Washington, DC – Rep. John Culberson (TX-07) recently received the “ACU Conservative” award from the American Conservative Union (ACU). Considered the gold standard of lawmaker ratings, the “ACU Conservative” award is given only to those who receive scores of 80 percent or above in the American Conservative Union’s ratings of Congress.  Congressman Culberson earned an 87 percent rating for votes scored in 2011, and has a distinguished 96 percent lifetime rating in Congress.

“I am honored to receive this award again this year,” said Rep. Culberson.  “I am committed to restoring our government to the core principles on which it was founded.  I have always followed Thomas Jefferson’s advice that if we follow the core principles of the Constitution, the knot will always untie itself.  As a strong fiscal conservative I believe that we can restore our liberty and prosperity by restoring the Constitution’s limits on the federal government, especially the 10th Amendment’s guarantee of state sovereignty and individual liberty.”

ACU Chairman Al Cardenas issued the following statement regarding the ACU ratings award:

“The ACU Conservative award is a reflection of Representative John Culberson’s consistent support of conservative principles on a wide range of issues of concern to grassroots conservatives in 2011. At a time when the fundamental principles of the American system of government are being challenged, Representative John Culberson stands with those who are trying to preserve those principles.”

Conservative ratings Graph_Version_2

HOUSTON, TX – Today, Rep. John Culberson (TX-07) addressed a special meeting of the Houston METRO Board of Directors regarding the elimination of the General Mobility payments to the 14 independent cities in the Houston area. The General Mobility program (GMP), set-up in 1988, provides dedicated funding for transportation projects from sales tax collections. Since its inception, the General Mobility program has provided $2.7 billion in funding for local transportation projects.

Rep. Culberson addresses a special meeting of the METRO Board in support of preserving general mobility payments

On behalf of the nine independent cities in Congressional District 7, Rep. Culberson attended the meeting and spoke about the importance of keeping local tax dollars in the cities to use for local transportation projects.

“I urge the Board to preserve the 25 percent of the penny for general mobility and transportation needs,” Culberson stated. “I’m here today to express my strong support for the independent cities.

“We need to remember it isn’t METRO’s money or even the government’s money, it is the taxpayer’s money. I urge the Board not to do anything that will drive up property taxes.

“The Board should follow DART’s  (Dallas Area rapid Transit) example and shed rail lines that METRO cannot afford,” Culberson continued. “METRO should not buy more house than the taxpayers can afford.”

In a letter sent to the METRO Board of Directors by Reps. Culberson, Pete Olson, and Michael McCaul, on behalf of the independent cities they represent, stated:

“Our constituents who live in the 14 cities bear the burden of the dedicated sales tax. These hardworking taxpayers should not lose the benefit of their tax dollars being spent to improve the roads in their neighborhoods.

“None of METRO’s existing or proposed rail projects is within the boundaries of any of the 14 cities, yet METRO is considering taking tax dollars away from the cities and using the money to fund rail projects. On behalf of the taxpayers in our districts, we strongly urge you to reject this plan, and keep the current General Mobility Program which will ensure that local taxpayer dollars will be used to fund local transportation projects.”

The 14 cities receiving GMP funding are: Bellaire, Bunker Hill Village, El Lago, Hedwig Village, Hilshire Village, Humble, Hunters Creek Village, Katy, Missouri City, Piney Point Village, Spring Valley Village, Southside Place, Taylor Lake Village and West U.   The City of Houston and Harris County also receive GMP funding.

The mission of the Export-Import Bank (“Ex-Im”), an independent federal agency, is to support export financing of U.S. goods and services.  The Bank’s main products are direct loans, loan guarantees, working capital guarantees, and export credit insurance.  By law, the Bank is intended only to fill gaps in commercially available financing for U.S. exports by serving as a “lender of last resort,” and not competing with private lenders.

The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to regulate commerce, but Ex-Im is a clear example of the federal government participating in commerce.  The federal government has no authority to leverage taxpayer dollars in order to pick economic winners and losers.  As a strong constitutional conservative, I cannot support legislation that ignores the Constitution and principles of free enterprise.

The Wall Street Journal featured an excellent opinion-editorial this week summarizing this bill’s anti-free-enterprise, anti-market policies: “That’s job creation, French-style.”  I encourage you to take a few minutes to read it.

As the WSJ piece accurately points out, “Republicans were not elected in 2010 on a message of business subsidies as usual. They were elected on a platform of government reform and fiscal restraint.”  I will continue to cut government spending and support legislation that is in line with our core Constitutional principles of free enterprise to create jobs and put our fiscal house back in order.

Sincerely,

John Culberson
Member of Congress

Also, in case you missed it, click here to watch the my recent floor speech in support of an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2013, that would prohibit the use of funds by the Attorney General to originate or join in any lawsuit that seeks to overturn, enjoin, or invalidate certain state immigration laws.

Click here to watch the video.

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2012  — In a bipartisan effort to put the Keystone XL pipeline on the fast track, 110 House members signed a letter co-authored by Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) that urges the Transportation Bill Conference Committee to include language that would build the Keystone XL pipeline immediately.

Chairman Mack held the first Congressional hearing on the Keystone XL pipeline more than a year ago in the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee and introduced language supported by the largest, bipartisan coalition across the House and the Senate to construct the Keystone XL pipeline.

Below is a text of the letter:

May 7, 2012

The Honorable Barbara Boxer                The Honorable John Mica
United States Senate                                   US House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510                           Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable James Inhofe                 The Honorable Nick Rahall
United States Senate                                  US House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510                          Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Conferees:

As you work to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the transportation bill, we write to urge you to ensure the inclusion of language relating to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline without adding obstacles to the flow of U.S. energy imports and exports.

Constructing the Keystone XL pipeline would increase American national and energy security while helping to stabilize and lower gas prices. Reliable oil imports from our northern neighbor and ally, Canada, would counter the uncertainty in energy markets produced by political and economic unrest in other major oil producing nations. Analysis conducted by EnSys Energy for the Department of Energy projects that, in the long-term, reduced U.S. demand for petroleum products in combination with increased imports of Canadian crude could “essentially eliminate” Middle East crude imports. Increased imports of Canadian crude would also allow the termination of imports from countries like Venezuela, preventing American dollars from propping up dangerous regimes like that of Hugo Chavez.

Keystone XL would create jobs and have a positive impact on the American economy. Energy Policy Research Foundation, Inc. estimates that 15,000 construction jobs will be created to install the pipeline, and five major labor unions have endorsed the project. Thousands of jobs will be created as refineries expand and contractors build equipment to construct the pipeline. The project will also funnel millions of dollars of indirect activity into the economy and to States along the pipeline route through property taxes.

In addition to the bipartisan support in the House and Senate, a solid majority of Americans support construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The Conference Committee has the opportunity to ensure the Keystone XL pipeline is built quickly and properly through the transportation bill. We hope you will ensure that language to allow for its construction is included in the conference report.

We appreciate your attention to this pressing matter.

Sincerely,

_______________             ________________
LEE TERRY                            CONNIE MACK
Member of Congress          Member of Congress
Signatures:
Kevin Brady (TX-08)         Cliff Stearns (FL-06)
Pete Olson (TX-22)             Jeff Miller (FL-01)
Ralph Hall (TX-04)             Cory Gardner (CO-04)
Robert Schilling (IL-17)   James Sensenbrenner (WI-05)
Sean Duffy (WI-07)            Wally Herger (CA-02)
Leonard Lance (NJ-07)   Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (WA-05)
Francisco Canseco (TX-23)     John Carter (TX-31)
Kenny Marchant (TX-24)         Virginia Foxx (NC-05)
Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-08)   Mo Brooks (AL-05)
Gary Miller (CA-42)                    Spencer Bachus (AL-06)
Tom McClintock (CA-04)         Bill Johnson (OH-06)
Ken Calvert (CA-44)                   Jim Renacci (OH-16)
Jerry Lewis (CA-41)                   Steven LaTourette (OH-14)
Adam Kinzinger (IL-11)           Tom Latham (IA-04)
Aaron Schock (IL-18)               Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-09)
Joe Wilson (SC-02)                    Glenn Thompson (PA-05)
Phil Gingrey (GA-11)                 Greg Walden (OR-02)
Gregg Harper (MS-03)             Joe Barton (TX-06)
Joseph Pitts (PA-16)                 Ander Crenshaw (FL-04)
Michael Burgess (TX-26)        Jim Gerlach (PA-06)
Tim Murphy (PA-18)                Brett Guthrie (KY-02)
John Sullivan (OK-01)             Denny Rehberg (MT-At Large)
Kay Granger (TX-12)                Bob Gibbs (OH-18)
Mike Coffman (CO-06)             Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03)
Randy Neugebauer (TX-19)  Marsha Blackburn (TN-07)
Mac Thornberry (TX-13)       Tim Griffin (AR-02)
Thomas Petri (WI-06)             John Shimkus (IL-19)
David McKinley (WV-01)      Stevan Pearce (NM-02)
Patrick Meehan (PA-07)       Sue Wilkins Myrick (NC-09)
Mick Mulvaney (SC-05)         Rodney Alexander (LA-05)
Mike Pompeo (KS-04)            John Fleming (LA-04)
Tom Graves (GA-09)              Charles Boustany, Jr. (LA-07)
Jean Schmidt (OH-02)           Jim Matheson (UT-02)
Robert Hurt (VA-05)             Steve Stivers (OH-15)
Robert Latta (OH-05)            John Culberson (TX-07)
Frank Lucas (OK-03)             Joseph Heck (NV-03)
Michael Simpson (ID-02)    Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11)
Sandy Adams (FL-24)           Mike Kelly (PA-03)
Bill Flores (TX-17)                  Lou Barletta (PA-11)
Rob Woodall (GA-07)           Tom Marino (PA-10)
Lynn Jenkins (KS-02)           Charles Fleischmann (TN-03)
John Kline (MN-02)              Jack Kingston (GA-01)
Allen West (FL-22)                 Louie Gohmert (TX-01)
Howard McKeon (CA-25)    Dan Boren (OK-02)
Tim Scott (SC-01)                   Walter Jones (NC-03)
Mike Rogers (MI-08)            Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Michael Conaway (TX-11)    Candice Miller (MI-10)
Trey Gowdy (SC-04)              Sam Johnson (TX-03)
Todd Young (IN-09)             Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25)
Peter King (NY-03)                Kristi Noem (SD-At Large)
Joe Walsh (IL-08)                   Scott Rigell (VA-02)
David Rivera (FL-25)            Ted Poe (TX-02)
Tim Walberg (MI-07)           Edward Royce (CA-40)
Kathleen Hochul (NY-26)   Jeff Landry (LA-03)
Richard Nugent (FL-05)      Alan Nunnelee (MS-01)

Washington, DC – Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) joined 27 members of Congress on a letter calling for the immediate termination of EPA Region VI Administrator Al Armendariz in response to his philosophy of enforcement.

Mr. Armendariz has recently come under fire for comments he made comparing the agency’s enforcement strategy to Roman crucifixion.  Today, the Texas Republican delegation, joined by Reps. Steve King, Steve Pearce and Trent Franks, responded in a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson calling for his job.

“I hope that you will agree with us that these comments are beyond the pale,” the letter states.  “The EPA is not a conquering army, it does not wield dictatorial power, and it certainly was not granted the authority to crucify anyone – metaphorically or not.

“We find it hard to believe that any of those facts need clarification, but these comments suggest otherwise.
Mr. Armendariz’s statements betray a vindictive culture that is driven by ideology more than it is by science.  It is no secret in Texas, the heart of America’s oil and gas industry, that the EPA has become a petty, arbitrary, and demagogic organization.  It is a sad fall for an institution charged with safeguarding the public.

“As director of Region VI, Mr. Armendariz has shown little restraint on putting his “crucifixion strategy” into action.  Time and time again, Mr. Armendariz has rushed to publicly proclaim what horrible sin a company has committed.  With great fanfare he would “crucify” them in public and hoist them high, for all to see.  Only later, when the crowds had left, and only the scientists and jurists remained, did he admit that perhaps he had been a bit too hasty.”

The letter concludes stating, ”We are deeply disappointed in not only the statements of Mr. Armendariz, but also the abrasive, hostile posture that his office has struck during his tenure.  It is our recommendation that Mr. Armendariz be relieved of his position, effective immediately.”

Background

During a local Texas government meeting in 2010, Al Armendariz, the EPA administer in the Region 6 Dallas office, made remarks comparing his agency’s enforcement philosophy to Roman crucifixion.

To watch the video, click here.

Washington, DC – Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) issued the following statement after the House approved H.R. 4628, the Interest Rate Reduction Act that would extend current student loan interest rates by a vote of 215-195:

“We are in this mess because Democrats failed to listen to House Republicans back in 2002 when we recommended using variable interest rates rather than fixed interest rates for student loans. If student interest rates had remained variable, today the interest rates on student loans would be 2.36 percent.

“Today, House Republicans have provided a fix that will help hard working middle class families during difficult economic times. Our fix will prevent student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1 and ensure that a college education remains within reach for today’s students.

“In addition to helping students afford college, today’s bill is fiscally responsible. Not only is it fully paid for, it also reduces the deficit by $6 billion dollars.

“We are facing a financial cliff, and the only way to preserve the American way of life for our children and future generations is to reduce wasteful federal spending and pay down our deficit. Today’s bill is a step in the right direction.”