No Time to Delay Fiscal Restraint

I voted against the plan to increase the federal debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion this week because it delays meaningful spending reductions, fails to address entitlement spending in a way that will save the programs for future generations of retirees, and leaves open the possibility of tax increases. Tax increases are the wrong answer for a struggling economy, and recent history proves that higher taxes don’t go to the bottom line. Congress has spent $1.17 for every dollar in new taxes... Read more

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Disclosure of Federal Drug Research Money is a No-brainer

It’s a no-brainer that we all benefit from prescription drugs. It’s also well-known that the research and development of blockbuster medicine is expensive. Private drug companies pay for it, and the federal taxpayers pay for it. With billions of dollars in the mix, potential conflicts of interest are inevitable. My congressional oversight work found one prominent doctor who owned part of a drug company while using a federal research grant... Read more

 

Adjustments Needed for Flood Control

As Iowans and others along the Missouri River continue to cope with record-level flooding, it’s high time to figure out how to avoid a similar scenario next year. Flood control must be the top priority for how the Army Corps of Engineers manages the dams on the river. To push forward the review and adjustment process, I sent a letter today, along with senators representing states from North Dakota to Missouri. We asked the Corps for a complete accounting of how it sees the scope and limits of its authority to reduce the risk of flooding by making changes to its Master Water Control Manual. This manual governs Corps operations... Read more

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ATF Officials in Mexico Denied Access to Fast and Furious Details

Over the last several weeks, new details have emerged about the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ reckless strategy, named Operation Fast and Furious, to allow guns to fall into the hands of known straw purchasers. The guns often were transported across the border to Mexican drug cartels. I began asking questions in January and have been joined by Congressman Darrell Issa, the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. We’re working together... Read more