July 18, 2011 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President, The nation’s spending is out of control. This is clearly evidenced by the necessity of your request to increase our nation’s debt limit. This step became necessary because - quite simply - we have become accustomed to a pattern of massive borrowing for spending rather than responsible budgeting. It is regrettable that we have reached this point, but the time for blame is ... Read more

There is much discussion in the media and pundit circles urging Republicans to distance themselves from reforming entitlements. “Learn the lesson,” they tell us. “If you do not stop talking about Medicare you will not get re-elected.” Addressing the solvency of Medicare is not easy. The truth of the matter, according to the Medicare trustees themselves, is that Medicare is on an unsustainable path to bankruptcy. Their most recent projection is that Medicare will be bankrupt by 2024. Even the New... Read more

It's no secret that we live in challenging times. Many sectors of our economy continue to struggle and our dependence on foreign energy sources continues to grow. However, there is some good news. Responsible development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas field has tremendous potential to help meet both of these challenges, and many, many more. In 2009, the production of Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania had an economic output of more than $3.8 billion, and generated more than $400 million in stat... Read more

We have all learned the background on the appalling situation that has played out along the Mexican border with regard to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and Mexican drug cartel operatives making large-scale purchases of weapons in the United States. This was a case of based bureaucrats making decisions that field agents, local law enforcement, and even gun shop owners worried might come back to haunt us. It did just that when one of those weapons allegedly killed an American... Read more

Transportation Investments, Safety Record Are Legitimate Uses of Dollars Everyone understands the reality that the federal government is operating in the midst of a debt-driven crisis. Every dollar we spend must be closely examined in terms of effectiveness. Taxpayers rightly demand and deserve a good return on their investments. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has a direct effect on the entire nation. Whether it be planes, roads, bridges, mass transit or railroads, every taxpaye... Read more

This past week history was made in Washington. Because there was no budget passed last year, government operation is being funded by temporary spending resolutions. The spending resolution debated this week represented the largest savings in history: more than $100 billion. This is real money saved and is $100 billion less piled onto the national debt. Also, this resolution was debated by what is known as an open rule – a process that allows for an open and vigorous debate and opportunity for a... Read more