Culberson for Congress Releases RSS Feed

Houston Congressional Delegation to Join with Houston Mayor to Voice Support for Constellation Program

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Reps. Gene Green, Pete Olson, Sheila Jackson Lee, Kevin Brady, John Culberson, Al Green, Mike McCaul, and Ted Poe will join with Houston Mayor Annise Parker to hold a press conference on their coordinated and bipartisan effort to save the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Constellation program. The Constellation Program was introduced by NASA in 2004 for testing and deploying new technologies, systems, flight operations and techniques to serve future space exploration. The Administration’s proposed budget cuts the Constellation program jeopardizing America’s leading role in human space exploration. Additionally, approximately 7,000 local jobs and 31,000 national jobs will be directly and indirectly affected by the proposed cut. WHO: Mayor Annise Parker Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) Rep. John...

Administrator Bolden: What is the future of the manned space program?

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Tomorrow morning, Congressmen Frank Wolf (R-VA), John Culberson (R-TX), Pete Olson (R-TX), Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) will host a press conference calling on Administrator Bolden to explain how he plans to save the manned space program. In light of the many questions surrounding the president's budget request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Exploration Program, CongressmanFrank Wolf, Ranking Member on the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee on Appropriations and Congressmen John Culberson, Pete Olson, Rob Bishop and Michael McCaul will call on NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to appoint a team of NASA experts to review how exploration spacecraft and launch vehicle development and testing may be maintained within the proposed budget request to ensure uninterrupted, independent U.S. human space flight access to the International Space Station and beyond. The team should report back within 30 days in order to provide the...

ANOTHER BAILOUT BAIT AND SWITCH

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has announced plans to extend the $700 billion TARP program through next October. The bailout program has strayed wildly from its original purpose of providing short-term support and stability for the financial system. TARP was intended to address a crisis in our financial markets, and it was understood that American taxpayers would be repaid once the immediate crisis subsided.

I have pushed Secretary Geithner to unwind this program immediately and to dedicate all repaid funds to reducing the federal government’s record deficit. As recently as September, Secretary Geithner assured me that repaid TARP funds would be used for deficit reduction. Now the Obama Administration and the liberal leadership in Congress want to use TARP funds to pay for additional stimulus spending, while saddling us with more growth-stifling debt.

The United States currently faces an urgent fiscal crisis, and if we do not stop spending money, we risk moving further down an unrecoverable path. As a dedicated fiscal conservative, I will continue pressing to use TARP funds to pay down the $12.1 trillion national debt. I have signed a letter addressed to Speaker Pelosi urging her to use the TARP funds to pay down the debt instead of a revolving slush fund to promote the liberal agenda. The Republican alternative to the bill would simply end TARP and require that TARP funds go towards debt reduction.

House conservatives believe that the best way to stimulate the economy is to cut taxes and spending drastically. It is time to start trusting and empowering individual Americans instead of the federal government. It is time to let Americans keep more of what they earn and for the government to spend less. I believe that by taking these steps, our economy will experience the growth and prosperity that have defined America for generations.

AMERICANS DEMAND TRANSPARENCY FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Today the nonpartisan, nonprofit Sunlight Foundation honored Congressman Culberson and Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) with the “Sunlight on the Hill Award” for their efforts to post legislation online at least 72 hours prior to a vote. The Sunlight Foundation also delivered the signatures of tens of thousands of Americans who support the resolution, H.Res.554, coauthored by Congressmen Culberson and Baird.

Ellen Miller, executive director and co-founder of the Sunlight Foundation praised the Congressmen saying “Congressmen Baird and Culberson are transparency trailblazers who are setting the standard for legislative transparency in the 21st century— recognizing that legislation is not truly public unless it is online. The Sunlight Foundation commends Congressmen Baird and Culberson for their leadership in introducing and promoting the passage of H. Res. 554, which would require the House to post all legislation online for at least 72 hours before debate. This resolution has bipartisan support in the House, but even more significantly, has received the endorsement of tens of thousands of Americans who have signed Sunlight’s petition at http://ReadTheBill.org, showing broad public support for this transparency measure.”

Congressman Culberson thanked the Sunlight Foundation for their support and their commitment to transparency. Congressman Culberson said, “These signatures are further evidence that the American people demand transparency from their elected officials. H.Res.544 will enhance public participation in our democracy and help restore the public trust in government by raising the level of openness, order and discourse. I will continue urging the Speaker to hold a vote on this important resolution.”

Taxpayers to pay for U.S. Trial and Detention of Terrorists

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Today the House voted to approve the Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report which allows Guantanamo detainees and other captured terrorists to be transferred onto U.S. soil for trial and detention – all at U.S. taxpayers’ expense. Previously the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to oppose this provision. House Republicans offered a motion to prevent the transfer of these terrorists to the U.S., but the Democrat majority defeated it. Terrorists who kill innocent people and do not abide by international law should not be housed on U.S. soil and granted the same rights as American citizens. Our soldiers should be capturing and killing America’s sworn enemies on the battlefield, not reading Miranda Rights and collecting evidence for the terrorists to use in our courts. House Democrats support the idea of bringing terrorists onto U.S. soil as a way to honor the Constitution. I think bringing terrorists to the U.S. and affording them constitutional protections does...

America cannot afford to lose or retreat from Afghanistan

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Earlier this year, President Obama demonstrated a clear understanding of the war in Afghanistan and the security risk it poses to our country. In March, the president said “if the Afghan government falls to the Taliban -- or allows al Qaeda to go unchallenged -- that country will again be a base for terrorists who want to kill as many of our people as they possibly can.” The president went on to lay out a strategy to deal with the “greatest threat to our people.”

Recent signals from the Obama White House appear to contradict the President’s remarks earlier this year. Vice President Biden has advocated scaling back forces in Afghanistan. Unless all the news accounts are wrong and the situation in Afghanistan is no longer the “greatest threat” to America, scaling back our troops is not the best course of action.

General Stanley McChrystal, the man President Obama hand-picked to run the war, was asked to provide a thorough review of the situation in Afghanistan. Gen. McChrystal has said he needs an additional 40,000 troops or the war could be lost, putting the United States in danger. We cannot afford to lose or retreat from Afghanistan. As the President Obama said in March, “We have a shared responsibility to act -- not because we seek to project power for its own sake, but because our own peace and security depends on it.”

Thank you for entrusting me to represent you in the United States Congress.

DEMOCRATS LEAVE DOOR OPEN FOR TERRORISTS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO U.S.

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Today during the conference committee meeting on the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, House Democrats left the door open for terrorists to be transferred to U.S. soil and took deliberate steps to convert our soldiers into international policemen.

By removing the Senate language to keep detainees out of the United States, the liberal leadership has cleared the way for terrorists to be tried in U.S. courts and housed in U.S. detention facilities all at U.S. taxpayers’ expense. House Democrats, lead by Rep. Price (D-NC) and Rep. Farr (D-CA) welcomed the idea of bringing terrorists onto U.S. soil to as a way to honor the Constitution.

I am outraged by the committee’s actions today. Terrorists who kill innocent people and do not abide by international law should not be housed on U.S. soil and granted the same rights as American citizens. And U.S. soldiers should be capturing and killing America’s sworn enemies on the battlefield, not reading Miranda Rights and collecting evidence for the terrorists to use in our courts.

STATEMENT ON LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:00:00 GMT

While the president has worked to assert control over the banking, auto, insurance, energy and health care industries, hardworking Americans continue to lose their jobs. Today, the Labor Department announced that hundreds of thousands more Americans are without employment. The president repeatedly claimed that he would “create or save jobs.” It is clear that his reckless spending and big government policies have failed.

Our nation is facing an urgent financial crisis that threatens our fiscal and economic stability. Our government is currently borrowing about 50 cents for every dollar we spend. Medicare is already paying out more in benefits than it collects and Social Security is expected to do the same in less than five years. Doug Elmendorf, Director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has warned that, “under current law, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path …”

I believe it is time to let Americans keep more of what they earn and for the government to spend less. It is time to start trusting and empowering individual Americans instead of the federal government. By taking these steps, our economy will see the growth and prosperity that have defined America for generations.

Culberson Calls for an Investigation into ACORN

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Yesterday Conservatives ensured that not another dime of your hard earned tax dollars is spent on the corrupt community organization ACORN. By a margin of 345-75, the House voted to cut off all federal funding to ACORN. In addition to the vote, I was able to gain assurance from Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, that he would hold hearings investigating the indisputable criminal activity we have seen broadcast in the media and on the internet. You can view the text of the letter here. This week marked the 222nd anniversary of the signing our nation’s Constitution. Great advances have been made over these 222 years, but sadly, the America our founding fathers envisioned is not the country we live in today. In a letter to Joseph Cabal, Thomas Jefferson said the way to have good and safe government is not to trust it all to one, but to divide it among the many, distributing to every one exactly the functions he is competent to. He went on to caution,...

Historic Government Spending

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:00:00 GMT

This week, annual federal spending surpassed the $3 trillion mark for the first time in our nation’s history. In July, the U.S. government spent more money - $332 billion – than in any other month in history. The current deficit for the year stands at $1.27 trillion – three times last year’s record of $459 billion. The individual share of this year's deficit for every American is $4,100 - by fall that share will approach $6,000. The national debt currently stands at $11.7 trillion, or $38,000 for every American. Americans for Tax Reform estimates that the cost of government this year will consume 61.34 percent of national income. Working men and women spend 224 days out of the year just meeting costs imposed by the government - a full 26 days longer than last year. Our nation is facing an urgent financial crisis that threatens our fiscal and economic stability. Our government is currently borrowing about 50 cents for every dollar we spend. Medicare is already paying out more in...

The Federal Government is on an Unstable Path

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:00:00 GMT

After passing cap and trade legislation, which is likely to be the largest tax increase in American history, President Obama and some in Congress are now pushing a $1.5 trillion health care plan that I believe will raise taxes, ration care, and let government bureaucrats make decisions that I feel should be made by you and your doctors. The White House has said this health care reform is key to our fiscal future. I think every American would agree that more taxes, more spending, and more government intervention is not the answer. Last week, Doug Elmendorf, Director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said, Under current law, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path, because federal debt will continue to grow much faster than the economy over the long run. Although great uncertainty surrounds long-term fiscal projections, rising costs for health care and the aging of the population will cause federal spending to increase rapidly under any plausible scenario...

72 HOUR RULE

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Record high spending bills are passing the House without a chance for Members of Congress and the American public to read the legislation. It is time to stop voting blind. Yesterday Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) and I introduced H.Res. 554, a resolution requiring the House of Representatives to make bills and conference reports available online for 72 hours before they are considered by the House. This resolution will enhance public participation in our democracy and help restore the public trust in government by raising the level of openness, order and discourse.

Today the nonpartisan, nonprofit Sunlight Foundation praised this resolution. Ellen Miller, executive director and co-founder of the Sunlight Foundation said, “We commend Reps. Baird and Culberson for demonstrating such strong support for increasing legislative transparency in the House. By making the core activity of the House—the consideration of legislation—more transparent, this rules change would strengthen the public's trust in the institution, improve legislation and trim wasteful spending. When legislation is not available for lawmaker or public review, we end up with special amendments like the Stimulus Bill’s last-minute loophole that allowed AIG executives to receive retroactive bonuses at the American taxpayers’ expense. If Congress and citizens alike had 72 hours to read the Stimulus Bill online, someone would have noticed the AIG provision and fixed it before it became law.”

PAYING FOR BORROWED MONEY WITH BORROWED MONEY

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:45:00 GMT

In a little less than five months, President Obama and the liberal leadership in Congress have spent more than $1.6 trillion. Their policies have created the highest spending levels since World War II and exploded our national debt to $11 trillion. Today President Obama’s director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) updated his projections and is now anticipating a $1.8 trillion deficit for 2009, up from $1.2 trillion earlier this year. The CBO director also noted that the U.S. government is now borrowing 50 cents for every dollar it spends. I voted against these wasteful spending programs, just as I did under the Bush administration, because common sense tells us that you don’t pay for borrowed money with borrowed money. We are a nation in debt and cannot continue writing checks when our bank account is overdrawn. American families do not budget this way and neither should the federal government. As a fiscal conservative, I strenuously opposed these epic and unprecedented...

STOP SPENDING OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

STOP SPENDING OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE

At a time when American families are trimming their budgets, House Democrats have decided that it is time to increase the federal government’s. Today, House Democrats increased taxes, increased spending, increased our national debt and increased the size of the federal government.

I voted against this budget because it increases taxes by $574 billion over the next five years. The last president to raise taxes during a recession was Herbert Hoover and he led us straight into the Great Depression. I believe that we should be cutting American’s taxes, not increasing them during these difficult economic times.

The Democrat budget contains historic spending equal to 27.6% of GDP - the highest spending levels since World War II. American families are cutting back on their spending and I believe the federal government should do the same.

This budget will increase our national debt to historic highs - over $17 trillion in five years. This is debt that our children and grandchildren will be forced to pay back.

I believe it is time to stop spending our children’s future. It is time to start trusting and empowering individual Americans instead of the federal government. It is time to let Americans keep more of what they earn and for the government to spend less. I believe that by taking these steps, our economy will experience the growth and prosperity that have defined America for generations.

CONGRESSIONAL CEOs

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:30:00 GMT

CONGRESSIONAL CEOs
Earlier this year, the Democrats passed a $787 billion “stimulus” bill that allowed 165 million of our tax dollars to be paid in bonuses for the same AIG employees who steered the company into insolvency. I voted against this bill because it was crafted in secret, rushed to the floor, and Members of Congress and the American public were not even given time to read it.

Today, House Democrats brought the “Executive Compensation Bill” to the floor in an attempt to correct their past mistake. This legislation gives the Treasury Secretary and Congress the power to define what level of compensation amounts to “unreasonable” or “excessive.” I voted against this bill because I believe the government has done enough harm already. Secretary Geithner and Members of Congress should quit their day jobs if they are interested in becoming CEOs of public companies. Given their track record, I doubt they would be hired.

Today I questioned whether the House Democrats had read the stimulus bill and asked why they did not afford the American people more time to read the largest spending bill in our nation’s history. To view the video, please click on the screen below.

Culberson says No to the largest spending bill in history

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Today I voted against the largest spending bill in the history of the United States Congress. This bill violated House rules, was crafted in secret by unelected Democrat staff, and gave the American people only 15 hours to read nearly 1,500 pages. All so Speaker Pelosi could make her trip to Italy.

This bill is also full of pet projects and wasteful spending. How does $300 million for golf carts help stimulate the economy? Economists from around the country have said this bill will do nothing to stimulate the economy and it's easy to see why.

In just 18 legislative days, this Congress has spent over $1.1 trillion dollars and vastly expanded the federal government. For the rest of the 111th Congress, I will continue fighting to protect the American economy and your hard earned tax dollars from the free-spending Democrat majority.

Congressman Culberson Continues Fight To Save Imprisoned Border Agents

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Congressman Culberson Continues Fight To Save Imprisoned Border Agents

Congressman Culberson, along with Congressmen Ted Poe, Dana Rohrabacher, William Delahunt, and Ed Royce, held a press conference this morning to continue to shed light on the case of Texas Border Agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. They, along with five other Members of Congress, have sent a letter to U.S. Pardon Attorney Ronald Rogers, asking again for the commutation of the agents.

Ramos and Compean are currently serving 11 and 12 year prison sentences, respectively, for shooting and wounding a self -admitted illegal alien drug smuggler. Both men have already spent almost two years in solitary confinement. They have lost their jobs and their imprisonment has caused tremendous hardship upon their families.

They were arrested and charged with multiple crimes in connection to the February 2005 shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, who was caught with over 700 pounds of marijuana on the Texas-Mexico border. The agents did not report the incident to their superiors and were charged with deprivation of civil rights and tampering with an official.

Months after the original charges were made against Ramos and Compean, the Prosecution then drastically increased the charges by imposing an indictment under 18 U.S.C. 924 (c) which carries with it a mandatory ten year imprisonment sentence. Prosecutor Johnny Sutton based his case heavily on the testimony of Aldrete-Davila, who was later caught with another load of drugs after the conclusion of the trial.

Congressman Culberson has actively sought to commute the undue sentences of Ramos and Compean. Thus far, eighty one, bi-partisan Members of Congress have joined him and signed onto H.Con.Res 267 in support of commutation. This morning’s press conference highlighted the injustices of the case and publicly called upon Pardon Attorney Rodgers to grant commutation.

Congressman Culberson Demands Accountability

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Dear Friend: Americans need to know the truth behind this financial crisis, and taxpayers should not bear the burden of failing financial institutions with no accountability or consequences. On Friday, I sent a letter to Attorney General Mukasey with thirty-one of my colleagues demanding a thorough investigation into the financial institutions and individuals suspected of criminal acts that led to this financial turmoil. I also support establishing a commission on the financial crisis to study the causes of the credit crunch and enact prudent regulatory reforms to restore accountability to our financial system. I have also signed a letter to Director James Lockhart demanding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac open their books to the American people. These two government-sponsored enterprises benefited from implied taxpayer backing for decades, and they contributed to the crisis in our financial markets with fraudulent accounting methods and misleading financial practices. In 2005, I voted...

Good News on Completing the Katy Freeway

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:00:00 GMT

Dear Friends: I am very pleased to report that on Tuesday, October 28, we will celebrate the completion of the Katy Freeway reconstruction! The official ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) will open the managed lanes to HOV users beginning 5 a.m. on Wednesday, October 29. The early completion of this monumental venture is a testament to resourceful leadership, seamless cooperation between local, state and federal government and innovative funding. I am proud to be part of this model project, which brings much-needed mobility to the congested Katy Freeway and proves that letting Texans run Texas is always the best solution. In a true team effort I worked together with TxDOT and the Harris County Commissioners' Court to develop a cost-effective plan to pay for these essential improvements. I secured the federal permit allowing I-10 to be the nation's first Interstate highway combined with locally operated...

Culberson Releases 2nd Quarter Fundraising Numbers

noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Culberson Releases 2nd Quarter Fundraising Numbers

Congressman John Culberson's campaign released his fundraising report totals for the second quarter of 2008 today, showing $400,000 raised for the quarter. His total fundraising for the cycle is $1.42 million, and his current cash on hand is $744,000. For the quarter, Congressman Culberson received contributions from 1137 individuals, 74 percent of whom live in District Seven and 98 percent in Texas, for a total of $293,000. That total also includes an impressive 836 individuals who gave under $200.

"I am humbled and grateful for the overwhelming support I've received from District Seven voters. My constituents approve of the work I'm doing to strengthen our economy while protecting taxpayers, and know that they can count on my record as a proven fiscal conservative. I'm spending the remainder of the cycle walking blocks, knocking on doors, and talking to District Seven voters every day." Congressman Culberson said.