NHDP - Statement on North Country Leaders' Letter to Kelly Ayotte

Concord, NH - New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley released the following statement regarding a letter to Senator Kelly Ayotte from a bipartisan group of nearly two dozen elected and community leaders in the North Country.  The letter express their "alarm" with her vote against the Berlin prison, a "vital public safety and economic development project."

"You don't have to be from the North Country to be distressed by Senator Ayotte's vote against New Hampshire jobs.  Her priorities are mixed up on nearly every issue, putting her reckless Tea Party ideology first and the people of New Hampshire last.

"Ever since her infamous 'running' ad, Senator Ayotte has been sprinting away from job creation and her campaign promises.  Her vote against the Berlin prison would have left the facility empty, over 300 New Hampshire citizens unemployed, and taxpayers with a 4 million dollar a year bill."

The full text of the letter can be found here.

ALG Urges House Adoption of $49 Million Cut to NLRB, Restrictions on Job-Killing Decision-Making

October 3, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today urged passage of House appropriations legislation that would cut the National Labor Relations Board budget by $49 million and bar it from making what he described as "job-killing decisions."

"This is a good first step to fully restricting the National Labor Relations Board by hitting them where it hurts: in the pocketbook," Wilson said.

In addition to the $49 million cut, a 17 percent cut from 2011's budget authority, the bill introduced by Rep. Dennis Rehberg "includes several provisions intended to stop the NLRB's harmful anti-business regulations that would impose additional and excessive costs on American businesses, increase job loss, and further hinder economic growth," according to a bill summary from the House Appropriations Committee. 

The bill summary defines those provisions: "a prohibition on establishing micro-unions; a prohibition on eliminating secret ballot elections; a prohibition on 'quick-snap elections'; a prohibition on the implementation of 'e-Card Check,' which could promote coercion in union elections; and a prohibition on aggressive regulatory overreach on the small business community."

Wilson praised the committee's work to roll back the NLRB, and said the prohibitions would "stop the implementation big labor's agenda via the NLRB dead in its tracks," noting moves by the agency at the behest of labor officials over the years to compel employees to unionize.

A poll conducted by the polling company™, inc./WomanTrend on behalf of ALG found that 66 percent of Americans thought the agency had too much power "to officiate legal proceedings over private U.S. companies in its own court system". 

"American taxpayers should not be forced to pay for an agency explicitly designed to issue pro-labor rulings.  The House Appropriations Committee is to be praised for its work to limit this out-of-control agency, and we urge adoption of this bill," Wilson concluded.

Attachments:

the polling company™, inc./WomanTrend poll on behalf of Americans for Limited Government regarding National Labor Relations Board, Aug. 19-23, 2011 at www.getliberty.org/files/NLRBPoll8-19to8-23-11.pdf .

US Rep Bass Works to Restore Funding for Energy Efficiency, Research Programs

House passes Bass-cosponsored amendment to restore funds for cutting-edge energy technology research

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan amendment this afternoon strongly supported by Congressman Charles F. Bass (NH-02) to restore funding for critical energy technology research in the Fiscal Year 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill.  Bass also supported several other amendments on the House floor to restore funding for energy efficiency programs that are beneficial to thousands of New Hampshire families and key to improving our nation’s energy security.

Bass, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said:

“A diverse and sustainable energy portfolio is vital to ensuring our nation’s energy security and lessening our dependence on foreign sources of oil, in addition to helping the private sector create jobs and grow our economy.  As we continue to debate how to fund our nation’s priorities, we will have tough choices to make, but we must ensure that we continue to support groundbreaking research and development.”

Specifically, Bass cosponsored a fully-offset, bipartisan amendment with Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-29) last night that would restore funding to last year’s levels for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), a program within the Department of Energy that pursues energy research projects by collaborating with the energy industry and academia.  ARPA-E is modeled after the successful Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the agency responsible for technological innovations such as the Internet and the stealth technology found in the F-117A and other modern fighter aircraft.  The Bass-Schiff Amendment passed by a vote of 214-213.

Bass continued, “ARPA-E is vital in helping turn innovative and potentially revolutionary ideas into brand new technologies that will assist in solving many of our country’s energy challenges.  I am proud this amendment will help continue to support the research in a fiscally responsible manner.”

Earlier this week, Bass also joined with Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-21) to offer a fully-offset, bipartisan amendment that would have restored funding to Fiscal Year 2011 levels for the Weatherization Assistance Program, the State Energy Program, and the Buildings Technology Program.  Unfortunately, the amendment failed by a vote of 149 to 273.  Bass also supported several other fully-offset amendments to the bill that would restore funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy research.

To view the video of Bass speaking in support of both amendments on the House floor this week, please visit http://www.youtube.com/RepCharlesBass.

http://bass.house.gov

Daily Grind: Senate Must Filibuster Public Option

Editorial: Senate Must Filibuster "Public Option"
Senate Republicans need to stick together in opposing political favors that make it easier to pass the ObamaCare abomination.

Too Good For Their Own Taxes
Once again, another tax cheat is brought forth in the Obama Administration.

The Wire: Atlas Shrugs
Today the wire covers industry during the recession, Obama's Afghanistan decision, and offshore drilling.

ALG in the News: ACORN Stole NY-23
Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson is quoted on the new developments in New York's 23rd Congressional district.

ALG Statement: "Public Option" Defies Representative Government

November 23^rd, 2009, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement:

"On Saturday, the Senate voted 60-39 to proceed to the so-called 'public option,' legislation that will cost more than $2 trillion over ten years when fully implemented, ration health care away from seniors, raise the cost of premiums, drive the American people off of private health options, and bankrupt the Treasury. 

"This vote, however, is completely out of step with public sentiment about the legislation.  In a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Saturday and Sunday, a full 56 percent of likely voters say they oppose this legislation.  Only 38 percent support it.

"And yet the Senate is moving rapidly to enact this legislation in direct defiance of the American people's express wishes.  They are defying representative government, raising the question: If not the people, who do they represent?"