More Kids Are Coming

Gary L. Bauer

VISIT AMERICAN VALUES

The Weekly Standard reports that the Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley Sector has put out a bid for 40,000 emergency Mylar blankets. Those are the shiny, tin-foil-looking blankets that are very good at trapping heat.

It seems the Border Patrol is in a bit of a hurry. The bid is only open for three days and the winner must produce the first 20,000 blankets in 30 days. What's the rush? More unaccompanied minors from Central America are headed for the border. Evidently, 40,000 of them.

Don't believe the spin that the crisis on the border is over because the flow of children is down. Nothing meaningful has been done to secure the border. The drop in border crossings is temporary and it's largely due to the weather.

It is too risky to cross the desert in the hot summer months. As soon as the weather turns cooler, the rush is on. Border Patrol officials know this, and that is why the emergency request for blankets was issued.

But do not lose sight of the big picture -- and it's not about the kids. The real crisis is the fact that our border is so insecure that tens of thousands of people can cross it. We're lucky that the vast majority are just kids. But it is utterly foolish -- especially in this current global environment -- to trust our national security to mere luck!

Border security IS national security.

Congtressman Robert Hurt Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Americans’ Privacy on Healthcare.gov

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 5610, the Healthcare Consumer Privacy Act, along with Congressman John Barrow (D-Georgia), which will enable individuals to remove their profiles from the federal healthcare website, HealthCare.gov:

"Hearing from those living and working in Virginia's Fifth District continues to be my greatest resource as I serve them.  Their input has not only generated creative ideas but brought to light problems created by some of the big government programs coming out of Washington.  Recently, a constituent contacted our office to express concern over the fact that he was unable to delete his profile from Healthcare.gov, even though he ultimately decided not to sign up for healthcare coverage. 

"Creating a profile requires entering personally identifiable and often sensitive information and, given the recent breach in security of the website, Fifth District Virginians are understandably concerned by the federal government holding onto their information.  Cybersecurity vulnerabilities pose a significant threat to individual privacy, but this Administration has been so focused on getting Healthcare.gov to function at a basic level that it did not take sufficient action to ensure that users' personal information will be protected despite spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to build the site.  

"Clearly, major cybersecurity risks exist within the online federal marketplace, and these grave security concerns make it even more imperative that individuals have the ability to remove their personal information permanently from Healthcare.gov, which this bill enables.  The bipartisan Healthcare Consumer Privacy Act is a direct response to these concerns about privacy and the protection of personal information for those using Healthcare.gov, and it is a compliment to the robust oversight we in the House are conducting to press the administration to protect this data. 

"It is my hope that this bill moves swiftly through the legislative process, and I look forward to working with Rep. Barrow and my colleagues to ensure that individual privacy is protected."

A constituent recently contacted Congressman Hurt expressing concern that he could not delete the profile he created on Healthcare.gov after he decided not to purchase a plan on the site.  Congressman Hurt wrote a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services on the constituent's behalf asking them to delete the profile, but they refused to comply with this request.  Healthcare.gov has been plagued by security vulnerabilities since its launch nearly a year ago.  In July, HealthCare.gov was hacked, and the malicious software embedded in the site was not even discovered for weeks.  Just last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study pointing out that several privacy and security risks from the site's launch, almost a full year ago, had not yet been fixed.  The GAO reported that there are still serious risks of unauthorized access, disclosure, and modification to all information collected and maintained by this website. 

In Case You Missed It: Another "Foolish" Obama Plan Derailed

September 17, 2014 

Gowdy, Goodlatte, Chaffetz Praise Secretary Johnson's Decision to Keep Ban on Libyans Training as Pilots and Nuclear Scientists in U.S.

 Washington, D.C. – Following pressure from House Judiciary Committee Republicans, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson announced today at a congressional hearing that he will not lift a 30-year old regulation banning Libyans from coming to the United States to attend flight school, work in aircraft maintenance or flight operations, or to study or seek training in nuclear science. The prohibition on Libyans from studying nuclear science or training as pilots in the United States was originally put in place in the 1980s after the wave of terrorist incidents involving Libyans. A year ago, the Obama Administration began the process of lifting this longstanding regulation, claiming that the United States' relationship with Libya has since "normalized."

Last week, the House Judiciary Committee approved in a bipartisan vote the Protecting the Homeland Act (H.R. 5401) – a bill authored by Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), and Oversight and Government Reform National Security Subcommittee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) – to stop the Obama Administration from lifting this longstanding prohibition.

Subcommittee Chairman Gowdy, Chairman Goodlatte, and Congressman Chaffetz praised Secretary Johnson's decision in the joint statement below. 

"We are pleased that Secretary Johnson has chosen common sense over the Obama Administration's foolish plan, but this should never have been a hard decision to make. Given the ongoing terrorist activity in Libya, there is no reason that the Obama Administration should have ever contemplated lifting a decades-old ban on Libyans coming to our country to train as pilots or nuclear scientists. The fact is that Libya's government remains unstable today and the country is becoming more dangerous as rival rebel groups battle each other for control of Libya's cities. It's necessary that we keep this ban on Libyans in place so that we protect Americans and our national security from threats in Libya. Despite assurances from Secretary Johnson that he won't lift this ban any time soon, the House plans to move forward with legislation to prevent future Administrations from changing this policy." 

Last week, the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA), which represents 51,000 pilots who fly for 31 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, expressed concern about the Obama Administration lifting this regulation from the books. In their letter to Chairman Goodlatte, Captain Lee Moak notes the dangerous conditions in Libya and states that "given the political instability in Libya and the transitory nature of the government, ALPA is concerned that information relevant to a background check on Libyan nationals would be unreliable if not entirely unavailable."

Email of the Day

Congressman Robert Hurt's Round-Up: The House Continues to Fight for Jobs

September 23, 2014

Throughout the 113th Congress, the House of Representatives has maintained a laser focus on the policies that will create the conditions needed for more robust job growth. With many communities in the Fifth District continuing to experience unacceptably high unemployment, it has been very frustrating to see jobs bills pass the House with significant bipartisan majorities only to be ignored by the Senate.

Nevertheless, the House once again led the way this week by adopting new job-creating legislation as well as sending a package of our best, previously-passed jobs legislation to the Senate to remind them of their obligation to address these vital issues. Both of these legislative packages included bipartisan bills that I authored to boost economic growth.

On Tuesday, we passed the Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act, which combines the text of 11 bills all of which aim to reduce the bureaucratic red tape hindering job growth. The Small Company Disclosure Simplification Act, a bipartisan bill I introduced with Representative Terri Sewell (D-Alabama) in March 2014 to remove duplicative reporting regulations for small public companies and require the SEC to perform a cost benefit analysis on the rule's impact on these companies, was incorporated into this legislation.

Then on Thursday, the House passed the Jobs for America Act, which combines the text of 15 bipartisan bills, all of which had already passed the House, to improve conditions necessary for economic growth. This legislation includes H.R. 1105, the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act, a bill I introduced to reduce unnecessary regulations that inhibit investments of private capital into small businesses, allowing them to expand and create the jobs we so desperately need. This bill passed with a strong bipartisan majority back in December, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refuses to even allow a debate on the measure.

With the passage both of these bills, we are making it easy as possible for the Senate to join us in kick-starting the economy and getting Americans across the country back to work. I thank my colleagues in the House for their support of these commonsense jobs bills, and I urge our colleagues in the Senate to consider them and the other dozens of other jobs bills that remain stuck there.

Update on ISIL

This week, the House also voted on an amendment to a spending measure that would authorize training and arming Syrian rebels in hopes of their cooperation to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). I believe that ISIL is a direct threat to the United States and our national security, and I fully support the President's ultimate objective of dismantling and destroying ISIL.

I have grave concerns about the President's proposal to train and arm Syrian rebels to fight for our American interests, but ultimately, I voted against this amendment because the President has not requested a broader Authorization for Use of Military Force from Congress before he commences a wider and sustained engagement against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. The Constitution requires the President to obtain authorization from Congress to wage war. The American people and their representatives in Congress must be afforded the opportunity to participate in an honest, open debate as to exactly what action will be necessary to achieve our shared objective and exactly what will be required of the American people and our brave men and women in uniform if we embark on this course.

Furthermore, issues of this magnitude should not be rolled into an unrelated 'must-pass' spending bill for the sake of expediency. It is my fervent hope that the President will immediately begin the process of seeking congressional authorization and present a solid plan of action to destroy ISIL that the American people and their representatives in Congress can rally behind.

If you need any additional information, please visit my website at hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.

Forbes Receives Award for His Support of The Farming Community

09/23/2014

Washington, D.C. - Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) has been awarded the "Friend of Farm Bureau" award for the 113th Congress from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). This award is in recognition of his work on behalf of the approximately 357,000 individuals employed in agriculture in Virginia.

"The farming industry is not only a foundational pillar to our economy, it is also part of the very fabric of our lives in the Fourth District of Virginia," said Congressman Forbes. "Our region's rich agricultural heritage is a treasure to the people of the Fourth District as well as the Commonwealth of Virginia. I will continue to stand up in support of our nation's agricultural producers. It is an honor to receive this award."

According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Virginia has over 46,000 farms, with nearly 90% of those being owned and operated by individuals or families. The agriculture industry as an economic impact of $52 billion annually and provides nearly 311,000 jobs in the Commonwealth and, together with agriculture and forestry, is Virginia's number one industry.

The Farm Bureau is an independent, non-governmental, voluntary organization governed by and representing farm and ranch families. Farm Bureau is local, county, state, national, and international in its scope and influence and is non-partisan, non-sectarian and non-secret in character.

Congressman Forbes also received the Friend of the Farm Bureau Award for the 110th, 111th, and 112th Congress, and regularly meets with his Farmers Advisory Board, a group of various members of the agriculture community, to discuss the needs and goals of the farm community in the Fourth Congressional District. Read more about Congressman Forbes' work on agricultural issues, here.

Staff Members from Robert Hurt's Office to Hold Local Office Hours in Bedford County

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Staff members from Congressman Robert Hurt’s (R-Virginia) office will hold Local Office Hours in Bedford County on Friday, September 26 to meet with constituents who need assistance with federal agencies. For more information, please visit our Local Office Hours Interactive Map.

 

Friday, September 26, 2014

9:00 - 11:00 am

Town of Bedford Municipal Office - Conference Room

215 East Main Street

Bedford, VA

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: House Passes Hurt Bill to Help Small Businesses Access Capital and Create Jobs

 

Thursday, September 18, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after the House passage of H.R. 4, the Jobs for America Act, which combines the text of 15 bipartisan bills passed by the House to improve conditions necessary for economic growth and job creation.  The legislation includes H.R. 1105, the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Hurt in March 2013 that passed the House in December 2013, which will reduce unnecessary regulations that inhibit investments of private capital into small businesses:

 

“As our country has attempted to recover from the economic crisis for the last six years, we have seen time and time again that we need more dynamic growth to decrease unemployment and increase wages.  Virginia’s Fifth District has been among the hardest hit areas and is still experiencing unemployment well above the national average in many localities.  We in the House have taken consistent and repeated action on bipartisan jobs bills for the last four years only to be ignored by our colleagues in the Senate.  They have refused to take up bills that would make it easier for small businesses and family farms to expand and create the jobs we so desperately need.

 

“The legislation passed by the House includes a bill I authored, the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act, which will reduce unnecessary regulations implemented by Dodd-Frank that inhibit investments of private capital into small businesses, thereby allowing them to innovate, expand, and create jobs. The House passed this bill back in December 2013 with a bipartisan majority, but, like the dozens of other bipartisan jobs bills the House adopted in this Congress, the Senate would not even debate the measure.  Why do they refuse to work with us on commonsense solutions to spur job growth?

 

“The Senate’s failure to even consider the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act and the dozens of bipartisan jobs bills is holding us back from expanding economic opportunities. At a time when unemployment in Virginia’s Fifth District is as high as ten percent, the Senate must join in the House’s efforts to advance pro-growth solutions.  By combining these 15 jobs bills into one, we are making it easy as possible for the Senate to join us in kick-starting the economy and getting Americans across the country back to work. It is high time they joined us in this crucial effort to promote job creation.  

 

“I thank my colleagues in the House for their support of this commonsense jobs bill, and I urge our colleagues in the Senate to take up the Jobs for America Act and the dozens of other jobs bills that remain stuck there.”

 

Congressman Hurt spoke on the House floor in support of H.R. 4. You may view the video of his remarks by clicking the image below or by clicking here.

 

 

FRC Action Announces Governor Sarah Palin to Speak at Values Voter Summit

September 18, 2014

Washington, D.C. - FRC Action is pleased to announce that Governor Sarah Palin is confirmed to speak at this year's Values Voter Summit. Along with the Governor, other confirmed Values Voter Summit speakers include Governor Bobby Jindal (R-La.), Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator Rick Santorum, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), John Fleming (R-La.), Frank Wolf (R-Va.), Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, General James Conway (Ret.), Erick Erickson, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Star Parker, the Benham Brothers, and Duggar Family, among others.

Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins made the following comments:

"We are pleased to announce that Governor Sarah Palin has been confirmed to appear at this year's Values Voter Summit. Governor Palin has always been a steadfast supporter of natural marriage and every human's right to life. She not only 'talks the talk' but also walks by her convictions. We are proud to stand with the Governor and are honored to have her presence, for the first time, at the Values Voter Summit," concluded Perkins.

The ninth annual Values Voter Summit will be held from September 26-28 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. FRC Action's Values Voter Summit is cosponsored by AFA Action, American Values, Liberty Institute, Liberty Counsel, Liberty Counsel Action, and Family Research Council. The Values Voter Summit annually draws thousands of social conservatives from across the country. An exhibit hall, book signings, radio row, new media row, and much more will be packed into this three-day conference. On Saturday evening, a gala dinner will honor Meriam Ibrahim, the Sudanese mother who was sentenced to death because of her Christian faith.

To register for media credentials or for more information, please visit www.valuesvotersummit.org or call FRC's press office at (866) FRC-NEWS

Rules for Radicals

Recall that Hillary did her college thesis on his writings and Obama writes about him in his books.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_senior_thesis

Saul Alinsky died about 43 years ago, but his writings influenced those in political control of our nation today.......

Died: June 12, 1972, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Education: University of Chicago

Spouse: Irene Alinsky

Books: Rules for Radicals, Reveille for Radicals

Anyone out there think that this stuff isn't happening today in the U.S. ?

All eight rules are currently in play

How to create a social state by Saul Alinsky:

There are eight levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to create a social state. The first is the most important.

1) Healthcare -€“ Control healthcare and you control the people

2) Poverty -€“ Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.

3) Debt   -€“ Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.

4) Gun Control - Remove the ability to defend themselves from the Government. That way you are able to create a police state.

5) Welfare  - Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income)

6) Education -Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of what children learn in school.

7) Religion - Remove the belief in the God from the Government and schools

8) Class Warfare -€“ Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take (Tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.

Does any of this sound like what is happening to the United States ?

Alinsky merely simplified Vladimir Lenin's original scheme for world conquest by communism, under Russian rule. Stalin described his converts as "Useful Idiots." 

The Useful Idiots have destroyed every nation in which they have seized power and control. It is presently happening at an alarming rate in the U.S.

 

"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere."

Fwd: FRC Commends Federal Judge for Upholding Natural Marriage, Freedom of Louisianans to Preserve Marria

September 03, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today Federal Judge Martin L.C. Feldman upheld the right of Louisiana voters to preserve marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The judge wrote that "the State of Louisiana has a legitimate interest under a rational basis standard of review for addressing the meaning of marriage through the democratic process."

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a former Louisiana legislator, made the following comments:

"This ruling is a victory for children, each of whom need and desire a mom and dad, something our public policy should encourage. This decision is a victory for the rule law, and for religious liberty and free speech which are undermined anywhere marriage is redefined.

"We commend Judge Feldman for refraining from judicial activism and recognizing that Louisiana voters are free to uphold natural marriage in their state's public policy. He rightly declared that the Courts have no authority to unilaterally change the definition of our most fundamental social institution.

"We thank Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell and his special counsel, Kyle Duncan and Mike Johnson, for their work to defend natural marriage and the rule of law," concluded Perkins.

Jihadi High

Gary L. Bauer
VISIT AMERICAN VALUES

As we reported last week, two former students at Robbinsdale Cooper High School, located in a suburb of Minneapolis, converted to Islam, joined radical groups and died fighting with Islamists on foreign battlefields. They may not be the only jihadists from Robbinsdale Cooper. In 2013, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that a Syrian sniper had been filmed wearing a Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks sweatshirt. That raises the possibility that this single school has produced three jihadists.

No doubt the great majority of graduates from Robbinsdale Cooper are good Americans. But what are the influences in this particular community, which appears to be breeding jihadists? These two individuals have been glibly written off as merely "losers." But that is not a sufficient explanation for why these converts to Islam traveled halfway across the world to join the jihadists of ISIS.

If several boys had graduated from a Birmingham or Biloxi high school and went on to become KKK thugs, there would be an understandable interest in finding out what, if anything, might have been going on at that high school that would cause not one, not two, but perhaps three boys to go down that road of hatred and violence. I suspect there would be considerable media interest in going to the school and interviewing students and teachers. Perhaps it is worth taking a look.

Minnesota's Twin Cities are a stronghold of the secular, radical left. The area is also increasingly a hotbed of radical Islamism. Both worldviews are defined by their hostility to Western civilization and our Judeo-Christian values.

Stark Warnings

Gary L. Bauer

American Values

While every anniversary of 9/11 should be a cause for greater vigilance, there are a number of reasons to be particularly concerned in the coming days. We have written repeatedly about Western jihadists fighting on the battlefield. We have no idea how many may have come home.

Yesterday in Ohio a school was locked down when it received a call from an individual with a heavy Middle Eastern accent warning of a mass shooting due to anger at Israel. Thankfully, nothing happened. (The odds are overwhelming that a terrorist wouldn't call in a threat. But the venom aimed at Israel is a marker of the radicalization going on around the world and here in the U.S.)

Referring to a possible attack this coming September 11th, retired Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney raised eyebrows Monday when he said:

"I believe that we should go to DEFCON 1 and be prepared for another strike. There are too many indications. …I believe American cities will be attacked and we should be prepared for it. …9/11 is a very attractive date for [ISIS]."

 

Underscoring the danger are warnings in the latest issue of an Al Qaeda magazine. This one provides instructions on how to build car bombs. It calls on Islamists to attack targets such as Times Square, Las Vegas casinos, oil tankers and military colleges. It includes a cryptic question regarding a timeline of possible attacks, suggesting one could be imminent.

Meanwhile, "mainstream" Muslim groups are doing everything possible to make the prevention of future attacks harder. These groups recently sent a letter to the White House demanding "a mandatory retraining program for all federal, state and local law enforcement officials" to make them more sensitive to Muslims.

Some jurisdictions are already caving in. New York City, under the left-wing direction of Mayor Bill de Blasio, shut down a surveillance unit within the New York Police Department aimed at exposing Islamic extremism.

U.S. intelligence estimates that as many as 300 Americans are waging jihad overseas with ISIS, and yet these groups refuse to admit there is a problem.

The Senate’s Inaction Prevents Strong Economic Recovery

Congressman Robert Hurt's Weekly Column

09/01/14

 

As I spoke with constituents throughout the district this month, the most common theme, as I have heard so many times before, is the need for Congress to pass jobs bills that will promote economic growth in our communities.  Many hardworking individuals are still looking for work, and I share the frustrations of the industrious Virginians with whom I spoke.  

 

The House has been dedicated during this session of Congress to enacting pro-growth policies that will encourage job creation and provide more opportunities for hardworking families.  We've passed dozens of jobs bills that would increase our energy independence, cut unnecessary red tape, improve educational opportunities, and reduce federal spending.  Unfortunately, the Senate continues to block over 43 of these jobs bills that would provide common sense solutions.  That's 43 opportunities to create jobs.  That's 43 opportunities to get Americans back to work.

 

I introduced one such bill, the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support because of its common sense approach to reining in the red tape that hurts small business investment in our communities.  The bill would promote greater access to capital for small businesses, like Virginia Candle or Commonwealth Laminating and Coating, encouraging the creation of new jobs and economic stimulation across the country. It passed the House nearly nine months ago but remains stuck in the Senate with so many other bills.

 

The Senate isn't just letting the dust pile up on jobs bills, it is refusing to act on hundreds of other bills.  At the same time, the House has been working to help the American people.  The House has passed 511 bills, while the Senate has passed less than half that number, only 232.  Included in these numbers are appropriations bills to fund key agencies of the federal government, one of the most basic constitutional duties of the Congress.  While the House has passed 7 appropriations bills and 215 amendments in an open, deliberative process, the Senate has refused to consider a single appropriations bill this year.  

 

The Senate's failure to pass the 43 jobs bills only fuels the Washington-created uncertainty that is stalling economic opportunities.  We, in the House, have been working to build a stronger economy and create a better future, and the Senate has prevented these bills from helping the American people.  Its inaction is unacceptable.  When Congress returns in a week, I hope that our colleagues in the Senate will take up the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act and the numerous other jobs bills that will advance pro-growth solutions and provide a stronger economic recovery for hardworking Americans.

 

If you need any additional information, please visit my website at hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.