The President promises 600,000 jobs over the next 100 days,  we hope any measure of reported success will not rely on the same fuzzy math he has used in the past.  

Fiction:  $45.6 billion of the stimulus has been spent and is helping struggling Americans.

Reality:  The Administration is exaggerating the amount of stimulus money that has actually been spent.  For instance, the White House reported on May 5, 2009, that the Department of Labor had made $11.5 billion in payments to the unemployment trust fund.  It was later revealed that the Department had only been given $1.1 billion.   In reality, about $36 billion of the stimulus has been spent — less than five percent of the stimulus.

Fiction: As President Obama has proclaimed, the stimulus is “what we need to do to create jobs for Americans scrambling in the wake of layoffs, to provide relief for families worried they won’t be able to pay next month’s bills.”

Reality:  According to analysis conducted by the Associated Press (AP), those Americans hardest hit by the economic downturn have received the least stimulus money.  The AP stated that their study revealed that “states are planning to spend 50 percent more per person in areas with the lowest unemployment than in communities with the highest.”
 

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According to the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget blueprint, wealthy taxpayers will indeed pay a higher tax rate on the income they derive from wages and salaries, taxable interest, business income, capital gains, dividends, and retirement income. President Obama proposes reinstating the 36 percent and 39.6 percent rates (up from 33 percent and 35 percent) for taxpayers earning more than $250,000 (married) and $200,000 (single), among other increases. This will have a big impact in Arkansas and the Third District. There are just over 18,000 tax filers in Arkansas with an income of more than $200,000. The President’s proposal would force those citizens to pay more than $6,401 more each year in taxes. 

Taxpayers With Income More Than $200,000 in the Third District                                        

  $200,000+ Filers     Total Income                                    

        6,329                 $2,576,681,555                   

Total New               Avg. Total     

Tax Increase         New Tax       

$64,157,981          $10,137

*This information compiled by The Heritage Foundation.

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I recently signed a discharge petition, which is a process to force a bill out of committee and be brought to the House floor for a vote. H.Res. 251 directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transmit to the House of Representatives, no later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of the resolution, copies of any portions of all Department of the Treasury documents, records, and communications referring or relating to any:·  Negotiation concerning the controlled break-up of the American International Group, Inc. into at least 3 Government-controlled divisions;·  Negotiation concerning any additional assistance under title I of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (12 U.S.C. 5201 et seq.) or other program administered by the Secretary to such corporation; or·  Government communication or authorization for payment of any pre-existing bonus contract with any executive of the American International Group, Inc.Hardworking American taxpayers deserve to know what the Treasury Department is doing with their money and I am hoping we can all get those answers.

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There are only 111 million federal taxpayers in America. At the rate of spending by this Congress in the first 100 days, congressional leaders put each taxpayer into debt at the rate of:

$1,400 a week

$3,200 a quarter

Over $9,000 each for just the first four months of this Congress

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Hundreds of constituents have called the Washington, D.C. office expressing their concern of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. Congressman Boozman opposed this legislation in the 110th Congress and he will vote against it again. 

HR 1913 would grant local law enforcement greater technical and monetary support for investigating and prosecuting “hate crimes” that involve discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.  The Congressman firmly believes that all crimes should be investigated thoroughly and equally, and that special rights and protections should not be granted to any person based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

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I am just as frustrated with the out-of-control spending in Washington that Americans who are participating in taxpayer tea parties all across this country are. Americans want lawmakers to create policies that create jobs, protect jobs and protect pension plans. The massive spending bills passed by this Congress don’t prove to hardworking Arkansans that we are using their tax money efficiently. We need to curb wasteful spending, focus on job creation and debt control. We need to do what is best of our country and I’m committed to looking for alternative solutions and fighting for a capitalistic democracy

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Like many of you I am concerned with the proposals the Obama Administration  made earlier this week in regards to Veterans Healthcare. I very much oppose the idea of charging veterans for the services they receive at VA clinics and hospitals. We have an obligation to care for the men and women who make sacrifices to serve and protect our country. I have heard the concerns of many of you and you are right. This would raise insurance premiums and make it harder for our disabled veterans to pay for private health insurance and private companies would be discouraged from hiring our servicemembers because of the costs associated with the high cost of insurance. Fortunately today the White House says it will back off its proposal, but we need to be vigilant and make sure it doesn’t reappear.

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I have received many emails and phone calls from Arkansans concerned over a new Department of Defense policy that would end the sale of used brass for remanufacturing of ammunition. In an email from a Defense Logistics Agency official, we have been informed that small arms cartridge cases will continue to be sold.

During the past two years, the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), an entity within the Defense Logistics Agency, has revised its internal processes to ensure that only appropriate items that pose no threat to national security are made available for sale to the public. During that time, it was decided that small arms cartridge cases will continue to be identified as a Sensitive Munitions List item and therefore will remain in a category of government property allowing for their release for sale to the public. DRMS sales contractors have been notified of this decision and have begun the processes of reoffering any cases that have been held during the investigation.

I am a proud supporter of the Second Amendment. Last year I received an A rating from the National Rifle Association and I continue to work closely with that organization and Gun Owners of America to preserve and strengthen gun-owners rights.

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I authored language in the 110th Congress to create a Vision Center of Excellence so our troops suffering from eye related injuries can get the care they need. The project has been slow getting off of the ground.

Today I was invited to participate in the VA Oversight Hearing on the Vision Center of Excellence and I was disheartened to see that no progress was made since the last hearing in April of 2008 despite several repeated attempts and meetings to make sure this important project was moving along and questions of funding were at the center of discussions. USA Today had a good story about the issue.

I am pleased to learn that in a letter last week to Chairman Mitchell, $3 million is allocated to the establishment and operation of the Vision Center of Excellence.

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I have received several letters in the last few days about the Parental Rights Amendment.
In the 110th Congress Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) introduced H. J. Res. 97 which sought to amend the U.S. Constitution to establish the ability of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children as a fundamental right. This amendment would prohibit the government from passing any laws or adopting and treaties that may infringe upon this right.

I believe that parents should be able to raise and educate their children however best they see fit. Although the legislation hasn’t been introduced in the 111th Congress, I have agreed to be an original co-sponsor.

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