Rokita Report 8-2-13
Statement
Dear Friend,
Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 113th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well.
For daily updates, please take a moment to "Like" my Facebook page by clicking here or follow me on Twitter if you prefer @ToddRokita.
In this week's Rokita Report
Rokita Readings - The Spying on Americans Never Ended
Stopping Government Abuse
Restoring Vote Integrity - Rokita Introduces RIVERS Act
Getting Government Out of Student Loan Interst Rates
Upcoming Events
Rokita Readings
A clickable offering of books and articles that I've read recently and highly recommend, as we strive together to "Keep the Republic."
Featured in this week's Rokita Readings is a column I recently ready by Elizabeth Goitein titled "The Spying on Americans Never Ended."
Goitein's column is easily the best piece I have yet read on why the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and FISC (FISA Court) and the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance actions are unconstitutional and bad policy.
Stopping Government Abuse
This week, the House considered several bills designed to combat the many ways that an out-of-control federal bureacracy is abusing Americans economically and personally.
This abuse can be widely defined. As you may have read in recent months, there have been serious concerns that the IRS targeted Americans based on their political beliefs, the National Security Agency (NSA) have been collecting surveillance on innocent Americans, while regulations are stalling our economy and killing jobs. Take your pick.
In response to many of these abuses of power, I either cosponsored or supported a series of bills to End Government Abuse.
-Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care
-Keep Federal Bureaucrats from Ruining the Economy and Lowering Wages (REINS) Act
-Citizen Empowerment Act
-Government Employee Accountability Act
-Government Customer Service Improvement Act
-Government Spending Accountability Act
-Common Sense in Compensation Act
-Stop Targeting Our Politics IRS Act
-Stop Playing on Citizen's Cash Act
-The Taxpayer Bill of Rights
These bills, and the REINS Act specifically, which was cosponsored by the entire Indiana Republican House delgation, only further strengthen the Red Tape Rollback program I started with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce in 2011. Red Tape Rollback helps identify costly rules and regulations that are preventing economic and job growth in Indiana.
In addition to these bills, I am still continuing my fight to shine a light on exactly what the NSA is doing to Americans without probable cause through their surveillance programs. A few weeks ago, with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), I introduced legislation, the End Secret Law Act, to declassify the court decisions that authorized this surveillance and infringement on our 4th Amendment rights. I will continue fighting to protect your constitutional rights.
Restoring Voting Integerity - The RIVERS Act
This week, along with Reprsentative John Culberson (R-TX), I introduced the Restoring Important Voting Eligibility Requirements to the States (RIVERS) Act to restore the states' Constitutional power to protect the integrity of their voter rolls.
I believe that voting is a fundamental and sacred right in our Republic and it must be protected. Many states have taken steps to ensure that the vote of each citizen is not diluted through illegal registration and ballot fraud.
I am proud of the work the Indiana Secretary of State team completed during my two terms serving as Secretary of State and I'm proud of the work our current Secretary of State, Connie Lawson, is doing to keep our elections fair and open to all voters. Indiana is a state that does it right.
Unfortunately, the Supreme Court recently ruled that states must accept a National Voter Registratoin Form that does not meet the standards set at the state level, striking a blow to the integrity of our elections. The RIVERS Act will be a powerful tool to protect states as they use the authority granted by our Founding Fathers to conduct fair and honest elections.
Getting the Government Out of Student Loan Interest Rates
As you may recall, the House passed the Smarter Solutions for Students Act in May to provide a permanent and market-based solution for student loan interest rates that were set to double on July 1.
Last week, the Senate finally passed legislation that is nearly identical to the House legislation. The House considered the amended version of the Student Success Act (also known as the Bipartisan Student Loan Century Act) and passed it with strong bipartisan support on Wednesday, 392-31. Once the legislation is signed by the President, the rates will retroactively apply on July 1.
Upcoming Events
August 5
WIBC Garrison at 10:00 AM
Fair Oaks Pig Adventure Opening at 10:30 AM
Many public events are being planned for August and will be announced in the next Rokita Report.
Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts in Washington. Take care.
Sincerely,
Todd Rokita
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