instaPoll: As the 113th Congress begins, which three issues do you believe are most critical for Congress to address?

On Monday, President Obama presented his vision for the next four years during his second inaugural address, in which he outlined an agenda that prioritized commitments to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, immigration reform, gun control, climate policy, and same-sex marriage. Congressional Republicans are focused on creating job growth, providing a strong national defense, balancing the federal budget, and making Medicare and Social Security sustainable. As the President and his Administration start their new term and as Congress begins anew, the legislative process is ensnared in philosophical gridlock and finding common ground on priorities will be paramount. Question of the Week: As the 113th Congress begins, which three issues do you believe are most critical for Congress to address? ( ) Amnesty - Expanding paths to citizenship for illegal aliens ( ) Crime - Addressing crime in our schools and communities ( ) Economy - Strengthening small businesses and spurring economic growth by reducing federal regulations ( ) Education - Strengthening our educational system ( ) Energy - Reducing environmental regulations and increasing domestic energy to reduce dependence on foreign oil ( ) Environment - Taking actions to preserve the environment through regulation and investments in clean energy ( ) Health Care - Reducing health care costs and protecting the doctor-patient relationship ( ) Illegal Immigration - Enhancing border security and enforcing existing laws combating illegal immigration ( ) National Security - Preserving a strong national defense and averting sequestration cuts that threaten military jobs ( ) Same-Sex Marriage - Expanding the definition of marriage to include couples of the same gender ( ) Second Amendment - Protecting the constitutional right to keep and bear arms ( ) Seniors - Protecting critical programs for seniors such as Medicare and Social Security ( ) Social Services - Protecting the most vulnerable through access to social service programs ( ) Spending - Taking serious action to reduce government spending ( ) Taxes - Reducing taxes and simplifying the tax code ( ) Traditional Values - Preserving religious freedoms, traditional marriage, and sanctity of life ( ) Transportation - Rebuilding our nation's aging roads and infrastructure ( ) Veterans - Fulfilling promises to our nation's veterans ( ) I don't know. ( ) Other Take the Poll here. Find the results of last week's InstaPoll here.

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Which viewpoint best represents your views on the debt ceiling?

In January of 1995, a constitutional amendment that mandated a balanced budget was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.  Two months later, the balanced budget amendment was brought to the floor of the U.S. Senate where it failed by one vote. Since then, federal debt has more than tripled in size from $5.1 trillion to $16.4 trillion today.  Additionally, since 2007, the debt ceiling has been increased nine times - three of which were a result of the Budget Control Act - without Congressman Forbes' support. Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution gives Congress the sole power "to borrow money on the credit of the United States."  The United States reached its $16.4 trillion debt ceiling or borrowing limit at the end of 2012.  As a result, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner began a "debt issuance period", in which the U.S. suspended investments in a pair of government retirement funds through February 28, 2013 to tap into approximately $200 billion of emergency borrowing authority. The Heritage Foundation has argued that the government should use this opportunity to engage in "real-time budgeting" and prioritize federal spending to allocate incoming funds to the government's highest priorities – interest on the debt, national security, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – and then apply the rest to remaining mandatory and discretionary accounts.  The Center for New American Progress made the case that Congress has an obligation to raise the debt ceiling, as voting to increase the debt limit is "not a vote on how much we will spend or whether we will raise the money to pay for it but rather a vote on whether we will pay our bills." Congressman Forbes believes that we must make it a priority to put our nation back on a path of fiscal prosperity.  We need to address the deficit and federal spending, but we also need to reform the way in which Congress acts in addressing the fiscal state of our nation. Question of the week: Which viewpoint best represents your views on the debt ceiling? ( ) I would support a proposal to raise the debt ceiling if it included significant spending cuts. ( ) Congress should oppose an increase in the debt ceiling and allocate incoming funds to the government's highest priorities allowing for default on lower priority obligations. ( ) The U.S. must pay their bills and the debt ceiling should be raised without any negotiations. ( ) I don't know. ( ) Other. Take the poll here. Find out the results of last week's instaPoll here.

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instaPoll Questions of the Week on Same-sex Marriage

The Supreme Court announced this week that it will hear arguments in late March on two key cases involving same-sex marriage. The justices have agreed to hear arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry on the question of whether the U.S. Constitution bars California from limiting marriage to unions of one man and one woman.  Proposition 8, passed by California voters in 2008, re-instated the traditional definition of marriage between a man and a woman. The Supreme Court will also consider arguments in U.S. v. Windsor on whether the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violates the U.S. Constitution.  DOMA was enacted in 1996 and defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman for purposes of federal law. Another question before the Court is whether the House of Representatives' Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group* can defend DOMA, even though the Obama Administration deemed the law unconstitutional in 2011. This week, we're asking you to weigh-in on two questions. 1st Question of the week: Do you believe the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman is constitutional for purposes of federal law? ( ) Yes ( ) No ( ) I don't know. ( ) Other 2nd Question of the week: Who do you believe should define marriage in the United States? ( ) Federal Government ( ) State Governments ( ) I don't know. ( ) Other Take the poll here. Find out the results of last week's instaPoll here.  *The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group is a five-member panel consisting of the Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, and Minority Whip.  Under House rules, the advisory group has the authority to instruct the non-partisan office of the House General Counsel to take legal action on behalf of the House of Representatives.

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instaPoll: In light of last week’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which of the following statements represent your views?

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Americans watched the news of last week's unprovoked and incomprehensible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut with shock, horror and sadness.  In response, as a parent and grandparent, I wrote 'A personal reflection on Sandy Hook,' and continue to grieve along with the rest of the nation as we mourn the loss of those twenty precious children and six brave teachers and school administrators. Citizens all across the country are left asking, 'what can we do to prevent this type of violence from happening again?'

Forbes Named Chairman of Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2012

Forbes Named Chairman of Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee    Subcommittee responsible for building a robust Navy fleet, strengthening the naval air component, ensuring the Marine Corps remains a premier expeditionary force, and building a new generation of Air Force capabilities Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) has been appointed Chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee for the 113th Congress by full Committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon.   The jurisdiction of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee currently includes Navy and Marine Corps research, development and acquisition programs (RD&A), Naval Reserve equipment, and the Air Force's Long-Range Bomber (LRS-B) and tanker programs. Congressman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said, "As Chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee, I know Congressman Forbes will be a strong advocate for the Navy and Marine Corps, ensuring that our sailors and Marines have what they need to fight and win today's wars while preparing for future national security challenges. Randy has always made the well being and readiness of our nation's men and women in uniform one of his highest priorities, and I'm confident his commitment to our warfighters will continue as he leads the Seapower Subcommittee." "It is an honor to be chosen to chair the Seapower Subcommittee," said Congressman Forbes. "As a maritime nation, I firmly believe our sea power and projection forces – the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force – are the cornerstones of our national security strategy. However, our nation faces an increasingly challenging national security landscape. States like the People's Republic of China and Iran are acquiring capabilities aimed at countering our maritime superiority and undermining longstanding balances of power. Our Navy is also struggling to keep up with an exhausting pace of peacetime missions that are pushing operational and personnel tempos to the limit." "Meeting these challenges demands not just a larger fleet, but a Navy balanced for the strategic landscape likely to confront us in the decades ahead," Forbes continued. "That is why I plan to work tirelessly to ensure our seapower and projection forces are sized, resourced, postured, and maintained to meet the missions we ask of them. As Chairman, I will have four priorities for the future of our seapower and projection forces:  Reverse the decline in the Navy's battle force fleet, and grow its numbers, readiness, and capabilities. Strengthen the naval air component, and posture it to meet future threats. Support the Marine Corps warfighter with the essential equipment to be a premier expeditionary force, including growing the amphibious fleet. Build a new generation of Air Force strike and lift capabilities to underwrite the Nation's power-projection capabilities." Congressman Forbes has served on the House Armed Services Committee since taking office in 2001. He has been the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee since 2011 and Ranking Member of the Readiness Subcommittee from 2008-2010. To learn more about the House Armed Services Committee and the Seapower & Projection Forces Subcommittee, visit: http://armedservices.house.gov/.  To learn more about the Congressman's work on defense, visit: http://forbes.house.gov/issues/defense.htm. ###

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instaPoll: Do you support the continuation of current law, which prohibits detainees from Guantanamo Bay from being transferred to prisons in the United States?

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California Senator Dianne Feinstein released a report last week by the U.S. Government Accountability Office: Facilities and Factors for Consideration If Detainees Were Brought to the United States.  Senator Feinstein touted the report as proof that the U.S. could handle the detainees if the U.S. were to close military detention facilities at its Naval Station in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.