Press Release: Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) issued the following statement strongly supporting Speaker Hastert's efforts on the Capitol Christmas Tree.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) wrote the following op-ed in The Washington Times, criticizing the Democrat strategy for Iraq of "lose, leave, and wait".  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) wrote the following op-ed about the need to complete the mission in Iraq.   (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) are seeking co-sponsors on their resolution (H.Res. 575) asserting that terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, should not be permitted to participate in Palestinian elections until such organizations recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, cease incitement, condemn terrorism, and permanently disarm and dismantle their terrorist infrastructure.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Mark Green (R-WI) declared "partial victory" following an announcement by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire that it would temporarily suspend a ban on resident-assistant-led Bible studies at the university.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) spotlighted the following "egregious earmark of the week," which could put a chill on fiscal discipline in Washington.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) touted the national gains in private-sector employment and the need to extend any expiring tax cuts.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) is seeking original co-sponsors on the following resolution supporting the symbols and traditions of Christmas.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) led the chorus of RSC Members applauding the removal of the "Bridge to Nowhere" earmark in Alaska.  (word doc)

 Various RSC Members urged House Leadership last week to bring the Deficit Reduction Act (H.R. 4241, the budget reconciliation bill) to the House floor for a vote, instead of delaying it until after Thanksgiving. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), click here
• Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), click here:

 Press Release: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) called the Transportation-Treasury-Housing appropriations bill "pork-filled" and voted against it.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) wrote the following op-ed, in which he described the Deficit Reduction Act as "a stern test for the Blue Dog [Democrats]"   (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is urging his colleagues to support the U.S.-Bahrain free trade agreement, that is likely to come to the House floor in December.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) introduced the EXPENSE Act (H.R. 4129), which would expand incentives for American enterprise to reinvest in their businesses, new equipment, and people to run that equipment.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 302) supporting the national motto of the United States: "In God We Trust."  (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) referred to last week's planned consideration of the Deficit Reduction Act (H.R. 4241) as "a good first step."  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) urged caution in preparing for a potential bird flu outbreak.  (word doc)

 Letter to President Bush: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) and 23 other House conservatives sent the following letter to President Bush, urging him to veto the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill if the final legislation does not include conscience protection language for health care providers who do not want to be associated with abortions.  (pdf)

 Resolution: Rep. Michael Conaway (R-TX) will soon introduce the following resolution, expressing a sense of Congress that all legislation that establishes a new federal program should also eliminate one or more existing federal programs of equal or greater value:   (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Mike Sodrel (R-IN) will soon introduce the Innocent Supplier Fairness Act, which would alter bankruptcy law to protect the unfair treatment of small businesses.  (pdf)

 Amtrak Bill: Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) is gathering original co-sponsors on a bill to cut federal funding for Amtrak.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) issued the following statement expressing disappointment at President Bush's reinstatement of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements in the hurricane disaster areas.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) called for the quick passage of the 527 Fairness Act (H.R. 1316), in light of reports that 527s are gearing up for unprecedented engagement in congressional races.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) is asking that his AMT Credit Fairness Act (H.R. 3385) be included in this year's Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) "hold harmless" extension.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) and 69 other Members of Congress sent a letter to President Bush, urging the him to protect by Executive Order the constitutional right of military chaplains to pray according to their faith.   (word doc)

 Bill: Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) is seeking original co-sponsors on the following resolution recognizing the importance of an independent Iraqi judiciary in the formation of a democratic Iraq.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) co-authored a resolution (H.Res. 523) that condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's threats against Israel.   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) announced that, as Congress considers renewing the Voting Rights Act, he will encourage his colleagues to drop Section 5 of the Act, which mandates that states with a documented history of discrimination “pre-clear” any changes to their electoral practices.   (word doc)

 Letter to President Bush: Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) and 27 other House Republicans sent the following letter to President Bush, urging him to suspend Davis-Bacon for the areas of Florida affected by Hurricane Wilma.   (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) touted the following national poll showing that three fifths of American believe that cutting spending is the best way to pay for hurricane relief.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement on fiscal discipline, saying that "tough times call for tough choices":  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) called on Democrats to join the effort to cut federal spending.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleagues: Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) introduced two bills aimed at bringing capital investment back to the devastated Gulf Coast.

• Katrina Economic Opportunity Act
• Gulf Deregulation Act

 Dear Colleagues: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) introduced two bills aimed at providing relief for hurricane victims.

• Economic Relief for Gulf Coast Families and Businesses Act
• Keep Gulf Coast Families Healthy Act of 2005

 Constitutional Amendment: Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) introduced the following constitutional amendment limiting when a state or the federal government could take and transfer private property.   (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY) introduced the Stealth Tax Relief Act (H.R. 4096), which would extend for one year the individual Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) relief enacted last October.   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) decried a $2 million earmark in the House version of the Defense appropriations bill to study “no flush” urinal technology.  (word doc)

 One-Pager: Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) will soon introduce the Fugitive Apprehension Assistance Act, which would grant administrative subpoena authority to the Department of Justice to aid in the apprehension of dangerous and violent fugitives.   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) introduced the Secure our Nation’s Interior Act (H.R. 4079), comprehensive immigration legislation aimed at reducing the number of illegal aliens who overstay their visas and ensuring that illegal aliens are "apprehended, detained, and removed as rapidly as possible."  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 268) urging that administrative oversight of the Internet remain with the United States and not the United Nations.   (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) raised concerns with European Union Commission President Jose Manuel Barosso about the EU’s apparent endorsement of the U.N.'s efforts to take control over the administration of the Internet.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced legislation (H.R. 4008) that would posthumously award congressional gold medals to the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), in light of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas' visit to Washington, DC, last week, issued the following statement urging Abbas to keep his word and dismantle the terrorist networks that operate in Israel:   (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) released the following (and quite humorous!) statement to explain why he was one of only two congressmen who voted against a National Chemistry Week resolution:    (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued a sharp statement rebuking the notion that criticizing Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers' qualifications is sexist and elitist.  (pdf)

 Heritage Report: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) circulated the following Heritage Foundation report on the recent history of federal spending, featuring easy-to-read graphs and charts.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) introduced the Rescind the Congressional Pay Raise Act (H.R. 4047), which would return congressional salaries to 2004 pay levels. (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) introduced the Scott Gardner Act (H.R. 3776), which would make driving while intoxicated (DWI) grounds for the mandatory detention and deportation of illegal aliens.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) called for the elimination of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) encouraged his RSC colleagues to support the STOPP Act (H.R. 3405), which would prohibit all federal economic development assistance to any state or locality that uses the power of eminent domain for private economic development purposes.   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) praised the recent Iraqi elections and declared that "freedom is winning" in the following statement.   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced legislation (H.R. 3870) to delay the Medicare prescription drug benefit for two years for every eligible beneficiary, except the lowest income subsidy-eligible seniors.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is gathering support for his legislation (H.R. 2112) to designate the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone as the “Ronald Wilson Reagan U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.”  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) introduced legislation (H.R. 3960) to terminate taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns: (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) will soon introduce the Government Credit Card Sunshine Act, which would require every federal government credit card bill to be posted on the Internet within 15 business days. Any federal employee whose abuse totals more than $500 would face immediate dismissal, be forced to repay the bill, and if applicable, return the items purchased.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced legislation (H.R. 3947) that would provide federal loan guarantees to Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, so they could create and market their own disaster relief bonds with a federal guarantee.  (word doc)

• Backgrounder

 Letter to President Bush: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and 37 other House conservatives sent the following letter to President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform, expressing opposition to a "return-free" tax-filing system (pdf)

 Bill: Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-CA) introduced the following resolution opposing no-bid federal contracts for hurricane clean-up.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) wrote the following op-ed, "The Year of Spending Dangerously," in The Wall Street Journal: (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) sent the following letter to encourage support for the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS) wrote the following op-ed, urging continued focus on North Korea's and Iran's nuclear programs. (word doc)

 Speech: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) delivered the following speech about the state of the Conservative Movement before Capitol Hill interns last week. (link)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) re-introduced legislation (H.R. 3903, H.R. 3904, and H.R. 3906) to implement a one-, two-, and five-percent across-the-board cut, respectively, in non-defense, non-homeland-security discretionary spending for fiscal year 2006. (pdf)

 Letter to President Bush: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), and Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) sent the following letter to President Bush, urging him to suspend Davis-Bacon prevailing wage regulations in the areas affected by Hurricane Rita.  (pdf)

 Sale of Federal Lands: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced the following bill (H.R. 3855) to require the sale of certain federal lands to help offset the costs of Hurricane Katrina disaster relief: (pdf)

 GREAT Relief Act: Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) introduced the Gulf Region Economic Area Tax Relief Act (GREAT Relief Act, H.R. 3868) which would increase the amount a business can expense in a hurricane recovery area from $100,000 to $10 million thru the end of 2006.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) renewed his call for Congress to delay the implementation of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit for one year.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) sent the following letter to his colleagues, asserting that recovery from Hurricane Katrina depends on capital not The Capitol. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) introduced legislation (H.R. 3785) that would allow second home owners to house displaced Hurricane Katrina victims without penalty from the IRS.  (word doc)

 Letter to Secretary Spellings: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) sent the following letter to Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, urging her to use her flexibility under the No Child Left Behind Act to ensure that students and schools are not administratively punished because of the Hurricane Katrina disaster: (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) introduced legislation (H.R. 3887) that would give the Secretaries of Defense and Energy ninety days to identify three military sites, closed under BRAC, that would be suitable for refinery construction and then would set aside such sites for two years exclusively for oil refineries.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) and Rep. Steve King (R-IA) soon will introduce the VOTE Act, which would amend the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) to require government-approved photo identification as a condition of voting in federal elections. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) will soon introduce a bill that would reform the H-2A guest worker program without allowing those currently in the country illegally to adjust to Legal Permanent Resident status. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) introduced the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 3505), which would ease a variety of paperwork and other regulatory burdens inflicted upon America's financial institutions. (word doc)

 Floor Statement: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) took to the House floor to praise the elections in Afghanistan and highlight coalition progress on the war on terror.  (link)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) introduced a bill (H.R. 3403) to ensure that National Labor Relations Board focuses its efforts on larger businesses and free smaller businesses from some federal oversight. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Kline (R-MN) introduced a bill (H.R. 3709) to alter the National Call to Service Program to remove the Peace Corps as an option for completing an individual's military enlistment requirement, to differentiate the roles of Peace Corps Volunteers and our military servicemembers.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced legislation (H.R. 3811) that would allow for more oil and natural gas exploration along the Outer Continental Shelf.  (word doc)

 Letter to House Leadership: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) sent the following letter to House Leadership suggesting some offsets for the hurricane relief spending: (word doc)

 Letter to President Bush: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and 20 other RSC Members sent the following letter to President Bush asking the Administration to reevaluate non-essential spending in light of the financial burden imposed by hurricane Katrina:  (pdf)

 Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK), in separate letters to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and to Office of Management and Budget Director Joshua Bolten, urged careful scrutiny of and fiscal responsibility for Hurricane Katrina relief spending.

• Letter to Chairman Lewis
• Letter to OMB Director Bolten

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) introduced the Cleanup and Reconstruction Enhancement Act (CARE Act, H.R. 3684), which would automatically trigger a suspension of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage regulations in declared national disaster areas.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 3797) to prohibit the construction or lease of buildings or space for the federal government until January 1, 2007. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) introduced a bill (H.R. 3813) to temporarily create a Hurricane Katrina Recovery Chief Financial Officer to monitor federal spending on the disaster relief.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) wrote the following op-ed about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: (word doc)

 Various RSC Members criticized a federal district judge for ruling that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), click here:
• Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA), click here:
• Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), click here:
• Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), click here:
• Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), click here:
• Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), click here:

 Press Release: Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) introduced the Child Pornography Prevention Act (H.R. 3726), most of which was added to the Children's Safety Act (H.R. 3132), which passed the House last week. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) will soon introduce the Peremptory Challenge Act, which would allow peremptory challenges to be exercised in both criminal and civil cases. (word doc)

Hurricane Katrina

Various RSC Members issued statements about Congress' ongoing response to Hurricane Katrina.

 RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN), regarding the need to bring fiscal discipline to the Katrina relief effort.  (word doc)

 Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), regarding the need to offset spending for Katrina relief. (word doc)

 Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), regarding the need to cut spending elsewhere in the federal budget in order to pay for Katrina relief.  (word doc)

 Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), regarding the need to keep "pork" off of the spending bills for Katrina relief.  (word doc)

 Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), regarding the need to keep "pork" off of the spending bills for Katrina relief.  (pdf)

 Conservative efforts to apply fiscal discipline to disaster relief spending were highlighted by:

• The New York Times
• The Chicago Tribune

 RSC Members praised President Bush’s decision to temporarily waive the Davis-Bacon Act, allowing the hurricane recovery effort to move forward quickly and in a more cost-effective manner. One day before this waiver, 35 RSC Members, led by Reps. Tom Feeney (R-FL), Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), sent a letter to the President requesting that he temporarily waive Davis-Bacon.

• Text of Letter
• RSC press statement

 Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) wrote the following op-ed in The Wall Street Journal about how "red tape trumped common sense" in the recovery effort in his home state.  (pdf)

 Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) will introduce the Gas Tax Relief Act, which would suspend the federal gas tax (18.4 cents per gallon) for one month.  Click here to learn more:  (word doc)

 Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA) and nine other House Members sent the following letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), urging him to include in any future hurricane relief package language that would grant construction entities limited immunity from liability when they provide volunteer services or equipment in response to a declared disaster. (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA) is seeking co-sponsors on the OTC Medicine Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 3428), which would make over-the-counter medications tax deductible as a healthcare expense. (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is seeking co-sponsors on the Criminal Alien Accountability Act (H.R. 3150), which would establish mandatory minimum sentences for aliens who violate deportation orders by re-entering the United States without prior approval. (pdf)

 Iraq Report: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) returned from leading a Congressional Delegation to Iraq, where he kept a journal of his time with soldiers and meetings with General Abizaid and others. You can read "Two Days in Iraq" by clicking on Rep. Pence's blog here:

To read the Indianapolis Star's coverage of Rep. Pence's trip, click here:

 Press Release: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) announced that he will soon introduce legislation to address the nation's shortage in oil refinery capacity.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), RSC Chairman, and Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), ,Chairman of the Values Action Team, said that the Food and Drug Administration made "a sensible choice" in deciding that it needs more information and public input before allowing over-the-counter sale of the "Plan B" morning-after pill to minors.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) is seeking original co-sponsors for the Home School Non-Discrimination Act. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) is seeking co-sponsors on the following resolution (H.J.Res. 61) honoring American Gold Star Mothers' Day (paying tribute to mothers who have lost a son or daughter while in service to our country):  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 220) recognizing the fourth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. (word doc)

 Gas Prices: Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), urging him to schedule congressional hearings to analyze the recent spike in U.S. gasoline prices. (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL) is seeking original co-sponsors for the Lifetime Prosperity Act, which would extend the retirement savings tax credit and expand both this credit and Roth IRAs.    (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) wrote the following op-ed about the ability of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) to fight tyranny and poverty.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) is seeking more co-sponsors for the Federal Tax Withholding Repeal Act (H.R. 3409), which would repeal the law allowing the federal government to withhold federal income and Social Security taxes and implement a quarterly-payment system.  (word doc)

 Letter to House Leadership: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and 20 other House conservatives sent the following letter to House Leadership, urging them not to schedule any legislation that would authorize the creation of a race-based government for Native Hawaiians living throughout the United States: (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced a bill (H.R. 3478) to allow military death gratuities to be contributed to certain tax-preferred accounts (such as medical savings accounts and Roth IRAs).    (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) called for reform of the United Nations, in light of the recent report showing even more corruption in the UN's Oil-for-Food program.  (word doc)

 Letter to FDA:  Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) and 45 other Members of Congress, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), sent the following letter to the FDA Commissioner, urging him to reject a petition to make the morning-after pill available over the counter and thus "as accessible to our nation's teenage daughters as candy bars and hairspray":  (pdf)

 Letter to HHS Secretary: Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) sent the following letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, asking him why HHS is the primary sponsor of a "Harm Reduction" conference in Utah that is based on the premise that we should not be fighting a “war on drugs.” The letter criticizes conference sessions such as “We Don’t Need a ‘War’ on Methamphetamine” and “You Don’t Have to Be Clean & Sober. Or Even Want to Be!” as well as some sexually explicit workshops:  (link)

 RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and 69 other House Members signed the following two letters, condemning the anti-Semitic remarks of United Nations Special Rapporteur Jean Ziegler and urging that he be fired. To read the letter to:

• UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, click here:
• The Chairman of the UN Commission for Human Rights, click here:

 WP Article: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and several RSC alumni were featured in this Washington Post article about the continuing Republican appetite for increasing federal spending.   (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) introduced H.R. 3622 to create the Border Protection Corps made up of citizen volunteers working as sworn law enforcement officers under the command of the Governors of the border states, using unspent homeland security funds.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Walter Jones (R- NC) introduced the Military Academy First Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 3430), which would secure the ability of the military service academies to include a voluntary, nondenominational prayer as an element of their activities.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) wrote the following op-ed about the pressing need to reform the United Nations.  (word doc)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) wrote the following op-ed about the importance of teaching the criticisms of the Darwinian theory of evolution.   (word doc)

 Various RSC Members responded publicly to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-TN) reversal on embryonic stem-cell policy last week. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL), click here.
• RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN), click here.

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), in the following statement, urged President Bush to veto the Transportation Equity Act (H.R. 3), which Congress passed late last week, because the bill is billions of dollars more expensive than the President said is acceptable to him.   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) joined Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX) in introducing the Strengthening the Ownership of Private Property (STOPP) Act (H.R 3405), which would prevent governments from taking property from one private party and giving it to another private party. When abuses occur, the STOPP Act would prevent localities and states from receiving federal economic assistance on all economic development projects, not just those upon which abuses occur. (pdf)

 Pro-Family Bills:  Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) released this one-pager on the pro-family bills that Congress has passed this year and the pro-family bills still pending in Congress.   (pdf)

 WSJ Editorial: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) circulated the following editorial in The Wall Street Journal about his bill to allow Americans to buy health insurance in any state they choose, regardless of where they live.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), in the following letter, urged his colleagues to not let the issue of campaign finance reform fade out over the summer.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced a resolution (H.Res. 413), expressing concerns about the amount of U.S. foreign aid provided to Egypt over the past 25 years without significant political reforms by the Government of Egypt.  (word doc)

 Children's Safety Act:  Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) also joined fellow child and crime victim advocates at a rally in support of the Children’s Safety Act (H.R. 3132, inspired by Poe’s Child Predator Act--H.R. 1355) to protect children from sex offenders and other criminals.   (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced legislation (H.R. 3385) to provide relief to taxpayers whose stock options sharply decline in value yet who are still subject to an extremely high Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA) is gathering co-sponsors on her legislation to make permanent the tax-free treatment of qualified withdrawals from Section 529 education plans.   (pdf)

 Op-ed: Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), John Carter (R-TX), and Ted Poe (R-TX), all former judges, wrote the following op-ed about property rights, in light of the recent Kelo decision by the Supreme Court. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) is encouraging his colleagues to support the Growing Real Ownership for Workers (GROW) Act (H.R. 3304), which would use the current Social Security surplus to start personal retirement accounts.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Reps. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Jeff Miller (R-FL), and Patrick McHenry (R-NC) are urging their colleagues to co-sponsor the RU-486 Suspension and Review Act (H.R. 1079), in light of the revelation of at least two previously unreported deaths of Californian women who took RU-486.  (word doc)

 Op-ed:  RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) wrote the following op-ed about the importance of applying free-mark principles to telecom reform.   (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) offered and passed an amendment to the Higher Education Act that would promote greater competition and accountability in certain education grant programs. (pdf)

 Letter to USAID:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) and 28 other House conservatives sent the following letter to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), expressing concern about the way the Agency is conducting its faith-based outreach abroad.   (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) introduced the Short Sea Shipping Tax Exemption Act (H.R. 3319), which would provide an exemption from the harbor maintenance tax for certain shipping between United States mainland ports.  (pdf)

 Letter to PBS:  28 House conservatives sent the following letter to Corporation for Public Broadcasting Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson, asking for detailed information regarding Playboy Foundation contributions for the PBS film, “The Education of Shelby Knox":   (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL), and RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) issued the following statement about the Senate's efforts to repeal President Bush's stem cell policy.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) and Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) praised efforts to reform the Endangered Species Act.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-WY) is seeking co-sponsors on the Totalization Agreement Congressional Approval Act (H.R. 2339), which would require expedited congressional consideration for any proposed Social Security totalization agreement and affirmative congressional approval for the agreement to become law.. (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) offered and passed an amendment to the Higher Education Act to prohibit the Department of Education from creating a federal database of information on "nearly every facet of college students’ lives."   (word doc)

 Letter to FDA: Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) sent the following letter to the FDA to complain about and seek corrective action for its policy of discouraging women from having "keepsake" ultrasound procedures.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) will soon introduce the Expecting Parents Relief Act, which would extend the child tax credit back one year to cover pregnancy.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) introduced legislation (H.R. 1678) to extend for two years the higher expensing limits for small businesses. (pdf)

 Tribute to Admiral Stockdale:  Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) wrote a touching column about the passing of his former friend and cell-mate in captivity in Vietnam, former Vice-Presidential candidate, Jim Stockdale.   (word doc)

 Letter to Chairman Lewis: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) led the effort to send the following letter with 40 signatures to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA), urging him to consider, during the continuing appropriations process, the program reductions and terminations proposed by President Bush  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT) introduced the Private Property Protection Act (H.R. 3083), which, in response to the Kelo v. City of New London Supreme Court ruling, would prohibit the federal government from exercising eminent domain for economic development and prohibit state and local exercises of such eminent domain using federal funds.   (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) condemned the incarceration of New York Times reporter Judith Miller in the following statement. (word doc)

 Op-ed:  Rep. John Kline (R-MN) circulated the following op-ed he authored, published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, regarding "the honorable service of our men and women in uniform who serve at Guantanamo Bay":   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD) introduced the Video Choice Act (H.R. 3146), which would streamline the franchising process for new entrants into the marketplace for providing video services. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) circulated the following "Dear Colleague" letter, refuting claims that the 527 Fairness Act (H.R. 1316) would harm the current campaign system.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) introduced legislation (H.R. 1678) to extend for two years the higher expensing limits for small businesses. (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) circulated the following "Social Security Scare Tactic of the Week," which highlights falsehoods being spread about the new proposal to ensure that excess Social Security revenues be spent only on Social Security:   (word doc)

 Various RSC Members continue to speak against the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Kelo v. City of New London, expanding local governments' abilities to seize private property. To read an op-ed from:

• Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA)
• Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
• Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)

 Press Release: Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC) introduced the Major Regulation Cost Review Act (H.R. 3143), which would require every federal agency to begin a cost-benefit review of all major rules or regulations within five years of this Act's passage.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) pointed to the hiring of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lobbyist as "more evidence that the congressional appropriations process is broken."   (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS) wrote the following op-ed about how the lessons of George Washington are applicable today (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) circulated the following "Dear Colleague" letter in support of RSC Chairman Mike Pence's (R-IN) 527 Fairness Act, which would allow political parties, citizens groups, trade associations, and PACs to play on a more level playing field with the 527 organizations:   (word doc)

 Various RSC Members released statements on today's U.S. Supreme Court rulings on the display of the Ten Commandments in public places (McCreary County v. the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky and Van Orden v. Perry). To read the statement from:

• Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK)
• Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
• Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
• Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL)

 Press Release: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) released the following statement in response to today's Supreme Court's ruling on MGM Studios et al. v Grokster et al., regarding digital property rights.  (pdf)

 Kelo: Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) introduced a resolution (H.Res. 340) expressing the House's "grave disapproval" of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Kelo v. City of New London, expanding local governments' abilities to seize private property. (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) issued a statement in protest of the ruling on Kelo v. City of New London.   (word doc)

 Several RSC Members issued statements in support of proposed funding reductions for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK)
• RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Kline (R-MN) circulated the following "Dear Colleague" letter about how the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is "a matter of national security": (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) and Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) circulated the following "Dear Colleague" letter questioning the Central America Free Trade Agreement's (CAFTA) ability to stem the flow of illegal immigration into the United States. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) is seeking co-sponsors on his CARFA Act (H.R. 2470), which would establish a commission to conduct a comprehensive review of federal agencies and programs and make recommendations for the elimination or realignment of unnecessary programs.    (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Rep. Bob Beauprez (R-CO) introduced a bill (H.R. 2991) that would prohibit U.S. foreign aid from going to countries that fail to extradite individuals suspected of killing law enforcement officers. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) called on Congress to ban human cloning "before it's too late."  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) released the following list of examples of recent anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements made by Democrat leaders. (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) urged Democrats to "put America first," in light of news that Democrats have created another committee to investigate the conduct of American soldiers.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Anne Northup (R-KY) commended the U.S. and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for signing an agreement last week that will open international adoptions between the two countries. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA) is seeking signatures on a letter to Treasury Secretary John Snow, requesting that the IRS cease collecting the federal excise tax on long-distance telephone services.  (pdf)

 Artist-in-Residence: Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN) offered a successful amendment (H.Amdt. 276) to the Science, Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Act to remove funds for NASA's performance artist-in-residence.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC), John Kline (R-MN), Sam Johnson (R-TX), and other House Republicans called on Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to apologize for his remarks likening America's military men and women to Nazis.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) is promoting his Medicare Beneficiary Freedom to Contract Act (H.R. 709), which would allow a Medicare beneficiary to enter into a private contract with a physician or health care practitioner for the provision of Medicare-covered professional services.  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) is promoting his Freedom to Display the American Flag Act (H.R. 42), which would ensure the right of an individual to display the American flag on residential property.   (pdf)

 Bill: Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY) is seeking co-sponsors on his legislation (H.R. 947) to provide a nonrefundable tax credit for individuals who purchase a residential storage device for the storage of firearms.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) is seeking support for his Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act (H.R. 2726), which would prohibit municipal governments from "unfairly" competing with private telecom entities already serving that area. (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) called on Congress to act soon to "fix the medical liability crisis that is leaving millions of Americans in the rural areas and inner cities without adequate access to health care."    (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) is seeking co-sponsors on H.Res. 316, a resolution that would call upon the President to ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects "appropriate understanding and sensitivity" regarding the Armenian Genocide. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) is seeking co-sponsors for his legislation (H.R. 2513) to amend and codify the Oath of Allegiance that immigrants take when becoming American citizens. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) highlighted the following "egregious earmark of the week" regarding taxpayer money for a city swimming pool. (word doc)

 Online Freedom of Speech Act: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) declared "Let Freedom Click" upon the Committee on House Administration's attachment of his Online Freedom of Speech Act (H.R. 1606) to the 527 Fairness Act (H.R. 1316) during mark-up. Rep. Hensarling's legislation would help prevent blogs and other speech over the Internet from being subject to federal campaign finance restrictions.  (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) introduced the UN Reform Act (H.R. 2745), which would withhold of 50% of U.S. assessed dues to the United Nations if certain budget and other reforms are not implemented, mandate cuts in specific programs, redirect funds to high-priority areas, and withhold U.S. support for expanded and new peacekeeping missions until reforms have been enacted.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) wrote the following op-ed in The Washington Times about the ongoing progress in Iraq.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) wrote the following op-ed, "Don't Raise Taxes," in USA Today about the need to enact personal retirement accounts within Social Security without raising taxes in any way.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) highlighted the following "egregious earmark of the week" regarding taxpayer money for fashion.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) continues to seek more co-sponsors for his legislation (H.R. 809) to make permanent the individual income tax rates for capital gains and dividends.  (pdf)

 Letter to CBO: Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) asked the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to expeditiously conduct a cost estimate of Senator Arlen Specter's Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act (S. 852), so that the House could begin to evaluate this controversial legislation.  (pdf)

 Letter to Chairman Oxley: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) and ten other House conservatives sent the following letter to House Financial Service Committee Chairman Michael Oxley (R-OH) and Subcommittee on Capital Markets Chairman Richard Baker (R-LA), supporting the creation of a "strong and independent regulator" for the housing government-sponsored enterprises: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac. and the Federal Home Loan Banks:  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) is seeking original co-sponsors on his Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD) wrote the following op-ed in The Washington Times that calls for "more freedom, not more regulation" in the campaign finance system.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-WY) introduced the Totalization Agreement Congressional Approval Act (H.R. 2339), which would amend the Social Security Act to provide for expedited congressional consideration of any proposed retirement system totalization agreement with another country and require affirmative approval for such an agreement to become law.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) introduced the Truth in Employment Act (H.R. 1816), which would end the labor practice known as “salting”--a union tactic designed to put economic pressure on non-union employers.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) and Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced the Right to Fly Act, which would immediately repeal the 26-year ban on flights between Dallas' Love Field and most destinations outside Texas.  (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) commended Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) on the House floor for offering a Democrat alternative proposal to reform Social Security but rejected Rep. Wexler’s call for a substantial tax increase to achieve reform.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced the Parental Empowerment Act (H.R. 2295), which would prohibit a state from receiving federal education funds, unless the state requires each local (or state, as appropriate) education agency to maintain a parent review council regarding the purchase or acquisition of library and classroom-based reference, instructional, and other print materials for elementary schools.  (pdf)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) introduced a resolution (H.Res. 279) to condemn the British Association of University Teachers (AUT) for the boycott of Haifa and Bar Ilan Universities in Israel.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 154) condemning the World Health Organization for excluding Taiwan.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA) is organizing a caucus aimed at opposing the passage of a value-added tax.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) offered a successful amendment to the Fiscal Year 2006 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, limiting to 50 the number of federal employees under this Act who could attend international conferences.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL), in the context of tomorrow's House floor debate on stem cell research, circulated the following letter asking his colleagues, "Would you experiment on a death row inmate?":  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said that the decision of whether President Bush should veto a surface transportation bill costing more than $284 billion over five years is "a no-brainer."  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) circulated the following "Dear Colleague" letter to dispel a common myth about embryonic stem cell research:  (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) spoke in support of the House taking the lead in creating personal retirement accounts within Social Security.  (word doc)

 Letter to Senator Specter: Former judges Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Rep. John Carter (R-TX), and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) sent the following letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, encouraging him to consider a presidential nominee’s allegiance to our national sovereignty and the U.S. Constitution when exercising the Senate’s advice and consent role:  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) is gathering original co-sponsors on the United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act, which would support joint ventures between U.S. and Israeli businesses and academic researchers for projects committed to developing alternative energy sources and those that make our use of traditional energy sources more efficient.  (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) introduced the following resolution (H.Con.Res. 149), scheduled to be considered in the House International Relations Committee this week, that would honor Israel's 57th Independence Day  (pdf)

 SCHOOL Act: Rep. Mark Green (R-WI) will soon introduce the SCHOOL Act, which would give individuals and businesses dollar-for-dollar tax credits for donations they make to scholarship organizations.  (word doc)

 Family Budget Protection Act: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN), and Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) this week will re-introduce the Family Budget Protection Act, which would overhaul the federal budget process to make it easier to control spending and reduce the deficit:  (word doc)

 Health Coverage for the Uninsured Act: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX), Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) introduced the Health Coverage for the Uninsured Act (H.R. 1872), which is aimed at the problem of individuals who do not receive health care through their employer and small businesses that cannot afford to offer health care coverage.  (word doc)

 Patients' Health Care Reform Act: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) introduced the Patients' Health Care Reform Act (H.R. 2203), which would allow all Americans, including the uninsured, to claim a refundable tax credit for the purchase of an individual or family health insurance policy.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) circulated the following Washington Post article to highlight the importance of protecting marriage in the District of Columbia, in light of her Defense of Marriage Act for the District of Columbia (H.R. 72): (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) introduced the Defense of Marriage Amendment (H.J.Res. 39), which would amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as a legal union of one man and one woman, expressly prohibit the judicial power of the United States or of any state from being used to redefine marriage as anything other than a union between one man and one woman, and prohibit the courts from imposing the policy of one state on other states.  (word doc)

• Text of Defense of Marriage Amendment

 Social Security Snapshot: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) released the following "Snapshot of Social Security" to show how certain facets of the program have changed in the last 70 years.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) circulated the following article in Oprah magazine that reports on the success of adult stem cell treatment for diabetes.  (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) introduced the Farming Flexibility Act (H.R. 2045), which would give farmers greater flexibility in what they choose to grow in their fields.  (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) introduced the following resolution (H.Con.Res. 143), expressing a sense of Congress that the continued participation of the Russian Federation in the Group of eight nations should be conditioned on the Russian Government's voluntary acceptance of and adherence to the norms and standards of democracy.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) will soon introduce a resolution commending employers of the National Guard and Reserve forces.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 141) that calls upon the International Olympic Committee to change the venue of the 2008 Olympic Games (currently scheduled to be Beijing), unless the People's Republic of China makes significant progress in ending human rights abuses.  (word doc)

 Minuteman Project: Several House conservatives have expressed strong support for the Minuteman Project, in which volunteers sit along the U.S.-Mexico border to help prevent illegal immigration. To read a statement from:

• Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA), click here
• Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), click here

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is seeking co-sponsors on his legislation (H.R. 997) to make English the official language of the United States.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) will soon introduce legislation to end the withholding of federal income and Social Security taxes.  (word doc)

 Letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin: Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) sent the following letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to Mr. Putin's description of the fall of the Soviet Union as "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century": (link)

 Business Activity Tax Simplification Act: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) introduced the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act (H.R. 1956), which would allow a state to tax an out-of-state business only if the out-of-state business has a physical presence in the taxing state.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) will soon introduce the H2GROW Act, which would provide a 50% tax credit for the installation of hydrogen fueling stations and exempt earnings from the sale of hydrogen fuel from federal gross income.  (word doc)

 Social Security Bill: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) introduced the Social Security Personal Savings Guarantee and Prosperity Act (H.R. 1776), which would allow workers to choose a large personal account option for Social Security, with no benefit cuts or tax increases.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) will soon introduce the Enumerated Powers Act, which would require that all bills introduced in the U.S. Congress include a statement setting forth the specific constitutional authority under which the law is being enacted.  (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Pence (R-IN) testified before the Committee on House Administration about the need to provide more freedoms to political parties, nonprofits, trade associations, and PACs, in order to equalize the playing field in campaigns.  (link)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA) will soon introduce a bill to repeal the 107-year-old federal excise tax on telecommunications services. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) introduced legislation (H.R. 1678) to extend capital and equipment expensing relief provided by Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) and Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) are seeking support for a constitutional amendment that would place a ten-year term limit on all federal district judges and give state legislatures the power to reappoint these judges for successive ten-year terms, if so desired.  (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) will soon introduce the following resolution thanking John Bolton, President George W. Bush’s nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, for his long-standing history of confronting corruption at the UN:  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) introduced a bill (H.R. 1616) to double the maximum jail time, from 10 to 20 years, for those convicted of producing or trafficking methamphetamines or other illegal drugs in the presence of children.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is seeking original co-sponsors on a resolution honoring the 53 American citizens who have been killed by Palestinian terrorism since 1993.  (pdf)

 Letter to President Bush: RSC Chairman Pence (R-IN) and GOP Policy Committee Chairman John Shadegg (R-AZ) sent the following letter to the White House last week, opposing any Social Security reform plan that includes "add-on" personal savings accounts.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) wrote the following op-ed, published in The Washington Post, about the importance of protecting the freedom of the press:  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) wrote the following op-ed, published in The Washington Times, about the need to create time limits for the receipt of certain federal benefits.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), in honor of "Tax Day" last Friday, wrote the following op-ed about the burdens of the current tax system: (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) introduced the Online Freedom of Speech Act (H.R. 1606), which would prevent federal regulation of political speech over the Internet.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN) will soon introduce the Healthcare Enhancement for Local Public Safety (HELPS) Retirees Act, which would allow retired public safety officers to use up to $5,000 annually from their pension funds to pay for healthcare or long-term care insurance premiums--without taxing these distributions.  (pdf)

 Resolution: Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) will soon introduce legislation to prohibit certain foreign assistance to countries that consistently oppose the position of the United States in the United Nations.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) released the following "Social Security Scare Tactic of the Week," which raises concerns with the web-based Social Security “calculator” that first appeared on Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) website:  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) will introduce a resolution supporting the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims and recognizing the help that the group Parents of Murdered Children (POMC) offers to the loved ones of murder victims.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) wrote the following essay, reflecting on his trip to Rome during Pope John Paul II's funeral: (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) is seeking co-sponsors on his Individual Social Security Investment Program Act (H.R. 530).  (pdf)

 Letter to Secretary Chao: Rep. Johnson also sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, urging her to investigate whether the concerted efforts of organized labor to pressure financial firms and brokerage institutions to withdraw their support of the President’s Social Security reform proposal have in fact violated federal labor and pension laws.  (link)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) questioned statements made by National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials about the federal government’s embryonic stem cell research policy, which contradict comments made by NIH Director Elias Zerhouni last month.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sent the following letter to President Bush, urging him to oppose the addition of earmarks into the homeland security spending bill: (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Flake also spotlighted his "egregious earmark of the week." (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) will soon introduce a concurrent resolution encouraging all Americans to increase their charitable giving, with the goal of increasing the annual amount of charitable giving in the United States by one percent.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) introduced the Social Security Right to Know Act (HR 1286), which would require that Social Security statements for working Americans contain "more complete and accurate information" regarding the future of Social Security.  (word doc)

 Obligation of Funds Transparency Act: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) will soon introduce the Obligation of Funds Transparency Act (OFTA), which is aimed at reforming the earmark process in Congress.  (pdf)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) released this statement in reaction to the Volcker report on the UN's Oil-for-Food scandal.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) also released a statement regarding the Volcker report and called for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) will soon introduce legislation to authorize the House to post the Ten Commandments in the House Chamber, in the event that the Supreme Court rules in Van Orden v. Perry or McCreary County, Kentucky v. ACLU against allowing the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public places.  (word doc)

 Article: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) was featured in the following article in CQ Today about the current approach to implementing social policy.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) wrote the following op-ed in the Indianapolis Star about the need for Social Security reform. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) released his "Social Security Scare Tactic of the Week." Click here to read how one group is referring to Social Security reform as a "Las Vegas Retirement Plan."  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) restated the need to reform Social Security, after a new Social Security Trustees report showed the system going bankrupt one year earlier than previously expected.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) also released a statement in reaction to the Social Security Trustees report.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) wrote the following op-ed on Social Security reform. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) introduced the Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act ("FLAIR;" H.R. 1370), which would direct the Secretary of the Interior to develop a multipurpose inventory of federal real property to assist with federal land management, resource conservation, and identification of surplus and unneeded federal lands.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Mark Green (R-WI) will soon introduce the Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act, which would create tougher penalties for individuals who commit violent crimes against children in federal cases.  (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) will soon introduce the following resolution, expressing congressional support for the meeting of the Assembly to Promote the Civil Society in Cuba on May 20, 2005, in Havana.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) highlighted his "egregious earmark of the week." Click here to see where one million of your taxpayer dollars are going (HINT: it may leave you singing the blues.)  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) released the following statement regarding Senator Jon Corzine's (D-NJ) comparison of Vice President Dick Cheney to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.  (pdf)

 Terri Shiavo Statements: Various RSC Members released statements regarding the Terri Schiavo situation.  To read a Member's statement, click on the Member's name.

• RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN)
• Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL)
• Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
• Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)
• Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
• Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA)
• Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)
• Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE)
• Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)
• Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)
• Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI)
• Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO)
• Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
• Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
• Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
• Rep. Mark Green (R-WI)
• Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ)
• Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ)
• Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC)
• Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS)

 Letter to Speaker Hastert: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) and 30 other House conservatives sent the following letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), urging him to bring the Senate-passed bankruptcy reform bill to the House floor as soon as possible.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced the Prescription Drug Benefit Oversight Act (H.R. 1382), which would delay the implementation of the new prescription drug benefit under Medicare for one year to give Congress more time to assess its cost and consider new cost-control mechanisms.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) wrote the following op-ed on the need to reform Social Security. (word doc)

 Social Security Resolution: Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) introduced a resolution (H.Res. 168) expressing a sense of the House that "Social Security is a vital program facing bankruptcy" and "must be reformed."  (pdf)

 Letter to Chairman Thomas: Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) and 16 other House Members sent the following letter to House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, encouraging him to consider, as part of Social Security reform, the option for workers to put a portion of their Social Security in the equivalent of a certificate of deposit (CD) offered by a community bank, savings association, or credit union.  (pdf)

 527 Fairness Act: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD) introduced the 527 Fairness Act (H.R. 1316), which is designed to inject more freedom, not more federal regulations, into the campaign system. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) will soon introduce the Pledge and Prayer Amendment, which would give constitutional protection to the Ten Commandments, the Pledge of Allegiance, voluntary prayer in school, and our national motto.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) reintroduced the Marriage Protection Act (H.R. 1100), which would prevent federal judges from ruling on cases arising under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced the No Net Loss of Private Lands Act (H.R. 1235), which would require that any federal acquisition of more than 100 acres of new land in the West be offset by a corresponding sale of existing holdings of equal or greater value. (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) wrote the following op-ed about the surface transportation bill (H.R. 3) that the House passed recently.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) will soon reintroduce the Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act, which would permanently ban taxes that apply only to the Internet.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced the Child Predator Act (H.R. 1355) to increase the sentences for repeat child offenders and otherwise expand the accountability of child offenders.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) reintroduced the Firearm Commerce Modernization Act (H.R. 1384), which would update certain procedures applicable to commerce in firearms and remove certain federal restrictions on interstate firearms transactions. (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS) wrote the following op-ed about spreading democracy in the Middle East.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) wrote the following op-ed about curbing the costs of health care:  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) issued the following statement calling on Major League Baseball to implement tougher penalties for steroid use.  (pdf)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rep. Albert Wynn (D-MD) announced that they will introduce the 527 Fairness Act, which, among other things, would remove the aggregate contribution limits that individuals can make to party committees and candidates, remove the cap on what parties can spend on behalf of their own candidates, index for inflation the limits on contributions to and by political action committees, and allow issue advocacy by nonprofits in certain circumstances before elections.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) called the defeat of Senator Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) amendment to the bankruptcy reform bill (S. 256) "a victory for free speech." The Schumer amendment would have made nondischargeable the debts incurred from civil suits related to peaceful pro-life protesting.  (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. Pitts also wrote the following op-ed on the problems with Social Security  (pdf)

 Law of the Sea Treaty Letter: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and 13 other House conservatives signed the following letter to House Ways & Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), asking that they hold hearings on the revenue implications of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (better known as the Law of the Sea Treaty, or "LOST"). (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) reintroduced the SAFE Act (H.R. 1243), which would provide for state reciprocity for any citizen who is entitled to carry a concealed firearm pursuant to the laws of his home state.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) introduced a bill (H.R. 1219) to eliminate the visa lottery program, in which 50,000 foreign nationals are chosen by lottery to enter the U.S. each year as permanent residents.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) introduced the Surface Transportation and Taxation Equity (STATE) Act (H.R. 1097), which would allow any state that increases its state gas tax to have its federal gas tax contributions offset by the same amount. (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) announced that he will soon introduce the Parents' Tax Relief Act, which, among other things, would extend the dependent care tax credit to stay-at-home parents, make the child tax credit permanent, increase the personal child tax exemption, and permanently eliminate the marriage tax penalty.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) was joined by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) to unveil a concurrent resolution on the “One Percent Plan," urging Americans to increase their charitable giving by one percentage point nationally.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) released the following statement in reaction to the Supreme Court of the United States' recent ruling in Roper v. Simmons (regarding the death penalty for people under age 18) and how the ruling underscores the need to remove international influence from the U.S. court system.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) also criticized the Roper v. Simmons decision.  (word doc)

 Disabled Person's Legal Protection Act: Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) will soon introduce the Disabled Person’s Legal Protection Act, which would recognize in federal law the due process protection of habeas corpus appeals for disabled individuals who are the subject of a court order to affect their death by removal of nutrition, hydration, or medical treatment.

• Summary of the bill
• Additional background on the need for the bill, including information on the Terri Schiavo case in Florida
• Bill Text

 Press Release: Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) called on Congress to enact legislation to help reduce the "surging" health care costs for small businesses.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) reintroduced a suite of bills (H.R. 1073, H.R. 1074, H.R. 1075) to increase union leader accountability to union members and secure the ability of the Secretary of Labor to act on behalf of union members when their leadership is not complying.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) reintroduced the Freedom Flat Tax Act (H.R. 1040), which would implement an optional flat-rate federal income tax system. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Mark Green (R-WI) touted President Bush's support of his bill (H.R. 1054) to permanently establish an Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in the White House.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) introduced legislation (H.R. 881) to ban mercury from vaccines.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) questioned why American taxpayers have been forced to send $450,000 to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) wrote the following op-ed in favor of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) reintroduced legislation (H.R. 43) to restore separate recognition of George Washington's and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays--rather than a joint "President's Day."  (pdf)

 Charts: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) circulated the following two graphs depicting the recent history of offsetting supplemental appropriations bills and the Republican record of exceeding budget resolutions.

• History of Offsetting Supplementals
• Exceeding Budget Resolutions

 Press Release: Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) was recently featured in several sources as a leading conservative.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) reintroduced the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (H.R. 800), which would protect firearm manufacturers and dealers from liability in suits involving the unlawful acts of third parties.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 76) urging China's government not to pass an anti-secession law aimed at antagonizing Taiwan.  (word doc)

• Text of Resolution

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) and Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 69) calling on the U.S. to resume full diplomatic relations with Taiwan.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) will soon reintroduce legislation calling on the General Accountability Office to conduct a six-month review of the approval process that the FDA used to declare the abortion drug, RU-486, “safe and effective.” (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) introduced the Financial Customer Identification Verification Improvement Act (H.R. 815), which would prohibit the use of identification cards issued by foreign governments, including matricula consular cards, for purposes of verifying the identity of a person who wants to open an account at a U.S. financial institution.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) questioned why American taxpayers have again been forced to send $150,000 to the GRAMMY Foundation.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced the TRAIL Act (H.R. 975), which would provide federal agencies with enhanced enforcement tools to protect and maintain our public lands and increase penalties for those who abuse public lands. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), in light of new reports that the Medicare prescription drug benefit could cost considerably more than anticipated, announced that he would reintroduce legislation to cap the cost of the benefit at the initial $400 billion-over-ten-years estimate.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC) is seeking original co-sponsors on his Common Sense Spending Act, which would, among other things, limit the growth in all discretionary spending to the inflation rate, reduce by one percentage point the growth in mandatory spending, and strengthen the definition of what constitutes emergency spending.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) reintroduced legislation (H.R. 703) to adjust for inflation the exemption amounts for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and allow the deduction of state and local taxes under the AMT.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) reintroduced the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act (H.R. 682), which would require federal agencies to assess the impact of proposed regulations on small businesses before implementing them.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) reintroduced a suite of four OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) reform measures (H.R. 739, H.R. 740, H.R. 741, H.R. 742) designed to enhance fairness for small businesses by giving them new tools to defend themselves against OSHA citations they believe are unjustified.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) introduced the Small Business Healthcare Savings Act (H.R. 490), which would repeal the federal mandate that small employers buy guaranteed-issue health care insurance for their employees and would allow each state to conform its health care laws to meet the needs of its small business population.  (word doc)

 Fact Sheet: Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) released a sheet comparing the costs of leading pharmaceuticals in Frankfurt, Germany to those in Rochester, Minnesota. (pdf)

 Bill Summary: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) reintroduced the Internet Spyware (I-SPY) Prevention Act (H.R. 744), which would federally criminalize the activities conducted using "spyware." (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 49) to recognize the importance of Western civilization. (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) reintroduced the Right to Ride Livestock on Federal Land Act (H.R. 586), which would allow the continued recreational use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service lands. (pdf)

 Letter to IRS Commissioner: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) and 23 other House conservatives sent the following letter to IRS Commissioner, Mark Everson, expressing "outrage" that the IRS allowed at least one tax deduction for a sex-change operation.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), in light of new reports that the Medicare prescription drug benefit could cost considerably more than anticipated, announced that he would reintroduce legislation to cap the cost of the benefit at the initial $400 billion-over-ten-years estimate.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC) is seeking original co-sponsors on his Common Sense Spending Act, which would, among other things, limit the growth in all discretionary spending to the inflation rate, reduce by one percentage point the growth in mandatory spending, and strengthen the definition of what constitutes emergency spending.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) reintroduced legislation (H.R. 703) to adjust for inflation the exemption amounts for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and allow the deduction of state and local taxes under the AMT.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) reintroduced the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act (H.R. 682), which would require federal agencies to assess the impact of proposed regulations on small businesses before implementing them.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) reintroduced a suite of four OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) reform measures (H.R. 739, H.R. 740, H.R. 741, H.R. 742) designed to enhance fairness for small businesses by giving them new tools to defend themselves against OSHA citations they believe are unjustified.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) introduced the Small Business Healthcare Savings Act (H.R. 490), which would repeal the federal mandate that small employers buy guaranteed-issue health care insurance for their employees and would allow each state to conform its health care laws to meet the needs of its small business population.  (word doc)

 Fact Sheet: Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) released a sheet comparing the costs of leading pharmaceuticals in Frankfurt, Germany to those in Rochester, Minnesota. (pdf)

 Bill Summary: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) reintroduced the Internet Spyware (I-SPY) Prevention Act (H.R. 744), which would federally criminalize the activities conducted using "spyware." (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 49) to recognize the importance of Western civilization. (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) reintroduced the Right to Ride Livestock on Federal Land Act (H.R. 586), which would allow the continued recreational use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service lands. (pdf)

 Letter to IRS Commissioner: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) and 23 other House conservatives sent the following letter to IRS Commissioner, Mark Everson, expressing "outrage" that the IRS allowed at least one tax deduction for a sex-change operation.  (pdf)

 The RSC compiled the following reactions to President Bush's State of the Union Address last week:  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) praised the courage of the Iraqi people for voting in their elections despite threats against the lives of voters.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) expressed disappointment at how "liberal leaders in Washington attempt to downplay the Iraqi elections." (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) will soon reintroduce the Right to Life Act, which would legally recognize the personhood of the unborn, thereby effectively overturning Roe v. Wade.  (pdf)

To read the text of Rep. Hunter's bill, click here:

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) is reintroducing the Small Business Health Fairness Act, which would allow small businesses to band together in bona-fide trade associations to form Association Health Plans (AHP’s).  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) are reintroducing the United Nations Oil-for-Food Accountability Act, which would require the withholding of a portion of United States assessed contributions to the United Nations until the President certifies that the UN is cooperating in the investigation of its Oil-for-Food Program.  (word doc)

 Press Release: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) co-authored a resolution (H.Res. 56) commending the Palestinian people for holding elections and calling on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to take strong steps to halt and eradicate terrorism. The House passed the resolution 415-1. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. John Kline (R-MN) led a bipartisan effort in support of equal access for military recruiters on college campuses that accept federal funds. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) introduced a resolution (H.Res. 20) to disapprove of the Bush Administration's Social Security totalization agreement with Mexico. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) is reintroducing the Secret Ballot Protection Act, which would guarantee workers the right to a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board, while prohibiting unions from being recognized based on a card check campaign. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) reintroduced a bill (H.R. 45) to end the taxpayer funding of party presidential political conventions. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. John Kline (R-MN) will introduce the Ronald Reagan $50 Bill Act, which would replace the image of Ulysses S. Grant on the $50 bill with an image of President Ronald Reagan.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) thanked Education Secretary Margaret Spellings for criticizing PBS’ use of taxpayer literacy funds on the creation of an episode of the show “Postcards from Buster” that featured lesbian couples.  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), former RSC Chairman, was elected by House Republicans to be the Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fifth-ranking position in the elected House leadership.  (word doc)

 Article: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) was featured in the following CongressDaily article about conservative efforts to limit federal spending: (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), chairman of the Values Action Team, issued the following statement on the 32nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision:  (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Pitts also released the following statement decrying the refusal of the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the Terri Schiavo case: (pdf)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) wrote a "Dear Colleague" letter commending Vice President Dick Cheney's recent remarks on the state of the Social Security system:  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Flake also criticized the AARP's position on Social Security reform. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) announced that he will be introducing the Permanent Sales Tax Deduction Act, to make permanent the two-year state sales tax deduction in federal law.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) will soon introduce the Free Flow of Information Act which would set national standards that must be met before a federal entity could issue a subpoena to a member of the news media in any government criminal or civil case. (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) and Rep. Anne Northup (R-KY) were joined by Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC), John Thune (R-SD), and David Vitter (R-LA) in introducing the Pharmaceutical Market Access Act (H.R. 328), which would allow American consumers, pharmacists, and wholesalers access to FDA-approved prescription drugs from FDA-approved facilities in 25 industrialized countries. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) introduced the Disaster Prevention Protection Act (H.R. 387) to exclude disaster mitigation payments from federal taxation. (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) wrote an op-ed about the need to pass a border security bill:  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) reintroduced a bill (H.R. 34) to redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) will soon introduce the Natural Gas Production Act, which would extend the tax credit for producing fuel from non-conventional sources to gas produced onshore from a depth of more than 15,000 feet. (word doc)

 Dear Colleagues: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) circulated two "Dear Colleague" letters including articles about the advantages of specialty hospitals.  To read the letter with:

• The Washington Times piece, click here
• The Wall Street Journal piece, click here

 Social Security: Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) will reintroduce their Individual Social Security Investment Program Act, which would give people ages 22-55 the option of diverting half of their payroll taxes (6.2%) to individually owned, personally invested retirement accounts. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is seeking co-sponsors on his Health Insurance Affordability Act (H.R. 37), which would give policy holders contributing to health savings accounts the ability to deduct the high-deductible insurance premium on their individual federal tax returns.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) is seeking co-sponsors for his re-introduction of the Citizen's Self-Defense Act (H.R. 47), which would reaffirm the right to use firearms in defense of oneself, one's home, or one's family. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) will soon reintroduce legislation to increase the military death gratuity.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) called on the United Nations to fully cooperate in the Oil-For-Food Scandal investigation.  (word doc)

 Resolution: Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) will introduce a resolution expressing a sense of Congress that the American people should observe the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and honor all the victims of the Holocaust.  (word doc)

 Op-ed: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) wrote an op-ed about the need to take steps to control federal spending earlier rather than later this year: (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) is seeking original co-sponsors for his re-introduction of the First Amendment Restoration Act, which would repeal the political speech restrictions in the new campaign finance law: (word doc)

 Health Act: Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) is seeking original co-sponsors for his re-introduction of a bill to reduce the burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system: (pdf)

 Letter to Kofi Annan: Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) sent a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, offering his "sincerest gratitude" for Annan's efforts to convene a Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly to mark the 60th anniversary of the Auschwitz concentration camp's liberation.  (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) released the following statement regarding the United Nations establishing a registry for supposed damage claims related to the construction of the security fence in the West Bank: (pdf)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) released his "egregious earmark of the week" contained in the consolidated appropriations bill signed into law last month. (word doc)

 Judicial Use of International Law: Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) is seeking co-sponsors on a resolution expressing a sense of the House that judicial interpretations of the U.S. Constitution should not be based on judgments, laws, or pronouncements of foreign institutions. (pdf)

 Op-ed: Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-ID) wrote an op-ed about ways to reform the Endangered Species Act: (word doc)

 Spending Fact Sheet: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) compiled a fact sheet about the sobering history of federal spending over the last ten years: (word doc)

 Several RSC Members released statements in reaction to the Democrat challenge of Ohio's electoral votes for President last week. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), click here.
• Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), click here.

 Press Release: Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) touted her successful insertion into the House Rules package of a provision that seeks to cut government waste and duplication of government programs: (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) pointed to comments from defense analysts warning Congress that its pork-barrel spending was putting troops at risk: (word doc)

 Press Release: Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) described atheist activist Michael Newdow’s new federal lawsuit seeking to outlaw the recitation of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance as "another effort to prevent freedom of speech by an activist judiciary." (word doc)

 Death Tax Repeal: Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) is seeking co-sponsors for his legislation to entirely repeal the federal "death tax," including the estate and gift taxes and the tax on generation-skipping transfers: (pdf)

 Speech: Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) delivered an address at the bipartisan Congressional Prayer Breakfast last week about the important role of morality in politics: (link)

 Press Release: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) called on new Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to "forcefully disarm...militants and end their reign of murder and terror." (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC) is asking for original co-sponsors on the Tax Reform Action Commission (TRAC) Act, a bill first introduced by former Rep. (now Senator-Elect) Jim DeMint (R-SC) that would create a bipartisan commission to examine the problems of the current federal tax system, build a consensus around a nonpartisan reform plan, and ensure timely consideration on tax reform legislation. (word doc)

 The RSC was featured in two recent USA Today articles about the role of conservatives in the next Congress:

• http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-12-19-conservatives-bush_x.htm
• http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-12-19-conservatives-new-day_x.htm

 Op-ed:  Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) wrote an op-ed about his Operation Holiday Greeting as part of his official trip to Afghanistan last week: (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) announced that several health care experts, gathered at the White House last week, endorsed his Health Care Choice Act (H.R. 4662), which would create a nationwide market for health insurance competition. (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) spotlighted the "egregious earmark of the week" that was contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-447).  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is asking for original co-sponsors on the English Language Unity Act, which would require the federal government to conduct official business in English. (word doc)

 Article on RSC Proposed Rules:  United Press International ran an article about the RSC's proposed changes to House rules, which are aimed at controlling spending and otherwise restoring some "good government" measures: (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) praised Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson for verifying the safety of as many as four million doses of flu vaccine from plants in Canada and Germany. The action will allow the U.S. government to purchase and import the vaccine, which will alleviate the U.S. shortage:  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) released a statement in support of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner's (R-WI) insistence that any intelligence reform bill include border protection provisions:  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, asking him to restrict media coverage of military men and women engaged in direct combat:  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) touted her victory in restoring flexible education funding for local educators.  (word doc)

• Letter on flexible education funding to Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Ralph Regula, signed by Rep. Musgrave and 26 other House Republicans

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) this week will introduce the Safe and Effective Drug Act, which would direct the National Institutes of Health to examine the available scientific data regarding the safety and effectiveness of smoking marijuana and require the FDA to publicly post this information and specifically distribute it to those public health entities that recommend that patients smoke marijuana.  (word doc)

 Letter to Secretary Powell:  Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) and 21 other Republican House members sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, asking the Administration to stop illegal immigrant amnesty negotiations with Mexico. (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) wrote an op-ed on the importance of broadcast decency laws: (pdf)

 Rep. Pitts also expressed concerns in a Human Events article about Congress' funding of a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Center in San Diego: (pdf)

 Letter to the President of Sri Lanka:  Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) and 30 other Members of the House and Senate sent a letter to the President of Sri Lanka, expressing concerns over proposed legislation in Sri Lanka that would restrict religious freedoms there:  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS) today will introduce a resolution calling for the resignation of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.  (word doc)

 Letter to President Bush:  Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-ID) was the lead co-signer on a letter to President Bush, expressing opposition to the President's decision to send American tax dollars directly to the Palestinian Authority.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) released a statement in reaction to the House's decision not to bring to the House floor the Conference Report for S. 2845 (the 9-11 Commission Act) in its current form:  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) also released a statement in reaction to the House's decision not to bring to the House floor the Conference Report for S. 2845 (the 9-11 Commission Act) in its current form.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) continued his effort to pass legislation (H.R. 4284) that would condition a portion of U.S. funding for the United Nations on UN cooperation in a complete and thorough investigation of the abuses in the Oil-for-Food program. (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) petitioned the Department of Defense on what she called a “shortsighted’ decision to discontinue supporting the Boy Scouts of America.  (word doc)

 Letter to Secretary Powell:  Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) and 21 other Republican House members sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, asking the Administration to stop illegal immigrant amnesty negotiations with Mexico. (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) issued a statement regarding the Food and Drug Administration's announcement that it would require the makers of mifepristone (commonly known as "RU-486") to clearly state the dangers of the drug on the label. (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) introduced the Permanent Sales Tax Deduction Act (H.R. 5384) to make permanent the two-year sales tax deduction recently signed into law as part of the "FSC-ETI" bill.  (word doc)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), RSC Chairman-Elect for the 109th Congress, wrote an op-ed about the conservative agenda in the upcoming Congress.  (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) wrote an op-ed about the legislative opportunities in the 109th Congress.  (pdf)

 Death of Yasser Arafat:  Various RSC Members reacted to the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), click here.
• Rep. Steve King (R-IA), click here.
• Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), click here.

 Press Release:  Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), RSC Chairman-Elect for the 109th Congress, expressed optimism about the prospects for conservative progress in the upcoming Congress. To read more, click here.

 Press Release:  Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) condemned the Internal Revenue Service for warning houses of worship that they risk their tax-exempt status if they pray for the election of candidates.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter about the threat to the United States from an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack: (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA) wrote an op-ed about same-sex marriage: (word doc)

 Hurricane Offset Amendment:  On behalf of the RSC, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) offered an amendment to H.R. 5212 ("Making Further Supplemental FY2005 Appropriations for Disaster Relief") that would have offset the entire cost of the additional hurricane emergency spending with an across-the-board reduction in non-defense, non-homeland-security, non-veterans spending in fiscal year 2005.

• RSC brief about the proposed offset amendment, which failed 89-321
• Roll-call vote for the Hensarling offset amendment (H.Amdt. 784)

 Press Release:  Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) was joined by Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC) and ministers from Clergy United in calling for the passage of the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act (H.R. 235).  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) touted the passage of his amendment to the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act (H.R. 10), which would initiate a study of how a system similar to the AMBER Alert System could be transformed into an emergency warning system for natural disasters and terrorist attacks. (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) introduced the Shadow Wolves Border Defense Act (H.R. 5346), which would transfer the Shadow Wolves, an all-American-Indian border security unit, from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Rep. Souder reports that this transfer would allow the Shadow Wolves to continue to use their proven counter-narcotics techniques to stem the flow of illicit drugs across America's southern border.   (word doc)

 Letter to Speaker Hastert:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and 16 other conservatives sent a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), urging him to exclude drought relief funding from the Homeland Security Appropriations bill.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Nick Smith (R-MI) introduced legislation (H.R. 5195) to permanently extend Chapter 12 bankruptcy provisions for family farmers.  (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) wrote an op-ed about the balance of power and the power of the people in the American political system:  (pdf)

 Letter to Chairman Thomas:  RSC Chairman Sue Myrick (R-NC) and 24 other House Republicans sent a letter to Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, urging him to continue his work against the inclusion of retroactive tax increases in the conference report for the American Jobs Creation Act (H.R. 4520--also known as "FSC-ETI"):  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) introduced the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Enhancement Act (H.R. 5068), which would, among other things, create an Assistant Secretary of Cybersecurity in the Department of Homeland Security and otherwise expand the Department's cybersecurity capabilities. (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter to point out that broadcasting a statement such as "Urge Rep. Bartlett to vote yes" could be a federal crime: (word doc)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA) wrote an op-ed about the importance of marriage.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Mike Burgess (R-TX) circulated a Washington Post article about fundamental tax reform and promoted his Freedom Flat Tax Act (H.R. 1783):  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) claimed a partial victory as Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson released statistics illustrating the increasing effectiveness of aerial technology in enhancing border security.   (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) praised a report from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Education finding that actions by a UNC professor constituted a civil rights violation. The professor sent a mass e-mail to students enrolled in her English class, charging that one of her students was a “white, heterosexist, Christian male” who felt “entitled to make violent, heterosexist comments.”  (pdf)

• To read a Washington Times article about this situation, click here:

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) was joined by Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in announcing that they have gathered more co-sponsors on their Social Security reform bill (H.R. 4895) than have ever been on any Social Security reform bill before.  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) also promoted his Social Security reform bill (H.R. 4851), which was introduced in the Senate by Senator John Sununu (R-NH), by circulating an op-ed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in strong support of the bill.

• Dear Colleague
• Op-ed by Newt Gingrich

 Press Release:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) condemned trial lawyers last week for lobbying to block passage of his bill, H.R. 3369, the Nonprofit Athletic Organization Protection Act, which would have helped protect non-profit, amateur athletic associations from frivolous lawsuits. The bill failed 217-176 (a two-thirds vote was required for passage).  (word doc)

 Letter to Chairman Ney:  Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) was joined by 11 Republican House Members on a letter to House Administration Committee Chairman Bob Ney (R-OH), requesting that the Chairman's upcoming hearings on so-called "527" political organizations (such as the Swift Boat Veterans) include consideration of how the new campaign finance "reform" law has stifled free political speech.  (word doc)

 Washington Times Article:  Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) circulated a Washington Times article about his successful amendment to the FY2005 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Act (H.R. 5006) to prevent more than 50 federal employees (funded by H.R. 5006) from being sent to any single international conference.  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act (H.R. 5061), which would 1) provide assistance for combating the government-sanctioned genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan and 2) facilitate country-wide peace.   (word doc)

 Fact Sheet:  Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced the Natural Gas Production Act (H.R. 5090), which would extend the Section 29 tax credit for producing fuel from non-conventional sources to gas produced onshore from a formation of more than 15,000 feet. (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) introduced legislation (H.R. 5063) to update the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) to cover medical care provided to injured federal workers by physician assistants and nurse practitioners.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) introduced the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Enhancement Act (H.R. 5069), which would, among other things, establish a technology transfer program to forward promising technologies to federal, state, and local governments, emergency responders, and the private sector.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) offered a successful amendment to the FY2005 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Act (H.R. 5006) to prevent the funding of federal grants to study dorm room wall decorations and "what makes a meaningful day." For more details, click on these two links:

• Press Release
• RSC Backgrounder on NIMH Funding

To read a National Review story on Rep. Neugebauer's efforts, click here.

 Press Release:  Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) also offered a successful amendment to the FY2005 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Act (H.R. 5006) to prevent more than 50 federal employees (funded by H.R. 5006) from being sent to international conferences.   (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) held a press conference to mark the start of the 60-day political speech restriction period created by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (commonly known as "McCain-Feingold"). For additional information, including details on how mentioning a Member of Congress on TV can be a federal crime, click on these two links:

• Press Release
• Dear Colleague

 Press Release:  Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) offered a successful amendment to the FY2005 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Act (H.R. 5006) that will preserve the popular Education Block Grant Program, which provides $20 million in flexible grants to school districts across the country. (word doc)

 Editorial:  Rep. Shadegg also touted an editorial in The Arizona Republic praising his Health Care Choice Act (which would allow consumers to buy health insurance across state lines): (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) announced that he is introducing legislation to implement all 41 recommendations of the 9-11 Commission.   (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA) criticized a federal judge’s ruling that the Partial Birth Abortion Act of 2003 is unconstitutional. (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) spearheaded a bi-partisan rally on Capitol Hill to insist that meaningful sales tax deductibility remain in the American Jobs Creation Act conference report (commonly known as "FSC-ETI").  (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-ID) wrote an op-ed about the "ten-year deception" of the "Clinton gun ban": (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) wrote an op-ed about the ongoing threats of terrorism:  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) praised President Bush for touting two Shadegg proposals: 1) allowing consumers to shop across state lines for health insurance, and 2) expanding Association Health Plans. (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) was named by Newsweek magazine as one of seven Republican "stars."  (pdf)

 Intelligence Chairman:  Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) was named by House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) to be the new Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. To read Rep. Hoekstra's statement, click here: (word doc)

 First Amendment Restoration Act:  Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) announced the introduction of a companion bill in the Senate to his First Amendment Restoration Act (H.R. 3801/ S. 2702), which would repeal the political speech restrictions in the new campaign finance reform law (Public Law 107-155).  (word doc)

Rep. Bartlett also circulated supporting editorials. To read the piece by:

• George Will, click here.
• Paul Weyrich, click here.

 Press Release:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA) said that he intends to push for bringing activist judges before Congress to explain the constitutional basis for their rulings when such rulings overturn the will of Congress and the American people. Read Rep. King's complete statement here: (word doc)

 Stem Cells:  Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) has placed on his website a variety of resources about stem cells and whether they can cure diseases:  (link)

 Press Release:  Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) called for a new airline passenger screening process to be implemented in 60-90 days. Read Rep. Bachus' complete statement here:  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) issued a statement in support of the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the federal government set standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and refrain from establishing a national ID card: (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) wrote an op-ed in support of House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-IL) call to fundamentally overhaul the entire tax code and the Internal Revenue Service during the next session of Congress: (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) wrote an op-ed calling for reform of the Endangered Species Act, which, since its inception in the early 1970s, has only successfully saved seven species out of nearly 1,300 that have been listed as "endangered": (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) wrote an op-ed highlighting how easy it is to obtain false documents (like driver's licenses) from government agencies and how terrorists take advantage of these weaknesses:  (link)

 Letter to Secretary Powell:  Rep. David Vitter (R-LA) sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell, expressing strong opposition to the Secretary's invitation of international election monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the upcoming U.S. election. 

• Statement  (pdf)
• Letter to Secretary Powell (pdf)

 Press Release:  Various RSC members issued statements in support of President Bush's appointment of outgoing Rep. Porter Goss (R-FL) to be the Director of Central Intelligence. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN)
• Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
• Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)
• Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE)
• Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA) circulated a column in The Washington Post that points out the misconceptions Democrats are spreading about embryonic stem cell research.   (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) questioned the State Department's reported decision to grant U.S. citizenship to 100 Ahiska Muslims from Russia who have no formal identification.   (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. David Vitter (R-LA) applauded the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' order allowing the Baton Rouge area to refrain from adhering to the Environmental Protection Agency's new reformulated gasoline requirements for the area.  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) praised House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) for planning to make fundamental tax reform a top priority in the next Congress.   (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV) promoted his legislation (H.R. 4748) to expand the child care tax credit, end the discrimination against larger families in such tax credit, and index the credit for inflation.   (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) applauded the addition of the Dominican Republic to the Central America Free Trade Agreement (now known as DR-CAFTA).  (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) wrote an op-ed about combating gang violence at the national level:  (word doc)

 Chart:  Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) released a chart comparing the statements "then and now" of various Democrat leaders:  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) criticized the "poor security along America's borders" that allowed Al Qaeda operative, Farida Goolam Mohamed Ahmed, to illegally and repeatedly enter the United States from Mexico.  (word doc)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA) wrote an op-ed about the "untold" news from Iraq regarding democratic developments and vast social improvements. (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) introduced the Social Security Personal Savings Guarantee and Prosperity Act (H.R. 4851), which would give workers the freedom to choose a large personal account option for Social Security, with no benefit cuts or tax increases.  (pdf)

• Backgrounder on H.R. 4851

 9-11 Commission Report:  Various RSC Members responded to the release of the 9-11 Commission Report last week. To read a Member's statement, click on his name:

• Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)
• Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO)
• Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
• Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)

 Press Release:  Rep. Steve King (R-IA), in light of last week's passage of the Marriage Protection Act (H.R. 3313), gave a speech on the House floor, where he decried that "marriage is not a civil right": (pdf)

 Op-ed:  Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) wrote an op-ed about the Republican record of cutting taxes over the last several years.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter about the personhood of the unborn child:  (pdf)

 Letter to the National Park Service: Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) and 26 other Members of Congress sent a letter to the National Park Service in support of locating the Victims of Communism Memorial at Maryland and Constitution Avenues, Northeast, in Washington, DC:   (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced the Compassionate Assistance for Parents with Children with Special Needs Act (H.R. 4653), which would make the medical expenses of a child with special needs tax deductible.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) sharply criticized a recent meeting between House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi, other House Democrats, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a "radical anti-Israel group" that has accused President Bush of "defend[ing] Israel's neo-Apartheid policies." (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) this week will introduce a bill giving statutory protection to marriage as the union of a man and a woman and giving original jurisdiction to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear any claim arising under this law. (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) called the Senate's failure to proceed on the Federal Marriage Amendment (S.J.Res. 40) "a gag order on the American people." (pdf)

• To view the Senate roll-call vote on invoking cloture on (i.e. proceeding to the consideration of) the Federal Marriage Amendment, click here.

 Op-ed:  Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) wrote an op-ed on redefining marriage.  (word doc)

 WSJ Letter-to-the-Editor:  Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) circulated a letter-to-the-editor from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Young (R-FL), in which Chairman Young refers to conservative efforts at budget process reform as "stale" and "not a serious attempt at reform":  (pdf)

• Click here to read the Wall Street Journal's editorial response to the letter by Chairman Young, who the Journal claims is "in spending denial": (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) introduced, and the House overwhelmingly passed, a resolution (H.Res. 713) that condemns the action by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its opinion on the legality of Israel’s security fence and for its 14-1 decision that the fence must be dismantled because of its violation of international law.  (word doc)

• To read the ICJ's non-binding ruling, click here:

 Press Release:  Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) succeeded in attaching an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2005 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act (H.R. 4818) limiting to 50 the number of federal employees (funded by this Act) that could be sent to any single conference outside the United States.  (pdf)

 Annual Report on the Federal Government:  Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) released his annual report on the federal government, including easy-to-read summaries of federal revenues, federal spending, and macroeconomic indicators:  (pdf)

 Letter on DC School Choice:  Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) and 35 other Republicans sent a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Young (R-FL) and DC Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), encouraging their continued support of the DC school choice program:  (pdf)

 Letter to SEC Chairman:  Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and 11 other RSC members sent a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman William H. Donaldson, urging him to ease the regulatory restrictions that currently curtail an individual’s ability to control how his purchase or sale is handled on the national financial markets: (word doc)

 Conservative Check Card:  Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) was joined by RSC Chairman Sue Myrick (R-NC) and other leading conservatives to introduce the "Conservative Check Card," a wallet-size card, given to all RSC members and other interested parties, that features a list of six core conservative principles. Card-holders can use the Card to check whether legislative proposals adhere to the six principles and then act accordingly.

• Photo from the press conference debuting the Conservative Check Card

 Press Release: Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) condemned the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling against Israel's security fence. (word doc)

• Full text of the ICJ ruling

 Cost of Government Day: Several RSC Members issued statements in reaction to Americans for Tax Reform's (ATR) announcement of "Cost of Government Day." According to ATR's report, Americans must work from January 1st to July 7th before earning enough to pay their local, state, and federal taxes for the year. To read the statement from:

• Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), click here (pdf).
• Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), click here (word doc).

 Dear Colleague: Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter touting the "promising, ethical" treatments for Parkinson's Disease using adult stem cells (word doc).

 Child Online Protection Act Ruling:  Several RSC Members responded to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling that the Child Online Protection Act (Public Law 105-277) goes too far in restricting free speech.  Click on the Member's name to read his or her statement.

• Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA)
• Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL)

 The Life Letter:  Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) released "The Life Letter" to give an update on pro-life issues in Congress and across America.  (pdf)

 Letter to Justice Stephen Breyer:  Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) and 15 other Republican House Members sent a letter to Justice Stephen Breyer (chairman of the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act Study Committee), urging an investigation into Second Circuit Appeals Judge Guido Calabresi's recent comments about the U.S. Supreme Court's "illegitimate acts" in the Bush v. Gore case.  (pdf)

 Health Care Choice Act:  Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) introduced the Health Care Choice Act (H.R. 4662), which is aimed at bringing down the cost of health insurance by letting people compare insurance plans across the country and pick the one that is right for them (regardless of residency).  (word doc)

• Bill Text of Health Care Choice Act  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced legislation (H.R. 4714) to simplify retirement planning options by streamlining IRA accounts into one Retirement Savings Account--open to anyone of any age and any income level.  (word doc)

 Letter to Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter:  Rep. Johnson also sent a letter to House Armed Services Chairman, Duncan Hunter (R-CA), asking him to seek the removal of a provision aimed at jeopardizing Rush Limbaugh's presence on Armed Forces Radio, as included in the Senate-passed 2005 Defense Authorization Bill.  (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter about how adult stem cell research is "ethically sound and more effective" than embryonic stem cell research:  (pdf).

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Akin also circulated a Wall Street Journal op-ed about a federal judge who has given the impression that the Code of Conduct for United States Judges does not apply to him.  (pdf).

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) introduced the Cool and Efficient Buildings Act (H.R. 3953), which would reduce the depreciation period for investments into heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, from 39 years to 15 years, to encourage new investment in environmentally friendly systems and spur job creation.  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) introduced the OSHA and Employer Cooperation Act (H.R. 4712), which would decrease from six months to thirty days the time for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue citations for workplace violations against businesses and increase from fifteen days to thirty days the time for cited businesses to contest the OSHA charges.   (pdf).

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) is seeking support for building the Victims of Communism Memorial at Maryland and Constitution Avenues, N.E., in Washington, DC, as suggested by the National Park Service.  (word doc).

 Freedom in Hong Kong:  Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) introduced a resolution (H.Res. 667) expressing support for freedom in Hong Kong:  (pdf).

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Mark Green (R-WI) announced the creation of the Community Solutions and Initiatives Coalition, which is a bipartisan group of congressmen "dedicated to raising awareness and expanding the vital work of faith-based and community groups across America." (word doc).

 WSJ Op-ed:  Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN) circulated a Wall Street Journal article about conservative efforts to reform the federal budget process: (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) announced that he and eight other RSC Members were tied for first place in The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste's 2003 ratings of which Congressmen best protect taxpayer dollars and vote against wasteful spending.   (word doc)

 Dear Colleague: Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) introduced legislation (H.R. 4528) that would put President Reagan's likeness on the $10 bill.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. David Vitter (R-LA) introduced the Gasoline Price Reduction and Refinery Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 4611), which would make oil refineries eligible to depreciate equipment over five years instead of the current ten, expedite permitting for new or expanding refinery operations, and provide for more efficient permitting for domestic oil drilling.   (pdf).

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter warning that, despite recent Supreme Court actions, the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance is likely to face legal challenge again soon:  (word doc).

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) will soon introduce the AMT Middle Class Fairness Act, which would index the parameters of the AMT for inflation and allow those who would still be subject to the AMT to be able to deduct their state and local taxes from the AMT.  (word doc).

 Letter to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson, expressing concerns at HHS' failure to respond to written requests from Congress:  (word doc).

 Ronald Wilson Reagan Half Dollar Act:  Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) introduced legislation (H.R. 4525) that would require the Secretary of the Treasury to redesign the half-dollar coin to commemorate President Reagan.  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), the sponsor of the Ronald Reagan Dime Act (H.R. 3633), issued a statement about proceeding with various efforts to commemorate President Reagan on U.S. currency.  (word doc)

 Several RSC Members wrote op-eds about President Reagan. To read the op-ed by a particular member, click the link following his or her name:

• RSC Chairman Sue Myrick (R-NC) - (word doc)
• Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) - (word doc)
• Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) - (word doc)
• Rep. John Carter (R-TX) - (word doc)
• Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) - (pdf)
• Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) - (word doc)
• Rep. John Kline (R-MN) - (word doc)
• Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-ID) - (word doc)
• Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) - (pdf)
• Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) - (word doc)
• Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) - (word doc)
• Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) - (word doc)
• Rep. Ed Schrock (R-VA) - (word doc)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) is seeking co-sponsors for his bill (H.R. 2895) to extend for two years the 50% bonus depreciation, which will expire at the end of 2004 without congressional action.  (word doc).

• Letter from Americans for Tax Reform in support of Rep. Wilson's Bonus Depreciation Extension Act  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 440) expressing a sense of Congress that the U.S. should resume official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China on Taiwan.  (pdf)

 Press Release:  Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced the Working Families Access to Justice Act (H.R. 4499), which would award attorney's fees and administrative costs to small business owners who prevail in frivolous lawsuits brought by the National Labor Relations Board.  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), the House author of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act (Public Law 108-105), was one of many leading conservatives who issued statements criticizing a San Francisco judge’s decision to block implementation of the partial-birth abortion ban.  (word doc)

 Letter to President Bush:  Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) led a bipartisan effort in sending a letter to President Bush, calling for him to push for the adoption of a common strategy at tomorrow's G-8 Summit to confront the threat of Iran’s nuclear weapons programs. 209 House Members signed the letter, which can be read here:  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter on the current state of the Senate confirmation process and the proper role of the federal judiciary:  (word doc)

 Press Release:  Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) reacted sharply to Democrat Senator Tim Johnson's reference to the "Taliban wing of the Republican Party:"  (pdf)

 Dear Colleague:  Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) is seeking co-sponsors for his resolution (H.Con.Res. 298) encouraging "vigorous prosecution" of obscenity laws. Rep. Sullivan also highlighted the results of a recent survey about such obscenity laws.  (word doc)