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Wood and Fulton County Disaster Relief Effort Information
Posted by Staff on June 7, 2010
If you are interested in donating time and/or items to the relief effort in Wood and Fulton Counties in wake of the deadly weekend storms, please click here to contact the Greater Toledo Area Chapter of the Red Cross or call (419) 329-2900.
Congressman Latta "YouCut" Page
Posted by Staff on May 12, 2010
To Participate in the YouCut project, click on the widget below
Latta Letter to President Obama and Defense Secretary Gates
Posted by Staff on May 6, 2010
Earlier today, Congressman Bob Latta sent a letter to President Obama and Defense Secretary Gates regarding the court-martial proceedings of Petty Officer, 2nd Class Matthew McCabe.
Text of the letter is below and can be viewed here with the signatures of 11 other House Members who signed the letter. May 6, 2010 The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500-0003 Dear President Obama: We are writing to you to express our serious concerns with the court-martial proceedings of Petty Officer, 2nd Class Matthew McCabe from Wood County, Ohio. Mr. McCabe is being charged with assault for striking a detainee in the midsection, dereliction of duty and lying to investigators. Petty Officer, 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe and Petty Officer, 1st Class Julio Huertas have recently been acquitted on charges of dereliction of duty and lying to investigators relating to the same case. In 2004, four American civilian contractors were captured and killed by terrorists in Fallujah, Iraq. Their bodies were burned and mutilated, dragged through the streets and two of the bodies were then hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River. The accused mastermind of this attack is Ahmed Hashim Abed. Mr. Abed was not captured until September 2009, over 5 years after the brutal attacks on these Americans. Mr. Abed was captured during a covert, Navy SEALs’ operation by Matthew McCabe, Jonathan Keefe, and Julio Huertas. As you may be aware, al-Qaeda’s own handbook instructs their members to claim detainee abuse if they are captured by American forces. In addition, al-Qaeda operatives are also trained to inflict injuries upon themselves in order to further their claim of detainee abuse. Mr. McCabe has stated in interviews that he realized he wanted to protect his country the best that he could, and he knew the best way to do that was to go to BUD/S and become a Navy SEAL. Mr. McCabe has been asked as a Navy SEAL to track down terrorists throughout the world, and ensure that they face the consequences for their actions. Mr. McCabe has stated if he is cleared of all wrongdoing that he wishes to stay in his current SEAL platoon and be deployed to continue to serve his country. This is a dedicated young man who has served his country with the utmost respect and honor. The United States is in a war against global terrorism, and we have brave men like Matthew McCabe who want nothing more than to protect America, and go back to the front line to fight for our treasured liberties and freedoms. Our men and women in the Armed Forces, just like Mr. McCabe, are putting their lives in harms way each and every day. We cannot burden these men and women with the potential for legal action with every move or gesture they make. Navy SEALs work together as a team and are taught to obey orders and follow on command, and they need to be given every opportunity to succeed and be recognized and honored for their successful missions. We ask that you exercise your Constitutional authority as President of the United States and stop the Matthew McCabe trial and acquit him of all charges. Acquitting Mr. McCabe of these charges will decrease the potential negative impact for all men and women in the Armed Forces, but will also allow Mr. McCabe to go back to doing what he wants to do, and that is serving his country and protecting our citizens.
Congressman Bob Latta One Minute Speech on CMS Report
Posted by Staff on April 27, 2010
Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker I rise today to express my concern with the recently released analysis done by CMS of the health care bill that confirms that our nation’s health care costs will increase rather than decrease as the President has pledged to the Nation.
The CMS analysis concluded that national health care expenditures will actually increase by $311 Billion. At a time when our unemployment rate is continuing to increase, how are American families’ supposed to pay for these increased costs? The latest figures show that the Ohio unemployment rate is 11.5% statewide, and the unemployment rate is over 14% in many parts of my District. My constituents are continuing to ask, where are the jobs? In addition, the small businesses in my District are asking how they are supposed to pay for the new mandates being placed on them by this health care bill? Our national debt is skyrocketing and this country cannot take the crushing debt that is being placed on our children and grandchildren. The CMS analysis also shows that the recently passed health care bill increased health care costs to 21% of GDP by 2019. This figure is frightening. In addition to this increased spending in health care, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has stated that under current spending levels, by 2020, American taxpayers will be paying $2 billion dollars per day in interest alone on the national debt. It also estimates that the debt will be $20 trillion by that year. Our nation’s economic future requires that this Administration and Congress exercise serious fiscal restraint and stop excessive spending. Thank you and I yield back.
Congressman Latta Letter to EPA Administrator Jackson
Posted by Staff on March 30, 2010
March 19, 2010
Lisa Jackson Administrator Environmental Protection Agency Dear Administrator Jackson: I am requesting that you to delay the implementation of your agency’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting final rule, RRP (40 CFR Part 745). I represent the largest manufacturing district in Ohio and the 20th largest in Congress. I support the efforts to ensure the safety of families and workers who are renovating, repairing, or painting in pre-1978 homes and that they be conducted in accordance with the EPA’s RRP requirements. I have heard from many businesses, home builders, and contractors throughout my district and all of them have concerns about the implementation of this program on April 22, 2010. As I have stated in prior letters to you, any decisions from any agency or government entity should come from legislation, extensive studies, public comment and review, and review by other federal agencies, and peer review by experts. Both President Obama and yourself have stated in memorandums to department heads the need for transparency, scientific facts, and truths. Further, no information should be skewed before any final decisions are rendered. I believe this is accurate and must be conveyed throughout the government. Based on your compliance needs estimates, I do not feel that your agency is prepared to fully implement the RRP. If this program is implemented now, the RRP could harmfully change an effort to have a nationally residential retrofit program. As I understand, starting on April 22, 2010, renovation work that would agitate six square feet or more of the interior of a home built before 1978 will have to follow the new Lead Safe Work Practices (LSWP). In addition, the work that is required under the rule must be supervised by a certified renovator from your agency and performed by a certified EPA renovation firm. According to the regulation set to be implemented, your agency will require in excess of 200,000 certified renovators; however, at this time the current certified number of renovators falls extremely short of that number. It seems rather clear that your agency does not have a sufficient amount of certified renovators to comply with the RRP program. If the EPA is going to move forward on working to improve energy efficiency and help to create a residential retrofit trade, we need to make certain that small business owners, contractors, and industry are able to comply with the RRP and not be hindered or put at a disadvantage. This could negatively affect an industry that is struggling due to the economy and send them further into disrepair. This rule would force individuals and businesses to pass along these significant costs of complying with the RRP to the home owners forcing yet additional costs from the government onto our hardworking families. Given the above concerns, I ask that you consider delaying the effective date of the RRP from April 22, 2010 until the concerns stated above are addressed. I look forward to your earliest reply on this matter, as it is vital to America’s future and survival. Please feel free to contact me, or Cory Toth, of my staff at (202) 225-6405 should you have any other questions. Sincerely, Robert E. Latta Member of Congress
Congressman Bob Latta Floor Debate 3/24/10
Posted by Staff on March 25, 2010 Congressman Latta's letter to FEMA Administrator Fugate regarding the "buy American" provision can be found here.
BREAKING: “FIX” BILL MAY NOT ADVANCE IN SENATE
Posted by Staff on March 21, 2010
(Press Release Courtesy of Senate Republican Conference)
Senate Democrats Refuse Bi-partisan Meeting With Parliamentarian Until After House Votes WASHINGTON DC – Senate Democrats have balked at a bi-partisan meeting with the Senate Parliamentarian to discuss a rule violation that could doom the entire House reconciliation proposal. DON STEWART, McCONNELL SPOKESMAN: “Republicans have been trying to set up a meeting with Senate Democrats since yesterday to discuss this fatal point of order but have been met with nothing but silence. We suspect Democrats are slow walking us so as to have the House vote first. Since Senate Democrats refuse to meet with us and the Parliamentarian, we’ve informed our colleagues in the House that we believe the bill they’re now considering violates the clear language of Section 310g of the Congressional Budget Act, and the entire reconciliation bill is subject to a point of order and rejection in the Senate should it pass the House.” BACKGROUND DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP RELEASE: “The Congressional Budget Office estimate of the health care legislation shows an increase in Social Security revenues… CBO projects that the resulting increase in wages will generate $29 billion in additional FICA contributions to the Social Security Trust Fund.” (“Health Care Reform Update,” Office of Rep. Steny Hoyer, 3/21/10) CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT: “LIMITATION ON CHANGES TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any reconciliation bill or reconciliation resolution reported pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget agreed to under section 301 or 304, or a joint resolution pursuant to section 258C of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, or any amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that contains recommendations with respect to the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program established under title II of the Social Security Act.” (Congressional Budget Act Of 1974, Sec. 310g, P. 31)
Not the way to treat your ally
Posted by Staff on March 19, 2010
This weekend Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington, D.C., during which he will visit with George Mitchell, Special Envoy to the Middle East, as well as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. The trip comes after Vice President Joe Biden publicly condemned Israel for its announcement of housing construction in East Jerusalem while Biden was visiting our Middle East ally, and a 45-minute phone call in which Clinton berated Netanyahu and issued demands that Israel make specific commitments to the peace process with Palestinians.
The recent tone of this Administration towards Israel, one of America’s staunchest allies and defender of democracy in the Middle East is very troubling. Since 1947, Israel has been committed to permanent peace with its neighbors, making Clinton’s demands insulting. The harsh disapproval of Israel by the administration is damaging to our relationship, and counter-productive to the steps Israel has taken towards peace. At a time when the Iranian regime continues to pursue its nuclear program, such a rift with America’s staunch, and long-standing ally is dangerous. This administration cannot further isolate Israel but rather the U.S. should reaffirm America’s unequivocal commitment to one of our closest allies. |