The Hill Report: Week of January 11 - 15, 2016

This week the President used his final State of the Union address to paint a less than accurate picture of the state of our nation and tout his “successes” during his time in office.

As I look back on his time in office, I don’t see unbridled success. I see a growing debt burdening our future generations. I see a healthcare law that has raised prices on millions of Americans, forced businesses to shut their doors, and caused more than 5.6 million individuals to lose their preferred care. I see a shrinking job market with a labor force participation rate at 62.4% - its lowest level since the 1970’s. I see our Gross Domestic Product annual growth hovering around an anemic 2%, hindered by the nearly $73 billion of regulatory burdens imposed by this Administration. I see an Administration that has treated the Constitution as a mere recommendation instead of the supreme law of the land and one dedicated to restricting our Second Amendment rights. I see a porous border, continued disregard for our rule of law, and preventable crimes committed by criminal illegal aliens. I see ISIS growing by the second and radical Islamic terrorists posing imminent danger to Americans both at home and abroad. To me, these don’t seem like examples of a successful presidency.

I have no doubt that in his last year he will attempt to circumvent the legislative process and ram through his liberal agenda like he has time and time again. However, I will not sit back and let him singlehandedly shred our Constitution and destroy our nation.

As we move forward in this year, I will continue to work diligently to provide the American people with the opportunities that they need and deserve and create a safer, stronger America.

President Obama has spent the past seven years implementing a vast regulatory agenda, and the so-called ‘Waters of the United States’ rule is yet another example of the excessive regulations placed on hard-working Americans. If implemented, this particular rule would put almost every body of water in the United States under Environmental Protection Agency control, placing unwarranted burdens on farmers, manufacturers and small business owners. The Obama administration failed to take the input of state and local government leaders ? those who know their communities the best ? into consideration when determining these guidelines. I am calling on the president to rethink his actions and, for a change, do something good for the American economy by halting the implementation of this rule.

Children’s Health System
On Wednesday I met with the Vice President Government Relations & Public Policy Children's Medical Center of Dallas of Children’s Health Systems. We spoke about the ACE Kids Act, which I proudly sponsor. This critical piece of legislation would improve access to affordable, quality care for children. We also spoke about the importance of improving Medicaid for two million of the nation’s sickest children. I enjoyed discussing these import issues and I appreciate their dedication to ensuring children in Texas and across the nation have access to quality healthcare.

On Thursday my staff received an update on United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) actions to secure and repair the Lake Lewisville Dam, including the final estimated cost and timeline for the repairs. Specifically, the USACE informed my office that emergency repairs will cost approximately $6.4 million, with 100% of the funds coming from money already allocated to the USACE emergency repair account, and work is scheduled to be completed by late May 2016. As the Corp continues to monitor the dam and implement their repair plan, please know that my staff and I will remain in regular contact with USACE - Fort Worth District to ensure they are taking whatever action necessary to keep North Texans safe.