Babin Files Bill to Suspend and Examine U.S. Foreign Refugee Program
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This past week I introduced the Resettlement Accountability National Security Act (H.R. 3314), which places an immediate suspension on allowing immigrants into the United States under the refugee resettlement program, until the Government Accountability Office (GAO) completes a thorough examination of its costs on federal, state and local governments. According to the U.S. refugee admissions database, nearly 500,000 new immigrants have come to the U.S. under the resettlement program since President Obama first took office – with the state of Texas and its taxpayers being asked to take in more than any other state.
It is extremely unsettling that the Obama Administration would continue to expand the U.S. resettlement program at such an irresponsible pace in light of our economic and national security challenges. Our legislation institutes a common sense pause in the program so that we can better understand the long-term and short-term costs that this program has on local governments, states and U.S. taxpayers. It also gives us an opportunity to examine potential national security issues related to entry and resettlement, particularly as federal law enforcement officials are increasingly concerned about home-grown terrorists.
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House Passes VA Accountability Act
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Despite outrage from the public, we have continued to see too many reports of mismanagement and misconduct by VA employees. For this reason, I voted this past week to pass the VA Accountability Act, which allows for the swift removal of corrupt and incompetent VA bureaucrats.
Without a doubt – our veterans deserve better – and this bill is an important step that is needed to fix the broken culture at the VA.
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| Babin Votes to Hold Federal Agencies Accountable |
On Tuesday, the House passed with my support, the REINS Act (H.R. 427), common sense legislation that holds federal agencies, and those in the White House, accountable for the expensive and intrusive regulations they are imposing on the American people. Our bill would require an up or down vote in Congress on any regulatory rule with more than $100 million economic impact before it can go into effect. According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, federal regulations cost the U.S. economy nearly $2 trillion per year. Additionally the non-partisan CBO estimates that, over the last five years, the Obama Administration has issued 82 "major rules," defined as those with an economic impact of more than $100 million. This bill reins in these Washington regulators and holds them accountable to the American people. It provides a critical check on out-of-control federal regulators.
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House Science Committee Holds Hearing on Pluto Flyby and Planetary Science
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The success of the New Horizons spacecraft and its recent Pluto flyby mission has captivated the imagination of the American people and the world, while also reenergizing the curiosity about what lies beyond Earth. This past week the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to shed light on this mission, the discoveries and our next steps for exploration missions.
To watch Rep. Babin's opening statement, please click here. |
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| Reps. Babin and Green Introduce Bill to Improve Port Safety |
| On Wednesday, I was pleased to be joined by Rep. Gene Green (TX-29) in introducing the Waterway Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 3315) to enhance navigation and safety in our nation’s ports, including the Port of Houston. This legislation addresses important concerns on the Port of Houston waterways with clarifying language to grant discretionary authority to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) — the entity in charge of Port maintenance. It will provide much-needed flexibility and resources to ensure that the Corps can properly maintain our nation’s ports and address any safety issues in a timely manner. This will benefit our area tremendously and further strengthen the Port of Houston as a world leader in the maritime industry. |
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| Planned Parenthood Poll Question Results |
I recently asked if you thought Congress should pass legislation I have cosponsored to end taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. Here are the results:
Yes (80%)
No (19%)
Need more information (1%)
If you have not yet taken the poll, please do so by clicking here.
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| Snap-shots from the Week |
It was great having Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton on Capitol Hill to participate in a roundtable discussion on the potential impacts of EPA’s proposed ozone rule on U.S. manufacturing and jobs.
Enjoyed meeting with Carolyn Hopkins and her family from Clear Lake, Texas, before they went on their U.S. Capitol tour. Remember, if you are in Washington, please let our office know.
This past week I met with space industry leaders, including former NASA Gemini Astronaut and retired Lt. Gen. Tom Stafford, to discuss ways to keep our nation's space program energized and stable moving forward.
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