Friday, September 27, 2013

instaPoll: What action do you think Congress should take regarding the debt ceiling?

Congressman Randy Forbes

 

 

Today, our national debt is over $16 trillion, and while we reached the debt ceiling in May, the Treasury Department has been taking steps to avoid defaulting on our obligations.  However, Treasury Secretary Lew informed Congress that those measures will be exhausted by mid-October. As such, Congress is now faced with whether to raise the debt ceiling or risk a possible default on our debt as a country.

Question of the week: What action do you think Congress should take regarding the debt ceiling? (multi-select)

( ) Don't raise it.  We cannot keep borrowing money to pay our bills.
( ) Suspend it for one year and then raise it to account for the additional borrowing that occurred during that time.
( ) Raise it.  We cannot default on our debt.
( ) Raise it with the condition that future spending is decreased.
( ) Raise it with the condition that sequestration is eliminated.
( ) Raise it with the condition that the health care law is delayed.
( ) I don't know.
( ) Other.


Take the Poll here.

Find the results of last week's InstaPoll here.

 

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Friday, September 20, 2013

instaPoll: Do you believe television advertising campaigns promoting Obamacare are an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars?

Congressman Randy Forbes

 

 

According to reports from Politico and National Review, the Obama Administration is preparing for a multimillion-dollar onslaught of television ads designed to promote Obamacare insurance exchanges.  Reports indicate that at least $12 million of advertising airspace has already been reserved in thirteen states. 

This week, in response, I joined with colleagues to send a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, demanding a halt to this use of taxpayer dollars.  I voted against the bill in 2010, and remain committed to defunding the law.

Question of the week: Do you believe television advertising campaigns promoting Obamacare are an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars?
 
( ) Yes.
( ) No.
( ) I don't know.
( ) Other.


Take the Poll here.

Find the results of last week's InstaPoll here.

 

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Monday, September 16, 2013

Press Release: Reps. Mike Thompson, Frank LoBiondo, Luis Gutierrez, J. Randy Forbes Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Oversight, Improve Accountability of Intelligence Community

Congressman Randy Forbes

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United States House of Representatives

                                                                                      
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 202-225-6365
September 16, 2013           

Reps. Mike Thompson, Frank LoBiondo, Luis Gutierrez, J. Randy Forbes Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Oversight, Improve Accountability of Intelligence Community


Washington, D.C.
- U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA-05), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ-02), Luis Gutierrez (D-Il-04), and J. Randy Forbes (R-VA-04) introduced bipartisan legislation today that would strengthen Congressional oversight and improve accountability of the Intelligence Community (IC). The Intelligence Oversight and Accountability Act of 2013, H.R. 3103, requires that any Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) decision, order or opinion that includes a denial of an IC request, a modification of an IC request, or results in a change to any legal interpretation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) be shared with Congress.

"Our government has a responsibility to both protect American lives and our citizens' civil liberties," said Thompson. "This bill helps us meet that responsibility by strengthening Congress' aggressive oversight of our Intelligence Community. Through the oversight and accountability provided by this bill, we can help make sure our Intelligence Community operates within legal and constitutional boundaries while they continue their brave work to keep Americans safe."

"The system of checks and balances as envisioned under the Constitution is essential to the protection of our citizens' interests and role of our government. This bipartisan legislation will further enhance Congressional oversight over the intelligence operations of the executive branch, ensuring legal guidelines are adhered to," said LoBiondo. "We have great respect for the men and women serving in the Intelligence Community and will continue to work to ensure they receive the support they deserve."

"Our intelligence agencies do critical work to protect our society and way of life and they must have the public trust that comes with vigorous oversight and accountability," said Gutierrez. "This bipartisan legislation will facilitate robust oversight and build public trust.  Americans expect the government to protect national security and civil liberties with equal vigor.  This bill helps us make sure the brave men and women in the Intelligence Community who work to keep America safe can continue that important mission while ensuring compliance with the legal guidelines that we have established."

"This bipartisan legislation comes at a crucial time when many Americans no longer see their government as a force for good, but rather an invasive institution which has abused the powers its citizens bestowed on it.  The security and safety of our nation must not come at the cost of our freedoms or individual liberties as American citizens. This bill will provide much needed oversight and accountability of a system which has run aground of its constitutional authority," said Forbes.

Currently, when the FISC or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review issues a decision, order, or opinion, the Attorney General (AG) must determine if the issue considered by the FISC includes a "significant construction or interpretation of the law." If the AG determines that the decision is significant, that information must be shared with Congress.  However, if the AG determines that the decision is not "significant," the AG is not required to share the information with Congress.

H.R. 3103 requires the AG to share all FISC decisions, orders or opinions that include a denial of an IC request, a modification of an IC request, or results in a change to any legal interpretation of FISA with Congress.

Removing discretionary elements regarding what Congress should and should not receive from the FISC, will increase the Congressional oversight of Intelligence Community tools and programs to ensure their proper use.

The bill also will allow Congress to properly assess whether information collected pursuant to, or programs authorized by, the PATRIOT Act or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), are being implemented in a manner consistent with Congressional intent and are compliant with Congressional notice requirements.

In addition, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include enhanced summaries of the FISC's decisions, orders, and opinions to make the facts, issues, and legal reasoning involved in these matters more accessible to Congress.

H.R. 3103 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, on which both Gutierrez and Forbes are senior members, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), on which Thompson, LoBiondo and Gutierrez are senior members.

###

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Thursday, September 12, 2013

instaPoll: Do you believe the United States should accept the proposal from Russia as a viable diplomatic solution in response to the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons?

Congressman Randy Forbes

 

 

Earlier this week, in response to a question raised at a press conference in London, Secretary of State John Kerry said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week…but he isn't about to do it and it can't be done."

Following this statement from Secretary Kerry, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said, "If the establishment of international control over chemical weapons in that country would allow avoiding strikes, we will immediately start working with Damascus.  We are calling on the Syrian leadership to not only agree on placing chemical weapons storage sites under international control, but also on its subsequent destruction and fully joining the treaty on prohibition of chemical weapons."

Question of the week: Do you believe the United States should accept the proposal from Russia as a viable diplomatic solution in response to the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons?  

( ) Yes.
( ) No.
( ) I don't know.
( ) Other.


Take the Poll here.

Find the results of last week's InstaPoll here.

 

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

instaPoll: Do you believe our men and women in uniform should have their congressionally-required pay raise decreased?

Congressman Randy Forbes

 

 

Late last Friday afternoon, President Obama sent a letter to Congress stating that he was reducing the pay increase for our nation's servicemembers to 1%, rather than the 1.8% approved by the House in this year's annual defense bill. 

This letter to Congress came just one day before the Commander-in-Chief announced that he would seek congressional "authorization for the use of force" in Syria.

At a time when we have troops deployed in the Middle East, and the administration has cut billions of dollars from defense and subjected our military to the devastating impacts of sequestration, I believe it is the wrong course of action for the President to reduce pay for members of the military. I will continue working to ensure that our nation's heroes receive the compensation they deserve and have rightly earned. 

Question of the week:   Do you believe our men and women in uniform should have their congressionally-required pay raise decreased?   

( ) Yes.
( ) No.
( ) I don't know.
( ) Other.


Take the Poll here.

Find the results of last week's InstaPoll here.

 

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