Having just observed Memorial Day, we are reminded of the blessings of liberty and living in the land of the free. That is why helping to create jobs and grow our economy will continue to be my focus in the weeks and months ahead. In every facet of our society – the care of our veterans, budget, health care, and energy – we are in need of policies that get folks back to work and create an atmosphere that rewards hard work and keeps government out of the way of innovation. Implementation of the b... Read more

On Memorial Day, we will commemorate U.S. soldiers who have died in military service. We will pause in remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives in defense of our free Republic. This Memorial Day we give thanks to the men and women who devoted their lives to defending our freedom. It is the duty of our nation to honor and support our service members who have given up their lives for a greater cause than themselves. Memorial Day is much more than a three-day weekend that marks the beginning... Read more

Every day I hear stories of how more layoffs are threatened and economic uncertainty is being brought about by bills such as the health care law and regulations that stifle innovation. In order to create jobs and get folks back to work, Congress needs to work together in a bipartisan way to be a part of the solution. The best way to lower the unemployment rate and promote job growth is to create an atmosphere that rewards hard work, keeps government out of the way of innovation and incentivizes ... Read more

Next week, the House will consider legislation to replace destructive and arbitrary cuts to Defense funding with savings derived from reforms to government programs that have rapidly expanded in recent years. Dangerous cuts are on the horizon because the supercommittee failed to find common ground on spending cuts, under the terms of the Budget Control Act. The opportunity missed by the supercommittee was an opportunity to reform our mandatory programs. Instead, this country is facing $1.2 trill... Read more

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court justices heard arguments regarding Arizona’s immigration law. The way I see it, Arizona is simply trying to enforce our basic immigration laws that make it illegal to be in our country without a visa or proper citizenship. With nearly 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, it is clear that our system is broken and the federal government needs to enact and enforce strict immigration laws in order to protect the citizens of our country. The problem with illega... Read more

Tuesday marked Tax Day and, coincidentally, Tax Freedom Day - meaning that it has taken from January 1 until now for Americans to earn enough money to pay this year’s federal, state, and local tax bill — 29.2% of all our income. We need to put a stop to the government’s overreach into hardworking taxpayers’ wallets. One way we can stop the government tax overreach is by fixing the broken tax system. I support simplifying our tax code and closing loopholes that amount to spending in the tax code.... Read more

As we approach the tax filing deadline on April 17, we see how much the government and taxation have grown in America. There is no question we need to lower taxes for all hardworking Americans, from our job creators to our friends and neighbors who have fallen on hard times. Excessive regulation and taxes are a deterrent to business expansion and income. The president’s solution to economic recovery is the opposite. In his budget he is proposing $1.5 trillion in new taxes. His plan would raise t... Read more

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2013 budget, “The Path to Prosperity”. Our nation is facing a debt crisis, and passage of this blueprint will help restore jobs and put our country back on a fiscally sustainable path. Hardworking taxpayers deserve better than empty promises from a broken government, and “The Path to Prosperity” budget offers a tangible way forward. After years of spending money beyond its means, the U.S. government is broke. If nothing is done ... Read more

The demand for Medicare services is expanding at a very high rate, making future costs unaffordable, and putting our health care security at risk. As a physician and a lawmaker, I believe our common goal should be to save, protect and preserve Medicare. Instead of dramatically cutting Medicare dollars, which will lead to decreased quality and access to care, we should be looking at ways to save the program and improve the quality of care we are providing our seniors. That is why I introduced the... Read more

While each month shows a little more progress than the one before, February’s jobs report stated the national unemployment rate is still 8.3 percent. With 12.8 million Americans unemployed, it’s clear Congress still has a lot of work to do. According to a recent World Bank study, the United States dropped two ranks, from eleventh to thirteenth, in the “starting a business” category, which gauges how easy or difficult it is for businesses to get up and running. For true economic recovery to take ... Read more