Culberson also secured language in the bill that requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to use all vacant public and private sector detention facilities to house the detained illegal alien population. ICE will no longer be able to claim it does not have the space to lock up illegal aliens, thereby preventing them from arresting and detaining them.

“These are important common-sense measures,” said Rep. Culberson, “they require greater accountability of the federal bureaucracy and strengthen our southern border.”

Overall, the bill provides $38.9 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Homeland Security, which is lower than both last year’s spending level and President Obama’s budget request. The bill prioritizes the funding for critical border security and disaster relief operations while reducing the overall budget. The bill was approved by voice vote, and is expected to be scheduled for floor consideration in June.

The bill includes $73.3 billion in discretionary funding, continuing our longstanding tradition of bipartisan support of our military, our veterans, and their families.  However, despite years of providing substantial increases to the Department of Veterans Affairs, funds have languished as a result of construction delays, the claims backlog grows at an astounding rate, and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are, once again, back to square one in the development of a joint electronic health record.  So the bill also sends a clear message that this state of affairs is unacceptable – and that our veterans deserve to receive the benefits that they need and have earned in a timely, efficient manner.  Therefore, while this bill continues to support these activities, it also increases oversight of them.  Funding is no longer provided without expiration for VA construction – bid savings must be reported and project scope changes are prohibited, aggressive monthly reporting from each regional office is required to monitor progress on the disability claims backlog, and bill language has been included to restrict IT funding until the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs select one single integrated electronic health record.

Our war fighters should not have the added burden of concerns over the quality of life that their families experience while they are away.  So this bill fully funds the budget request for school construction and the family housing program. However, particularly now, as our debt continues to grow at a deplorable rate, we must rigorously review all activities that our government funds.  Therefore, this bill does not include funding for ten military construction projects that lacked sufficient justification, reduces funding for six projects, and rescinds $584 million in prior year funding.

For the text of the FY 2014 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill and report, please visit:

Bill: http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/bills-113hr-fc-ap-fy2014-ap00-milcon.pdf

Committee Report: http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/hrpt-113-hr-milcon-report.pdf

For a summary of the bill, please click here.

–President Barack Obama, May 6, 2013

Over the last two weeks, an unprecedented abuse of power has illustrated the lawless nature of the Obama Administration.  They have ignored the law, the Constitution, and Congress, and have engaged in behavior for which President Nixon faced articles of impeachment.  The American people deserve full accountability on all fronts, and I will not rest until that is done.

Our government is in crisis – from the IRS’s intimidation of political opponents; to the continuing cover-up in the Benghazi investigation; to an assault on our First Amendment right to a free and independent press; to Secretary Sebelius’s solicitation of private donations to implement Obamacare.  We must remember the words of James Madison, who said that “the truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted.” These events prove what many of us have long feared — that the current Administration has sharply rejected our Constitutional principles of limited government in favor of unbridled liberalism.

The politicization of the Internal Revenue Service is Nixonian in its means and un-American in its ends. Respect for the rule of law is the foundation of our Republic, and the Administration’s complete disregard for it is frightening. I am actively working with other Members of Congress to find those responsible, hold them accountable, and make sure that this cannot happen again. I have already contacted Treasury Secretary Jack Lew asking for answers about the scandal. Additionally, I have cosponsored the Taxpayer Nondiscrimination and Protection Act , which reaffirms the Constitutional right of political expression and makes it a federal crime for the IRS to discriminate in this manner.

It’s much the same situation with the cover-up in Benghazi. New evidence is steadily emerging that State Department officials knew of the terrorist threat to our diplomatic corps and ignored and covered up the situation for political reasons. Our government has a duty to those who serve our country—it should protect them to the greatest extent possible and move heaven and earth to rescue them when they are in danger. What happened in Benghazi is inexcusable. I am a lead coauthor of legislation calling for a select congressional committee with subpoena power to investigate the situation, prosecute the guilty, and most importantly, to prevent failures like this one.

Additionally, the media has reported that Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has solicited financial donations for non-profits that are working to enroll individuals in the Obamacare exchanges. Federal regulations specifically prohibit federal employees from fundraising in their official capacity. The solicitations that have been reported in the news appear to be improper, and this week I led a letter with 33 of my colleagues to the Department of Health and Human Services asking for answers about this scandal.

Finally, the Department of Justice’s investigation into Associated Press reporters is just another incident in a long train of abuses from Eric Holder’s out-of-control agency. From the Fast and Furious program, where a plan to give guns to known criminals resulted in the death of a Border Patrol agent, to classifying a terrorist attack at Ft. Hood as an incident of “workplace violence” and denying benefits to the victims’ families, to this overreach into our free and independent press, the Department of Justice is only out to enforce a partisan agenda. There is no excuse for this, and I will continue to press for answers and hold people accountable.

No one is above the law and there is no excuse for this type of overreach by any individual or agency. It will be a long and uphill battle, but please know that I will do everything in my power to make sure that all of these abuses of power are investigated and those responsible are brought to justice.

In a letter to HHS Secretary Sebelius, Culberson and his colleagues pressed for answers on reports that the Secretary is potentially—and in violation of the law—soliciting funds from companies that fall under her regulatory jurisdiction. The members wrote, “reports that you have been soliciting donations are very troubling. Health care executives as well as many of the community organizations and church groups that you have been contacting will be directly impacted by the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Many of these organizations have probably filed comments with the Department and have or will conduct business with the Department. Your solicitations appear to be improper.”

To read the full letter click here.

The seven repeal bills that the President has signed into law directly repeal or reduced funding from at least eight different Obamacare programs.

• In March 2011, the House passed and the President signed a bill I cosponsored, H.R. 4, the Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act of 2011 which:
  • Repealed the job-killing Form 1099 reporting requirements that were added in Obamacare strictly as a way to help finance Obamacare. This provision has a real detrimental impact on small businesses and Americans believe it needs to be repealed.
  • Clawed back nearly $25 billion of Obamacare by reducing improper health care insurance Exchange subsidy overpayments.

• In April 2011, the  House passed and the President signed, H.R. 1473, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, which:
  • Fully repealed of the “Free Choice Voucher” program savings $400 million.
  • Reduced funding for the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) by $2.2 billion.
  • Provided new tools to fight implementation and ensured no increase in IRS funding to hire additional agents to enforce the individual mandate.

• In November 2011, the House passed and the President signed the Senate Amendments to H.R. 674, To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities, to modify the calculation of modified adjusted gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain healthcare-related programs, and for other purposes which among other things:
  • Clawed back $13 billion in Obamacare spending by requiring certain benefits to be included in the calculation of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) for purposes of determining eligibility for certain health care programs under Obamacare.
  • Without this change According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS) Chief Actuary, a couple earning $64,000 could still qualify for Medicaid.

• In December 2011, the House passed and the President signed H.R. 2055, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, which:
  • Rescinded $400 million from Obamacare CO-Ops.
  • Rescinded $10 million in funds for IPAB (rationing board)
  • Reduced IRS funding by $305 million from 2011 levels, hampering enforcement of the Obamacare revenue provisions including the individual mandate.
  • Tightened Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) restriction on using grant money to lobby (Prevention and Public Health “slush” Fund).

• In February 2012, the House passed and the President signed and the Conference Report to H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 which clawed back a total of $11.6 billion from Obamacare including:
  • $5 billion in cuts from the Prevention & Public Health “Slush” Fund
  • Recoupment of $2.5 billion by correcting a drafting error that allowed Louisiana to receive excess Medicaid funding via the “Louisiana Purchase”

• In June 2012, the House passed and the President signed the Conference Report to H.R. 4348, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) which further reduced a Medicaid formula drafting error included in Obamacare’s “Louisiana Purchase” provision, clawing back $670 million in savings.

• In January 2013, the House passed and the President signed H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 which clawed back a total of $6.5 billion from Obamacare including:
  • Repealed the unworkable Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program.
  • Rescinded all unobligated CO-OP funds saving $2.3 billion.

I am fully committed to repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. There are more than 37 Reasons to Repeal Obamacare. House conservatives have already succeeded in repealing many provisions in Obamacare, and I will continue working with my colleagues to fully repeal this law and replace it with responsible reforms.

“I’m very proud of Betsy’s painting,” said Rep. Culberson, “Houston is home to many talented young artists and the variety of work submitted to this competition are a testament to their abilities. Betsy’s artwork will represent the 7th District well and it will be viewed by thousands of visitors to the U.S. Capitol.”

The Congressional Art Competition was initiated in 1982 and is sponsored by the Congressional Institute and Southwest Airlines. The winning submission was announced during a May 1 reception in Houston with students and representatives of local area high schools.

There is no doubt that a free and unfettered internet has been a tremendous advantage to the United States—it has allowed for the rapid growth of commerce, of community, and the exchange of ideas. I have never supported and will never support any legislation that hinders that. At the same time, this online framework which has been essential to our economic growth is also a high-value target for those who wish to do us harm. Hostile countries like China, Iran, and North Korea steal information from both government and private systems alike. CISPA allows, but does not mandate, companies, the military, and governmental organizations to voluntarily share information with each other about the security threats that they face. Our enemies don’t hesitate to attack us, and we should not hesitate to let both private and public entities communicate about the threats they face.

When any legislation like CISPA is considered, privacy issues are rightfully a serious component of the debate. Before drafting this legislation, Members of Congress of both parties worked with civil liberties groups to ensure that these concerns were addressed. In fact, nearly 20 privacy-related improvements have been made to the bill over the past two years. The government will also be held responsible for damages arising from any misuse of the information, and most importantly, the provisions will expire in five years, allowing Congress a chance to evaluate the bill’s impact and have another open debate on cybersecurity law.

I appreciate all of the comments that I’ve received from passionate and intelligent folks in the district on both sides of this debate. I believe that the government and private sector need the ability to communicate with each other to protect the country against the constant barrage of cyber attacks that we face today and that we will face in the future.

Johnson Space Center would flourish with a declared mission to return to the Moon by 2022. There are many questions that must be answered about sustaining human life on an extraterrestrial surface and utilizing resources in space that must be answered if we are to continue onto Mars. Johnson has lead the way throughout our America’s history as a space faring nation and will continue to lead as we seek to explore deeper into our solar system.

The burst of enthusiasm sparked by the Curiosity Rover landing on Mars last year proved that America’s space program has the power to captivate the world. However, without strong leadership and adequate funding, our space program will atrophy. I have also introduced legislation that would restructure NASA to make NASA more professional and less political, freeing them up to pursue our universe’s most pressing questions.

• $8.2 Trillion In New Debt
• $1.1 Trillion In New Taxes
• $964 Billion In New Spending

The budget President Obama finally released today is months late and so full of gimmicks that the President cannot claim he is supporting deficit reduction. The fact is President Obama’s budget will never balance and it keeps the country on an unsustainable path of never ending deficits.

Right now, Democrats and Republicans each have a different plan for the direction of our country and how to spend taxpayer money to accomplish those goals. I believe that Americans should pay fewer taxes and the government should spend less. That’s why I supported the House conservative budget plan that fully repeals Obamacare, protects Medicare and Social Security for our seniors and future generations, and balances the budget in ten years. Recent reports indicate how dire the situation is: now is the time for entitlement reform.

• The news in the most recent Social Security Trustees’ annual report released wasn’t good—the Trustees now project that the old age and disability trust funds combined will be unable to pay full benefits in 2033, three years sooner than projected in last year’s report.

• Medicare is not sustainable in its current form. It costs too much even as the quality of care it provides falls well short of what seniors deserve. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Medicare’s costs will reach $1.09 trillion in 2023, up from $551 billion in 2012.

Year after year we accumulate debt that will burden future generations and now is the time to take serious action to reduce our spending and our unsustainable level of national debt. As your representative in Congress, I have consistently voted to reduce federal spending. In fact, I voted against $2.3 trillion in new spending under the Bush Administration and against $7 trillion so far under the Obama Administration.

Earlier this year, I introduced a bill (H.R. 504) that will reduce the amount of money the federal government spends by at least $10 billion. My bill eliminates duplicative and inefficient federal programs based upon findings in the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) 2011 report and 2012 report. This bill is a step in the right direction, and I will continue to promote common sense, fiscally-conservative alternatives that will dramatically cut spending, cut taxes and shrink the size, power, and cost of the federal government.

In the end, it’s simple. The American government needs to be worthy of the people that it represents. For years, I have opposed the big-spending policies put in place by Democrats and Republicans alike and have voted in favor of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.  Your family balances its budget. Texas balances its budget. It’s time that the federal government did the same.