Frankly Speaking

Pelosi's Trillion Dollar Government Takeover of Health Care a Bad Prescription for America

Frank Lucas — 11/06/2009 15:08

The debate over health care has reached a fevered pitch in our nation’s capital. Over the last several months, millions of Americans have spoken out at town halls, have called and written in to the White House, and have even made personal visits to their members of Congress to express their strong opposition to government run health care. Yet Speaker Pelosi has once again ignored their voices.

Speaker Pelosi’s health care bill H.R. 3962 was drafted without committee hearings or markups behind closed doors by Speaker Pelosi and a very limited number of her inner-circle. Weighing in at more than 2,000 pages, Pelosi’s bill will cost the American taxpayers $1.2 trillion over the next ten years.

Real reform of our health care system is needed. We must help those who want health insurance but cannot afford it. We must expand access to health care in rural America. We must fix our medical malpractice laws so that doctors can focus on saving patients rather than paying lawyers. And we must expand our investments in preventative care. However, that doesn’t mean we should throw out the car because it has a soft tire. This country still has the best doctors, the best treatments, the best researches, and the best hospitals in the world. Improvements need to be made, but not at the cost of potentially destroying our current health care system, saddling our children and grandchildren with trillions of dollars of debt, decreasing our standard of care, and burdening American families and small businesses with $729.5 billion in new taxes.

I will continue to oppose Speaker Pelosi’s government run health care legislation and any legislation that comes before Congress that includes a public option.

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Pelosi's Government Takeover of Health Care Hurts Seniors

Frank Lucas — 10/30/2009 15:18

No matter how many different ways she scores it, Speaker Pelosi’s health care legislation will cost the American taxpayers approximately one trillion dollars. Right now, the federal government is running a deficit – fiscal year 2009 ended with the government more than $1.42 trillion in debt – and our national debt continues to climb every day.

In order to pay for her almost trillion dollar federal government takeover of health care, Speaker Pelosi plans to make dramatic cuts to the Medicare program used by many of our senior citizens. Cuts to Medicare will cause some health care providers to drop out of the program, limiting seniors’ access to this popular program and causing many to lose their current coverage. In addition, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has stated that the Pelosi health care plan will increase seniors’ Medicare prescription drug premiums by 20 percent over the next ten years. That means many of our seniors will no longer be able to afford the prescription drugs they need to survive.

So much for the President Obama’s promise, “If you like your plan, you can keep it.”

Millions of seniors take advantage of the Medicare program in this country today and most are very happy with their coverage. However, under the Pelosi bill, seniors may be forced out of Medicare or incur higher costs and premiums. And all of this to pay for a trillion dollar federal government takeover of our health care system that a majority of Americans do not support. Is this really the way we should be treating our senior citizens?

Reforms within our health care system are needed, but we should be focused on the areas that need the most attention: decreasing costs and increasing accessibility for rural Americans. I will continue to fight against any health care legislation that includes the so-called “public option,” which really means higher taxes, a decrease in the standard of care, cuts to Medicare, and bureaucrats in Washington coming between doctors and patients.

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One Trillion, Four Hundred Twenty Billion Dollars

Frank Lucas — 10/28/2009 10:59

One trillion, four hundred twenty billion dollars. It’s an astounding number. It’s more than the entire economy of India and enough to give every man, woman, and child in the United States $4700.

It is also our country’s federal budget deficit for 2009. That means that in the fiscal year 2009, which runs from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009, the federal government spent $1.42 trillion more than it took in. To put this in perspective, last year’s deficit was $459 billion – still an astounding number, but less than half the deficit for this year.

When our nation runs with a deficit like this year, we increase our national debt – or the total debt we owe over the life of our country. Our current national debt is $9.1 trillion, and climbing every day. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that, under President Obama’s spending plans, our national debt will rise to $17.1 trillion by the year 2019, meaning an increase of $8 trillion over the next ten years. Most of this debt is held by foreign countries. China, not known for their great relations with our country, holds the most – more than $800 billion.

If numbers like this don’t shock you, maybe this thought will: what happens when these investors decide they want to cash in their T-bonds and T-bills? It’s not that hard to imagine. Right now, the United States government seems to have no interest in paying off any of our debts, so investors will be much more like to want to cash in their holdings or to purchase less T-bonds and T-bills. This would result in an even further drop in the dollar’s value and the federal government would be forced to pay higher interest rates to attract more investors.

Higher interest rates leads to an even higher national debt. For FY2009, the federal government paid $190 billion in interest. If our total debt rises to $17.1 trillion as the Congressional Budget Office predicts, our interest would quadruple to almost $800 billion by 2019. In comparison, the budget for the state of Oklahoma for FY2009 was $7.1 billion. So the federal government’s interest in 2019 would be more than one hundred times the state budget of Oklahoma.

Even worse, higher interest rates on T-bills and T-bonds would increase interest rates across the board, resulting in higher rates on loans to buy a home or to expand a business, which can lead to fewer new jobs and a decrease in our overall economy. In addition, the continued decrease in the dollar would cause the price of imported goods to rise, increasing costs for consumers, thus increasing inflation.

While I know there are economists who stand by the president’s plan to spend, spend, spend, I think that we must look down the road to see the real long-term effect it will have. Fiscal responsibility cannot just be a catch phrase used during elections. It must be a philosophy that we practice. If not for us, then at least for future generations on whom we are saddling this enormous debt.

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Government Run Health Care Not What the Doctor Ordered for Small Businesses

Frank Lucas — 10/27/2009 10:49

As Congress moves closer towards solidifying a health care reform package, one thing is clear: the Democrats’ takeover of health care is bad for small businesses.

H.R. 3200, the health care bill currently in the House has a price tag of almost one trillion dollars. As our national debt climbs to over $9 trillion, the only way to pay for this legislation is by raising taxes. Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Waxman plan to enact a $544 billion tax on the so-called “rich” to offset the massive cost of their new program. However, according to the IRS, more than half of those targeted under this new tax are small business owners. In addition, they want to impose a $208 billion tax on businesses that cannot afford to pay for their employees’ health care.

Instead of calling this health care reform, perhaps Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Waxman should call this legislation what it really is: a massive tax on small businesses during one of the worst economic recessions of our time.

In addition to this being a dramatic hardship on our American small businesses, this tax would be devastating to the American worker. Small businesses represent more than 99 percent of all businesses in this country and have historically employed half of the American workforce. In addition, in the past, they have created more than 72 percent of new jobs across the country. So a hardship for them quickly translates into jobs lost and no new jobs created. In fact, it’s estimated that these new taxes will result in an estimated 5.5 million jobs lost. As the national unemployment rate continues to sit just below 10 percent, is this really a time to enact a massive, job-killing tax?

The American health care system is the best in the world, but there is always room for improvement. We need a solution for those who cannot afford health insurance. We need a solution for those who do not have access to health care. But that does not mean we need to completely alter our health care system and put it under the control of the federal government.

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Reading Bills Is Important

Frank Lucas — 10/16/2009 11:26

During this Congress, Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team seem to have forgotten the importance of following the proper legislative process so that the final product is a thoughtful and successful bill. By refusing to follow regular order, the Speaker has crammed one bill after another across the House floor, forcing votes on legislation before most members have even had an opportunity to read it. For example, members of Congress were given less than a day to read the cap-and trade legislation, a bill that weighs in at more than 1500 pages and would impose an almost-billion dollar tax increase on the American people.

The failure to wisely craft legislation has resulted in the kind of wasteful, untargeted legislation we saw with this year’s stimulus package. Rather than drafting an effective stimulus that would benefit all Americans quickly and efficiently, the Speaker pushed a $787 billion spending package filled with wasteful pet projects, many of which have yet to be implemented more than eight months after it passed.

For this reason, I have joined all of my fellow Oklahoma colleagues in the House to support H.Res. 554, a bipartisan resolution that would require legislation and conference reports be available on the Internet for 72 hours prior to being considered by the House. This will allow the American people as well as members of Congress plenty of time to read and review legislation prior to any vote on the matter.

So far, this resolution has garnered massive bipartisan support. It has 187 cosponsors and a discharge petition has been introduced. A discharge petition would, in essence, discharge the bill from committee and allow an up or down vote on the House floor. A simple majority – 218 signatures – of members is needed for the discharge petition to be successful and so far it has 182 signors.

The American people deserve the opportunity to review legislation and express their opinions on it prior to a vote in Congress and this resolution would guarantee them that opportunity. I am pleased to join my fellow Oklahomans in support of this resolution and I encourage all members to support this measure.

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Implementing a Successful Strategy in Afghanistan

Frank Lucas — 10/09/2009 16:06

Last March, President Obama, stating that the fight in Afghanistan was the front-line in the war on terror, appointed General Stanley McChrystal to evaluate the situation in that country and draft a successful plan of attack. Seven months later, General McChrystal has done just that. While the exact report has not yet been released, some details have been leaked to the public. And the information is distressing.

According to General McChrystal, we are on the verge of losing the war in Afghanistan. The Taliban is making dramatic strides in recruitment and the porous Pakistani border is allowing terrorists to come in to the country on a daily basis. McChrystal states that time is of the essence in order to “reverse the negative trends and demonstrate progress” in the country. He has requested additional troops for the area – some estimate his formal request will ask for up to 30,000 additional troops – and has stated that we must increase our activity or risk losing the war altogether. However, rather than listen to the advice of General McChrystal, whom he handpicked to implement the strategy in Afghanistan, President Obama has announced that he will review McChrystal’s report along with other suggestions before determining a strategy for Afghanistan.

I appreciate that the president is in a tight spot. The left wing of his party is opposed to the war and he most certainly feels pressure from them to do so. However, national security should not be used as a political ploy and we cannot put our brave men and women serving in the Armed Forces at an even greater risk because of petty political games.

With our recent gains and successes in Iraq, the fight in Afghanistan has become the front-line in the battle against terrorists. If we don’t provide our Armed Forces in the area with the necessary tools to ensure their success in this country, we risk losing the entire war on terror.

We simply cannot allow Afghanistan to be taken over by terrorist organizations like al-Qaida and the Taliban. We cannot step away from this region and allow the terrorists to prevail because that will, once again, allow Afghanistan to become an international haven for terrorists and a base to launch attacks against the United States and its allies. President Obama must listen to his generals on the ground. He gave General McChrystal the assignment to win the fight in Afghanistan; now the president needs to ensure he is given the proper resources to successfully complete that assignment.

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Expanding Offshore Drilling Boosts American Economy, Creates Jobs

Frank Lucas — 09/30/2009 13:55

Last year, following a dramatic price spike in gas prices and very vocal call by the American people to increase American-made energy, Congress and then-President George W. Bush ended a decades-long ban on offshore drilling. Even though the Department of the Interior has jurisdiction over our coasts, Congress had used its power to spend to eliminate offshore drilling by restricting the funds necessary to develop offshore drilling. After President George W. Bush lifted the Executive Order banning offshore drilling in July, Congress followed suit by no longer restricting funding for offshore drilling projects in the appropriations packages.

However, more than a year later, we have still not progressed on this because of delays imposed by the Obama Administration. In March, President Obama announced that he would extend the comment period another six months. That comment period ended on September 21st, but in a move signaling what could be an indefinite delay, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that it could be 2012 before the administration decided whether or not it would allow offshore drilling.

The American people, the United States Congress, and the White House made it very clear last summer they wanted to develop the energy resources off our coasts. Instead of following the will of the people and this Congress, however, the Obama Administration has used one stall tactic after another to delay drilling as long as possible. Drilling in the outer-continental shelf will not only decrease the cost American families pay for energy, it will also create jobs, encourage economic growth, bring in much-needed revenues to many coastal states, and will help us break our dangerous reliance on foreign oil.

According to the American Energy Alliance Report, drilling in the outer-continental shelf would generate $8 trillion in economic output and 1.2 million jobs annually across the country. At a time when unemployment is near 10nd our dependency on foreign oil continues to cost Americans money, jobs, and national security, we cannot turn our backs on offshore drilling. Now is the time to begin expanding all our American-made energy options, and that includes drilling on the outer-continental shelf.

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Tales from My Town Hall Tour

Frank Lucas — 09/18/2009 10:39

Recently, the national media discovered something called a ‘congressional town hall meeting.’ While the idea seemed to come as a surprise to many, all of you know that I have always been a great believer in the positive impact of town hall meetings – doing 50 each year throughout Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District. My town hall schedule this year was no different than last – and I held 18 town halls during the month of August.

And I would like to report to you that, due to the number of important topics currently being discussed in our nation’s capitol, I had record turnouts at all my town hall meetings. In almost every community, there were ten times as many of my neighbors in attendance. In Altus, I had 250 people show up, compared to 50 people last year. In Ponca City we had more than 350 people attend and in Enid we had a record showing of almost 475 people.

While health care was overwhelmingly the topic of discussion, a variety of issues were discussed. Whether to express their opposition to the bank bailout, which I voted against, the so-called “stimulus” plan, which I voted against, or the national energy tax known as cap-and-trade, which I voted against – the citizens of the Third District came out in droves to express their intense dissatisfaction with the direction our government is taking our country.

I have always been a proponent of in-person town hall meetings. I believe that it is important for members of Congress to give their constituents an opportunity to look them in the eye and express their opinions. That’s why, long after town hall meetings are no longer the latest media fad, I will continue to hold them throughout the Third District.

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Flawed Process Leads to Flawed Policies

Frank Lucas — 07/31/2009 16:26

In yet another example of the negative impact of overreaching federal power without the benefit of careful consideration, the majority leadership forced the passage of H.R. 2479, the Food Safety Enhancement Act. Members of Congress were given less than 24 hours to review the bill before it was voted on. The House Agriculture Committee, which had clear jurisdiction over the bill, was bypassed during the drafting stages so that not a single hearing or markup was held. Once again, this Congress has used a flawed process to create a flawed piece of legislation.

It is, unfortunately, what we have come to expect from the majority leadership in the 111th Congress – from the food safety bill, to the stimulus package, to cap-and-trade, to the health care legislation – President Obama and Speaker Pelosi seemed intent on blatantly disregarding the legislative process in an attempt to cram their liberal agenda through Congress, whether we like it or not.

This is no way to create law. We have an established legislative process in Congress for a reason. Allowing hearings and markups in each committee of jurisdiction ensures that all areas of a bill are reviewed and tweaked, resulting in the best bill possible.

There are major pieces of legislation currently before Congress, like health care and cap-and-trade, that will have long-term effects on our economy and on the way we live our lives. The American people deserve elected officials who do everything they can to ensure that these bills are the best available option- not the one that can be most quickly crammed across the floor for a vote.

As Members of Congress head home for the August district work period, I hope they will all take the time to listen to their constituents. No one benefits from a flawed legislative process – it only leads to flawed policy.

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USDA Study on Cap & Trade Bill Is an Incomplete Analysis

Frank Lucas — 07/24/2009 11:30

Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a preliminary analysis of the effects H.R. 2454, the cap and trade legislation, will have on the livelihoods of our farmers and ranchers.

This is a simple, but not very revealing study. It does not present a complete and realistic analysis of all the costs associated with growing food and fiber. Our farmers and ranchers deserve a better accounting of the costs associated with a cap and trade scheme than what USDA produced today. Members of the House Agriculture Committee, of which I am Ranking Member, have been waiting for this study for two months and it is still inadequate.

The fundamentals of the study are based upon EPA’s flawed assumptions of how much energy prices will increase. Even with those generous assumptions, the study still projects petroleum prices will increase by 15% natural gas and electricity will increase by more than 30%. Our farmers and ranchers understand the devastating impact of higher energy costs of this magnitude on their operations. That is why 120 agriculture groups are opposed to this national energy tax still today.

The analysis omits whole sectors of agriculture like fruits and vegetables from consideration. The analysis provides no accounting for costs up and down the production process such as transportation and processing. There is no accounting for the potential of soil sequestration in agriculture soil. It provides no explanation for how an offsets program would work in practice. And, by USDA’s own admission does not account for the costs associated with producers participating in an offsets program. And there is no analysis of how food costs will increase for consumers.

The bottom line is we still need more information. This analysis was effective in producing more questions than answers about a bill that will invariably change for the worse the economic landscape of our nation forever.

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For the Health of Our Health Care System

Frank Lucas — 07/24/2009 11:29

No one can deny that our health care system has problems that need to be addressed. There are those in this country who are without insurance, who are underinsured, and who go without necessary – and sometimes lifesaving – treatments each day. In a country like the United States, this is frustrating to see and we can no longer continue to accept it.

But the response to this cannot be a trillion dollar government takeover of our health care system. This month, Democrats in the House introduced their health care plan, which includes a government-run health care system that would force two-thirds of Americans out of their current, employer-provided plan. To pay for this, they proposed more than $800 billion in tax increases on small businesses and American families- during one of the most severe economic recessions this country has seen in decades.

Dramatically increasing taxes and federal spending will not solve this problem, however, something must be done. So what is the answer?

We must first remember there is no one answer to the problems facing our health care system, but changes need to be made in order to improve our current system. Currently, many different pieces of legislation on health care have been introduced. As I weigh these different plans, there are a few key aspects I am looking for.

Coverage for All Americans. There are approximately 47 million Americans without health insurance coverage in this country. When they become ill, they go to an emergency room where treatment and tests are dramatically more expensive, driving up the cost of health care. We must address this problem. One option might be to provide funding for private health program for those Americans who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. This would ensure that all Americans have access to health insurance while keeping the federal government out of the individual’s health care decisions.

Lower Costs and Maintained Choice. We need to lower the cost of medical procedures and the cost of health insurance. The best way to do this is to ensure transparency in the system. We need to allow patients to view the costs of procedures as well as the costs of insurance policies side-by-side. This will encourage competition within the market and help to lower prices. Another option is one proposed by Senator Coburn’s legislation the Patient’s Choice Act. It provides a refundable tax credit of $2,300 per individual and $5,700 per family. This is a great way to help Americans cover their health care costs without a complete federal government takeover of the system.

Access for All Americans. Access to health care is a major issue in rural America. Right now, there are many Oklahomans who live in rural areas and have problems getting to hospitals or doctors. Any health care reform plan must ensure that we expand our health care resources to those rural areas that have been ignored by so many for so long.

Preventative Care. Preventative care is an absolutely necessary part of any health care reform legislation. Each year, five chronic – but preventable – diseases cause two-thirds of American deaths. The treatment of these preventable diseases makes up 75 percent of total health care expenditures. By promoting preventative care, this country would be able to dramatically decrease its overall health care costs and promote a healthier life for all Americans.

Keeping Medical Decisions in the Hands of Doctors and Patients. We must keep government bureaucrats out of the doctor-patient relationship. We have already seen the red tape nightmare that can be created when the federal government steps in. Can you imagine if going to your doctor’s office was like going to the Department of Motor Vehicles?

Continued Leadership in Innovation and Treatment. Right now, this country has the best doctors, hospitals, and scientists in the world. Almost 70 percent of Nobel Prize recipients in medicine have come from the United States and five of the six most important medical discoveries in the past 25 years were done made by American scientists. However, when competition is removed, the market loses its innovative edge. A health care system must encourage competition among health providers and among doctors and scientist so the United States remains a leader in medical innovation.

No Rationed Health Care. One of the biggest problems facing countries like England and Canada who have nationalized health care systems is that, due to costs, they are forced to ration health care. For that reason, we see Canadians coming to the United States to and paying full price for necessary health care treatments they would have to wait months for in Canada.

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Fiscal Responsibility is the Best Policy

Frank Lucas — 07/10/2009 14:17

Recently, the Obama Administration and Speaker Pelosi have joined many of their colleagues to call for yet another “economic stimulus” package, like the one passed in February of this year, as a means to encourage economic growth.

As a reminder, the first “economic stimulus” package cost the American taxpayers a whopping $789.5 billion. And since that money needed to be borrowed, the interest drove the total cost to around one trillion dollars. One trillion dollars. I’m not quite sure when that dramatic dollar amount became so common place, but it is still troubling for me to hear. President Obama and Speaker Pelosi promised the American people this legislation would create between three and four million jobs and pull this country out of economic recession it.

Yet, here we are, four months later and the unemployment rate has increased, not decreased. In the month of June alone, a staggering 467,000 Americans lost their job, raising this country’s unemployment rate to 9.5 percent. And now, as the unemployment numbers continue to rise, President Obama and Speaker Pelosi want to solve this country’s continued economic problems with yet another high-priced “economic stimulus” package.

I’m not sure about everyone else, but I’m still waiting for the economic stimulation and jobs promised by the first package.

The American people are hurting right now. Many are having to make tough choices and are finding it difficult to provide for their families. Rather than spending another trillion dollars of their hard earned money on pet spending projects and calling it a stimulus package, Congress needs to get back to the economic basic: fiscal responsibility is the best policy.

First, we need to put money back in the pockets of the American people by cutting taxes on American families and small businesses. This will raise the standard of living and encourage economic growth by lowering the cost to do business. As we have learned from history, increased taxes do nothing but grow the size of government and stifle economic growth. Second, just as families across this country are doing right now, the federal government must begin to tighten their proverbial belt and cut back on spending. For the 2009 fiscal year, it is estimated that 46 cents of every dollar spent by the federal government will be borrowed. That means almost half the money allocated by Congress this year alone was borrowed.

That isn’t just poor fiscal planning- it’s mortgaging our children’s futures to pay for the present.

Frank Lucas represents Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. For more Frankly Speakings, please visit Rep. Lucas’ Blog at http://www.house.gov/lucas/frankly-speaking/index.shtml.

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Government Run Health Care a Bad Idea for America

Frank Lucas — 06/19/2009 15:08

There has been a growing sense of frustration in this country over the rising cost of health care, and this problem has recently been compounded by our ailing economy as Americans are losing their jobs and struggling to make ends meet. I know there are many families in Oklahoma who currently do not have health insurance- making one sick child a potential family crisis. I host 50 town halls a year across the Third Congressional District, and when the topic of health care comes up, people consistently tell me they are happy with their doctor, their coverage, and their hospital, but are concerned about the cost and the accessibility, especially in more rural areas.

In a country as advanced as the United States, we should be able to provide quality health care coverage that is affordable and accessible to every American while preserving patients’ rights to select their own doctors, their own health care coverage, and their own courses of treatment. However, a government run health care system, like the one currently being drafted by congressional Democrats, will not provide this.

The system they are discussing will use a “public option”- one that is similar to the systems used in Canada or France. And while those systems might do a good job of meeting routine needs for their citizens, like taking their blood pressure or providing vaccines, they ration treatment for more severe problems creating a backlog of patients waiting for treatments. For that reason, you have Canadians traveling in to the United States to pay out of their pockets for expensive treatments, like MRIs, because they can’t afford to wait to receive them.

Under the proposed “public option” plan, Speaker Pelosi and President Obama will take our health care system, a system that is the most effective, efficient, and innovative in the world, and turn it inside out. While there are issues within our system that need to be addressed, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

Right now, this country is running a deficit of over $11 trillion, and that number is expected to continue to climb once President Obama’s appropriations packages are passed in Congress. So, in order to pay for this estimated $1 trillion plan, they will dramatically increase taxes on all Americans, including those who are already struggling to pay for their own health care, as well as struggling to put dinner on the table.

Simply put, this is not good policy. We need to refocus our efforts to make changes in our health care system that are efficient and cost-effective, while continuing to ensure that patients come first, that the doctor-patient relationship is not disrupted by bureaucrats in Washington, and that health care treatments are never rationed out by government officials.

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Remembering Tiananmen Square

Frank Lucas — 06/04/2009 10:25

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, known in China as The June Fourth Incident. Following seven weeks of protests by Chinese citizens in Beijing who opposed the authoritarian rule of their government, the Chinese Liberation Army rolled in to Tiananmen Square with tanks and armed soldiers and began an assault on the protestors. The complete death toll is unknown. The Chinese government claims only 241 people, including soldiers, were killed; however the Red Cross estimates a number closer to 2,600. While some media coverage of the protests were initially allowed, all Chinese and international media outlets were eventually required to terminate broadcasts from the city and the government shut down satellite transmissions effectively ending most coverage of the event. Once it ended, the Chinese government controlled all press reports of the event, refused to allow international observers to investigate, and began massive arrests of those involved or sympathetic to the protestors’ cause.

As Americans, we take for granted our First Amendment rights, especially the freedom of press. In this country, the media is free to report on any story it pleases, whether our government officials agree with it or not. The thought of cutting off all access to our press during a national crisis is almost unimaginable to most Americans.

Although China has made significant economic progress since the Tiananmen Square Massacre, including adopting a more pro-market approach and allowing more international trade, their journey as a country is not yet complete. Rather than learning from the mistakes of the past and embracing the notion of human rights, the Chinese government shut down many internet blogging and communication websites, such as Twitter, and barred foreign journalists from Tiananmen Square leading up to this anniversary.

I hope that, while it is important to remember those who fell on this tragic day 20 years ago, Americans also use this day to be mindful of all the freedoms we are granted in this country. America truly is a unique nation, where the government really is of the people, by the people, and for the people. And for that, I am thankful.

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Who Is Misleading Who?

Frank Lucas — 06/03/2009 14:38

Since the birth of our nation over 220 years ago, the principle of civilian government oversight of our armed services and intelligence agencies has been the backbone of our national defense. For example, the Joint Chiefs of Staff report to a civilian: the Secretary of Defense. In addition, each branch of Congress has a Select Committee on Intelligence. American intelligence agencies are required to report their activities to these committees on a regular basis. The required civilian oversight is a safeguard put in place to ensure there are not rouge intelligence officials making improper decisions that could affect this country.

Prior to serving as Speaker, Representative Pelosi served as the senior Democrat member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence and would have been a part of all briefings on our intelligence activities while serving on the committee. However, recently, Speaker Pelosi claimed she was unaware of the enhanced techniques being used to question suspected terrorists and accused our intelligence agencies of lying and withholding information from her and other members of Congress who serve on the House Select Committee on Intelligence.

“So yes I am saying that…the CIA was misleading the Congress…They mislead us all the time,” Speaker Pelosi stated in a press conference late last month. “In fact, we were told that waterboarding was not being used.”

As you can see, her accusations are very alarming. We simply cannot have any intelligence agency or their employees lying to members of Congress. And if that is the case, those individuals should be terminated at the very least if not prosecuted for their actions.

However, if Speaker Pelosi has no proof of her allegations or she misspoke, I sincerely hope that as the senior leader of the House of Representatives and third in line to the presidency, Ms. Pelosi will offer an apology to the members of our intelligence community who have worked so hard the last seven and a half years to ensure that this country does not suffer another attack like the one on September 11th 2001. At a time when our country continues to be the focus of terrorist attacks, our leadership must unite behind our armed forces and intelligence communities to ensure the safety of every American citizen.

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Keep America Safe

Frank Lucas — 05/21/2009 16:32

In one of his first acts in office, President Barack Obama signed an executive order demanding the closure of the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay by the end of the year. However, he failed to explain any type of plan as to how the base would be closed, including what would be done with the prisoners within. There was immediate backlash from both sides of the aisle after the announcement. Many members introduced legislation barring detainees from facilities in their home state, and I joined every member of my Oklahoma colleagues in the House of Representatives to support H.R. 701, which would prohibit the use of funds to transfer terrorists from Guantanamo to any facility in Oklahoma.

However that backlash has not been enough to stop the President and congressional leaders like Nancy Pelosi from continuing down a path most Americans oppose. The president renewed his intentions last month when he submitted a war supplemental proposal to Congress that allocated $80 million to close Guantanamo. For that reason, I have joined my colleagues to support H.R. 2294, the Keep Terrorists out of America Act.

The Keep Terrorists out of America Act would do three simple things. First, it would clearly affirm Congress’ opposition to transferring or releasing terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay to any facility within the United States. Second, it would bar the transfer of any terrorist from Guantanamo Bay to a detention facility unless the governor and legislature of that state gave expressed approval. Finally, it would require the Obama Administration notify Congress and receive certification before transferring any detainee to any state within the United States.

If there is one thing all Americans can agree on when it comes to the role of the federal government, it’s that its most important function is to ensure our national security. Some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists are housed at Guantanamo Bay, including Khalid Sheikh Muhammad the mastermind of the September 11th attacks. So how is closing this facility and transferring the detainees housed within going to make this country any safer?

I know that some here in Washington forget they here to represent the voices of their constituents, not the voices of liberal activist groups like Code Pink and MoveOn.org. And the people of the Third District of Oklahoma have spoken loud and clear: keep terrorists out of our backyard. I will continue to fight to ensure that no detainees are transferred to the state of Oklahoma and to ensure that all Americans are kept secure from the terrorists held at Guantanamo.

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Cap & Trade = Higher Costs for Rural America

Frank Lucas — 05/19/2009 11:06

This week, members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce are expected to consider The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass) introduced the bill. A major component of this legislation is cap and trade.

As a lifelong rancher, as a student of Agriculture economics, and as the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have very serious concerns about cap and trade and its impact on rural economies.

Cap and trade is nothing more than a national energy tax, and the effects will be far-reaching to businesses, consumers, and even more so to rural America. We are looking at the most amazing tax increase of all times. If you like being cool in the summer, you’re going to be affected. If you like being warm in the winter, you’re going to be affected. If you want to go anywhere, you’re going to be affected. This is going to affect all of us. Chairman Waxman understands that the best way to force you to change your business habits, to change your lifestyle, is to tax you to the point where you have to change your lifestyle.

Those who will be hit the hardest will be people living in rural areas. Unlike Chairman Waxman’s Hollywood constituents, rural Americans have different lifestyles and challenges. They must travel farther for routine errands—25 percent more miles than urban households according to the most recent Federal Highway data. And, rural households spend more on fuel than urban residents as a percentage of their income. Power providers in rural America face a unique challenge of providing affordable electricity to larger, less densely populated areas. Rural Electric Cooperatives serve 40 million Americans averaging around seven consumers per mile, while other utilities average 35 customers per mile.

Protecting the environment is a worthwhile effort and I am all for it. I helped craft the greenest Farm Bill ever in 2002. It increased funding to incentivize voluntary conservation programs by 80 percent. In 2008, I worked to improve and expand those conservation programs. And, I helped draft a new energy title to encourage agriculture to produce second generation bio-fuels.

But, I cannot support legislation that does nothing but levy taxes on rural America. If we want a real solution to climate change then we should continue to focus on incentives, innovation, and research and not on taxes and mandates.

Frank Lucas represents Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. For more Frankly Speakings, please visit Rep. Lucas’ Blog at http://www.house.gov/lucas/frankly-speaking/index.shtml.

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Farewell to an American Institution

Frank Lucas — 05/19/2009 11:05

There is nothing quite like the feeling of buying your very first car. There is a sense of accomplishment and freedom the first time you slide behind the wheel and drive it off the lot. There are many important memories in your life like your wedding, the birth of your children; but buying your first car is one memory that will always stick with you. I purchased my first car 30 years ago- a Pontiac Firebird. I bought it from my hometown Pontiac dealer who had been in business for as long as I could remember. I appreciated that he knew me and my family, lived and raised his family in our community.

I mention this because General Motors announced on Monday that it would be eliminating the Pontiac brand in an effort to comply with the restructuring requirements attached to the $15.4 billion in loans from the federal government and to stave of bankruptcy. By the end of this year, GM will close 1,000 to 1,200 dealerships nationwide. In two weeks, GM is expected to announce exactly which Pontiac dealerships will be first on the chopping block. I’m sure I join my fellow Oklahomans in holding our breath that none of the 50 dealerships within Oklahoma will be the first to go.

Perhaps it’s my close connection to Pontiac because it was my first car, but I found this announcement particularly disturbing. The Pontiac name is synonymous with American culture. And pretty soon they will be extinct. Thirty years after I purchased my first car, the poor long-term decisions of the GM executives combined with the poor short-term decisions of the Obama administration have effectively killed off an American institution. And in turn, they have killed off small town dealerships across the country.

GM estimates that its dealerships support between 30 and 70 employees. Small towns that lose a Pontiac dealership within in the next year will feel that almost immediately. That number means 30 to 70 families in their communities will be unemployed and looking for new jobs. This announcement serves as yet another reminder of our troubling economic times. But I hope that it will also serve as a warning. The decisions made in Washington D.C. affect each and every one of us. I will continue to represent the voices of the people of my district and the people of Oklahoma. Let’s just hope that Washington starts to listen to us before it’s too late.

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The Absence of God

Frank Lucas — 05/19/2009 11:00

I was disturbed to discover that President Obama requested the religious symbols in Gaston Hall, most notably the inscription “IHS” that symbolizes the name Jesus, at Georgetown University be covered during his economic address earlier this week. This follows his comments in 2007 that America is “no longer a Christian nation.” While the President continues to quote the scripture and reference his faith, it seems the White House is subtly attempting to remove God from our every day lives.

Georgetown University is a Catholic institution, founded by the Jesuits. Their heritage, much like ours, is based in religion and on religious doctrine. We are, after all, a nation founded on the principle that we are one nation, under God. And I, for one, am proud of that. Georgetown University should not be forced to hide their religious beliefs in order to appease the President, just as the people of this country should not force hide their religious beliefs in order to appease liberal interest groups determined to impose their anti-religion stance on the entire country.

The Founding Fathers had no intention of removing religion from our lives. In fact, many religious tenants are the backbone of our Constitution. Instead they wanted to ensure that we were all able to worship God as we pleased. How dismayed they would be to learn that our nation’s leader has taken to covering the name Jesus Christ at a Jesuit university.

Whether the President agrees with me or not, I still believe that we are a Christian nation- one nation, under God.

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The Winds of Change

Frank Lucas — 05/05/2009 16:39

Wind-generated electricity is key to our future success of energy independence. Oklahoma has long played a role as one of the country’s largest energy producing states. And with the recent uptick in alternative energy, Oklahoma is once again leading the charge. Currently, we are the 9th largest producer of wind power in the United States, generating 689 megawatts each year which powers around 200,000 homes. This booming industry has not only allowed our state to create cleaner energy, it has also generated additional income for farmers who place turbines in their fields and has added to Oklahoma’s overall economy through more revenue and jobs. Most importantly, wind power is reliable, cost-effective, and produces zero emissions.

Currently, only about two percent of our electricity comes from wind power; but we can all work to change that. First, we need to ensure that the tax credits for alternative energy production are permanently extended. Extending the production tax credit on wind energy will send a message to wind producers and investors that we are ready to work with them to expand upon this already successful alternative energy source. Investors are much more likely to put their money towards future wind projects if they know there will be long term investment benefits. Second, most transmission lines are insufficient to meet the growing demand for wind power. In order to be able to transport the electricity generated by Oklahoma’s wind turbines across the country, we must build more transmission lines. Oklahoma is proud to continue its role as an energy producer, but we cannot share our energy without proper transmission lines.

Wind power will never be a complete replacement for traditional energy sources, such as oil, but is a step towards the future. For that reason I support an increase in the production of all forms of American-made energy. However, as our country continues to battle our current economic crisis, wind power has proven it can bring economic growth to many communities across the United States. In Oklahoma, it has helped to lower home energy bills, has created thousands of new jobs, and has put money in the pockets of Oklahoma farmers as well as into the state coffers. And this is just the beginning. With increased research and development of wind energy technology, the sky is the limit.

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Science and Technology Committee Update

Frank Lucas — 04/29/2009 16:34

This week, the Science and Technology Committee’s Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, of which I am a member, held a hearing to discuss the issue of space debris. Leaders at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as well as scholars in the field provided testimony for the subcommittee.

For those who are unaware, space debris is any man-made object within Earth’s orbit that no longer serves a useful purpose. It can range from derelict spacecrafts and pieces of satellites to screws and tiny flecks of paint. It is estimated there is more than 217,000 pieces of space debris within Earth’s orbit currently.

So why is space debris important? Well, a piece of a satellite the size of a golf ball would probably not do that much damage to a functioning satellite or a space shuttle if it hits it under normal circumstances. However, because that piece of space debris is within Earth’s orbit, it is traveling thousands of miles per hour. At such dramatically high speeds, even the smallest pieces of space debris could be problematic. For that reason, NASA is currently tracking about 9,000 objects, composed of satellites and space debris.

However, currently the United States is practically the only country tracking these pieces of debris. There are no international laws regarding countries’ responsibilities over their space debris and no US laws that require companies to be responsible for space debris created by their satellites. In addition, there is currently no viable way to clean up the space debris in the Earth’s orbit. Right now NASA and Strategic Air Command are working to prevent additional creation of space debris through prudent vehicle design and operations and is working with US companies in their voluntary adherence to measures designed to limit the growth of space debris.

The panel this week discussed those issues and how we could work to improve this problem. For more information on the hearing please visit http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2429.

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Town Halls and Tea Parties

Frank Lucas — 04/27/2009 16:29

As most of you are aware, each year I host 50 town halls spanning the 32 counties in the Third Congressional District. These have long been one of my favorite traditions. I begin each meeting with a brief introduction and an update of current legislation under consideration in Washington as well as other hot button issues of the day. I then open it up to questions and comments from the people attending.

I began my town halls for this year in February, with another round in April. I was happily surprised to see that the attendance and involvement of the people in these 2009 town halls has dramatically increased over previous years. An example would be the record turnout in Cimarron County with 51 attendees at the Boise City town hall on April 6th.

Of those 51, about a quarter of them came prepared- with bags of tea. This year, to mark income tax day, rallies were held across the country to protest the massive tax increases proposed by Speaker Pelosi and her majority party in Congress. We were still a little over a week away from the dreaded tax day, but Cimarron County was ready to send a message to Congress: enough is enough. Each tea bag that was presented to me had a message written on them. All of the messages were firm but polite: “Uncle Sam, get your hand out of my pocket” or “Stop dumping debt on my children.”

I have to say I was very impressed and even encouraged by their actions. With these tea bags, the citizens of Cimarron County were exercising their constitutional right to stand up to the government and demand a change.

They were not alone, across the country, thousands of rallies were being held- in fact, the rally in Oklahoma City was estimated to have over 5,000 people in attendance. Inspired by our founding fathers’ defiant stance against the British monarchy’s “taxation without representation,” the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Bag Movement gave the American people a chance to demand their government stop dumping trillions of dollars in debt in the laps of their children and grandchildren. I can confidently predict that this is just the beginning of a movement right in the heart of real America.

Americans are tired of a federal government that tells them they can spend their money better; of a federal government that takes without regarding the citizens’ input; a federal government that is spending away their children’s money before they even have a chance to earn it. Let’s hope these tea parties will wake up those members of Congress who have forgotten that fiscal responsibility is the key to a successful economy.

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The Absence of God

Frank Lucas — 04/17/2009 12:34

Whether the President agrees with me or not, I still believe that we are a Christian nation- one nation, under God.

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The True Cost of Our Rising Deficit

Frank Lucas — 03/25/2009 09:38

According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the President’s budget proposal for 2010 will produce a $9.3 trillion addition to our current deficit over the next ten years. As with a person or company that borrows money, the federal government must pay interest on all borrowed funds. To do this, the federal government sells U.S. Treasury bonds and bills to people, companies, even foreign countries. Because they were considered the safest product on the market- after all, what other investment could be more sound than the United States government- the bonds and bills were sold at a very low interest rate, giving rise to a low borrowing cost. The United States would primarily sell these Treasury bonds and bills to Asian markets and countries in the Middle East, but in addition they were sold to companies and people all over the world.

As the United States deficit grows, however, our need for additional borrowed money grows. Unfortunately, our two largest customers- Asian markets and Middle Eastern countries- have also been experiencing a market decline and falling oil prices, decreasing their ability to purchase these bonds and bills. Even more importantly, as our national debt continues to grow, investors will be less enticed to purchase bonds backed by a government that seems intent on wracking up debt without paying it off.

All of this leads to one clear fact: sometime shortly, we will no longer be able to continue to sell as many Treasury bonds as we need to run the government. So what happens then?

First, the Federal Reserve could continue to purchase U.S. Treasury bonds and bills as they have already done to the tune of $300 billion, basically allowing the federal government to turn on the printing presses. However, this option should only be used in a limited fashion because printing too much money creates inflation across our entire market, driving down the value of the dollar and increasing the cost to do business.

Second, the federal government can increase the interest rate on Treasury bonds and bills, creating a higher rate of return and an increased incentive for purchasing them. In turn, our borrowing cost will increase significantly, raising our overall national debt. Even more important, raising the interest rate of Treasury bonds and bills will force other lenders to raise their interest rates on variable loans and new loans. This will have an extremely negative affect on small businesses across this country, particularly farmers and ranchers who rely primarily on credit to run their business. And- as we all saw with the negative affects of the increased business cost on energy companies last summer- any increase in the cost to do business is passed on to American consumers in the form of increased prices.

As we continue to discuss the President’s budget proposal for 2010, we must remind ourselves of the true cost of our mounting deficit. In addition to burdening our children and grandchildren with the debts of our poor choices, we could potentially be worsening our already fragile economy. Instead of continuing to borrow our way out of our current financial problems, we must now- more than ever- focus on fiscal discipline.

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Turn Off That Light Before Congress Taxes You!

Frank Lucas — 03/23/2009 08:25

Last month, President Obama released his proposal for the 2010 federal budget. At a whopping price tag of $3.5 trillion, the President’s announcement was shocking to the senses.

Most troublesome is the massive tax increase his budget unveils- $1.4 trillion tax hike over the next ten years. This is the largest tax increase in American history. In addition to bringing back the death tax and capping the taxable deductions for charitable giving- which will reduce charitable giving by $9 billion a year- the President’s budget institutes a $646 billion cap-and-trade energy tax. A cap-and-trade energy tax levies a tax on oil, coal, and natural gas companies, which is then passed down to consumers in the form of higher energy prices. So while the President promised to cut taxes for the middle class during his campaign, this immense tax hike will affect anyone who wants to be cool in the summer or warm in the winter, who drives a car, or turns on a light switch. In fact, it is estimated that the cap-and-trade tax will cost each American household up to $3,128 a year in higher costs for energy.

This enormous tax hike will be particularly harsh on American farmers and ranchers. There are very few industries that are as energy intensive as agriculture. It requires large amounts of fuel to run a farm and farms also put out more emissions. This tax will make the cost of farming more expensive than it already is, forcing some farmers to switch professions. If this administration continues to shift its focus from production agriculture to food consumption, I think they will find that it will drive this country to become as dependant on foreign food as we are on foreign crude oil

It is irresponsible to raise taxes on the American people and American small businesses during a recession. I look forward to working with my colleagues through the budget process and will continue to be a strong voice opposed to this tax hike.

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A Broader Economic Perspective of Accounting Practices

Frank Lucas — 03/20/2009 14:41

I am sure that many of you have heard the phrase “mark-to-market” floated around recently. Mark-to-market is an accounting practice, instituted by the Federal Accounting Standards Board (FASB), that requires financial institutions to price an asset according to current market price, also known as fair value. The procedure was set up to create market-based information for investors regarding the current price of assets and implemented Financial Accounting Standard No. 157 in 2006 at the onset of the turmoil in our financial markets.

While I am certain that FASB believed this rule would create sounder accounting practices, mark-to-market has actually worsened the financial crisis by forcing holders to value assets at an artificially depressed value. The use of such accounting practices to value assets in the current economic conditions has only intensified the economic downturn and threatened the health of many of our country’s financial institutions.

For that reason, earlier this month, I joined my colleague Congressman Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) to introduce H.R. 1349, the Federal Accounting Oversight Board (FAOB) Act of 2009. This bipartisan legislation would create an oversight board, comprised of the heads of the Federal Reserve, the SEC, the FDIC, the Treasury Department, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, to approve and oversee accounting standards and principles. The FAOB would allow for a broader economic perspective of accounting practices and would encourage FASB to move more quickly and aggressively to respond to the current economic situation.

We need to have flexibility within our federal accounting standards. Currently, only the SEC, which regulates the securities industry, has oversight of FASB’s actions, which affects all financial institutions. While the SEC has made some attempts to encourage FASB to act, their efforts have, thus far, produced no results. Until we stabilize the way we value assets, we are not going to be able to turn the current financial crisis around. I cannot permit FASB to continue to allow the financial system to crumble down around them. H.R. 1349 will be the first step of many to correct the current problems and will establish a safeguard to ensure our financial industry does not suffer from another crisis like this again.

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Rewarding Irresponsible Decisions with Endless Bailouts

Frank Lucas — 03/06/2009 09:42

Yesterday, Congress passed H.R. 1106, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act. Supporters hope this legislation will restore liquidity in the housing market and assist those homeowners who are in foreclosure. While this is a lofty goal, the bill just passed may not achieve it.

There are certain aspects of the bill that I can support. For example, permanently raising the FDIC insurance limit from $100,000 to $250,000 will provide additional assurances that our banks are safe, which will encourage investment.

On first blush, it may appear that giving judges this power will be helpful, however the long-term results are unsettling. The most troublesome provision grants bankruptcy judges the power to write down the principle on a mortgage while lowering the interest rate and extending the terms. Known as “cramdown,” this provision would cause mortgage interest rates for the average American consumer to skyrocket, making homeownership harder for all Americans. Compounding this problem, cramdowns will be costly to investors who have invested in mortgage-backed securities and will cause them to demand a higher interest rate on all further mortgages. The result is grim: in a time when we need to restore confidence and liquidity to the housing market, this bill will actually discourage investment and decrease lending, perpetuating the current freeze on credit.

I am sympathetic to those Americans who are struggling with their mortgage payments. However, approximately 90 percent of homeowners are paying their mortgages on time. The federal government cannot continue to bailout the irresponsible choices of a few at the cost of many. Americans are suffering from bailout fatigue. It is time for Congress to come up with serious solutions to the serious problems we are facing instead of continuing to throw money we don’t have at every problem that presents itself.

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The Congressional Rural Caucus

Frank Lucas — 02/23/2009 11:23

I am proud to let you all know that I have recently renewed my membership in the Congressional Rural Caucus. The Congressional Rural Caucus is a bipartisan group of congressmen and women who want to work together to address the unique issues facing America’s rural communities.

Rural communities are the backbone of this country and play an important role in the Oklahoma economy. As a fifth generation Oklahoman and farmer in Roger Mills County, my roots have always been firmly planted in the rural communities of Oklahoma.

I look forward to working with other congressmen of this bipartisan caucus to address the concerns of my constituents from the rural communities in the 3rd District.

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The Importance of Nanotechnology

Frank Lucas — 02/11/2009 14:49

Today the House unanimously passed H.R. 544 the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2009, a bill which I cosponsored.

Nanotechnology is the science of using very small mechanical devices and structures to create better products. It is the future of technology. Already, research and development into this field has improved our ability to filter water, detect landmines, and even develop better sunscreen. In addition, scientists are close to using nanotechnology to create sensors that will detect cancer and Alzheimer’s more quickly. And this is only the beginning. The manner in which we can use nanotechnology continues to grow rapidly.

H.R. 544 will ensure that this country is able to strengthen our research and development capabilities in the field of nanotechnology, and I am proud to have been a cosponsor of it. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for passage and I encourage my Senate colleagues to vote for this important piece of legislation.

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The Myth of Government Created Wealth

Frank Lucas — 02/10/2009 13:19

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the “Pelosi Pork Package,” a massive spending bill disguised as a stimulus plan. I joined every one of my Republican colleagues and 11 of my Democrat colleagues and voted against this obscene bill, standing up for the American taxpayer and our future generations.

The total cost of this spending bill is a whopping $820 billion. However, this country already has a $10.6 trillion deficit, so we must borrow this money. The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that we will have to pay an additional $347 billion in interest, racking up the total cost of this bill to over $1.1 trillion. With this one vote, if it is passed by the Senate, Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team will have increased the national deficit by almost 10 percent.

I am not opposed to an actual stimulus bill; in fact I voted for the first stimulus package. But the spirit of a stimulus bill is to stimulate the economy as quickly as possible through one-time activities. Instead, Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team used Americans’ desire for economic assistance and President Obama’s popularity to pass a bill filled with long-termed spending projects that would have little to no immediate impact on the economy.

Some of the projects that will supposedly stimulate the economy in the Speaker’s bill: $600 million to purchase new cars for government workers, $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading trails for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), $34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce headquarters, and $400 million for climate change research. All told, the plan establishes at least 32 new government programs at a cost of over $136 billion. That means more than a third of this plan’s spending provisions are dedicated to creating new government programs. I am not quite sure how the Speaker feels this will stimulate the economy, but I do know this is not sound economic policy.

Government does not create wealth. It simply takes money from one person’s pocket and puts it in another’s. Speaker Pelosi would do well to remember that in the future, before she burdens our children and grandchildren with trillions more dollars of debt.

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DTV Delay Costs Taxpayers Millions, Is Unnecessary

Frank Lucas — 02/04/2009 17:45

Today, the House of Representatives passed S.328 the DTV Delay Bill by a vote of 264-158.

On February 17, 2009, our television system will switch from an analog signal to a digital signal. For those who have cable or a satellite, this switch will not affect you. However, for those Americans who watch television using an antenna will need to prepare for this switch. In anticipation of it, the federal government and cable companies have been working together to ensure that all Americans are prepared for the switch. Coupons to purchase digital converter boxes have been distributed to any American who asked, and the cable companies have spent over $1 billion publicizing the February 17th date. And this has worked: Of the 14.3 million over-the-air television homes in this country, 13.5 million have already received their converter box coupons.

According to the Commerce Department, as of January 13th there are approximately 600,000 over-the-air only homes on a waiting list to receive the converter box coupons. The program has not run out of money, however, there are outstanding coupons that have yet to be used which is causing cash flow problem for the program. By loaning the program $250 million, we can immediately resume sending coupons to those on the waiting list. And most, if not all of that money will be recouped once the outstanding coupons expire.

Instead of following this simple process, Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team passed a bill to spend an additional $400 million- $650 million total- to delay the switch to digital television. This bill is yet another example of the Speaker’s continual waste of American taxpayers’ money, and I simply could not support it.

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Lucas Sends Letter to Pelosi, Boehner Requesting Unnecessary Spending in Stimulus Be Removed

Frank Lucas — 01/28/2009 13:01

Today, I joined my fellow Financial Services Committee members in a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Boehner to request that some of the unnecessary and duplicative spending programs relating to housing be removed from the economic stimulus package.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also known as the economic stimulus package, provides an additional $15 billion to existing housing programs while many of these programs already have large amounts of unspent money from previous appropriation packages. Some of this money would go to ACORN, an organization that has a proven track record of voter tampering and other dishonest activities.

An economic stimulus package should do exactly what its name says- stimulate the economy. And an overwhelming majority of Americans agree that this most recent stimulus package should work quickly. However, there are many provisions in the recent stimulus package that would only increase our already burgeoning deficit while doing very little to stimulate the economy, especially in the short-term. I hope that Speaker Pelosi will keep these thoughts in mind while putting together the final draft of this package.

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President Obama's Visit to Capitol Hill

Frank Lucas — 01/27/2009 17:13

Today, President Obama visited Capitol Hill to attend the House Republican Conference meeting and discuss the upcoming economic stimulus package proposed by Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats. I appreciate the President’s willingness to reach across party lines in an effort to create an atmosphere of bipartisanship and I call upon him to urge Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat majority to follow in his footsteps and advocate an open forum for policy discussions in the future.

It was interesting to hear his take on the economic stimulus package, and he allowed a free exchange of ideas between himself and my fellow colleagues. While the President still has many things to learn about the legislative process, I hope that his actions today signal a more long-term goal of bipartisan communication, especially on pieces of legislation as important as the economic stimulus package.

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National Security Requires Solid Planning

Frank Lucas — 01/27/2009 17:09

Last week, President Obama issued an executive order closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which houses thousands of suspected terrorists and enemy combatants. I was shocked by this announcement, but even more concerned by the fact that the President had no plans as to what would happen next.

Where would these prisoners, terrorists who are intent on harming Americans, go? Would we release them on American soil? Transport them to American prisons? Return them to their country of origin? And if they stay in this country, what rights would be afforded to them?
If they are released or transferred to another country, we cannot ensure they will not return to the battlefield or attempt to attach Americans or our allies. In fact, according to the Pentagon, 61 detainees who were released from Guantanamo have returned to terrorist activities. One in particular, Said Ali al-Shihri, was released in 2007. He then planned and executed an attack on the American embassy in Yemen in September 2008, which killed an American. Releasing all detainees back to their home country would only swell the ranks of the terrorist organizations that are bent on destroying this country, making our citizens less safe at home and around the world.

I have heard discussions about moving detainees to American prisons, but President Obama gave no instructions as to which prisons they will be moved. In one report, Oklahoma's Fort Sill was mentioned as a suggested location. I am outraged at that possibility. I will not allow President Obama to turn our state into a terrorist dumping ground and expose Oklahomans to these violent and dangerous individuals. Our prisons are already functioning at full capacity and are strained to meet their present requirements. Our federal prisons were not designed to hold international terrorists and enemy combatants, not to mention the fact that we would be introducing terrorists into our prison populations.

If terrorist detainees are brought to this country for trial, President Obama established no directives regarding their legal rights. America has one of the highest legal standards in the world, making it very difficult to try and convict criminals. While this is set up to protect American citizens, in this instance, it would allow some of these terrorists to be released because of loopholes. I can't imagine what President Obama would say to the American public if September 11th mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was released onto American soil because of a legal technicality.

This move in Mr. Obama's first week in office is alarming. By radically curtailing our military's ability to detain terrorists and enemy combatants with no other alternative option given, he has made this country more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. I am interested in working with the administration to come up with real solutions on how to deal with detainees if Guantanamo is closed, however there must be a solid plan put in place before making a decision that affects our national security.

Frank Lucas represents Oklahoma's Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. For more information, please visit www.house.gov/lucas.

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My Vote on the Reauthorization of SCHIP

Frank Lucas — 01/14/2009 17:23

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP. This is a federally funded program that provides health care to children. While I believe that this is a good program and I support initiatives to bring health care to children who need it, I could not support this reauthorization.

To begin with, SCHIP is already funded through March 31, 2009. Reauthorizing it now, and it this extremely fast pace, is unnecessary. In addition, applicants are not required to present proof of their identity, other than a verbal presentation of their Social Security number. This weakens the standards to determine which children are eligible and opens the program up to abuse and fraud.

Finally, under the reauthorization, the expansion of SCHIP will be funded by an increased tax on tobacco products, including cigarettes and cigars. However, the use of tobacco products has dramatically dropped in the last few years and studies show that another increase in price will cause that number to drop even further. This means that in order to fully fund SCHIP for the next ten years this country would need 22.4 million new smokers. If that is not accomplished, then an additional tax will most likely be levied on the American taxpayer.

I also fear this bill is an example of a problem that is becoming more commonplace in the 111th Congress. Rather than allow for committee consideration and debate, Speaker Pelosi crammed this bill across the floor of the House of Representatives and barred all amendments. SCHIP is a good program that has been subjected to bad policy. It is unfortunate that the Speaker chose to pass this important bill in this manner instead of allowing a real discussion that would ensure SCHIP is a successful and financially viable program. I hope that the legislative procedure for future bills, especially of this magnitude, will be slowed so that everyone may be involved in the process.

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Welcome to the 111th Congress

Frank Lucas — 01/13/2009 16:22

I would like to welcome all of you to the 111th Congress. Thanks to the great people of the Third Congressional District of Oklahoma, this will mark my ninth term as a member of the United States House of Representatives. I will maintain my position on the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Science and Technology. In addition, I have been selected to serve as the Ranking Member, or Republican leader, of the House Committee on Agriculture.

This Congress already faces many challenges, including the recent downturn of our economy, inconsistent energy prices, and a continued threat by terrorist organizations around the world and at home. These are serious times, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to come up with real solutions that benefit the American taxpayer.

No matter the issue, I want to reassure my constituents that I will continue to represent their values and fight for legislation that cuts taxes, limits government intrusion into the private sector, and protects our interests at home and abroad.

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A Look Ahead

Frank Lucas — 12/18/2008 16:11

I was disappointed by Senator John McCain’s defeat in his race for the presidency last month. He is a true American hero who has served his country with honor and valor and I proudly supported his campaign. Our country would have greatly benefited from his leadership and experience. I salute his hard fought campaign and thank him for his service to this country.

While I was saddened by Mr. McCain’s loss, I believe that now is the time to look ahead and work in a bipartisan manner to look towards the future and determine what must be done to better this country. Our country faces one of the worst economic crises in modern history. The housing boom that became a bust has caused our financial markets to stagnate. We are entrenched in a war against terrorist entities around the world whose only goal is to murder innocent citizens, destabilize existing governments, and crush freedom and democracy. The direction we go over the next few years will be critical to solving these problems so that we can leave this country safer and more secure for the next generation while maintaining our role as a world leader.

President-Elect Barack Obama has tough road ahead of him in the coming years, and I look forward to working with his administration and the majority party in Congress to promote new ideas and initiatives that will benefit the American people. Over the course of his campaign, Mr. Obama discussed many new proposals he planned to set in motion upon taking office. Some, including lowering the tax burden on American families, I support. Others, including the nationalization of our nation’s healthcare system, funding cuts for our troops, and increasing the power of labor unions, concern me greatly. These are delicate times and I hope that Mr. Obama will encourage bipartisan discussions on all new pieces of legislation, especially on ones as controversial as these, so that all Americans are represented at the table.

No matter how Mr. Obama chooses to work with the minority party, I promise to continue to push for legislation that will encourage economic growth through tax incentives and tax breaks for small businesses and American corporations. I will continue to fight to decrease our dependency on foreign oil by increasing the production of all forms of American made energy. I will continue to be a strong voice for production agriculture and work to ensure that farmers have the necessary resources to not only survive, but to thrive. But most importantly, I will continue to represent the values and voices of the people of the Third Congressional District of Oklahoma.

Frank Lucas represents Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. For more Frankly Speakings, please visit Rep. Lucas’ Blog at http://www.house.gov/lucas/frankly-speaking/index.shtml.

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A Bailout on the Bailout

Frank Lucas — 12/05/2008 15:56

This October, Congress passed a $700 billion Bailout Bill, aimed at stabilizing our rocky financial and housing markets who have been hit hardest by the recent troubles. Specifically, the bill laid out a plan to establish a company that would purchase mortgages that were considered “toxic.” The goal was to unclog the market of these mortgages, which would hopefully return liquidity the markets and restore confidence in our economy. Although this was a tough decision for me, I voted against the Bailout Bill both times it came before the House of Representatives.

Since the bill’s enactment, however, the Treasury Department has not purchased a single one of these “toxic” mortgages and Secretary Paulson announced last month that they never would. Instead, the Treasury Department used $250 billion to purchase preferred stock in the nation’s nine largest banks, which preside mainly on the east and west coast, and $40 billion to bailout out insurance giant AIG. Recently, the three American auto giants, GM, Chrysler, and Ford, visited Washington D.C. (in their private jets, I might add) to ask for another $25 billion to bail them out. If Congress grants their request, that will leave less than one tenth of the initial installment of $350 billion.

While I respect the opinion and knowledge of Secretary Paulson on this matter, I am troubled by these recent events. Congress approved the use of a huge sum of taxpayer money for specific purposes, namely purchasing these “toxic” mortgages, yet the fine print of the Bailout Bill gave the Treasury department huge discretionary powers on how to spend it. And they have used it. Now the America people, joined by Congress, are forced to sit back and wait to see how the Treasury plans to spend the remainder of their money. And we are all left asking the question: Will any of this actually work, and if so, when?

My no vote, I believe, was the correct vote, and it seems these recent events support my choice. One of my biggest problems with this bailout bill was the lack of specifics in it. No where in the bill did it determine who would decide which mortgages would be purchased and at what price. And more importantly, no where did it exactly limit what the Department of Treasury could and could not do with the taxpayers’ money. I feared that this hastily crafted bill placed too much power into a few people’s hands, limiting oversight and maximizing the risk with American taxpayers’ money. My concerns have now become reality.

As Congress plans to reconvene next week for one last Lame Duck session to potentially put together an automaker bailout, I hope that they reflect on these recent events before hastily crafting yet another large piece of legislation that put huge sums of American taxpayer’s money in jeopardy. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to correct the recent economic woes, and hope they focus on initiatives that encourage economic growth through lowering the tax burden on American families and small businesses.

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Washington D.C. Internship Opportunities

Frank Lucas — 11/26/2008 11:29

I would like to encourage all college-aged students in the Third Congressional District to apply for a Spring internship in my Washington D.C. congressional office.

This is a great opportunity for students in Oklahoma to learn about the federal government and the inner workings of a congressional office. While here, you will assist staff members with general administrative tasks, accompany staffers in congressional committee meetings and events, give Capitol tours to Oklahoma constituents, and assist staff with legislative or constituent research projects. In addition to being a great experience, many colleges offer class credit for your internship.

To apply, complete the internship application found at www.house.gov/lucas/internships, and email it to internapsOK3@mail.house.gov along with your resume and two letters of recommendation. If you have further questions, please contact Larry Calhoun in my Washington office at 202-225-5565. The deadline for applications has passed, but I still have a few positions available and will continue to take applications through the new year. The internship will run from January 2009 through April 2009.

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Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

Frank Lucas — 11/21/2008 13:22

While our country is currently facing uncertain economic times, we still have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. There are those in this world who live in countries where food is scarce, corrupt and oppressive regimes control every aspect of life, safety is a feeling most have never known, and freedom is word rarely used. Those images are hard to imagine in this country that has long-served as a beacon for hope and freedom across the world. We have much to be thankful for in America, and should reflect upon those things this Thanksgiving and give thanks for all that we have.

One thing we can all be thankful for are the men and women serving in our Armed Forces and our security forces here at home. They risk their lives each and every day to protect us from harm, and guarantee our freedom and our way of life. Their sacrifices allow all Americans to feel safe and secure this Thanksgiving. With so many of them half a world away from their families this holiday season, we must keep them in our thoughts and prayers on this day of thanks.

I know that there is much to be concerned about, and the next Congress and Administration face challenges on multiple fronts. However, as you sit around your Thanksgiving table, I encourage you to take a moment and remember all that you have to be thankful for this holiday, and to continue to keep them in mind as we begin to face those challenges together.

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Preparing for the Digital Television Switch

Frank Lucas — 10/16/2008 15:27

Beginning February 17, 2008, television signals will only be broadcasted digitally, meaning that Americans who only use antennas will no longer be able to receive their analog signal. Households who have cable service of any kind will not be affected by this change, but there are an estimated 19.6 million people who do currently receive analog signals only.

So what does this mean for you? If you are currently only receiving an analog signal through an antenna for your television, you have three options.

Purchase a Digital TV converter box for your existing television at any major retailer such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. Find a retailer near you. They are priced around $50-$60. If you choose this option, you may visit the Digital TV website and request a coupon for $40 off your purchase. Each household may only receive two coupons and they must be used within 90 days, so please plan accordingly. Once your coupon expires, you may not get a new one so make sure that your local electronic store provides them before requesting a coupon.
Purchase a television set that has a digital converter inside.
Subscribe to a local cable or satellite service provider, which will supply you with a converter box.

In an effort to assist their customers, some major cable companies are continuing to provide analog signals for additional time past the February 17th date. Please contact your provider to see if your cable company has a similar policy.

This switch to digital cable will allow Oklahomans the opportunity to receive more television channels of better quality at the same low price. Please take the necessary steps to ensure that your service will continue after the digital cable switch on February 17th. If you have any further questions, please contact my Yukon office at (405) 373-1958.

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My Concern with the Bailout Bill

Frank Lucas — 10/03/2008 17:37

Today, I voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. This was one of the toughest decisions I have made in my 14 years as a United States Congressman, and I know that many of my constituents will be disappointed with my vote. They, like myself, are concerned about the state of our economy and the impact the turmoil on Wall Street may have on their retirement savings, pension fund, or even bank account. However, as concerned as I am about our economy, the cost and significance of this bill coupled with the haste in which it was crafted was of greater concern to me.

In the last several months, I have followed the turmoil in the markets and the problems facing our financial institutions. I have participated in discussions with Treasury Secretary Paulson, Chairman Bernanke, and President Bush, and have listened to their concerns. I understand the severity of the current situation and believe action must be taken to stabilize our financial system.

While I respect the opinions and ideas of the Secretary, the Chairman, and the President, I cannot take a risk with $700 billion in taxpayer money without more details and reassurances. After all, it was Wall Street’s risky behavior that brought us to this situation today. As a United States Congressman, I made a commitment to the people of my district, and I must live up to that commitment. As we move forward, I will continue to work to address the challenges facing our financial system.

The House of Representatives voted on H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act today. It passed by a vote of 263-171. It will be presented to the President, who has indicated he will sign the bill into law.

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It's Time to Change Our Change

Frank Lucas — 09/25/2008 18:05

Many of you have been hearing the word “change” thrown around by presidential campaigns recently, but I want you to think about the change in your pocket. Initially, a coin’s worth determined their shape and size, meaning that a 5 cent piece was made of 5 cents worth of silver. In the late 1800s, Congress, pressured by the nickel lobby, discontinued the silver 5 cent piece, commonly referred to as the half-dime, and began minting a 5 cent piece made of nickel. Over time, inflation and the rising cost of nickel has made the nickel not cost efficient. Currently, the cost to make and ship the nickel is approximately 9.5 cents, almost twice its value. This results in a loss of almost $60 million a year to the American taxpayer.

Last week, I introduced H.R. 6942, the 5-Cent Restoration Act, which would replace the current 5 cent piece with the original 5 cent piece, or half-dime. The half-dime would be made of the same metal content as the dime, quarter, and half-dollar, and would be slightly smaller in size and half the weight of a dime. But most importantly, it would also be more than half the cost to produce and ship it.

How long are we going to stay on the path of using the current 5 cent piece? We have already come to a situation where it costs a dime to make a nickel, with the cost rising each year. By making some small changes in our change, we have the potential to save the American taxpayer millions of dollars each year. Currently H.R. 6942 has been referred to the House Committee on Financial Services, of which I am a member. While it seems that we will not be taking up many new legislative initiatives before the end of the 110th Congress, I am hoping that by filing this bill now, I can begin to generate support for it during the next Congress.

If you have any questions about H.R. 6942, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-5565. The text of the bill can be found here. Below are a few news articles that discuss the bill.

The Oklahoman- Lucas: Trade Nickel for Half-Dime
Ponca City News- Lucas Wants to Replace Nickel

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Welcome to My New Blog 'Frankly Speaking'

Frank Lucas — 09/15/2008 11:14

I would like to welcome you to my new blog, Frankly Speaking.

Frankly Speaking will give me an opportunity to communicate with the fine people of the Third Congressional District. On this blog, I will be able to post my thoughts on current events, information on upcoming legislation or committee meetings, and important news from home. I will continue to reach out through my 50 townhall meetings and through the local and national media. However, Frankly Speaking will allow me to keep you informed more quickly on a wide variety of issues and topics.

I may not be able to post something daily, but make sure to check back often for updates. I hope that Frankly Speaking will become a useful tool for the people of the Third Congressional District and look forward to sharing with you. If you have anything thoughts, ideas, or opinions I would like to encourage you to contact me at any time.

Thank you,

Frank Lucas
Member of Congress

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