House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy sets out 2016 goals, including dealing with ISIS and a president who routinely oversteps his authority

 House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "With a new year come new goals and commitments. This could mean getting into better physical and mental shape, or cutting out snacks and sweets from our diets (don’t worry, Dewar’s is exempted from all new year’s resolutions), or taking time to reflect on the lessons that have surrounded us for into a new year with a renewed outlook.

generations. But for the rest of us, we are simply excited by the proposition of a fresh start -- to dive

  "This year ahead, without question, will be a historic one. Primarily, because we will elect a new President of the United States and the run up till then will test our nation’s vision for the future. And there are millions of Americans looking for a leader that embodies the spirit of the New Year and offers a fresh start for our economy, which has slogged along the last seven years. But against the backdrop of a national election there are others goals we will strive to meet.

 "First, we must destroy ISIS. Period. To do this, the President has to put forth a strategy that is different than his current patchwork approach. Congress has passed legislation (and the President has signed legislation) that calls on him to present a strategy to defeat this terrorist regime. With the calendar turning over, we cannot afford any more delay on a plan to win.

 "Second, we must not wait for our presidential nominee to present a new path forward. And as Majority Leader I intend to put Congress on an aggressive path to offer a different approach than the President’s failed agenda. Right away, when Congress returns next week, the House will vote on a bill that repeals Obamacare and defunds Planned Parenthood. And unlike our other attempts to do this (which have been stopped in the Senate) this bill will head directly to the President’s desk.

 "But we must show the American people what real healthcare reform looks like -- one that empowers the patient and the free-market. I look forward to Republicans in Congress working to present our plan to the American people.

  "Our first week back will also be the start to a yearlong focus on reforming our regulatory state that is adding costs to everything from buying and driving a car to purchasing food at the grocery store. These hidden taxes have made America less competitive and centralize power with unelected bureaucrats. And with more bureaucratic power comes more corruption and waste. At seemingly every turn over the past several years our government has proven this point.

  "We will continue to push back against the President’s continued executive overreach and disregard for the law. To date, the courts have stepped in and stopped several of his executive orders from being implemented; including, illegal immigration and regulations on puddles and ponds on private property. A multi-prong approach to restoring the balance of powers has proven to be necessary. That requires the legislative branch to conduct oversight, use its power of the purse, and pass legislation. All three will be highlighted in 2016.

  "And in California, we will continue to fight day in and day out to get drought legislation signed into law. In the House, we have exhausted nearly every option at our disposal and have made good faith efforts to work with our Democrat colleagues to come up with a solution everyone can agree to. Unfortunately, our Senators have refused to rise to the moment and join us so that California’s future is one of growth and prosperity, not managed decline.

 "These goals are a small sample of what is to come in 2016. I am excited for the New Year because I am excited for the future of our community and our country. I know our neighbors have the ingenuity and enthusiasm to make this year and following years better than the ones of the past. But it must be our goal to empower the American people to do so.  It is my commitment for that to happen.

 "Happy New Year and God Bless.

House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy denounces proposed Iranian nuclear deal a "sham"

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, addresses the proposed nuclear deal with Iran.

 "In my conversations with people in our community as well as with my colleagues in Congress, there remains continued focus and concern on the ongoing review of the Iran agreement. Yesterday, the

Associated Press released the text of a secret draft agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding inspections at the Parchin military site.

 "Congress should not be finding out about the details of a secret side agreement with Iran through media reports. The House has already demanded that the Administration give Congress the text of these agreements, as is required by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act that the President signed into law. On its face, this agreement seems to give Iran much too much authority in determining how and when inspections happen at the Parchin military site. Though President Obama claimed that this agreement is not based on trust but on verification, this side deal makes it look like the exact opposite. We cannot and should not trust Iran with any authority to police itself, whether at Parchin or elsewhere.
These secret side deals reveal that Iran nuclear verification is a sham.

 "However, in another development that we should focus on is this Administration’s proposal for additional regulations on oil and gas production.

 "Earlier this month, President Obama unveiled his plan to cut carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. In his speech announcing this regulation, he referred to the threats of job losses and higher energy bills as the 'same stale arguments.'

 "However, this week’s announced proposal of more regulations on America’s energy production could indeed have similar effects. But so as not to bore, here is a fresh reason the President’s plan is unnecessary: What the president wants to achieve with more government intervention is, well, already happening thanks to free-market forces.

 "The President’s own Environmental Protection Agency has reported that methane emissions from natural gas production have decreased by 38 percent since 2005. That’s right. In the heart of a natural gas boom in our country, methane emissions have actually gone down.

 "But this isn’t the first time that intended goals of a White House regulation are already being achieved.

Two days after the White House announced its ‘Clean Power Plan,’ the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that carbon dioxide emissions reached a 27-year low in April 2015.

So thank goodness for innovation and ingenuity. Without it our environment would be less healthy and the great American energy renaissance non-existent. We should pocket these important achievements and continue to build on a safer and more energy secure country. We should not swamp energy producers with new bureaucratic and unnecessary rules to achieve a goal that is already being accomplished without government intervention.

McCarthy: It is both "ridiculous and insulting" that President Obama wants to strike a nuclear deal with Iran without consulting Congresss

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

"The fundamental responsibility of our government is the defense of our nation. Today, the House of

Representatives passed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, which gives our Armed Forces the tools they need to defeat any threat to our nation, whether it be a terrorist cell or rogue state. Much of the hard work that will go into translating this legislation into action will take place right here in our community, at world-class laboratories and testing facilities like those at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and the Air Force Test Center on Edwards Air Force Base.

"The men and women in our military must have the latest technology and best equipment to achieve their mission. No matter how sophisticated our weapons become, however, it will always be the people behind the machines who are our greatest investment. This bill prohibits the Department of Defense from furloughing Working Capital Fund employees – like those who design and test weapon systems at China Lake. This bill authorizes Defense laboratories and test centers at Edwards and China Lake to hire more personnel directly, reducing bureaucracy by cutting out the Federal employment system, which is so slow and inefficient that it drives away many bright students who would otherwise serve their country. And just as this legislation strengthens those supporting the warfighter, it ensures that China Lake will have the land necessary for the Navy to continue to push the limits of revolutionary prototype technologies.

 "Keeping our nation secure and supporting the men and women who serve our country is one of Congress’ most fundamental duties. The House has acted. I hope the Senate quickly takes up the bill, so that our military community can receive the certainty they need and deserve.

 "Also this week, the House passed H.R 1191, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act.

 "The United States began negotiations with Iran to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons, but the framework for a deal that President Obama presented us would not accomplish that objective. The American people and their representatives are rightly concerned about the direction of the negotiations, the threat of a nuclear Iran, and the President’s desire to unilaterally strike a deal.

 "It is both ridiculous and insulting that the President wants to bind our country to an agreement without even consulting the people’s elected representatives, especially since so many are concerned about the terms of a proposed deal. That’s why the House has acted this week, passing a bill that will give Congress the authority to review the Iran nuclear deal. It will stop the President from unilaterally lifting Congressional sanctions against Iran while we review the deal. It will require regular updates from the Administration on Iran’s compliance. And it will give the people’s representatives a say—a check and balance—as the Constitution requires.

 "This legislation is a minimum. The President should take it as a message from Congress that, as the negotiations go forward, the Administration must insist on major improvements to what is currently a dangerous initial understanding with Iran.

Oil magnate T. Boone Pickens predicts that the price of oil could jump to $100 a barrel by the end of 2016, and trying to decode the puzzle over residential water rates

 * … OIL PRICES: Oil producers have sharply curtailed drilling as the price of crude has plummeted, but it may not last for long. At least that is the opinion of oil magnate T. Boone Pickens, who predicted this week that oil prices would rebound to around $100 a barrel by the end of 2016. At the same time
Pickens, president of BP Capital, said the idea of "peak oil"—the point when oil production goes into an irreversible decline—shouldn't be dismissed considering the boom in domestic production. Crude oil is now selling at around $50 a barrel.

 * … ISRAEL: Keep an eye on the strained relations between the Obama administration and the state of Israel. The feud between President Obama and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu is personal and bitter, but should it affect our relationship with the only active democracy in the Middle East and our longtime ally? Former Florida governor and likely presidential contender Jeb Bush put it this way: "This is no way to treat an ally. Conducting the foreign policy of a great nation requires maturity and a strategic sense of America’s long-term interests. This is no time for schoolyard antics.”

* … WATER: Understanding how local water rates are established is like learning Sanskrit (where is Lois Henry when you need her?) so I submit this humbly. I live downtown, alone in a small house with no pool and xeriscape landscaping, and my most recent flat rate service water bill from California Watrer Service came to $90.56. Meanwhile, a married friend who lives in Laurelglen with a full lawn and pool paid a metered rate of just $13.19 for the same period. In a time of drought, either I am paying too much or someone else too little.

* … FOODIE BEST BET: Uricchio's Trattoria has a tasty new happy hour appetizer that is worth your attention. It's a plate of lightly fried clams, with tarter sauce, all for $6. Make sure you call ahead and ask if it is available that day.

* … WOMEN: Congratulations to four outstanding local women who are being honored as "Women with a Heart for Bakersfield" by Garden Pathways. They include Irma Cervantes, multicultural communications manager at Bright House Networks; Nancy Chaffin, vice president, administration and operations, The Bakersfield Californian; Dr. Naina Patel, mind and body medicine department head, Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center; and Wendy Porter, executive director, Wounded Heroes Fund. They will be honored at Garden Pathway's High Tea on Wednesday, May 13, at Seven Oaks Country Club.

 * … MEMORIES: Randy Martin wrote to ask if anyone remembers the old Sandstone store on Truxtun Avenue that was a locally owned version of a Home Depot. "It had everything that the big box stores have and more," he said. "There was a train car out front that served breakfast and lunch. Another interesting item was a cross-section of a giant sequoia. It had tags on it that documented the tree through history. I remember one of the rings was when Columbus landed. I wonder where that tree went?"

House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy: The presidency of Barak Obama is one based on the singular principle of overreach

 Rep. Kevin McCarty, House Majority Leader, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "This week placed the inter-workings of the Supreme Court on high display. On Wednesday, I went to the Supreme Court and heard oral arguments for a lawsuit on the legality of a key provision of

Obamacare. The case, King v. Burwell, is another challenge to the law that was forced through Congress by the Obama administration. Should the Court rule against the law, it is imperative that Republicans respond with a health care plan of our own that increases choice, lowers costs, and gets the government out from in between you and your doctor.

  "Earlier this year I established a working group to develop an alternative to Obamacare should the Courts strike it down. A day before the Court heard the arguments this week, the Chairmen of three House committees released an editorial that outlines the House plan. When the Court issues its ruling, the House will be prepared to present a way forward to the American people.

 "Just as was the case with Obamacare, the president has defined his presidency as one of overreach.

 "Late last year, the President issued an executive action that rewarded illegal immigration. And just a few weeks ago a federal judge in Texas struck it down and placed an injunction on its implementation. As the judicial review is underway, I believe that the legal case against the president’s executive action is strong. Without any willing partners in the Senate in which we gave them over a month to craft an alternative to House passed legislation, and with arcane rules that allow Senators to hide behind a 60-vote threshold instead of working out differences in a conference committee, I would not play politics with our security when the Senate is unable to act.

 "The Congress heard from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on just how unsafe the world is.  The security of our nation is my greatest concern.  Threats from terrorist organizations such as ISIS must not and cannot go without a strong response and we must be vigilant.

 "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress was an important moment for our country and for Israel. Iran’s aggression and support for terrorism throughout the Middle East and around the world is real. An overly concessionary approach to negotiations will not convince Iran to change their ways. We must have a strategy that increases the financial and diplomatic pressure on Iran, bolster the weakened credibility of our military option, and confront the growing threat of Tehran and its terrorist proxies.

 "In my conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu and my discussions with our military and intelligence officials, the threats to our nation are real and I will continue to work to ensure that we take these threats seriously.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on the "imperial" presidency of Barack Obama

 House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "The old adage is that if you say something enough times, you might just start believing it. For President Obama, the opposite appears to be true when it comes to his authority to unilaterally change

immigration laws. Twenty-two times over the past several years the president said that he does not have the authority to change immigration law on his own. In November of last year, he ignored his own legal counsel and moved forward with an executive order that circumvented Congress.
 "Congress rejects this imperial maneuver and will continue to fight against the eroding of government’s three coequal branches as envisioned by our Founders.
 "And 2,000 miles away from Washington a federal judge in Texas agreed with us in Congress (and the president himself) and ruled that the president’s action violated the law.
 "This is a significant development in our fight against this administration’s reshuffling of the powers held by the legislative and executive branch. But as Americans concerned with the sanctity of the Constitution review this decision, it only took a few days for the president to again stretch the limits of his power.
 In a textbook 'Friday news dump' the Administration admitted more flaws in Obamacare and acted to blunt any political repercussions that it might cause. First, it was discovered that 800,000 Americans received the wrong the tax information from Obamacare and are advised to hold off on filing their taxes. In California, under the state exchange, up to 100,000 Californians received erroneous tax information.  Filing taxes with our broken tax code is hard enough for hardworking families. Now an additional stress is added with this revelation.
 "Second, the administration announced a special enrollment period for individuals without Obamacare (in the millions) so they won’t face the shock of the tax penalty. This is just the latest of the over two-dozen unilateral changes to the law made by the president.
 "Time and again, this administration seems to be performing damage control from the pain of its policies and when faced with legitimate opposition they routinely resort to going at it alone rather than working with Congress.
 "When President Bill Clinton faced a Republican Congress he conceded, 'the era of big government was over.' I have urged President Obama to work with the Congress on the issues facing Americans. Instead, he continues to ignore the will of the American people just last November. And in doing so, he walking himself further down a road that stretches the limits of his authority. House Republicans will not simply sit back and watch."

House Majority Leader McCarthy: President Obama more interested in posturing than finding common ground

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

   "The Constitution says that the President 'shall from time to time give the Congress Information of the State of the Union.' Through most of our history, the President has provided to Congress a state of the union through either a letter or a speech, and President Obama continued that tradition this past week.

 "Through the election in November, the people made it clear that they want our country to go in a different direction. At the state of the union, the President had an opportunity to do more than just claim he wanted to work with Republicans, but to actually put forward ideas that we could work together on and that the American people want.

 "Unfortunately, the President missed this golden opportunity. Though he said he was willing to work with Congress, he threatened to veto four different bills during the speech alone—the largest number of veto threats in a state of the union in memory.
 "And when he moved on to offering proposals of his own instead of just shooting down ideas from Congress, he went back to the same tax-and-spend, big-government ideas that the American people have made it very clear they don’t want.

  "So far, it seems the President would rather continue his political posturing instead of finding common ground.

  "There is a simple formula for divided government to work together. First, you need a Congress that passes good bills that both sides can support. Next, you need a president that is willing to work with Congress to find areas of agreement so both parties can accept the resolution.

 "In the opening weeks of this new year, the House has been keeping up its side of the bargain. We’ve passed bipartisan bill after bipartisan bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, rein in the Washington  "regulatory regime, reform the permitting process for natural gas pipelines, stop the taxpayer funding of abortion, and more. But the President has already threatened to veto seven bipartisan House bills. In total, these bills have received 123 Democrat votes.

 "As I’ve always said, I am willing to work with anyone who is willing to work. So far, the President hasn’t shown that he’s willing to work with us. He needs to set his sights higher than the veto pen.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: Obama's executive orders on immigration are not only wrong, but also do nothing to solve the problems of a broken immigratiomn system

House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy reacts to the executive action on immigration announced by President Obama:

 "The President announced this week a striking unilateral rewrite of our immigration laws against the expressed will of Congress and of the American people. The President doesn’t seem to get the point But despite Congress and the American people’s resistance to President Obama’s unilateral action—action the President himself said would ‘violate our laws’ and be ‘very difficult to defend legally’—the President has decided to go it alone yet again. As President Obama himself said, ‘there are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system.’ I urge the President to listen to his own words. America is a country of laws, and our Constitution does not grant the President the authority to legalize millions of immigrants with the stroke of a pen.

that he must work with the government he has, not the government he wants.

  "Not only is this action wrong, it does absolutely nothing to solve the underlying problems of our broken immigration system. In fact, it may exacerbate the problem.

  "The President’s action is a prime example of Washington cynicism. He has responded to Congress and the public’s desire for positive change with an all-or-nothing approach that only damages the prospect of future cooperation. He did not even attempt to start on the right foot and work with us in the New Year.

  "This overstep from the President is unfortunately not new. Time and again, this Administration has changed laws of the land to appease its political intentions - such as choosing to enforce some provisions of Obamacare while ignoring others. This has led the U.S. House of Representatives to take the necessary step of filing suit against the Administration to regain the constitutional footing between the branches of government that our Founders intended.  Additionally, the House has focused much of its legislative efforts on returning the power to the people, not unelected bureaucrats. And few agencies exude bloated power as much as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

  "The EPA proposes and enforces rules and regulations that can have major implications on our economy – especially here in the Central Valley. The EPA, however, insists that each new regulation is based on science and data. But despite this intended commitment, they refuse to share the data with the public and stack the board in charge of regulation recommendations (Science Advisory Board or SAB) with a majority of members that favor the heavy regulated agenda of the Administration. This week the House passed two bills that ensure greater transparency and accountability within the EPA by making public all data and science that proposed rules and regulations are based on. We also passed legislation that improves the make-up of SAB and its sub-panels by reinforcing peer review requirements and reducing conflicts of interest.

 "Our government is one that should work on behalf of the American people and ensure that laws written and passed by their representatives are not upended or contorted by an Administration. The House will continue to listen to the American people and fight for a government that is representative of its will.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: is President Obama about to cut a deal with Iran on its nuclear program at the expense of U.S. relations with Israel?

 House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

  "In recent weeks, the public has heard disturbing revelations about the White House’s approach to our challenges in the Middle East.  As our military continues to fight to keep the terrorist organization ISIS he Administration is dually in negotiations with Iran over their nuclear program.

from metastasizing throughout the region and from potentially carrying out terrorist activity in the West, t

  "Iran has yet to prove that it is willing to negotiate for a deal acceptable to the West. We know one thing for certain: we cannot accept an Iran with nuclear weapons. Iran has a bad human rights record, which has even worsened recently. It is a sponsor of state terrorism, an enemy of our greatest Middle East ally, Israel, and a destabilizing influence in the region.

 "These negotiations face a deadline at the end of November and reports indicate that the Administration is ready to make a deal with Iran and provide significant sanctions relief to the Iranian regime without Congressional support. While this “go at it alone” approach is distressing, it is made even more worrisome in light of additional reports that the Administration may be willing to yet again make significant concessions to the Iranians. There is overwhelming, bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill about Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, its sponsorship of terrorism, its promotion of instability throughout the region, and its appalling human rights record. I can promise that Congress will conduct extensive oversight regarding the details of any deal or extension of the current Joint Plan of Action.

 "But earlier this week, the Administration’s disrespectful attitude to our closest allies in the region was made public. Speaking anonymously, a White House official attacked the character of the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. These are not isolated insults; they are part of a pattern of disrespectful and profoundly counterproductive behavior that has strained the critical alliance between the United States and Israel.

 :"No ally of the United States is perfect and neither is any American administration.  But responsibility Presidents ensure their advisors work through policy differences with our closest partners respectfully and through the appropriate channels. The U.S. Congress is firmly committed to the U.S.-Israel alliance and will continue to resolutely oppose unilateral efforts by the Palestinians at the United Nations, and demand that Palestinian leaders join Israel in seeking a negotiated, two-state solution to the conflict that allows both sides to live in peace and security.

  "It is imperative that the President publicly repudiate both of these incidents and commit to working with Congress and supporting our great ally in the region.

House Majority Whip: Obama must act to destroy the Islamic State; the American people are looking for leadership

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "Congress will tackle several important issues facing our country as members return to Washington.  The overwhelming concern across the country is the threat posed by terrorist organizations in the Middle East, specifically ISIS. Within the past several weeks, this group has terrorized tens of As the House takes action on this issue, the President must present his strategy to destroy ISIS to Congress. The American people and our allies are looking for leadership and we cannot afford to wait any longer.

thousands through intimidation, displacement, and murder. They have metastasized into the largest terrorist threat since before 9/11, and of course, the murder of two American journalists represents the latest attack on the United States and our way of life. In Washington, the House will hold several hearings on the extent of the threat ISIS poses to our country and our allies, and the actions our nation must undertake.


 "As Americans look with concern to the events overseas, there is still anxiety here at home on the state of the economy and opportunity for future generations. This week, the Department of Labor released the employment report for the month of August and the results were nothing to celebrate. Last month had the smallest job gains for the year and the number of Americans actively in the labor force is a rate not seen since in the 1970’s. That is why the House will continue to act on legislation that helps our communities get back to work. We will look to the energy revolution that is economically transforming communities across the country as a catalyst for future growth. Right here in our community we know the value that energy can bring in terms of jobs, good pay, and tax revenue to support local services and schools. The House is committed to ensuring energy continues to be a driving force in our economy and we will fight the Obama administration’s plans to make it harder to produce oil and gas and to deliver the affordable energy that comes with it.

  "The House will also vote on a package of bills that provides certainty to important tax credits, reduces the regulatory role of the Federal government, and empowers small businesses to continue to take risks and pursue the American Dream.

 "This month, Congress will act to strengthen America’s economy by removing regulatory burdens and lowering energy costs.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: While President Obama and the Senate dither, California suffers a record setting drought and thousands go without work.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his own words:

 "As I listen to the residents in our community, they are growing frustrated and discouraged by a President that, time and time again, has skirted making the tough choices at home and has failed to demonstrate strong American leadership abroad. Frankly, I share their frustrations.

 "Equally frustrating is the fact that the House is acting in Congress and the Senate is not. In the House, we have passed over 300 bills—bills that would encourage the creation of good-paying jobs, move North America closer to energy independence, make government more efficient and accountable, and lower the costs of everyday expenses. But what has happened to these bills? They are sitting in the Democrat Senate, on Leader Harry Reid’s desk.

 "This is simply unacceptable. Times are tough right now. Moms and dads are working harder just to make ends meet.  House Republicans have ideas that will help all American families.  This week, I worked with my colleagues in the House to pass legislation that lets families keep more of their hard-earned money – the Child Tax Credit Improvement Act.

 "The price of raising a child has skyrocketed in the Obama Economy. According to the USDA, the annual costs of food, clothing, education and child care has increased by thousands of dollars in the last decade. Nonetheless, even as prices have consistently risen, the Child Tax Credit has remained the same. Our bill will index the Child Tax Credit for inflation, helping families better afford the increasing costs of raising a child, while putting more of the money they earn back in their pockets.

  "Meanwhile, as the House was working, President Obama was in California.  As he was flying across different regions of our state, I was disappointed that he failed to address our current water crisis.

 "The Central Valley and our state continue to endure the worst drought in a century, one that is threatening the livelihoods of so many communities and causing an increase in food prices for people everywhere.  Rather than taking commonsense actions to allow more water to flow to the Central Valley, this Administration has largely stood silent, as once-productive farmland sits idle, workers do not have jobs, and trees are being uprooted due to lack of water.   Inaction has consequences.  One only has to go to a local grocery store or even order a double-double at In-N-Out to see the higher prices that we now pay due to our water crisis that has been exacerbated by water restricting environmental regulations.  The House has passed the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act earlier this year and the Senate finally passed a water bill as well. Discussions are underway on a solution, which must address these onerous regulations.

 "I believe that all Americans deserve better than that.  With over 300 bills awaiting action in the Senate, the House will continue to act. We deserve a government that works for us, that learns to do more with less, and that produces real results.

McCarthy: President Obama's administration guilty of one broken promise after another

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "At a 2008 campaign event, then-Senator Barack Obama proclaimed: 'I take the Constitution very seriously. The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the Executive Branch and not go through Congress at all.  And that’s what I intend to reverse when I’m President of the United States of America.'

"Let’s mark that down as yet another broken promise.

"The Obama Administration's willingness to ignore Congress and unilaterally change laws that don’t suit his purposes are actions that directly conflict with our constitutional system of separation of powers.

 "The examples are numerous. After it became apparent that millions of Americans would not be able to keep the health care plans they liked, the President issued a temporary exemption to the minimum insurance requirements established by Obamacare. And when that temporary reprieve was not enough to avoid further political fallout, the Administration just last week extended the compliance date by two years. In total, the Obama Administration has modified its signature health care law—without statutory authority—over 20 times.

 "The President’s overreach has extended beyond just health care, though. Last August, Attorney General Eric Holder announced changes in federal mandatory minimum sentencing policies for non-violent drug offenders, reforms that are constitutionally required to come from Congress. And in July of 2012, the Obama Administration waived the statutory work requirements that were a critical element of the bipartisan 1996 Welfare Reform Law.

 "That’s why Congress this week passed legislation to address the increasingly alarming Imperial Presidency. First, we passed the ENFORCE the Law Act. This bill allows the House or the Senate to bring a lawsuit against the Executive Branch when it chooses to ignore or nullify duly-passed pieces of legislation. We also passed the Faithful Execution of the Law Act, which requires the Attorney General to notify Congress anytime a federal agency sets a policy that would cease enforcement of existing law. Congress is a co-equal branch of government, and we at least deserve to understand how the Executive Branch is enforcing or ignoring the bills that are signed into law.

 "When America’s Founding Fathers framed our Constitution, they designed a separation of powers system in which each branch was given specific duties and responsibilities. The Legislative Branch was tasked with writing law, and the Executive Branch was instructed to “faithfully execute the law.” President Obama’s decision to “go it alone” threatens this balance. It is the Constitution that has held our nation together during her trying times, and it will be the Constitution that leads America to even better days.

McCarthy: President resorts to fear-based rhetoric, shows audacity by canceling White House tours instead of dealing with the real issues

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip and a Bakersfield Republican, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his own words"

 "The past few weeks, Americans endured continuous fear-based rhetoric where the White House tried to scare Americans instead of cutting wasteful Washington spending. Doubling down on this rhetoric, this week the President cancelled all self-guided tours of the White House.  It is astonishing that he would deny Americans who are visiting their capital the chance to see our historic building rather than focus on rooting out unnecessary spending in other parts of our Federal government. Unfortunately, we continue to see an Administration that governs with tactics of fear instead of finding ways to unite us as Americans and tackling the problems our country faces in a responsible and adult manner.  Washington has a spending problem and it must be addressed, not with gimmicks, but with real solutions.

 "The current federal debt today is $16.4 trillion, which is larger than the entire U.S. economy.  Wasteful government spending must be identified and cut to get our growing deficit and debt under control. As I've mentioned before, here are a few examples of spending that can immediately be cut:

·       $4 million – the annual budget of the IRS to operate a TV production studio;

·       $1.7 billion – to maintain federal property that is not in use or underutilized;

·       $9.8 billion – closing Medicaid loopholes;

·       $10 billion – the public health slush fund in Obamacare;

·       183 – the number of conference paid for by federal agencies; and

·       $100 million in EPA grants to foreign countries over the last 10 years.

 "So instead of cutting wasteful spending, this Administration continues the old liberal mantra – higher taxes that only take more money out of the pockets of hard working American families and small businesses.  Our economy needs a strong and vibrant private sector and more taxes is not the answer. Just look at the jobs report that came out today where more workers have stopped looking for work and the number of people unemployed for 27 weeks or longer continued to increase.  We need to cut spending, reform our entitlement programs, and simplify our tax code to help spur economic growth and restore Americans’ confidence.

"Instead of fear and scare tactics, our nation needs leadership that inspires our greatness and unites us to tackle our country’s pressing challenges. This coming week, we will address one of our greatest challenges – our national debt -  as we map out a budget plan that will put us on a path to fiscal sanity.

Obama gives stimulus to gun stores: booming sales

Chatted with my old friend Gene Thome over at Bear Mountain Sports today and he is one businessman who is not complaining about the economy. After stuttering to find the right words, Gene was literally gushing about how busy he has been, selling handguns, AR-15 assault rifles, ammunition, gun safes, shotguns, just about anything you can think of. The reason: fear that President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder will not only reinstate the ban on assault rifles, but include other weapons as well. "He (Holder)said as much a few days ago," Gene told me. "I can't keep stuff in the store. I'm up at night on the internet trying to find handguns to order." Gene is a longtime businessman and hunting and shooting advocate who obeys the laws and believes in protecting the Second Amendment. For some gun-loving humor, check out the video TV ad on his website (click here to view). Business is so good Gene is hold a "customer appreciation sale" this weekend at his store, located south of Highway 58 on Weedpatch Highway.