The Asymmetric Warfare Group, the “operational arm” of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, is leveraging Network Integration Evaluation 13.2′s multi-echelon training and live-mission sets in which Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, are conducting tactical operations.
Posts Tagged ‘#Facebook’
Speaker Boehner on IRS Scandal: Who’s Going to Jail?
Speaker John Boehner today addressed the growing IRS scandal whereby administration officials admitted to wrongfully targeting conservatives and political opponents of President Obama, and reportedly gave preferential treatment to liberal groups and allies of the White House. Boehner said: “The IRS admitted to targeting conservatives, even if the White House continues to be stuck on the word ‘if.’ My question isn’t about who is going to resign. My question is who’s going to jail over this scandal?” The House Ways & Means Committee will hold a hearing to investigate the IRS this Friday at 9:00 AM ET , and the Oversight & Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing next Wednesday .
GOP-Led House Focused on Creating Jobs, Holding Government Accountable
“Americans need common-sense solutions to help create jobs and they need accountability from their government, and the House is working to give them both,” Speaker Boehner said at a press conference today, previewing this week’s House vote to fully repeal ObamaCare and highlighting the ongoing investigation into the administration’s response to the terrorist attack in Benghazi. On tomorrow’s House vote to fully repeal ObamaCare – it’s third since 2011 – Boehner said: “Our jobs plan has been out there, and we’re continuing to focus on it. This week, we’ll be repealing ObamaCare. Why? Because it’s going to raise the cost of health care, raise the cost of health insurance, reduce access to the American people, and continues to get in the way of employers hiring new workers.” Noting that Americans “deserve the truth, and fairness from their government,” Boehner also reiterated his call for the Obama administration to release all of the e-mails relating to its handling of the Benghazi terrorist attack, and the information it shared with the American people in its aftermath. Here’s more: “I want to applaud Chairman Issa and the Government Reform Committee for all of their work last week on Benghazi – trying to get to the bottom of what happened. The administration could make this a lot easier for all Americans by coming forward with e-mails that they’ve shown us, in some cases, but have not turned over to us. And I don’t want to prolong this anymore than anyone else, what I want is the truth.” Learn more about the House’s effort to fully repeal ObamaCare to help protect American families and small businesses here: Seven House-Passed Bills President Obama Signed that Repeal or Defund Parts of His Health Care Law Your Guide to President Obama’s Upcoming Road Trip, Part One: Will POTUS Acknowledge His Health Care Law Makes It Harder to Hire? ObamaCare’s Small Business Slowdown Welcome to the Club: Democrats “Nervous,” “Concerned” About “Complex,” Confusing, “Train Wreck” ObamaCare And read more about the ongoing investigation into the administration’s handling of the Benghazi terrorist attack here: Across U.S., Editorial Boards Press For More Answers on Benghazi President Obama Still Can’t Keep the Facts Straight on Benghazi Reports Confirm “Scrubbing” of Benghazi Talking Points as Boehner Demands White House Release E-Mails Boehner Calls on President Obama to Release Benghazi E-Mails Carney Claims on Changing #Benghazi Talking Points at Odds With the Facts Progress Report on Benghazi Terror Attack Investigation
Boehner: American People Seeing “Remarkable Arrogance” from the Obama Administration
Americans learned a lot of unsettling things about their government in the past week. They learned that the IRS unfairly targeted conservative groups and the president’s political opponents. They learned that the Obama administration executed a sweeping search of reporters’ telephone records . And they learned that the White House repeatedly misrepresented its involvement in re-writing information it shared with the American people about the terrorist attack in Benghazi. A lot of questions are being raised as a result of these revelations and, as Speaker Boehner said at a press conference today, “This House will stop at nothing to get to the American people the answers and the accountability that they expect.” Here’s the full text of Boehner’s remarks: “Listen, jobs is our primary focus, but while we’re focused on that, we’re also focused on holding this administration accountable. Our committees are working overtime to uncover the truth about what happened in Libya. And they’re trying to get to the bottom of what happened in the IRS scandal. “You know, public service requires humility. And everyone in public office needs to be constantly reminded that they serve the American people – and it’s not the other way around. Americans should never be targeted or harassed by their government for their political beliefs. And if reporters’ telephone calls are being monitored, the government better have a clear, and convincing reason for doing so. And when…Americans are killed abroad, the government should tell the truth – not shade it or stonewall it for partisan purposes. “Our system requires the bonds of trust between the American people and their government. And those bonds, once broken, are very hard to repair. Nothing dissolves the bonds between the people and their government like the arrogance of power here in Washington. That’s what the American people are seeing today from the Obama administration: remarkable arrogance. “This House will stop at nothing to get to the American people the answers and the accountability that they expect. But the best way to repair this damage is for the administration to come forward with the truth – the whole truth – so that the American people will have all of the facts.” The House Ways & Means Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on the IRS’ admitted practice of targeting conservative groups, followed by a hearing in the Oversight & Government Reform Committee next week. The Oversight & Government Reform Committee heard from the Benghazi whistleblowers last week, and, as Boehner has said, “Congress is going to continue to investigate this issue using all the resources at our disposal.” House Republicans’ focus on oversight and accountability helped bring these issues to light, and it will continue to be a top priority.
#RateShock: Premiums Skyrocket, Some Could “Soar More Than 400 Percent” Under ObamaCare
How much could you (and everyone else) pay for health care in the years ahead thanks to the president’s health care law? According to the nation’s insurers, a lot more — in the individual market an average of double what we pay now with some rates soaring by more than 400 percent. That’s what the nation’s 17 largest insurers told the House Energy & Commerce Committee. You can see the whole report here . “Internal cost estimates from 17 of the nation’s largest insurance companies indicate that health insurance premiums will grow an average of 100 percent under Obamacare ,” reported the Washington Examiner . “ [S]ome will soar more than 400 percent , crushing the administration’s goal of affordability.” “The report said existing customers in the individual market can expect rate hikes of 73 percent,” wrote The Hill . “[N]ew customers’ premiums will cost 96 percent more. Small businesses could see rates climb by 50 percent, according to data from one insurer.” Health & Human Services Secretary Sebelius herself admitted premiums will increase for Americans . See Energy & Commerce’s state-by-state breakdown to get an idea of the higher costs ahead under ObamaCare, and read more in the report here . With all the new “ mandates, taxes, and fees ,” as well as a tower of new regulations (seriously — a red tape tower ), ObamaCare is undermining our economy by driving prices up and making it harder for small businesses to hire . Then of course, there’s this: the IRS will “ play a dominant role in health care ” under the president’s law. Do we trust these guys to “enforce most of the laws involved in the reform?” The House will vote today to fully repeal the health care law. Learn more about this vote, and other successful efforts to repeal and defund parts of the law, here . LIKE & SHARE THE GRAPHIC ABOVE ON FACEBOOK & GOOGLE +
PHOTO: Speaker Boehner Welcomes Prime Minister of Turkey
Speaker John Boehner welcomed Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Turkey, to the U.S. Capitol today. Speaker Boehner hosted a bipartisan meeting with the Prime Minister and Members of Congress. Click here and here for the high-res photos on Flickr.
Fort Bragg first to receive upgraded M119 howitzers
On April 19, Artillerymen at Fort Bragg, N.C., became the first unit in the Army to receive digitized M119A3 howitzers, which will make it possible for Soldiers to start firing rounds and evade return fire quicker in combat.
Soldiers prepare to face opposing forces in NIE 13.2
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, are preparing to conduct decisive action operations against an adaptive opposing force during Network Integration Evaluation 13.2, which is scheduled to start this month.
Army’s ‘Coral Reef’ intelligence analysis software among ‘Top 5′ technologies of 2012
An application called “Coral Reef,” which is part of the Army’s larger “Distributed Common Ground System – Army,” was named one of the “Top 5″ among 25 top technologies and efforts of 2012 by C4ISR Journal.
Statement by Speaker Boehner on Syria
WASHINGTON, DC – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement on the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons in Syria: “I have and will continue to support the President’s articulated red line of confirmation of the use of chemical weapons or the transfer of such weapons to terrorist groups. At the same time, I am deeply concerned with reports that further confirmation of use may be outsourced to the United Nations. If Assad sees any equivocation on the red line, it will embolden his regime. “The United States has vital national interests in Syria becoming a peaceful country with a stable, representative government. After two years of brutal conflict, it’s past time for the President to have a robust conversation with the Congress and the American people about how best to bring Assad’s tyranny to an end.”
North Carolina Area Health Education Center Building in Chapel Hill, N.C. Named a Top Finisher in Energy Star National Building Competition
ATLANTA – The North Carolina Area Health Education Center Building in Chapel Hill, N.C. was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top finisher in the third-annual Energy Star National Building Competition. The plant was recognized for reducing their energy use by over a 34 percent
Craigmont High School in Memphis, Tenn. Named a Top Finisher in Energy Star National Building Competition
ATLANTA – Craigmont High School in Memphis, Tenn. was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top finisher in the third-annual Energy Star National Building Competition. The school was recognized for reducing their energy use by over a 34 percent. In its third year, the Energy Star National Building Competition featured teams from across the country to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs, and protect public health and the environment
EPA to Recognize Toyota Manufacturing in Blue Springs, Miss with 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year award
ATLANTA – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will present the 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence award to Toyota Manufacturing in Blue Springs, Miss. The award ceremony will coincide with Toyota’s Earth Day celebration and the official “turn on” of its new 50kW solar array, one of the largest in the state of Mississippi
Secretary of the Army John McHugh: This is why we own the night
Secretary of the Army John McHugh received a demonstration of some of the Army’s current and future technologies, today, during a visit to Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate at Fort Belvoir, Va., April 18, 2013.
Fort Hood is no stranger to winning environmental awards
Last year Fort Hood won the installation and team award at both the Secretary of Army and Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards competitions. This year it was no surprise when they captured the Sustainability award for a non-industrial installation 2012 Secretary of the Army Environmental Awards competition.
Army stresses importance of investments in science, technology
An Army research and technology official told a House subcommittee, April 16, 2013, that investments in science and technology are critical for advances that protect Soldiers, address the threats of today and prepare the service for the challenges of the future.
Speaker Boehner: “Our Whole House Continues to Pray for the Victims and Their Families”
WASHINGTON, DC – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) made the following remarks today on the attack in Boston: “I don’t think words can express our sorrow for the families that are grieving today as a result of what happened in Boston. The whole House yesterday offered our moment of silence, but our whole House continues to pray for the victims and their families. “We also give thanks to the professionals and Good Samaritans who helped to prevent further loss of life. I’ve ordered the flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff in tribute to the victims and their families. “It was a terrible day for all Americans, but we carry on in the American spirit, we will come together with grace and with strength.”
PHOTO: Speaker Boehner & NASCAR Champ Brad Keselowski
Speaker John Boehner met with 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski and racing icon Roger Penske on the Speaker’s Balcony of the U.S. Capitol today. Click here for a high-res version of the photo above.
Gabriel Zimmerman Meeting Room Dedicated in U.S. Capitol
WASHINGTON, DC – House leaders held a ceremony this afternoon to dedicate Room HVC-215 of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in honor of Gabriel Zimmerman , who died on January 8, 2011 while carrying out his duties as an aide to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) opened the event by leading a moment of silence for the victims of yesterday’s Boston Marathon attack. Following are his remarks at the ceremony, as prepared for delivery: “I know the word ‘bittersweet’ is on our minds today. The word ‘historic’ should be as well. “This is the first room in the Capitol Visitor Center to be dedicated in honor of an individual. And it is the first room in the entire Capitol complex to be dedicated in honor of a staff member. “It’s a stirring tribute – and a fitting one too. This isn’t a space we use for pomp and ceremony. People come together here for meetings and gatherings, democratic rituals in their own right – the kind of assemblies Gabe planned and led throughout his career. “And there’s this plaque, which speaks of a young man who set out to make a difference – and did, many times over. Still, a plaque can only say so much. Especially in this case. “Gabe’s colleagues and fellow staffers know why this is. They know Gabe wouldn’t have counted all the hours he gave to the people he helped. They know he wouldn’t have tracked the extra calls he made, the loose ends he tied up, the free time he sacrificed. “They know he wouldn’t have bragged about his successes. He wouldn’t have announced them. Because that’s their code . And the democratic process, that’s their ‘line of duty.’ “So today – and every day – we should pause and be thankful for the unsung professionals who sustain this institution. In that spirit, will all the staff members present please step forward or raise their hands and be recognized? “This tribute to one who served is a tribute to all who serve. May this room stand as a marker of our capacity to give, to care, and to love.”
EPA to Host Parking Audit Workshop in Lawrence, Kan., on Wednesday, April 17
Environmental News NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY (Lenexa, Kan., April 15, 2013) – EPA will host a Parking Audit Workshop that will provide Lawrence, Kan., with technical assistance to begin discussions on how to manage parking supply and demand in the city’s Oread neighborhood. The April 17 workshop will be held at the Carnegie Library, 200 West 9th Street, in Lawrence
Speaker Boehner: President’s Budget “Not Serious & It’ll Cost Our Economy More Jobs”
WASHINGTON, DC – At his weekly press briefing today, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) discussed President Obama’s failure to put forth a serious budget proposal that addresses Washington’s spending problem. Speaker Boehner urged President Obama to abandon his take-it-or-leave-it approach and work with Republicans to find common ground on reforms that are needed to help the economy grow and create jobs, and shore up critical entitlement programs. Following are Speaker Boehner’s remarks: On the President’s Budget: It’s “Not a ‘Compromise,’ – It’s a Step Backwards”: “The president released his budget yesterday, and the way he’s been talking recently, I was hopeful. But as we’ve seen many times now, hope has again become disappointment. “The president calls this his compromise budget. But his bottom line is this: my way or the highway. And if that’s the case, I’m not very optimistic. “Listen, the president and I weren’t able to reach an agreement last year because every offer he made was skewed in favor of higher taxes. This plan is no exception. “His ‘opening offer’ last year – last fall was $1.6 trillion in new revenues. His ‘final offer’ was $1.3 trillion. This budget would mean a total of $1.7 trillion in new revenues. That’s not a ‘compromise’ – it’s a step backwards.” On the President’s Failure to Offer a Serious Plan to Address the Spending Problem in Washington: “And you can’t portray a budget as a compromise when it ignores the spending problem here in Washington. House and Senate Budget Committees have looked at the numbers and found that this plan only reduces the deficit by around $100 billion over the next 10 years. It’s just not serious. “Rather than cutting spending, this plan increases it by nearly a trillion dollars. And I’ll repeat: it increases spending by $964 billion over current law. Again, I don’t think that’s a serious effort at addressing Washington’s spending problem. “The president’s budget calls for more than a trillion dollars in new tax revenue – beyond the tax hike that the president got at the beginning of the year. Again, it’s not serious and it’ll cost our economy more jobs. “Worst of all, this budget never balances. Never, ever, ever comes to balance. We’ve spent more money than we’ve taken in for 55 of the last 60 years. No business in America can survive like that, no household in America can survive like that, and our government can’t survive if we continue to spend money we don’t have. Now all this budget does is preserve the status quo. It’s time to look at the cost drivers and to stop the spending here in Washington.” On the Need for President Obama to Seek Common Ground with Republicans on Much-Needed Reforms: “Now, I am encouraged that the president acknowledged that our safety net programs are unsustainable, but only offered some modest reforms. “They are modest. It’s nothing close to what we need in order to preserve these programs and to put ourselves on a path to balance the budget. And still it’s a step back from what he’d agreed to over a year and a half ago. So, there’s no reason we can’t make incremental progress where we can agree. “And that’s why the president’s take-it-or-leave-it approach is disappointing. It was the president himself who said ‘When Democrats and Republicans agree on something, it should be pretty easy to get it done…Let’s…agree to do what we all agree’ upon. Those are the president’s words. Now he wants to hold these modest reforms hostage for just another round of tax increases. “ It’s no way to compromise. It’s no way to move the country forward. And frankly it’s no way to lead.”
Rep. Jackie Walorski to Push For Balanced Budget in Weekly Republican Address
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) will stress the need for a balanced budget to help create jobs and improve the lives of American families when she delivers the Weekly Republican Address on Saturday, April 13. Last month, during President Obama’s meeting on Capitol Hill with House Republicans, Walorski asked the president why the federal government doesn’t do what every family tries to do and balance its budget. She is a member of the House Budget Committee. “ A balanced budget means a healthier economy, more jobs, and a brighter future for our kids and grandkids ,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said. “ Jackie Walorski has brought common-sense Hoosier values to Congress and the House Budget Committee, and I look forward to hearing what she has to say in our weekly address .” “ In the Hoosier State, hardworking moms and dads understand that balancing a budget is a basic responsibilit y,” Congressman Walorski said. “ As a member of the Indiana General Assembly we applied these commonsense principles, built on the foundation of a balanced budget that did not raise taxes. Our blueprint successfully turned a deficit into surplus and spurred job growth for Hoosier families, proving a budget that balances creates jobs, and it is time for Washington do to the same .” Congresswoman Walorski was born in raised in South Bend, Indiana and graduated from Taylor University. Following graduation, she started her first job as a reporter for the local news station, WSBT-TV and later married her husband, Dean. The couple moved to Romania for four years to found their own agency and local foundation to help provide much-needed medical supplies to the country’s impoverished children. Returning home, she was elected to the Indiana General Assembly for three consecutive terms. During her tenure, the state successfully turned their deficit into a surplus and balanced the budget, spurring economic growth and job creation recognized nationwide. Elected to represent Indiana’s Second District in 2012, she currently serves on the House Budget, Armed Services, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. The text and the audio of the Weekly Republican Address will be released Friday afternoon and embargoed until Saturday, April 13 at 6:00 a.m. EST, when it will be available to view and download.
Army assures commercial mobile devices are secure
The Army agrees with the recently released DOD Inspector General report that found two Army organizations did not follow policies for tracking and configuring commercial mobile devices using the Android, Apple iOS, and Windows operating systems between October 2010 and May 2012.
Army researchers strive to understand vulnerabilities, mitigate injuries
The Joint Trauma Analysis and Prevention of Injury in Combat program, formed in July 2006, brought together Defense Department intelligence, operational, medical, and materiel-development communities to improve DOD’s understanding of vulnerabilities to threats and enable the development of improved tactics, techniques, and procedures and materiel solutions to prevent or mitigate traumatic injuries.
The People’s House Honors Margaret Thatcher
“We lost one of one of the great leaders of our lifetime on Monday,” Speaker Boehner told House Republicans this morning. “She was a true friend of America, and a champion of freedom.” “We’re going to ensure,” Boehner added, “that Margaret Thatcher’s legacy is honored by the United States government in a way commensurate with her enormous achievements.” In that spirit, the House of Representatives passed a resolution yesterday honoring Baroness Thatcher before adjourning out of respect for her memory. Here’s the full text of H. Res. 141 , which passed unanimously: Expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives on the death of the Baroness Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Resolved, that the House of Representatives has learned with profound sorrow of the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Resolved, that the House of Representatives tenders its deep sympathies to the members of the family of the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher and her countrymen. Resolved, that the House of Representatives honors the legacy of Baroness Margaret Thatcher for her life-long commitment to advancing freedom, liberty, and democracy and for her friendship to the United States of America. Resolved, that the Secretary of State be requested to communicate these expressions of sentiment to the family of the deceased and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Resolved, that when the House adjourns today it do so as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher. On Monday, Speaker Boehner said that Americans will always keep Baroness Thatcher in our hearts for her loyalty to Ronald Reagan and their partnership, which helped reorient the world toward freedom.
Atterbury gets cost-effective training with ‘recycled’ improvised explosive devices
The Counter Improvised Explosive Device Integration Cell at Atterbury-Muscatatuck, Ind., is working with materials provided by the solid waste recycling facility to create mock improvised explosive devices for use in training mobilizing Soldiers for deployment.
New #OpenGov Video Search Tool Available on HouseLive.gov
Building on our effort to make the House of Representatives more open and accessible, the Office of the Clerk has rolled out a new way to search video archives from the House floor . This new tool lets you quickly and easily find (and watch) each time a Member of Congress has spoken on a given day. So, say you want to find Speaker Boehner’s remarks from the balanced budget debate on March 21. Here’s how you’d do it: Visit HouseLive.gov ; Click “ WATCH ” next to March 21, 2013 (or the day you’d like to search). The daily archives are available going back to the start of the 111th Congress (January 2009); Click the arrow next to “ Floor Summary ” at the top and select “ Search Session Transcript ”; Type “Boehner” (or the name of the Member of Congress you’re searching for) — the form will auto-fill as you type; Click “ Search ”; Click “ WATCH ” next to the brief transcript of Boehner’s remarks and you’ll jump right to the video. Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below. The Clerk’s office also has a new RSS feed to help you stay up-to-date with activity on the House floor. Real-time House floor summaries are already available in XML and in bulk , and the RSS feed adds another element of transparency to the legislative process. Here’s a closer look at some of the other open government initiatives underway in the House: House bills and floor summaries are available for download in bulk XML (a task force was created last year to expedite the process of providing bulk access to legislative data); Committee documents (votes, bills, meeting notices, witness testimony, and more) and bills to be considered on the House floor each week are all available in XML on docs.House.gov ; The House floor , House committee hearings , and Speaker Boehner’s events are now streamed live online to desktops, tablets, and mobile devices; Low-cost video conferencing tools are now available for lawmakers to engage and keep in contact with their constituents; Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) launched the Whipcast app for mobile devices, and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) developed an innovative “ Citizen Cosponsor ” tool that integrates with Facebook and helps you stay up-to-date on legislation you care about; The Library of Congress developed an app for the Congressional Record , and unveiled beta.Congress.gov – a new, robust “site for accessing free, fact-based legislative information”; The House Administration Committee hosted a Legislative Data and Transparency Conference , Leader Cantor and Democratic Whip Hoyer hosted a “Hackathon” to explore “connections between legislative data, constituent correspondence, and social media”; and much more.
One Day to Go: Will the President Live Up To His Rhetoric on Common Ground?
A full 65 days after it was due by law , the president will finally release his budget tomorrow. Early previews suggest it’s a package that few outside of the White House would support. The critical remaining question is whether the president will approach it as a take-it-or-leave-it offer or recognize that finding common ground and making progress is more important than imposing his will on Congress. We know that the president will propose some savings from our safety net programs in his budget. They will be modest reforms – far short of what is needed to put them on sound fiscal footing or balance the budget. Still, the president acknowledging that something must be done to prevent their looming bankruptcy is a positive development. Republicans have long led on this issue , proposing specific, meaningful reforms to save programs like Medicare and Medicaid, upon which so many Americans rely. We welcome the president to this effort. While the president’s reforms are inadequate, that doesn’t mean we can’t make progress to help bolster these programs. If both Republicans and the president agree that at least incremental reforms are needed, it should be easy enough to get them done. Right? Well, no. It turns out the president is not willing to do anything unless he can get even higher taxes to fund even higher spending. As a White House official told Roll Call newspaper this week, these savings are on the table “ only in the context of a package…that has balance and includes revenues from the wealthiest Americans… ” With the president enacting higher tax rates on upper income Americans just this year, this approach is disappointing and defies common sense. If both parties agree that spending reforms are needed, why must they be held up over unrelated policy on which there is disagreement? Shouldn’t we focus on the areas which overlap? It’s not a novel concept. In fact, this is an argument the president himself has made numerous times. “ When Democrats and Republicans agree on something, it should be pretty easy to get it done ,” the president said in one of his weekly addresses last year. “ [L]et’s at least agree to do what we all agree on. That’s what compromise is all about ,” he said in another . There is clearly disagreement about the need for further taxes, but as the president told a group gathered at the White House this past July, “ We can have that debate, but let’s not hold up working on the thing that we already agree on .” We agree. As the Speaker said last week , “ If the president believes these modest entitlement savings are needed to help shore up these programs, there’s no reason they should be held hostage for more tax hikes. That’s no way to lead and move the country forward.” Tomorrow we’ll find out – finally – whether the president agrees and is willing to live up to his own rhetoric on common ground.
Speaker Boehner Statement on the President’s Budget
WASHINGTON, DC – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement today in response to media reports on President Obama’s upcoming budget submission: “The president and I were not able to reach an agreement late last year because his offers never lived up to his rhetoric. Despite talk about so-called balance , the president’s last offer was significantly skewed in favor of higher taxes and included only modest entitlement savings. He said he could go no further toward the middle, and that’s why his last offer was rejected. In the end, the president got his tax hikes on the wealthy with no corresponding spending cuts. At some point we need to solve our spending problem, and what the president has offered would leave us with a budget that never balances. In reality, he’s moved in the wrong direction, routinely taking off the table entitlement reforms he’s previously told me he could support. “When the president visited the Capitol last month, House Republicans stated a desire to find common ground and urged him not to make savings we agree upon conditional on another round of tax increases. If reports are accurate, the president has not heeded that call. If the president believes these modest entitlement savings are needed to help shore up these programs, there’s no reason they should be held hostage for more tax hikes. That’s no way to lead and move the country forward.”
Five Days Until the President’s Budget: What Have We Learned?
For the last nine days, we’ve been counting down to the release of the president’s budget and asking some important questions . Today, we got a few answers – and they weren’t good. Numerous reports emerged this morning previewing what we’ll see when the president’s long-delayed budget arrives on Wednesday. And it looks like those hoping that the president would offer a plan to balance the budget – ever – will be awfully disappointed. All together, it appears the president’s budget will reduce the deficit by a meager $600 billion in the next decade. Repeat: $600 billion over ten years. By comparison, the budget deficit for this year alone is projected to be $845 billion . We’ve been hoping that the president would finally learn that spending is the problem and make a meaningful attempt to rein in Washington’s growth. It doesn’t seem that will happen either. It’s reported that the president’s budget will include at least $600 billion new tax hikes . Given that the total deficit reduction in the president’s plan is a similar $600 billion, basic math would show that the president’s plan will offer no net spending cuts . Any deficit reduction will come exclusively from tax hikes. An $845 billion budget deficit in just this year, and no net spending cuts from the president at all. Not very bold. We’ve also been wondering whether the president would put back on the table some of the spending cuts that he’s walked away from over the last two years. If reports are true, that appears to be one more disappointment coming our way Wednesday. The president’s plan will continue to come without some of the needed entitlement savings he was willing to do in previous deficit negotiations. Common sense ideas he once said were worth pursuing have – poof – disappeared. And the few modest reforms he does plan to offer are contingent on another round of tax increases – never mind that the president got his higher taxes on the wealthy just a few months back. It seems the more time goes by the president moves further and further in the wrong direction. Given that, this budget – as disappointing as it seems it will be – can’t get here soon enough. Just five more days.
Six Days to Go: Will the President’s Budget Offer Any Hints on Keystone?
Less than a week. That’s all that we have left until the president finally – after his historic 65-day delay – releases his tax-and-spend budget plan. Of course, a budget is much more than just numbers on paper. A budget should offer a blueprint for boosting job creation, opportunity, and economic growth. That’s why last month House Republicans passed a budget that not only balances to promote economic growth, but also includes important job-creating ideas like greater domestic energy production and approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. Keystone, held up by the Obama administration for more than four years , is a private sector energy project that could create thousands of jobs, ease gas prices, and help North America become more energy independent. Unfortunately, as Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) said in this week’s Republican address : “[T]he Obama administration continues to block Keystone, using every bureaucratic trick and excuse in the book. It’s now been more than 1,600 days since the initial permits were filed for building the pipeline. To put that in perspective, it took the United States a little more than 1,300 days to win World War II, and it took Lewis and Clark about 1,100 days to walk the Louisiana Purchase and back. The Keystone XL Pipeline is a no-brainer.” A no-brainer indeed. A recent survey shows that the project has “ broad public support ,” and it picked up support of the Democratic-run Senate . While we know the president has been staying in close contact with strident opponents of Keystone, his upcoming budget may finally show whether the president is standing with out-of-work Americans or with his environmental political base. With our budget, Republicans have demonstrated that jobs and economic growth are our priorities . The president claims he shares them. Soon we’ll know. In six more days, it’s your move, Mr. President .
Watervliet’s upgrade to shave up to 60 percent off production time
The Watervliet Arsenal announced March 29, 2013, that it is testing two new high-tech machines that when fully operational in about two weeks will have the potential to reduce machining on select components by up to 60 percent, said Paul Nieckarz, an arsenal manufacturing foreman.
Speaker Boehner Pays Tribute to Staffer Mary Reed
The Office of Speaker Boehner lost one of its own last week when Mary Reed, the financial administrator for the Speaker and other House members, lost her battle to cancer. Mary supported many members of Congress over the years, most recently including Reps. Joe Heck (R-NV), Tom Latham (R-IA), Buck McKeon (R-CA), Jeff Miller (R-FL), Steve Stivers (R-OH), Chris Smith (R-NJ), as well as the Speaker. She is survived by her husband John and her children Casey and Kate. Speaker Boehner released the following statement: “We mourn the loss of Mary and send prayers and condolences to her husband John, her family, and friends. Mary made a lasting contribution not just to my office, but to the U.S. House of Representatives as a whole. She was a loyal and dedicated staffer who always brought kindness and humor to those around her, and she will always be part of Boehnerland.” Condolences can be sent to the following address: P.O. Box 870 Stanardsville, VA 22973 A memorial service to celebrate Mary’s life will be held in May. We’ll post the date as soon as details are finalized.
House Mourns Former Historian Robert Remini
The House of Representatives community is mourning one of its own today. Dr. Robert V. Remini, who served as House historian and wrote the definitive history of the institution, passed away late last week at the age of 91. The Associated Press reported earlier today on Dr. Remini’s passing, noting that he was the first chairman of the history department at the University of Illinois at Chicago and “was appointed as official historian for the House by then-Rep. Dennis Hastert, serving in the post from 2005 to 2010.” “ By the time he retired in 2010,” Roll Call added , “Remini had brought on a staff of five and built an operation that would provide lasting resources to the congressional community.” Prior to that appointment, the Librarian of Congress commissioned Dr. Remini to write what would be the first comprehensive history of the U.S. House of Representatives. Published in 2006, The House set out to portray – in Dr. Remini’s words – how the institution “evolved from a fragile union of a handful of states in 1789 into the towering edifice for democracy and liberty that it is today.” Dr. Remini’s work, which earned him a number of awards, has essentially become required reading for current and aspiring lawmakers. Speaker Boehner offered the following brief tribute to Dr. Remini: “Robert Remini literally wrote the book on the House, bringing to life its stories and personalities in a way that no one had before. More than that, he brought the people closer to their House, and left proof that our founders succeeded in making a legislative body that would reflect the will and the spirit of the people. He was a fine scholar and a good man. We are forever in Dr. Remini’s debt, and his family is in our thoughts and prayers.”
One Week to Go: White House Official Says President’s Budget Won’t Balance … Ever?
With one week to go before his long-delayed budget is released, President Obama’s top communications advisor told POLITICO today that the president doesn’t want to “ balance the budget for the purpose of simply balancing the budget .” Nice try, but neither do Republicans. As Speaker Boehner says, “ The very point of balancing the budget is to help our economy grow and to create jobs ”: “Older Americans will have a more secure retirement. Younger Americans will have more jobs. We’ll have less debt and more opportunities for everyone. So President Obama has a choice. He can leave our kids and grandkids with a weaker economy and a mountain of debt. Or he can be a president who had the courage to work across the aisle and balance our budget.” But when asked if there will ever be “a date where it balances,” the White House’s master of messaging simply said, “no.” Really? President Clinton worked with Republicans to make balancing the budget a bipartisan priority in the 1990s. And the Republican-led House crafted a budget that balances in 10 years by addressing our spending problem, fixing the tax code, protecting priorities like Medicare, and growing our economy. The Obama administration can’t do the same thing? We’ll find out for sure in seven days … READ MORE : It’s Coming: 14 Days Until President Obama’s Budget Will it ever balance? An answer in 13 days. A Dozen Days Until the President’s Budget (Again) @SpeakerBoehner : 11 days until we see POTUS’ budget. Will it offer real reforms? http://j.mp/14toZ2z Will it be a #balancedbudget? http://j.mp/ZCImlr It’s Not Complicated: Budgets Should Balance Eight Days Until We Know Whether the WH Budget Will Balance
It’s Not Complicated: Budgets Should Balance
It’s not complicated: a balanced budget that cuts wasteful spending, addresses our debt, and grows our economy is better than one that doesn’t. Why? Because under a balanced budget like the one passed by the House of Representatives, two Stanford economists argue, “the economy would start to grow right away”: “According to our research, the spending restraint and balanced-budget parts of the House Budget Committee plan would boost the economy immediately . With the Budget Committe’s proposed tax reform included, the immediate impact would be even larger. … “The U.S. economy has been experiencing its slowest recovery from a deep recession in modern history. … The large federal budget deficits—by increasing uncertainty and delaying private spending—are an important cause of this lackluster economic performance.” So this all begs the question: will President Obama’s budget ever balance ? After a two month delay , we’ll find out (most likely) in nine days . READ MORE : It’s Coming: 14 Days Until President Obama’s Budget Will it ever balance? An answer in 13 days. A Dozen Days Until the President’s Budget (Again) @SpeakerBoehner : 11 days until we see POTUS’ budget. Will it offer real reforms? http://j.mp/14toZ2z Will it be a #balancedbudget? http://j.mp/ZCImlr
Soldiers to get safer artillery rounds
Beginning in March 2014, the Army will take delivery of new artillery rounds which will be safer and deliver the same performance as those currently used, said an engineer who tested them.
Army energy summit at West Point focuses on operational energy and power
The U.S. Military Academy hosted the Army Energy-Informed Culture Summit with key leaders from Department of the Army G-4, U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command, Training and Doctrine Command and West Point, March 27, 2013.
Company Command Post Training Sets provide integrated training
As part of its capability set fielding, the Army has fielded Company Command Post training sets that mirror the integrated Capability Set 13 systems that will be provided in theater, enabling companies preparing for deployment to train on the same systems and capabilities they will fall in on when they arrive.
First Army Soldiers provide realistic training while minimizing risk, reducing cost
Using the Training Aids, Devices, Simulators, and Simulations facility, a virtual simulation training facility, Soldiers of the 1-335th Infantry Regiment, 205th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division East, develop realistic training scenarios for the units they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan, Kosovo, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Horn of Africa.
Weekly Republican Address: It’s Time To Build the Keystone Pipeline
WASHINGTON, DC – Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) says it’s time to build the Keystone XL Pipeline, a project that will help lower energy bills and create tens of thousands of American jobs. Keystone continues to enjoy popular and bipartisan support in the face of resistance from the Obama administration. Rep. Terry is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee . NOTE: The Weekly Republican Address is embargoed until 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, March 30, 2013. The audio is accessible now , and video of the address will be available to view and download once the embargo is lifted. A full transcript follows. “Hello, I’m Congressman Lee Terry from the state of Nebraska’s Second District. “Republicans in Congress are focused on creating jobs and improving the cost of living in America. We’ve held the line against tax increases and passed a balanced budget, and forced the Democratic-run Senate to approve its first budget in four years. “There’s something else we need to do, and that’s take on the high energy bills many families and small business are up against. This is especially important at this time of year, when the pain at the pump begins to take an even bigger toll on commuters and truckers. “That’s why I’ve led the efforts in the House to support the Keystone XL Pipeline, a project that would bring more North American energy to the marketplace and put thousands to work. All told, Keystone will create roughly 20,000 new jobs related to the construction of the pipeline. And it will create another 118,000 jobs downstream. Labor leaders in my hometown of Omaha tell me it will create 2,000 jobs here. “So Keystone is primed to give our economy a shot in the arm and make energy more affordable – and it won’t cost the taxpayers a dime. “Despite all of that, the Obama administration continues to block Keystone, using every bureaucratic trick and excuse in the book. It’s now been more than 1,600 days since the initial permits were filed for building the pipeline. To put that in perspective, it took the United States a little more than 1,300 days to win World War II, and it took Lewis and Clark about 1,100 days to walk the Louisiana Purchase and back. “The Keystone XL Pipeline is a no-brainer. It’s passed muster through several environmental reviews. It’s picked up support from a broad, grassroots coalition of unions and employers. Public backing has risen to 70 percent. And just last week, the Democratic-run Senate endorsed Keystone with a filibuster-proof of 62 votes – a bipartisan show of support rarely seen in Washington. “The people and the Congress have spoken. The experts have weighed in. Now it’s the time to build the Keystone pipeline. No more delays, no more politics. If the president continues to drag his feet, Congress is prepared to act. “We shouldn’t stop there. There is much more we can do and should do to support our nation of builders and unlock our domestic resources as a way to create jobs, lower the cost of living, and put our nation on a path to energy security. “Doing all of this isn’t just about the dollars and cents. It’s about coming together to solve longstanding problems to ensure our children will have the same chances, the same hope and freedoms we’ve had. “These are the blessings we celebrate during the rites of Easter and Passover. It’s a time to unite in prayer and celebration – to renew traditions, lift up our spirits and tell old stories that remind us how trials and suffering can be overcome with courage and resolve. It’s a time for perspective. If we look for opportunities to work together and seize on them – if we choose to build on and not squander past sacrifices – we come that much closer to realizing the promise of a more perfect union and peace for one and all. “God bless you and your families. And thank you for listening.”
Will it ever balance? An answer in 13 days.
Waiting, they say, is the hardest part. But in just 11 13 days , we’ll have answers to a couple lingering questions on the minds of the American people. Yes, we’ll know who is cutting down the nets, as the Final Four wraps up with a new NCAA champion. But also on April 8th 10th, the president’s own game of four corners will come to an end. And we’ll finally know: does his vision for America’s future include a balanced budget – ever? The president has made clear that his budget will not balance anytime in the next ten years. He says he doesn’t want to balance “ just for the sake of balance .” Of course, no one is suggesting that’s the goal. Balance is important for economic growth, small business investment, job creation, and a better shot at the American dream for future generations. That’s why Americans overwhelmingly support the goal of a budget that balances and why Republicans passed one last week that did just that. But if the president is unwilling to balance in the budget in the near-term, is he willing to make any meaningful reforms that will lead to a balanced budget down the road? A failure to do so would completely evaporate what little credibility the president might have left with the American people. As Speaker Boehner wrote to his colleagues in a memo earlier today, “ Pressure is mounting on the Democratic majority in Washington to balance the federal budget and identify meaningful entitlement reforms they’re willing to enact to address the government’s soaring debt. Their reluctance to fully embrace balancing the budget demonstrates they are out of step with the American people .” So now we watch the clock, soon to learn whether the president’s budget – already nearly two months late – will align with the balanced-budget goals of the American people. Assuming your bracket is already busted , just go ahead and mark your calendar for the president’s budget because it is nearly – at long last – here. UPDATE : The White House now says the president’s budget will be released on April 10th. This is another disappointing, if not terribly surprising, delay. On the up-side, this provides more time to explore the unanswered questions that remain .
The Speaker’s March 2013 in Photos
The month of March had Speaker Boehner hosting his 22nd Annual Eighth District Farm Forum , discussing a responsible, balanced budget with CNBC and CNN , welcoming the Prime Minster of Ireland to Washington , continuing to open the doors to the U.S. Capitol for visitors from around the world, and much more. The full set of photos can be seen below or on Flickr, complete with captions and additional information:
A Dozen Days Until the President’s Budget (Again)
On Wednesday, we kicked off a 12-day countdown to the April 8th release of President Obama’s budget, asking a number of unanswered questions . Then yesterday, the White House announced the document won’t arrive until April 10th – 12 days from now. This is yet another embarrassing delay for a president already nearly two months behind the statutory date his budget is due. The hold-up is unprecedented . Still, it gives us further opportunities to examine what we might expect from the president this year. So, here I go again – this is the 12-day countdown to the president’s budget. One major question still lingering is whether the president will include any of the reforms to our entitlement programs that he’s previously proclaimed to support. Based on his history, that’s no sure bet. Rather than making progress on measures needed to save our safety net programs, the president has moved backwards – routinely taking off the table reforms that he once supported. If the president really believes in the few changes he’s proposed before, surely they will be prominent in his plan. Having already walked back from so much, anything less than these modest entitlement savings would fully evaporate what little credibility the president has left. In reality, much more is needed to save these programs and balance our budget (as House Republicans have demonstrated ). We’ll find out if the president has the courage to follow through in another 12 days (supposedly).