,” Tester said.  “Now Congress needs to start getting to work on cutting our deficit over the long-term.  That – not irresponsibly wiping out the things that create Montana jobs – is what this nation truly needs to rebuild our economy and strengthen it for the future.” More…

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Tester on Keystone XL: ‘Time to move this ball forward’  

December 17: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: “Montana needs the Keystone XL project to begin now because it will create jobs and energy security. With stronger protections for private property, it’s time to move this ball forward, and I will remain vigilant that the highest safety and environmental standards are respected. The President should not veto this bipartisan bill, and he should allow this pipeline to move forward.

“I support Keystone XL because I support Montana jobs. Whether in eastern Montana with the Keystone Pipeline or western Montana with the popular Forest Jobs and Recreation Act—Montana’s delegation should be united in pushing for guaranteed jobs. It’s the responsible thing to do.”  More…

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Tester: Time for Civil Liberties Board to get to work  

December 19: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: “I’m pleased that concern for our civil liberties is finally being taken as seriously in Washington as it is in Montana.  A functioning Civil Liberties Board will not only safeguard the rights of law-abiding Americans, but it will also strengthen privacy, transparency and our national security.  I plan to give these nominees a close look to make sure they’re right for Montana and the country, so they can finally get to work.” More…

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BAUCUS, TESTER RALLY SENATORS IN CALL FOR PASSAGE OF KEYSTONE COMPROMISE  

December 19: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: “The Keystone XL project is critical to the nation’s energy security–it will reduce our dependence on oil from hostile regimes–and it will put thousands of Americans back to work.” More…

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Tester scores victory for military, veteran students  

December 20: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: “The [regulations] fail to address many of the key issues facing our military students,” Tester wrote Panetta.  “It also fails to address many legitimate concerns that veterans and military service organizations have about the recruitment, enrollment, and support provided to member of the armed forces, their families and veterans.”  More…

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Tester helping designate 2012 as ‘Year of the Girl’  

December 21: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: With the Girl Scouts celebrating 100 years of inspiring America’s girls, Senator Jon Tester is taking a moment to pay tribute to the ground-breaking organization.

Tester cosponsored a bipartisan resolution that designates 2012 as the ‘Year of the Girl’ and congratulates the Girl Scouts on their 100th anniversary.

In pushing for the recognition, Tester highlighted how Girl Scouts develops girls’ self-esteem and empowers future leaders.

“Today’s Girl Scouts focuses on helping girls learn critical skills that serve as strong foundation for building communities and the country’s next generation of leaders,” Tester said.  “For an organization that’s been making a difference in girls’ lives for one hundred years, this is a special moment.  It’s my pleasure to help celebrate this milestone marking a century of accomplishments.” More…

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Tester to Labor Dept.: Back off proposal to restrict family farms  

December 21: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: “The skills young people acquire from family agriculture translates into a healthy work ethic that will serve them their entire lives, whether they choose to stay in agriculture or not,” Tester wrote Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.  “I strongly believe family agriculture is one of the foundations of America, and unfairly regulating the ability for young people to fully experience and grow from it will be detrimental to our future.”

Tester, who grew-up “picking rocks” on his grandfather’s farm that he now runs, believes that the farm instilled in him a deeper respect for safety than any regulation ever could. More…

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Tester: ‘Too bad it took public pressure’ to undo House’s unpopular tax hike  

December 22: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: “After yet another politics-as-usual week in Washington, the House of Representatives finally got the message that most Montanans have been demanding: We can’t afford a tax hike on middle-class families.  It’s too bad it took public pressure to undo another irresponsible decision that should have never been made in the first place.  I’m pleased the party bosses in the House are finally on board with our plan for supporting tax relief for middle-class families and the Montana jobs that will come with the Keystone XL pipeline.” More…

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Tester: Increasing air service to Bakken will create jobs  

December 22: Newsroom: U.S. Senator Tester: With energy production and exploration booming in the Bakken oil shale formation in eastern Montana, Senator Jon Tester wants to increase the number of flights to the region.

Tester recently called on Gulfstream International Airlines, which already operates a limited number of flights to eastern Montana, to increase air service between Billings and communities like Glendive, Sidney, and Williston (N.D.), saying it’s the best way to fuel more economic growth.

“Hardworking folks throughout the Bakken region are making unprecedented oil discoveries, creating good-paying jobs, and helping to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” Tester wrote Gulfstream Vice President Mickey Bowman. “Accordingly, I urge you to work with community leaders in Billings and along the Bakken to find ways to increase air service so that these interlinked communities can continue to grow and create jobs.” More…

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Baucus, Tester & Rehberg react to 2012 budget deal

KAJ18: December 16: Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) says he is pleased with the funding for land and water conservation and a gray wolf livestock loss program.

“The Senate made some great strides in making this bill something that will work a lot better for Montana. It’s certainly a lot better than what the House had been working on all year. That being said we need to continue to work to get our fiscal house in order, addressing the deficit and the debt in a major way in this country,” Tester says.

Tester added the bill funds veterans programs including tele-health and mobile clinics for rural veterans.

However, Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act isn’t in the budget. His campaign asserts Congressman Denny Rehberg (R-MT) blocked the bill for political reasons. Rehberg is challenging Tester to his seat in 2012.

Rehberg’s office denies the claim saying the bill wasn’t good for Montana and that’s why he worked to keep it out of the budget.

Rehberg chairs the subcommittee tasked with drafting one of the major spending bills. It includes the budget for education, health and human service and labor.

The bill was included in the omnibus package. More…

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Keystone XL Pipeline Agreement passes Senate

KXLH: December 17: Senator Jon Tester said, “Montana needs the Keystone XL project to begin now because it will create jobs and energy security. With stronger protections for private property, it’s time to move this ball forward. I will remain vigilant that the highest safety and environmental standards are respected.” More…

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PARTISAN DIFFERENCES DOOM WILDERNESS, LOGGING PLAN

ABC Montana: December  17:  U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s plan for more logging and wilderness areas in Montana is falling prey to partisan differences accentuated by his heated 2012 Senate race with U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg.

Tester, a Democrat, has been trying to attach his Forest Jobs and Recreation Act to the year-end congressional budget deal.

But Rehberg, a Republican, opposes the measure and says he is making sure House leaders won’t accept the measure.

Rehberg is challenging Tester in a race that is already among the most watched in the country as the parties vie for control of the Senate. Both sides have made Tester’s forest bill an issue.

The measure comes from loggers and environmentalists who agreed to a deal that mandates more logging in Montana while also creating more wilderness area.

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Tester hasn’t represented Montanans, made bad decisions

Billings Gazette: December 17: Jon Tester wrote me to tell me he supports having Medicare stay in its present form. Medicare is going broke in its present form. So I guess Tester wants Medicare to go broke.

In just five years he has been responsible for adding $6 trillion to our now $15 trillion debt by voting for just about every spending measure to come out of Congress, during that time including the “Stimulus” and Cash for Clunkers. But the worst is his lack of stewardship on the Senate Banking Committee which looked over the role of Fannie and Freddie.

Somehow he thinks you can spend more money than we have and everything will work out. You can’t promise healthcare to people without charging them more money. You can’t spend money on worthless government projects without expecting an increase in the debt. You can’t encourage people to destroy perfectly good used cars and expect that to be productive. You can’t lend money to people who can’t pay it back and expect there not to be a housing bubble and ultimately a severe recession.

Sen. Tester has made a lot of bad decisions. He has not represented us well.

Douglas M. Osborne

Billings

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Delegation must protect Internet freedom

Billings Gazette: December 19: I urge Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg to oppose the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) legislation. This legislation is an infringement on free speech and legal due process.

SOPA supports a taxpayer-funded policy to restrict Internet technological investment and restrict innovation by the accusation of “piracy” through copyright infringement. This “accusation” of Internet piracy allows for equipment seizure, online advertisers labeled as co-conspirators and restricts online freedom of speech. An accusation of piracy with no finding of facts shuts the door on due process and allows the seizure of Internet equipment.

This back door-action allows federal control of the Internet and would severely limit the content and material posted to the Internet. Internet users would be at the mercy of each political administration and their SOPA interpretation. The SOPA would hamper Internet innovation, security, privacy, and freedom of expression/speech.

The fine line between intellectual property and free speech/thinking can be demonstrated by describing the magnificent aura of a spectacular sun set on the Internet and it becomes an intellectual copyright infringement issue. Certainly, protection of intellectual copyright is necessary in a free-market society; yet a balance needs to be struck between intellectual copyright infringement, freedom of speech and “due process” when dealing with the abstract concept of intellectual property and copyright infringement. A loss of anyone’s freedoms and liberties is a loss to all of us. I urge all to oppose this legislation.

Sam Miller

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Rehberg votes to reject 2-month payroll tax cut, calls for 12 months instead

Billings Gazette: December 20: Rehberg praised House and Senate leaders from both parties for continuing to support his Keystone XL legislation.

“The pipeline is safe, clean, respects private property rights and will create jobs,” he said. “And that’s why it’s got strong bipartisan support from Montana and around the country.”

Rehberg is giving up his seat to challenge Tester for the Senate in 2012.

Tester’s spokesman Aaron Murphy criticized Rehberg’s vote Tuesday.

“No wonder Montanans don’t think very highly of Dennis Rehberg’s record in Congress,” Murphy said. “Instead of standing up for the Keystone pipeline jobs and lower taxes for middle-class families, Congressman Rehberg followed orders from his party bosses to kill jobs and raise taxes on middle-class families. Dennis Rehberg’s irresponsible say-one-thing-and-do-another record won’t create Montana jobs.” More…

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Could 2012 be the most competitive Senate election in years?

Washington Post: December 16: 6. Montana (D): Democrats gleefully moved around a poll conducted by the Montana Chamber of Commerce that showed Sen. Jon Tester (D) leading Rep. Denny Rehberg(R) 42 percent to 37 percent. Other data suggests that the race is closer and, given the state’s Republican lean, it’s hard to imagine Tester winning by more than a point or two. But the very fact that Tester is in the game — given the anti-incumbent sentiment in the country — speaks to the fact that his personal brand may be able to weather the problems the national Democratic Party will have in the Last Best Place. (Previous ranking: 5)

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Tester: Congress could learn from supporters of defeated forest jobs bill

The Missoulian: December 21: Congress could learn a lot from supporters of the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., told a roomful of timber workers and environmentalists here Wednesday.

“The only folks who hate this bill are to the far right or the far left,” Tester told the people gathered at Pyramid Mountain Lumber Co. “Once we get this done, it puts a whole different model out there that can work in the forests. It can be replicated just about everywhere.”

Tester’s unusual wilderness and logging bill failed last week to remain part of the Senate version of the $1.2 trillion omnibus budget package. The bill combines a new timber management plan with provisions to create about 1 million acres of wilderness and recreation areas in Montana.

Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., who is challenging Tester for his Senate seat in next year’s election, took credit for keeping the bill out of the omnibus legislation. He argued last week that the legislation guaranteed wilderness but didn’t guarantee jobs, saying “it’s not a fair deal for Montanans.”

On Wednesday, Rehberg spokesman Jed Link said the congressman had co-sponsored a better way to create jobs in the timber industry through the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act, “which would open millions of acres across the West for multiple use, including a little responsible timber in appropriate areas.”

“The idea that the only way to put Montanans to work in our forest is to carve out a bunch of new wilderness is just not honest,” Link said. “Senator Tester seems to be under the mistaken notion that Denny Rehberg is the only person in Montana who opposes his legislation. The simple fact is, if he really wanted to generate broad support for his legislation, he’d be out listening to the folks in Montana who have honest concerns about his bill and be open to their common-sense improvements.” More…

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Tester understands defense program; Rehberg doesn’t

Great Falls Tribune: December 21: The New START builds on Reagan’s admonition to “trust, but verify.” That is why the New START was easily approved in a highly partisan Senate.

During the discussions over New START, Sen. Jon Tester worked closely with the Department of Defense to ensure the ICBM portion of our nuclear triad in general — and Malmstrom in particular — remain cornerstones of our national defense.

It is interesting that Rehberg felt it necessary to create a citizens advocacy group at a time when such a group already exists in the Central Montana Defense Alliance.

This Alliance is a group of retired military, business and community leaders who have long voiced support for maintaining and expanding missions at both MAFB and Montana Air National Guard. Tester worked closely on the New START Treaty with the Central Montana Defense Alliance; he kept the lines of communication open between the alliance and the Pentagon. The Air Force’s commitment to Malmstrom’s future is, to a large degree, a reflection of Tester’s — and the community’s — hard and consistent work.

Our nation’s defense is vital to every American. Great Falls and North Central Montana fill a critical role in that defense. Tester is simply head and shoulders above Rehberg in understanding these issues and Montana’s role in them. More…

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Tax deal looms large in Tester-Rehberg Senate race

Great Falls Tribune: December 21:  Year-end congressional votes and wrangling over payroll taxes and an oil pipeline project through eastern Montana are stoking the heated Senate race between incumbent Jon Tester and U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg as it heads into 2012.

Rehberg, a Republican, pressed Tester last week to vote for legislation passed by the House to extend a middle class tax cut and force a quick decision on the Keystone XL pipeline — a provision Rehberg himself had helped get into the legislation.

But Tester is turning the tables after the House Republicans and Rehberg rejected a Senate compromise backed by Tester that also includes the Keystone project.

The Democrat called Rehberg’s vote “crazy” as he attacked on two issues that can loom large in Montana: tax cuts and resource development. Tester argued that House Republicans are missing a chance to reach a deal.

Iverson argued that Tester has not done as much as either Rehberg or U.S. Sen. Max Baucus in attaching the pipeline to the tax talks. Tester’s office, however, pointed out that the Democrat was engaged in the talks — and even successfully modified the provision to make sure private property rights along the route are preserved.

Baucus, among those in the Senate negotiating the bipartisan deal last week in that chamber, advocated for inclusion of the pipeline. The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee is now not happy that House Republicans spurned it.

“It’s the same pattern every time: The far right-wingers threaten to shut down the government, default on the full faith and credit of our country or raise taxes on the middle class, unless they get their way,” Baucus said in a Wednesday letter to supporters.

Tester said he doesn’t think the House Republicans will win anything with their current tactic after the dust settles.

“It doesn’t make sense to me at all, even from a political sense. I don’t see what they get out of it,” Tester said. More…

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Mining Companies Back Friend’s Bid for Senate

New York Times: The Champions: Eric Lipton: December 22: The violation notices keep coming in: broken safety equipment, underground roof collapses, dangerous levels of carbon monoxide — each a hint of the federal enforcement blitz set off more than a year ago by a series of deadly mining accidents across the nation.

Here in Montana, the penalties affect more than mine operators facing fines or shutdowns. The stepped-up oversight is also helping define one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, with Representative Denny Rehberg, a six-term Republican, trying to oust Senator Jon Tester, a first-term Democrat.

Mr. Tester and other Montana politicians often support legislation that would benefit the coal and minerals mining industry, a big employer here, or oppose federal mandates that mine owners find objectionable. But it is Mr. Rehberg who has been the most ardent advocate, presenting a case study in how a lawmaker can help build his national profile — and campaign war chest — by championing an industry with deep pockets and political clout.

He has repeatedly criticized federal mine safety officials over the past year, charging that many inspection complaints are job killers or ridiculing others as trivial. In justifying their crackdown, though, federal officials point to the October death of a worker here in Nye at the Stillwater Mine, which had accumulated a string of citations this year.

He has used his influence to push Washington to approve deals sought by mining companies, including land swaps the government questions as disadvantageous to taxpayers, or opening up copper mining in northwestern Montana, which environmentalists argue should be left pristine.

He has tried to block initiatives by the Obama administration, with his most recent victory earlier this month when Congress at least temporarily prohibited the Department of Labor from enforcing a new rule intended to combat black lung disease, blamed for 10,000 miners’ deaths in the past decade. And he is also trying to block proposed rules intended to help pay for the cleanup of toxic waste at abandoned mine sites or to prevent strip mines from contaminating streams. More…

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Cheers for Head Start

Helena Independent Record: December 25: I commend our congressional delegation, Rep. Denny Rehberg, Sen. Jon Tester and Sen. Max Baucus, for increasing funding in fiscal year 2012 for the federal early education program, Head Start. Montana is fortunate to have had all three of our delegation supporting investing in early learning, which isn’t just good for our kids — it’s also good for business.

As a member of the business leaders organization, America’s Edge, I’ve seen research that shows that investments in high-quality early education programs have a substantial and immediate impact on local businesses and the economy. In Montana, every $1 invested generates an additional $1.61 in spending of local goods and services, favorable when compared to other sectors like transportation, construction or farming, forestry, fishing and hunting.

Early learning also helps prepare a future skilled workforce. Children who participate in these programs are more likely to have higher graduation rates, earn more as adults and enter the workforce with the skills businesses seek, especially in our increasingly technology-driven world. In the long term, that means lower unemployment rates and higher contributions to the tax base.

To its credit, with the support of our three congressional leaders, Congress has taken steps to improve the quality of Head Start programs so children can fully realize the benefits of these programs. This is a win-win investment — good for children and good for our economy, now and in the future.

Thanks Denny, Jon and Max for a job well done.

Edward Mangis

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County commissioners support Public Lands Renewable Energy Act

Helena Independent Record: December 29: As you look around the state, it is hard to miss the obvious potential for renewable energy development in Montana.

With wide-ranging support from sportsmen to local governments, Sens. Jon Tester and Risch urge passage of a bipartisan bill they sponsored that streamlines permitting for renewable energy projects on public lands.

In introducing the bill, Tester said that Montana’s potential for renewable energy can make the Treasure State a worldwide leader in energy production, resulting in countless jobs and new opportunities. “With some of the best renewable energy development sites located on public lands, it is vital to expand this industry while protecting the natural resources that make our region famous,” Tester said.  “Our bill is a common-sense way to create jobs and give renewable energy the same opportunities as oil and gas. And by responsibly developing our energy resources, we will also increase our energy security.”

We agree with the sponsors and look forward to opportunities for renewable energy production, job creation, conservation and local investment in Lewis and Clark County. More…

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Steve Daines for Montana

Daines makes switch to House race official

Steve Daines for Congress: December 15: Bozeman businessman Steve Daines, who dove into the Senate race in November, officially switched his effort to a House campaign Thursday.
The 2008 candidate for lieutenant governor made the decision ahead of Rep. Denny Rehberg’s expected entrance into the Senate race Saturday.
The Associated Press newsbreak quotes Daines:

“Now that it looks as if Denny is going to run for the U.S. Senate, we need to wait for his formal announcement that looks to be coming Saturday, that we are better served in uniting the party and continuing to reach out to all Montanans,” Daines said. “I think a divisive and contested primary is not in the best interest of Montana and our country, when we keep in mind the goal here is to make sure we have three seats that are occupied by common sense conservatives.” More…

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Daines has background to do what’s necessary

Billings Gazette: December 17: Everything that is coming out of the federal government is just counterintuitive to what needs to be done to get the nation back on track. The administration wants to tax and spend. The help we need is for the federal government to balance the budget, quit spending money we do not have and get us out of debt.

Businesses operate with incomes and expenditures. Why government can’t is beyond reason and logic. What if we cut government rather than increasing taxes at all? Perhaps instead of shifting the tax burden between employers and workers, we should cut the budgets of federal agencies and bureaus? We could accomplish both a balanced budget as well as put more money into people’s pockets which would stimulate economic growth and jobs.

Luckily, we are approaching another election season and Montanans have an opportunity to tell Washington D.C. that they need to cut their own budgets down to the necessities before they raise taxes for anyone.

Bozeman native Steve Daines has stepped up to be the experience messenger for Montana in the U.S. House of Representatives. We can trust Daines because of his experience in the real world of business where he had to balance revenues and expenditures.

He has signed the “No New Taxes Pledge” and, as a political outsider with real experience, he won’t’ be sucked into the good ol’ boys club spending spree in Washington.

State Sen. Ken Peterson

HD 46-Billings

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Important 2012 Race in Big Sky Country

Ammo Land: December 22: Dear Friend of the Second Amendment,

I hope you are enjoying this holiday season. Even as we reflect on the blessings of the past year, GOA is preparing for major battles in the crucial election year of 2012.

One of the most important elections is taking place in Montana, where Steve Daines is running for the state’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Daines is a fifth generation Montanan, a successful businessman (an actual job creator) and an avid firearms enthusiast and sportsman.

I first interviewed Steve over the summer, after he had scored a perfect grade on the GOA survey. I’ve since spent time getting to know Steve and his wife of 24 years, Cindy, and I can tell you he’ll be a true warrior in the battle over the Second Amendment.

And based on what’s going on in Washington, we need people like him in Congress. Many members of Congress claim to support the right to keep and bear arms, but then go soft when they get pressured by their anti-gun colleagues, President Obama and the media. More…

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Weekly Clips from December 15, 2011 through December 29, 2011

2012 Congressional Candidates for Delaware

U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, D-DE

Sen. Carper Cheers Restoration of Funding for Government Transparency and Accountability

December 15: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “I’m very pleased that my House and Senate colleagues on the Appropriations Committees recognized the valuable role and importance of the Electronic Government Fund, or ‘E-Gov’ Fund. The American people demand an open, transparent, and fiscally-responsible federal government,” said Sen. Carper, chair of the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security. “The E-Gov Fund, together with the Federal Citizen Services Fund, helps the federal government meet this demand. It helps the government communicate with citizens in smarter and more effective ways, and also helps agencies figure out ways to use technology better. It allows agencies to streamline their operations by cutting wasteful and duplicative spending throughout the federal government. This not only saves taxpayers’ money, it also results in a better level of service for the American people. More…

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Sen. Carper Commends Key Committee Approval of Bankruptcy Judgeships Legislation

December 15: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “In this challenging economic climate, businesses need more certainty, not less,” said Sen. Carper. “To that end, businesses need a regulatory and legal environment that operates efficiently and effectively. It is imperative that we have an adequate number of judgeships to maintain a fair and expeditious process to handle bankruptcy cases. Failing to extend these judgeships would not be in the interest of our legal or business communities and would negatively impact our broader economy. The last thing we need to do at this moment is to disrupt the legal systems and institutions that businesses — large and small — depend on to adapt to shifting economic conditions. I thank Senator Coons for his leadership on this issue and I will work with my Senate colleagues to ensure that this important legislation passes.” More…

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Sen. Carper Highlights Report Detailing Medicare Waste and Fraud Vulnerabilities

December 16: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “We have made important strides in recent years in our efforts to curb the billions of dollars in fraudulent and improper Medicare payments, but there’s still more we can do,” said Sen. Carper. “This Inspector General report shows that Medicare officials have in front of them a specific roadmap to fix vulnerabilities that have wasted more than a billion dollars. Medicare officials must quickly step up their efforts to follow this road map in order to close loopholes and address vulnerabilities that allow overbilling and fraud. As Congress and the Administration continue to work to find common ground on a deficit reduction plan, we must redouble our efforts to curb the billions in Medicare improper payments that are lost every year. I am eager to see the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services lay out specific deadlines for taking action on the Inspector General’s recommendations and plan to follow up with them to make certain that they do.” More…

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Carper, Coons, Carney congratulate Delaware schools on winning federal grant for early childhood education

December 16: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “I was proud to work closely with Gov. Markell, Sen. Coons, Rep. Carney, and Delaware Secretary of Education Lowery to ensure that Delaware had a strong application for this federal funding and I’m thrilled that our hard work has paid off,” Senator Carper said. “This grant is another important tool to help improve Delaware’s early-childhood educational programs through the innovative and ambitious reforms supported by Race to the Top. This funding will help Delaware’s educators employ assessments that better measure the First State’s youngest students’ knowledge and skills, including children enrolled in child care, Head Start centers and public or private preschools. I am delighted that Delaware is one of the states honored with this significant Race to the Top grant, it is a testament to the First State’s strong commitment to improving education for our children of all ages.” More…

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Senators Urge Pentagon to Address Millions in Late Fees from Leased Shipping Containers

December 16: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.) sent a letter to the Department of Defense requesting the Department to issue plans to curb nearly $720 million in late fees for leased shipping containers used for delivery of parts, supplies and other items for overseas contingency operations.

In the letter to Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, the Senators ask that the Department consider making necessary changes to reduce the late fees and the cost of leasing shipping containers while it writes a new universal contract for all such leases. They note that the incurred costs result from both the cost of the late fees, as well as the cost of the leases themselves. At times the late fees have even been more costly than if the containers were bought outright.

“We recognize that the leasing of containers is an option that makes sense, but this wasteful financial situation calls out for better contract negotiations, oversight and management to avoid these costly late fees,” wrote the Senators.  More…

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Senators Call for Implementation Plan for Program to Prevent Medicare Waste, Fraud and Abuse

December 20: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “In the absence of established and consistent measures designed to track the operation of predictive analytics, we are highly concerned that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Congress will be unable to properly oversee this important program,” wrote the Senators. “We believe it should be a top priority of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to pay providers or suppliers in the Medicare program who are engaged in fraudulent schemes or criminal activities. As members of the Senate Federal Financial Management Subcommittee overseeing federal spending and improper payments, we have a duty to ensure taxpayer dollars, including those for program integrity functions, are carefully stewarded and spent in an effective manner. We believe the correct implementation of predictive analytics technology could be an important step forward in saving taxpayer dollars.” More…

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Senators Highlight New GAO Study Revealing Problems in Navy and Marine Corps Accounting Systems

December 21: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “The Department of Defense is trying to modernize its financial systems, as mandated by Congress, to finally become audit ready by 2017,” said Sen. Carper, a 23-year veteran of the Navy. “This is a critical goal and considering the amount of time and money that’s gone into this effort, it’s one that should have been met years ago. While troubling, it is not surprising that the Navy and the Marine Corps are far from being audit-ready. The Navy and Marine Corps deserve credit for making these early attempts at auditing, which will help the entire department of defense move toward better financial systems and become ready to pass an audit. An audit is critical for the Department of Defense to ensure that billions of tax dollars are being spent properly, as well as helping to make certain that our troops have the equipment and supplies they need when and where they need it. Secretary Panetta has instructed the Pentagon – including the Navy and Marine Corps — to make solving their respective financial management problems a top priority. This report underscores that goal. I will continue to monitor the DOD’s progress on its plan to reach auditability. At the end of the day, making sure the Department of Defense’s financial books are in order isn’t just about being a good steward of taxpayer’s money – although that is a top priority for me – it’s about ensuring that our brave service men and women have the equipment and supplies that they need and that we’re paying for.” More…

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Sen. Carper Commends the EPA for Taking Action to Reduce Mercury and Other Air Toxics

December 21: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “With this decision, I believe the Environmental Protection Agency has provided a reasonable and achievable schedule for our dirtiest power plants to reduce harmful air toxic emissions. At the same time, I believe the Environmental Protection Agency has given enough flexibility to industry and states to meet those targets and address any possible local reliability concerns. These clean air investments will be a win-win-win as we save thousands of lives, save billions of dollars in health care costs and work productivity, and create good paying jobs here at home by cleaning up these dirty power plants. In fact, this new rule is expected to produce 46,000 jobs in the near term during the installation of the needed clean air technology, and thousands more for long-term utility jobs.” More…

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Sen. Carper Statement on Delaware City Refinery Announcement

December 21: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “Today’s announcement that PBF has approved a $1 billion project that will bring with it jobs is exciting news and proof that good things do happen when you never give up. Only a few years ago, Delaware had to absorb a terrible series of body blows to its economy – first with the closing of the Chrysler plant and then in 2009, Valero announced that it was shutting down its refinery in Delaware City. Altogether, we lost thousands of excellent manufacturing jobs and several times that number as the closures rippled through our state. When faced with adversity, the leadership in Delaware saw an opportunity. I worked with the Governor’s team, the other members of the congressional delegation and community leaders to make sure this plant could find a buyer when we were told that we should give up trying. We never gave up, and ultimately, we were successful in finding a buyer with PBF, which brought back life to this refinery.”

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Sen. Carper Statement on Payroll Tax Cut Extension Announcement

December 22: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “Today, House Republicans – after a series of partisan games and political showmanship – did the right thing and announced that they would pass critical legislation to maintain essential benefits that protect thousands of Delaware families from tax increases in the midst of economic uncertainty, ensure that doctors can care for their Medicare patients and provide important unemployment benefits for those Delawareans who are out of work. The Senate leadership, Republicans and Democrats, negotiated this short-term extension in good faith and passed the measure with strong bipartisan support – 89 to 10. I am relieved that House Republicans have finally kept their word and announced that they will pass this important legislation. Now that the House has joined the Senate in supporting this measure, families across Delaware and America can rest easy that they won’t lose benefits that they depend on. When Congress convenes in January, our top priority will be to work together to reach an agreement that will maintain the payroll tax cut through 2012.”

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Senators Coons, Carper urge USTR to boost poultry exports in negotiations with India

December 22: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “Despite the United States’ track record on AI and the very effective measures in place for AI, India continues to use this non-scientifically based position to prohibit U.S. poultry to access the Indian market,” the Senators wrote. “With two of the United States’ top poultry markets having been severely disrupted in the past three years, it is especially important that efforts be undertaken to replace them. The National Chicken Council estimates that U.S. poultry exports to India could exceed $300 million annually if appropriate, fair market access was provided in accordance with India’s obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization.”

“We respectfully request that during your upcoming discussions with the government of India, you strongly explain the important biosecurity measures that have been implemented in the U.S. and that the continued use of non-scientifically based measures to prevent trade is unacceptable.” More…

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Sen. Carper Statement on U.S. Postal Service Announcement Regarding Hares Corner Processing Center

December 23: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “The Postal Service’s interest in closing Hares Corner is part of a larger effort by the Postal Service to streamline its business operations to reflect reduced demand for the products and services it provides. This dramatic step of moving forward with the closure of Hares Corner and hundreds of other mail processing centers around the country underscores again the very dire financial challenges it faces. The unfortunate truth is that, if nothing is done, the Postal Service will be insolvent within a year. A collapse of the Postal Service would be devastating, bringing more pain to communities across the country and wreaking havoc on our already fragile economy. That is why Congress and the Administration must act quickly to address the Postal Service’s significant financial problems. The Senate is expected to consider bipartisan Postal reform legislation – the 21st Century Postal Service Act – that I co-authored along with Sens. Lieberman (ID-CT), Collins (R-ME), and Brown (R-MA) early next year and I hope that Congress will pass a final bill for the President to sign into law soon thereafter.”

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Delaware Congressional Delegation Announces $500,000 for School-Based Health Centers

December 23: Tom Carper–U.S. Senator: Pressroom: “One of the best things we can do to establish a good foundation for our children’s health now and in the future is to provide access to health care at an early age,” said Sen. Tom Carper. “This funding will help those that provide care able to do so for more students. Creating better access to care and giving work to more people to help do so make this funding a win-win for Delaware.” More…

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Senators throttle Pentagon over $720M in late container fees

USA Today: December 15: Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., citing a story in USA TODAY that the Pentagon has spent $720 million on late fees in the past 10 years, also asked Ashton Carter, undersecretary at the Pentagon, to report on progress made in bringing down shipping costs.

Signing the letter with Carper, who chairs the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, were Republican Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Scott Brown of Massachusetts.

STORY: Pentagon pays $720M in container late fees

“For the Department of Defense to waste hundreds of millions of scarce taxpayer dollars as a result of late fees and poor contracting is unacceptable,” Carper said.

The large metal boxes are packed with equipment, transported by ship to war zones and moved to bases on trucks. Troops use them for storage, shelter and building material.

Shipping companies charge the government daily “container detention fees” after the grace period ends for the box to be returned. If the military fails to return a container, a rent-to-own arrangement requires it to pay the shipper nearly $7,400 for a 20-foot container worth $3,200. More…

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Delaware wins federal Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge

Newark Post: December 16: Senator Tom Carper said:  “I was proud to work closely with Gov. Markell, Sen. Coons, Rep. Carney, and Delaware Secretary of Education Lowery to ensure that Delaware had a strong application for this federal funding and I’m thrilled that our hard work has paid off. This grant is another important tool to help improve Delaware’s early-childhood educational programs through the innovative and ambitious reforms supported by Race to the Top. This funding will help Delaware’s educators employ assessments that better measure the First State’s youngest students’ knowledge and skills, including children enrolled in child care, Head Start centers and public or private preschools.  I am delighted that Delaware is one of the states honored with this significant Race to the Top grant, it is a testament to the First State’s strong commitment to improving education for our children of all ages.”  More…

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Health honors

News Journal: December 16: U.S. Sen. Thomas R. Carper was honored with the Champion of Jobs Creation Through Innovation Award presented by the Delaware chapter of We Work for Health during a ceremony hosted by the Delaware BioScience Association (Delaware Bio) and the Delaware Biotechnology Institute (DBI) on Friday, Dec. 9.

Receiving the award, Carper said, “This award is undeserved but not unappreciated.” More…

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GAO: Navy, Marines have $22 billion in accounting errors

The Hill: DEFCON Hill: Jeremy Herb: December 21: Senators are pointing to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that says the Navy and Marine Corps had $22 billion in disbursement and collection accounting errors as fresh evidence that the Pentagon budget still is nowhere close to audit-ready.

The GAO report, requested by seven House and Senate members, found the Navy and Marines accounting system failed an audit attempt of the “Fund Balance With Treasury,” which is the equivalent of a corporate bank account statement.

The accounting system was not able to reconcile basic accounting and financial operations, the report found.

“The Department of Defense is trying to modernize its financial systems, as mandated by Congress, to finally become audit-ready by 2017,” Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), one of the senators who requested the GAO report, said in a statement Wednesday.

“This is a critical goal, and considering the amount of time and money that’s gone into this effort, it’s one that should have been met years ago,” Carper said. “While troubling, it is not surprising that the Navy and the Marine Corps are far from being audit-ready.” More…

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Occupy Delaware goes caroling

News Journal: December 22: Occupy Delaware protesters took the holiday spirit to the homes of politicians Wednesday night, singing Christmas tunes with a political message.

“You better watch out, You better not lie, You better not steal, I’m telling you why, Occupy is coming to town,” protesters sang outside the home of Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del. “You’re cooking the books, We’re checking them twice, Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice, Occupy is coming to town.”

The protesters said they targeted the homes of Coons, Sen. Tom Carper and Rep. John Carney to present their concerns. Occupy Delaware has been protesting issues including social and economic inequality, corporate greed and government inaction.

“We just wanted to step things up a little bit and bring our message to them,” said Jen Wallace of Occupy Delaware. The group finished by singing at Concord Mall. More…

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Carper Wants Payroll Tax Extended for All of 2012

WBOC: December 23: U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, a Delaware Democrat, says his top priority is for lawmakers to agree to extend the payroll tax cut through 2012.

It will be a tough fight, and right now Democrats and Republicans seem to only be in agreement on extending the cut for the first two months of the year.

Carper says House Republicans did the right thing by announcing they would agree to the two-month extension. Congress will convene Friday in hopes of approving the short-term extension.

The goal is to send a bill to President Barack Obama to become law for two months and temporarily put off a fight over how to pay for the 2 percentage point tax cut, extend jobless benefits and prevent doctors from absorbing a big cut in Medicare payments.