Working to Grow American Jobs, Build a Healthy Economy, and Create Economic Opportunities
|
I am committed to protecting hardworking taxpayers and building a healthier economy so that you will have more opportunities to get ahead in life. Washington is out of touch with the American worker and the job creators that employ them. Bureaucrats in their Washington, DC cubicles have too much time on their hands and are too often immune to the
adverse consequences of their regulations. Federal regulators do not suffer the consequences of broken borders, an influx of illegal immigrants, job-layoffs or the higher costs imposed by Obamacare.
America’s job creators face a growing mountain of expensive and ineffective regulations (pictured to the left) that threaten the jobs of hardworking American taxpayers. Reining in an out-of-control bureaucracy has been a priority of mine since I took the oath of office eight months ago, and it will continue to guide my decision as your Congressman. I’d like to take this opportunity to update you on just a few of the things I've been working on to rein in regulations and grow the economy.
|
Ending Ineffective and Inefficient Regulations
|
Ending ineffective and inefficient regulations is critical to freeing and empowering America’s job creators to do what they do best – create jobs that put Americans to work. A top priority for me is stopping out-of-control agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who continue to impose new regulations that threaten thousands of jobs in our nation’s energy and chemical industries, including those right here in Southeast Texas.
On July 28th we passed the REINS Act (H.R. 427), which holds federal agencies accountable for expensive and intrusive regulations they are imposing on the American people. It does so simply by requiring an up or down vote in the Congress on any regulation that would impose a cost of more than $100 million on the U.S. economy. The American people need a check on federal regulators and ensuring they are accountable to Congress is one way to do this. This would include proposed regulations that regulate carbon emission or ozone.
We also passed the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act (H.R. 1732), which halts the EPA’s brazen attempt to regulate farmland ponds. While it is no secret that Washington is out of touch with our values, anyone in doubt only needs to consider that bureaucrats in Washington think a tire rut in a field (pictured above) is a “navigable river” and subject to EPA regulations.
|
| Expanding American Energy |
|
Providing reliable, affordable energy that powers our country and the world is what Texas does best. The refineries and chemical plants in and around the 36th Congressional District are unmatched in the world and provide thousands of good paying jobs for our area. American technology and ingenuity has rapidly expanded our ability to produce oil and gas - making us less dependent on Middle East oil. We need to build on this success and reject the Administration’s initiatives that undermine our energy jobs and economy. To that end, I have voted to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline (H.R. 3) and expedite Liquid Natural Gas Exports (H.R. 351), and I support expanding exports of crude oil and creating new markets for the products coming out of our area's chemical factories, paper mills and refineries. All of these are essential to making America more competitive and creating good-paying jobs in Texas.
|
Providing Tax Relief for Hard Working Americans
|
Texas taxpayers should not be punished for living in a low-tax state like Texas. That’s why I was pleased the House approved legislation (H.R. 622) I cosponsored to permanently restore the sales tax deduction. This will lower Texans federal income taxes by roughly a billion dollars a year. I am also proud to have voted for the Death Tax Repeal Act (H.R. 1105), which fully repeals the estate tax. This is an unfair tax that penalizes Texas farmers, ranchers and small business owners who want to hand down their small business to the next generation. These two bipartisan bills provide critical tax relief to Texas taxpayers and ensure their hard-earned dollars stay in our communities rather than in Washington’s coffers.
|
Supporting Texas Infrastructure and A Robust National Space Program
|
As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am working to implement policies that enhance our highway, rail and port infrastructure. These are essential to building a stronger economy and making sure that our products can get to markets in Texas, the United States and across the globe.
Rep. Babin tours the Port of Houston to learn more about the Port and its operations. |
As a Chairman of House Space Subcommittee, I am committed to seeing that NASA has a bold, robust and focused human space flight mission. Today, NASA is pulled in too many different directions and limited dollars are diverted away from space exploration toward climate change research. Our space investment drives critical technology development, helps America keep its competitive edge, and inspires the next generation to study math, science and engineering.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tell Me What You Think |
EPA Regulations
Should the EPA’s “global warming and ozone” regulations be rejected?
(__) Yes
(__) No
To take the survey, click here.
___________________________
NASA
Do you support the federal government’s investment in NASA?
(__) Yes
(__) No
To take the survey, click here.
Rep. Babin discusses energy issues and government regulations with a local businessman.
|
|
