Westmoreland Supports Legislation to Cut Taxes, Create Jobs

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act. The legislation contained a myriad of provisions, many of which have been passed by the House as stand-alone bills. Some of the more notable provisions include $183.4 billion in spending cuts, an extension of the two percent Social Security payroll tax, an extension and reform of unemployment benefits, a two year ‘Doc Fix,’ language requiring President Obama to issue a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, and a legislative stay on the ‘Boiler MACT’ rules. The legislation passed with bipartisan support and has been sent to the Senate for consideration, but it is unclear whether or not it will garner enough support to be sent to the White House for signature. Congressman Westmoreland supported the bill.

“Look, this bill isn’t perfect. There are parts that I love and parts I could do without. But at the end of the day, you have to determine if the good outweighs the bad. The Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act helps to relieve the tax burden on American families, and it does so without a harmful tax hike on small businesses. Instead, it pays for the tax relief with more than $180 billion in spending cuts. Whether it’s the provisions to repeal portions of Obamacare, the provision to freeze the salaries of Members of Congress, or the provisions to close tax loopholes, the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act ensures that the burden of paying for this legislation isn’t shouldered by job creators.

“In addition to the tax relief, H.R. 3630 also creates approximately 140,000 direct and indirect jobs with the Keystone Pipeline construction and saves countless jobs by delaying the EPA’s harmful Boiler MACT regulations. Plus it makes much needed reforms to unemployment benefits, including allowing states to drug test recipients they determine are likely to be using illegal substances. Clearly, when it comes to the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act, the good outweighs the bad.

“Now, there has been a lot of talk from the White House promising to veto this bill because of the Keystone XL Pipeline provision, which mimics language passed by the House last month with bipartisan support. Well if President Obama wants to kill legislation that creates jobs, ensures Medicare recipients have access to physicians, and extends unemployment benefits at a time when our unemployment rate continues to sit above eight percent, then he will have to answer to the American people. The president can no longer jeopardize American jobs in an effort to appease environmental activists that make up his liberal base. The buck stops with him. The Senate needs to pass this legislation and the president needs to sign it,” stated Westmoreland.

Camp: Legislation to Prevent Default and Cut Spending is a Victory for the American People

Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) released the following statement after the bipartisan House vote passing legislation to prevent default and cut spending:

“Tonight’s vote marks a victory for our economy and the American people. The legislation not only cuts spending and reforms how Washington manages its budget, it also prevents default on our financial obligations. Importantly, the package does not increase taxes, which is critical to making sure job creators have the resources they need to invest and hire more workers. Finally, the legislation establishes the clearest path yet to a balanced budget amendment — something I have long supported and that is long overdue.”

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Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI)
Statement in Support of Legislation to Prevent Default, Cut Spending
August 1, 2011

(Remarks as Prepared)
Mr. Speaker, if Congress does not act – and act now – America will default. That would wreak havoc on our economy and make it harder for Americans to find and keep a job in an already weak economy. Default cannot be an option, and I am pleased that the bill before us ensures that will not occur.

Just as a default would threaten the economic health of this country, so would increasing taxes. Raising taxes on families and job creators would hinder investment, increase the cost of doing business and result in even less hiring. That is the wrong direction when we are struggling with an unemployment rate of 9.2 percent and 14 million Americans looking for work.

The good news is that the legislation before us recognizes these basic facts. It avoids a default, it makes sure the government pays our bills and it does not increase taxes.

And though some have argued that the new Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction could pave the way for tax increases that is not going to happen. The Committee’s structure, the baseline it will work off of and the fact that Republicans are in the majority in the House virtually guarantee taxes will not go up.

Furthermore, this legislation finally forces Washington to make serious changes to the way it spends taxpayer dollars. There are real budget reforms, there is a path to a balanced budget amendment and there are automatic spending cuts if Congress does not rein in spending on its own.

I applaud the efforts of all of those who helped craft this agreement, especially Speaker Boehner and Leader Cantor.

I urge my colleagues to recognize this opportunity to fix what is broken in Washington and use this occasion to significantly cut runaway spending.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a yes vote.

GAGOP Hosts Health and Legislative Leaders for Obamacare Discussion

The Georgia Republican Foundation, Chairman Sue P. Everhart and Foundation Chairman Chip Pearson hosted many of Georgia’s elected leaders on health care and legal policy for a panel discussion on Obamacare highlighting the legislation’s current and potential impact on the state. Among those taking part in the discussion were Attorney General Sam Olens; Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens; Senator Renee Unterman, Chairman of Health & Human Services; Representative Richard Smith, Chairman of Insurance; and Representative Sharon Cooper, Chairman of Health & Human Services.

The panelists discussed the current status of various legal challenges to the legislation, the viability of insurance exchanges and the implications of the legislation on individuals, small businesses, insurers and physicians. The panel also fielded questions from the audience.

“This broad legislation has significant impact on Georgians and our future prosperity,” said Pearson. “Americans have a lot of questions, and we thank the panelists for taking the time to answer them.”

The Georgia Republican Foundation consists of major donors to the Party. Members are invited to numerous Foundation Breakfasts and Georgia Republican Party events throughout the year. For more information about the Georgia Republican Foundation, please contact the Finance Department at 404.257.5559.

Westmoreland Votes to Repeal ObamaCare

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland joined his colleagues today to vote to strike down the job-killing ObamaCare legislation passed during the last Congress. The controversial legislation squeaked by Congress early last year, much to the chagrin of the American people. According to a recent Washington Post poll, 59% of Americans oppose the law. Below is Congressman Westmoreland’s statement.

“ObamaCare is bad policy, crafted using bad procedure. It was passed against the will of the majority of Americans, and is one of the main reasons Democrats saw massive defeats at the polls in November. There are currently 26 states challenging ObamaCare in court. We have already seen some success in federal court, including in Virginia where a judge ruled that individual mandates were unconstitutional. However, Congress must do its part to put an end to this job-destroying law that places federal bureaucrats between patients and their doctors. That’s why I am proud to announce that I joined a bipartisan group of my colleagues in the House today and voted to repeal Obamacare.

“Congressional Democrats and the White House cooked the books on ObamaCare, using accounting gimmicks; one of which was charging 10 years of and only havin 6 years of spending. Any practical assessment of ObamaCare shows it costing 2.6 trillion dollars and increasing the deficit by 701 billion dollars over the next ten years. And believe it or not, it might actually get worse – when Medicare was created in 1965, they projected the cost would be 12 billion dollars in 1990. But in actuality, the cost in 1990 was 96 billion dollars – an 800 percent increase over the projections.

“We need real reform in this country that will address the problems within our health care system, while decreasing costs – not increasing costs like ObamaCare does. Now that we have voted to repeal, the committees of jurisdiction will take the next several months to hold hearings and draft legislation to replace this harmful law with real reforms. The vote today will not be an overnight solution and much must still be done. However, it is a step in the right direction,” stated Westmoreland.

Georgia Republican Party Chairman Sue Everhart Formally Announces Campaign for Re-Election

Georgia Republican Party Chairman Sue P. Everhart today formally announced that she will run for re-election as Party Chairman at the State Convention in Macon in May.

“I wanted to reassure Republicans throughout the state that I will remain on the job until we take back the White House in 2012,” Everhart said. “We swept the state this election cycle, but a well-funded Obama campaign and energized Democratic get-out-the-vote effort will mean that the State Party will need an experienced Chairman in place to keep the gains we made on November 2. I am confident I am the best person to do that,” she added.

When Chairman Everhart first took office in 2007, one of her main goals was to build on the Republican majority through sophisticated and extensive training and to strengthen grassroots networks. Her personal experience in grassroots politics coupled with her vision for its development in Georgia led to a focused volunteer effort that resulted in landmark wins for Republicans.

Under the leadership of Chairman Sue Everhart, the Georgia Republican Party has grown its majority to an unprecedented level. In 2008, Georgia went against the national tide by delivering for John McCain and re-elected U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss. In 2010, Republicans swept every constitutional office, re-elected U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, and added to the majorities of the U.S. House and Georgia General Assembly.

Sue is a proven leader, determined grassroots advocate and a seasoned fundraiser. With critical events such as redistricting and a presidential election on the horizon, Georgia Republicans need experience at the helm of the GAGOP. Proven leadership will make the difference in 2012.

In seeking her final term, Sue’s primary focus is to move forward with the accomplishments of the Party under her chairmanship and to build a complete and lasting majority in our state. Her plan, including a continued focus on expanding the reach and capabilities of the GAGOP’s social media and IT structure as well as efforts to switch local elected officials to the Republican Party, is a stepping stone to create an enduring era of Republican leadership in Georgia.

Sue Everhart, a former banker, is a long-time Republican activist who served as Chairman of the Sixth District Republican Party and First Vice-Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party before being elected as Georgia GOP Party Chairman in 2007. In 2007 and 2010, she was selected as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians. In addition, Sue was chosen as one of 10 women in the United States to be honored as a “Woman of Achievement” by the RNC in 2009. Currently, Chairman Everhart serves on both the RNC Rules and Ethics Committees as well as the Committee on Arrangements for the 2012 GOP National Convention. In addition to her political involvement, Everhart is active in civic organizations in her community.
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Westmoreland Named to Two Subcommittees on Financial Services

Subcommittees on Financial Institutions and Housing and Insurance Vital to Economic Growth of Georgia

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland today was named to two influential subcommittees on the House Financial Services Committee: the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee and the Insurance, Housing, and Community Opportunity Subcommittee.

“Georgia is a growing financial center, and it is important we have a conservative voice on the committees that will affect our economic development in the future,” stated Westmoreland. “I’m looking forward to representing the state of Georgia on the Financial Services Committee this Congress and will work hard to bring economic development back to our state.”

The Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit will have jurisdiction over bank regulations and banking institutions as well as the controversial Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, established under Dodd-Frank. The Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing, and Community Opportunity will have jurisdiction over the housing and real estate sector, as well as insurance institutions.

“Georgia has had more bank failures than any other state in the country since 2008,” stated Westmoreland. “We have also been disproportionately hit by the housing market bust that hit the nation in 2007 and 2008. However, we have a strong economy that can recover from these trials – as long as we continue to have a conservative voice at the table.”

Initial hearings and markups have yet to be set, but please check regularly with http://financialservices.house.gov for updates on committee activities.
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Herman Cain Announces Presidential Exploratory Committee

Business Executive to "Test Waters" for Potential White House Bid

Business executive Herman Cainannounced today that he has officially established a presidential exploratory committee, "Friends of Herman Cain," to "test the waters" for a possible White House bid.

"After receiving overwhelming encouragement from supporters and donors across the U..S., I have decided to form a presidential exploratory committee," Cain said. "During this time, we will examine the extent of financial resources and grassroots support that would be critical to winning the Republican nomination."

Cain is best known for his role as President and CEO of Godfather's Pizza, Inc., where he led the company from the brink of bankruptcy to profitability in just 14 months. He has also served as an executive of other Fortune 500 Companies, such as Pillsbury and Burger King.

He served as chairman of the Federal Reserve in Kansas City, as well as the President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. Cain was a senior economic adviser to the Dole/ Kemp presidential campaign in 1996.

Cain hosts a nightly radio program, "The Herman Cain Show," one of the highest-rated shows in the Atlanta media market. He is also a syndicated columnist.

"Friends of Herman Cain" is a registered non-profit in the state of Georgia, and the names of exploratory committee members will be released at a later date..

For more information, please visit the newly launched http://www.hermancain.com.
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Westmoreland Launches Twitter Page

Today, Congressman Lynn Westmoreland launched his Twitter page @RepWestmoreland. Twitter has become an increasingly popular social networking site that allows what’s known as ‘micro-blogging.’ It gives its members an opportunity to share a link, send a quick update, and follow other members. To follow the congressman on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/repwestmoreland and select ‘Follow.’

“I am excited to be joining the Twitter community. It is a great opportunity for me to connect with my constituents and I would like encourage everyone in Georgia’s Third Congressional District who is on Twitter to follow me. I will use my Twitter page to update constituents on the goings on in Washington, news relevant to our district, and other important information. One of the themes of the 112th Congress is promoting greater transparency in Congress and with my new Twitter account, I can let you know what I’m working on for you while I’m in Washington,” stated Westmoreland.

The congressman can also be found online at www.house.gov/westmoreland and on Facebook by searching ‘Lynn Westmoreland.’

Justin Tomczak Enters Race for GAGOP 1st Vice Chair

Grassroots Veteran Announces at Cobb GOP Breakfast

Grassroots veteran Justin Tomczak announced his intentions to seek the position of 1st Vice Chair of the Georgia Republican Party in his home county at the Cobb GOP breakfast on Saturday.

Tomczak was introduced by State Representative (elect) Sam Teasley who said “I have known Justin’s work ethic and his commitment to advancing the conservative cause here in Georgia. Having recently won a grassroots election against an incumbent Democrat, I firmly believe we need people in party leadership who are committed to engaging local Republicans in direct voter contact. Justin’s campaign experience and love for the grassroots would be a great asset to the State Party.”

Tomczak brings a solid record of experience in Republican politics to the table. He interned for State Rep. Earl Ehrhart in 1999 and the GAGOP in 2003, served as Grassroots and Volunteer Director for the GAGOP in 2004, Political Director for the campaigns of Governor Sonny Perdue and Senator Saxby Chambliss, and most recently served as Political Strategist for the successful campaign of Congressman Tom Graves in Georgia’s 9th District.

“I have worked side by side with Justin and appreciate his servant’s heart and tireless commitment to the grassroots in Georgia” said Greene County GOP and 10th District 1st Vice Chair Brian Burdette. “He has vast statewide experience, brings a wide variety of perspectives to the table, holds rock solid conservative values and has a proven record of service.”

Citing his campaign theme of “Grassroots in Action” Tomczak kicks off a 4 month campaign that will culminate at the GAGOP State Convention in Macon, May 13-14th. To learn more please visit the campaign website www.GrassrootsInAction.com, add Justin Tomczak on Facebook and/or follow him on Twitter.

About Tomczak: Justin Tomczak’s first political activity was marching in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. as a child. He was home schooled through high school, served as Student Government President at Kennesaw State University and went on to earn a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University. He has worked tirelessly for the GAGOP and numerous successful Republican campaigns. He is currently responsible for public relations in Georgia at State Farm Insurance. In 2004 Tomczak received the Ronald Reagan Leadership Award from the Georgia Association of College Republicans and he is a Coverdell Leadership Institute (CLI) graduate.
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