Upon sending the letter, Rep Smith stated, “The Obama Administration’s attempt to intimidate Missouri public schools by threatening to pull funding if they don’t comply with this ridiculous and unsafe new executive action is unconstitutional and outrageous. Something must be done to protect children of our public schools across Missouri.”
Smith continued, “It is imperative that Attorney General Koster join in filing the 11- state federal lawsuit, he has already stated that the President was “wrong to dictate a national policy so quickly and unilaterally”, now is the time to act.”
The lawsuit brought by officials from 11 states asks the court to block the federal government from “implementing, applying or enforcing the new rules, regulations and guidance interpretations.” This is the first suit filed against the Obama administration in response to its controversial transgender bathroom directive. States in the suit include Texas, Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, Maine, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah and Georgia.
Smith Bill’s would no longer allow Agencies to Spend the fines, levies, penalties they are assessing taxpayers
Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Jason Smith introduced two pieces of legislation to rein in government federal agencies ability to spend fines, fees, settlements and penalties they are levying on American taxpayers.
H.R. 5551, the End EPA Rouge Spending Act, introduced by Rep Smith prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from spending any fine, private settlement, penalty or fee they collect. Rep Smith introduced the bill in response to the fact that while Congress has decreased the EPA’s budget by 21% since 2010 , the EPA continues to find other avenues to generate new resources to spend, namely by attacking hardworking taxpayers with new and more aggressive penalties. This bill continues Smith’s fight against harmful EPA regulations. In 2015 Smith introduced the END EPA Advertising Act to stop the EPA from using taxpayer money to hire public relations contractors. He also lead a bi-partisan letter in 2014 sent to the EPA’s Administrator Gina McCarthy asking for an extension for people affected by the EPA’s new rule on emission standards for existing power plants. Additionally, Smith has worked to defund harmful regulations the EPA has authored such as the burdensome and costly Waters of the United States rule.
“The EPA is an agency out of control. They profit off the lives of hardworking folks in Missouri through outrageous fines and fees. These fees then sit in a slush fund where unelected bureaucrats can spend the money how they see fit,’ Smith said. “My bill would help rein in this agency and restore the true power of the purse to the people’s representatives in Congress.”
Congressman Smith, along with his colleague Congressman Gary Palmer of Alabama, also co-introduced H.R. 5499, the Agency Accountability Act. Like the EPA many other agencies have the authority to collect fines, fees, and other revenues outside of appropriated funds. These funds are then used to offset cuts in these agencies’ budgets which Congress has made. According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the federal government collected $516 billion in user fees alone in 2015. This has led to many agencies being unaccountable for certain acts and has substantially limited congressional oversight.
The Agency Accountability Act would remove the incentive for agencies to continue to increase fines, fees, penalties and other assessments and put the control back in the hands of elected representatives and the American taxpayer.
After it was uncovered that the IRS was using a slush fund of $500 million of taxpayer dollars without Congressional approval, Smith introduced his IRS OWES Act in April that was passed by the House with bi-partisan support that gives the Article I power back to Congress. Article I of the U.S. Constitution grants the people, through their elected representatives in Congress, the power of the purse, not federal agencies.
Enjoy this special day, and tomorrow, let's work.
John Brunner
June 17, 2016
In the coming weeks and months we will learn more about who shooter Omar Mateen was, who he had communications with, who may have helped him and where he traveled and why - but what is clear already is that those who inspired him have a deep loathing for our country, our democracy, and our freedoms and liberties. We do know that Mateen was an American citizen, the son of an Afghan immigrant, born in New York City. However, there are thousands more like Mateen currently residing outside the U.S., many in the Middle East, wanting to do equal harm to those who live in the big cities, small towns and rural communities which make up our great nation.
That is what we know, but to me these are still incomplete answers because if we cannot feel safe here at home, other basic functions of our society and economy cease to matter or exist.
Admittedly, my own judgement is fueled by events of just the past year - the release of Guantanamo detainees back to the front lines to kill American soldiers, a dangerous nuclear deal with Iran, a spectacle of our own sailors forced to their knees, the failure to permanently dismantle and remove the threat ISIS poses, and a refusal to call the terror attacks from this week the actions of Radical Islamists. It is clear to me that the actions or ‘inactions’, of this President has made us less safe here at home and I firmly believe that. However, a rush to assign blame does not provide the strength that the families and community of Orlando need to move forward and that is what I believe we need most.
Our country is a great one, we believe in equal treatment under the law, in undeniable freedoms such as speech and religious liberty, we don’t appoint our leaders we elect them, and while we may disagree with one another, we can do so without violence. Because of this there are people out there who wish to cause American’s harm.
Those who inflict such terror direct their actions so that we see ourselves as they want us to be seen - weak, scared, inferior, and ultimately intimidated. Our partisan fighting only leads to the divide and allows the intimidation to continue, but standing strong in the face of tragedy, standing together as Americans, and supporting one another in communities across the country defies the terrorists of the intimidation they seek. Obviously it will not replace the pain, anguish, anger, or anxiety but it is an important reminder that we sometimes forget – we are all Americans and we have much to be proud of and a great deal worth fighting for, particular each other.
We need not let the acts of cowards like Omar Mateen intimidate us or change our day to day lives. But we are naive to think that this threat is simply going to go away without action on our behalf and without leadership prepared to do what is necessary to wipe those who inspire these actions from the face of the earth. America is home to many great things, but it doesn’t need to be home to radicalized Islamic terrorists inspired by those who freely spew hatred for our country, cut of the heads of their enemies and target innocents for murder. We are the greatest nation on earth, founded on the grandest principles, and we should not be intimidated by those who want us to see ourselves as anything less.
Cape Girardeau, Missouri - The halls of the U.S. Capitol could be looking a little brighter in the near future and all thanks to a local high school student. Macie Werner from Jackson High School was selected as the winner of the 30th Annual Eighth Congressional District Art Competition and will represent Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District in the U.S. Capitol.
Submissions were taken at four of the Eighth Congressional District offices in Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Rolla and West Plains. Werner’s piece was submitted along with more than 100 other submissions across Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District and one of eight finalists chosen by the Regional Art Council.
“The number of submissions we received and the overall quality of the submissions was truly outstanding and these students are incredibly talented,” said Smith. “I also had the chance to talk to a number of these students and in addition to their ability, I have to say these are really great young people and our whole community should be proud of them.”
At a reception ceremony held Friday evening the finalists, their families, friends, and members of the Regional Art Council were invited to view the artwork where Congressman Jason Smith announced the overall winner. As the Best of Show winner Werner will receive an award, and two ticket vouchers from Southwest Airlines to attend the reception for the National Congressional Art Competition in Washington, DC. Werner’s piece will then be showcased in the U.S. Capitol for one year along with the other winners from around the country.
“I think this is an incredibly opportunity for aspiring young artists and we are really honored to be able to showcase their talent and hopefully encourage all of these artists to make a career out of their skills,” said Smith. Adding, “I can’t speak enough to the caliber of these young students, they are amazing and I know beyond their artistic ability they will be ones to watch in the future.”
The finalists from the Eighth Congressional District will be on display in the Cape Girardeau office until May 28th where they can be viewed by the public. The Congressional High School Art Competition was created by the Congressional Institute in 1982 as a way to recognize and encourage artistic ability in each congressional district throughout the country.
