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An Urgent Message from Congressman Jeff Miller

Dear Fellow Conservative,

I am sure you are closely watching the debt-ceiling debate going on in Washington right now. Earlier this month I voted for, and the House of Representatives passed, the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act. I still believe this is the most sensible solution to our fiscal crisis and the best shot at changing Washington, as we know it. However, President Obama and the Democrat-controlled Senate have shown they are not serious about cutting the debt and want to continue down a reckless path with their policies of tax, spend and borrow.

If the President and Congress are serious about reining in our national debt and putting America back on a sound economic footing for the future, we need to take the first step in changing the tax, spend and borrow culture that has plagued Washington, D.C.

First, we need to cut federal spending significantly and immediately. Republicans have offered a plan that would cut $917 billion over the next ten years. During the debate over raising the debt ceiling, President Obama and the Democrats have demanded tax increases and long-term increases that get us past the 2012 election without any guarantee of more cuts. We need spending cuts now, not more of the shell games the Democrats are playing.

Second, we need to cap federal spending so it matches incoming revenues. Looking back at our economic history, the government has taken in roughly 18% of annual U.S. GDP in taxes. Yet today, we are spending at a rate of roughly 24% of GDP. If nothing is done, in just ten years, 95% of our taxes will be used to pay the interest on our debt and fund unsustainable entitlement programs. Capping spending in the only way to ensure we meet our obligations with existing revenue.

Finally, we need to balance the budget by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Balanced Budget Amendment is the key piece of our plan because it forces Congress and the Administration to balance the budget. There would be no more gimmicks, no more “emergency spending” that isn’t paid for, and no more threats of huge taxes increases to pay for wasteful programs.

The debt ceiling has been increased 69 times since 1940. Enough is enough – let’s stop the spending now!

Several so-called alternate “plans” have recently emerged in the Senate in case a compromise isn’t reached before the U.S. Treasury Department’s arbitrary August 2 deadline. Unfortunately, these measures are late to the game, rely heavily on tax increases and promises of future reductions, and in the end, aren’t really plans at all. House Republicans are the only ones to have offered a solid, definitive plan to reduce the deficit: cut government spending now, cap spending in the future, and balance the budget.

The media has argued frequently that House Republicans need to compromise. We have. That compromise is moving this week in the House. It is the only deficit reduction plan that has been offered, that is clearly defined, and that will reduce government spending.

Because of what is happening in Washington, I need your help to continue to fight for us and provide the leadership that Obama, Pelosi and Reid have not.

Sincerely,
Jeff Miller

Congressman Jeff Miller's Statement on Senator Reid's Budget Control Act

Washington D.C.—Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL-01) issued the following statement on Senator Harry Reid’s Budget Control Act:

“No one benefits from this bill other than the President and those who want to continue down the path of reckless spending.  There is no doubt in my mind that the Reid Budget Control Act is a huge step in the wrong direction.

The Reid bill provides the President with a blank check to raise the debt limit by $2.4 trillion with no additional legislation from Congress required.  In the House Republican Bill that passed the House last night, a subsequent increase of $1.6 trillion in the debt limit could only occur if Congress passes legislation to reduce the deficit by an additional $1.8 trillion and a Balance Budget Amendment is sent to the states.

Senator Reid’s plan also would cut $868 billion in defense spending over 10 years – a plan that Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) warns will “have a disastrous impact on our military” and its ability to carry out missions. 

For these reasons, I voted against the bill.  If Senate Democrats are serious about solving this problem in time for the deadline, they have two House passed bills on the table, which make real cuts and control spending, waiting to be sent to the President.”

Do Not Use Veterans as Pawns in a Dangerous Political Game

Congressman Jeff Miller says,

Today, the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Rep. Jeff Miller, issued the following statement on the latest tactic in the debt crisis debate:

“Taking care of America’s veterans has been, and always will be, one of this country’s highest priorities. Many questions have been raised recently regarding the debt crisis and what will happen to America’s veterans come August 2. As of today, the Administration has yet to provide clarity to these men and women. This is a serious situation and it requires a serious response.

Why would the President invite some of the largest Veterans Service Organizations to the White House under the guise of discussing the details of reaching the debt limit on August 2nd, and not assure them that veterans will continue to receive funding whether or not an agreement is reached? Why would the President not offer assurances to the men and women who wore this country’s uniform, but instead unapologetically attempt to use veterans as pawns in a dangerous political game? 

Under the Budget Control Act of 2011 put forth by Speaker Boehner, and consistent with the ideals and priorities for veterans outlined in the House-passed budget resolution, veterans programs will continue to be adequately funded. These are the facts. Through the Budget Control Act, veterans will also continue to receive the best care and services possible from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  

We have made great strides in meeting the needs of veterans of today, while keeping our promise to yesterday’s veterans. We must not be lured into turf battles, but instead rise above the political fray to fight for America’s wellbeing. Out of control spending is crippling our country, and we need to slow the growth of government and take responsibility for our bills. As we do this, our veterans deserve better than to be used as shields in political warfare. Instead, we have an obligation to work in a bipartisan manner to better serve veterans and their families. No one should disagree this is the least we owe these men and women. 

As Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I, and my colleagues, are committed to providing answers, which is why we are, and will continue to, provide our plans in writing for public review, while urging the Administration to ensure America’s veterans receive the benefits they have earned.”

For more news from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, please visit:
Veterans.House.Gov

Jeff Miller's Newsletter - 7/24/2011

Debt Limit, Debt and Deficit Reduction Debacle    July 24, 2011

As the debt limit, debt and deficit reduction talks continue in Washington, D.C., several so-called alternate "plans" have recently emerged in the event a compromise isn’t reached before the U.S. Treasury Department’s arbitrary August 2 deadline. Unfortunately, these measures are late to the game, rely heavily on tax increases and promises of future reductions, and in the end, aren’t really plans at all. House Republicans are the only ones to have offered a solid, definitive plan to reduce the deficit – cut government spending now, cap spending in the future, and balance the budget.

Gang of Six "Plan"

On Tuesday, the Senate’s "Gang of Six" offered broad outlines for future deficit reduction. However, there are no definitive details or actual legislation, and a number of provisions in the outline concern me. First, it relies on "revenue increases" of more than $1 trillion to decrease the deficit. Revenue increases is simply another way of saying "tax increases." Closing tax loopholes in order to lower the individual and corporate tax rates has merit, but the Gang of Six plan increases taxes to the tune of $1 trillion. Some estimates indicate that coupled with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and increased taxes from Obamacare, this plan would raise taxes by $2.8 trillion overall. Second, the plan does very little to contain the spiraling cost of health care, instead leaving much of Obamacare in place. It calls for $117 billion in health care savings, but does not specify from where these savings would come. Third, this plan cuts defense spending by $886 billion, a severe blow to our men and women in uniform that would leave our country open to future threats.

Finally, and most importantly, the Gang of Six plan makes only modest cuts now while relying on hollow promises of potential cuts in the future. In other words, there is no plan. Senate committees would be tasked with achieving a certain amount of savings or tax increases. There is nothing in the plan to suggest how these savings might occur, who would be affected, or even if it will get done. Certainly the Democrat-controlled Senate committees would do little to change entitlement programs, relying instead on tax increases rather than spending cuts to achieve these "savings." If, and only if, the tax and entitlement changes pass by a supermajority of 60 votes in the Senate, would Senators move on to tackling social security reform. If this is the "grand bargain" President Obama has been hoping for, I would ask, who exactly is getting the bargain?

McConnell/Reid "Plan"

While the Gang of Six outline has a few provisions that could be included in final deficit reduction talks, the McConnell-Reid plan to transfer authority for a debt ceiling increase to the President is far worse. It would give the President the authority to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling three times over the next year and a half. Congress could only stop a debt ceiling increase with an expression of disapproval requiring, which the President could veto. This idea circumvents the rights of American citizens to have a say on the debt ceiling increase and avoids the tough decisions that must be made to sustain a viable and vibrant American economic future. Again, it is not a plan, just another way to kick the can down the road and avoid dealing with these tough issues.

Cut, Cap, & Balance

The media has argued frequently that House Republicans need to compromise. We have compromised, and that compromise is the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act passed this week in the House with bipartisan support. It is the only deficit reduction plan that has been offered, that is clearly defined, and that will reduce government spending.

Cut, Cap, and Balance provides immediate cuts, caps future spending, and ties any debt ceiling increase to a balanced budget amendment. The cuts come now, not over ten years. The caps limit spending to under 20 percent of U.S. GDP, pushing government spending back to historical norms. And, it balances the budget by requiring a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution before raising the debt ceiling, forcing Congress to pass balanced budgets instead of taking on more debt.

Unfortunately, on Friday the Senate Democrats used a procedural move to permanently table the Cut, Cap, and Balance bill. So I ask, Senator Reid, where is your plan?

The Senate has not offered a plan and the President has not offered a plan. House Republicans have offered a plan, took a vote on that plan, and let the American people know where we stand when it comes to solving our country’s debt crisis. Cut, Cap, and Balance is the only way we can truly balance the budget. Reducing our national deficit is not only a necessity, but an opportunity to fundamentally change the way Washington does business. We must rein in spending, balance the budget, and ensure we leave our country a better nation today and for future generations.

Jeff Miller's Newsletter for July 17, 2011

Cut, Cap, and Balance     

If the President and Congress are serious about reigning in our national debt and putting America back on a sound economic footing for the future, it comes down to three little words: cut, cap, and balance.

It really is that simple. 

First, we need to cut federal spending significantly and immediately.  Republicans are offering a plan that would reduce the deficit by half next year, lowering the budget by $111 billion.  This is a steep drop in federal spending, and it is necessary.  More importantly, the cut happens now, not over ten years.  As all of us know all too well, promises to cut future spending never work.  During the debate over raising the debt ceiling, negotiators have agreed on roughly $2 trillion in cuts over ten years in order to raise the debt ceiling an equal amount.  But the increase in the debt ceiling only gets us to just past the 2012 election before we would need yet another increase.  Just two years before another debt limit increase for ten years of “promised” cuts does not seem like a fair trade.  We need spending cuts now, not in ten years.

Second, we need to cap federal spending so it matches incoming federal revenues.  Looking back at our economic history, the government has taken in roughly 18% of annual U.S. GDP in taxes.  This 18% has remained constant through high tax rates and low tax rates.  It is easy to see that the government should not spend more than 18% of GDP.  Yet today, we are spending at a rate of roughly 24% of GDP.  If nothing is done, in just ten years, 95% of our taxes will be used to pay the interest on our debt and fund unsustainable entitlement programs, leaving only 5% of annual tax revenue for national defense and all other functions of the government.  Capping spending in the only way to ensure we meet our obligations with existing revenue, not new taxes and not more spending.

Finally, we need to balance the budget by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution.  The Balanced Budget Amendment is the key piece of the cut, cap, and balance plan because it forces Congress and the Administration to balance the budget.  There would be no more gimmicks, no more “emergency spending” that isn’t paid for, and no more threats of huge taxes increases to pay for wasteful programs.

The State of Florida and 48 other states abide by some type of balanced budget requirement, and the federal government should too.  Republicans have offered a Balanced Budget Amendment that caps spending at 18% and requires a 2/3 vote in Congress to raise new taxes.  Put simply, a constitutional amendment legally forces Congress to only spend what it takes in.  And it’s permanent.  The debt ceiling has been increased 69 times since 1940.  Enough is enough – let’s stop the spending now.

The “sky-is-falling” rhetoric from the Administration and across Washington regarding the debt ceiling is deafening, but it can’t drown out the fact that the solution to solving the debt crisis is simple: cut, cap, and balance. 

Ronald Reagan said it best in 1982 when he remarked, “Only a constitutional amendment will do the job.  We’ve tried the carrot, and it failed.  With the stick of a Balanced Budget Amendment, we can stop government squandering, overtaxing ways, and save our economy.”  The time is now to finally pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution and force the federal government to put its fiscal house in order.

Jeff Miller's Newsletter for July 10, 2011

In the film Larry Crowne, a 50-something Navy veteran is laid off from his job at a megastore because he can’t compete against college-educated workers. Played by Tom Hanks, Crowne enrolls in college to learn new skills in order to be competitive in the 21st-century workforce.

Unfortunately, this isn’t just Hollywood storytelling; it is a depiction of the economic environment our veterans face. We celebrated our independence last weekend and then returned to work as usual. But nearly 14 million Americans did not. Among them are nearly 1 million unemployed veterans, men and women who preserved the right for the rest of us to celebrate our nation’s 235th birthday.

Like Larry Crowne, two-thirds of unemployed veterans are between the ages of 35 and 64, and many face skills and training deficits. The remaining third are younger than 35; some were as young as ten on 9/11, and forfeited safety and education knowing they would likely serve in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Veterans have the leadership, integrity, and ingenuity employers often seek. Yet, there is a disconnect between employers and veterans in translating the experiences that hail from the battlefield to work on Main Street USA. In some cases, it is the basics, such as résumé writing, a skill not taught at boot camp. In others, it is the inability to compete in the global marketplace.

Over the next two years, we will see an influx of active-duty military members transitioning to veteran status as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down. We must ensure that America’s veterans have the education and skills to find employment as they return home.

We have already set in place the building blocks for many of today’s veterans. Through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, eligible veterans are getting college degrees, enrolling in on-the-job training programs, and training in specialized fields such as aviation in higher numbers than ever before.

But there is more we should and can do. I am committed to the goal of reducing the veteran unemployment rate to below 5 percent over the next two years. By pairing long-term solutions with short-term initiatives, we can re-ignite our economy.

First, we must re-evaluate programs that are meant to acquaint our veterans with the civilian workforce. We owe it to these men and women, and every taxpayer, to ensure that these programs are effective and that measures are in place to gauge their viability. If they are not working, we must find programs that will.

Second, we must give unemployed veterans of past wars temporary access to education programs to acquire skills, especially in fields with a shortage of workers, such as technology and health care.

Third, we must enforce the job protections in place for National Guard and Reserve veterans — 14 percent of whom are currently unemployed. Many of these troops took leave from their jobs, deployed, and fulfilled their duty to the nation, only to return home to a broken promise. Their employers must uphold their end of the bargain.

Fourth, we must work with states to eliminate the regulations that hinder job growth. Our veterans have skills that are of value in the private sector. Combat medics who have witnessed the most horrific aspects of war should be afforded the opportunity to work as EMTs. Convoy drivers of 14-ton-plus armored vehicles who have navigated IED-laden roads should be able to transition into the trucking industry, and flight-line techs, who fixed aircraft under the worst conditions, surely should qualify rapidly for work on commercial planes at our own airports.

And finally, we need to encourage businesses that hire veterans to provide mentoring so that employment is not only gainful, but meaningful. Simultaneously, we should encourage communities to take part in this national effort by seeking out the programs that are working that don’t expand government.

We cannot do this in a vacuum, however. We have an obligation to these men and women, and to all Americans, to decrease our debt, lower taxes that impede growth, and assure employers, especially the small businesses that are the engine of our economy, that help and leadership is on the way.

George Washington remarked in 1788, “Under a good government, this Country certainly promises greater advantages, than almost any other, to persons of moderate property, who are determined to be sober, industrious, and virtuous members of Society.” We need to rekindle the drive and optimism that led us to be a model for the rest of the world. It still exists. It is what our veterans have fought for over the past 200 years.

As we reflect on the meaning of our independence this week, we should remind ourselves that the cost of our freedom and opportunity has been the blood of our veterans. Today’s economic climate is not the homecoming they deserve.

To learn more about my comprehensive bill to reduce the unemployment rate among America’s veteran population, the Veteran Opportunity to Work Act of 2011 (VOW), please visit: www.Veterans.House.Gov/Jobs .

Getting Veterans Back to Work

From Congressman Jeff Miller

In the film Larry Crowne, a 50-something Navy veteran is laid off from his job at a megastore because he can’t compete against college-educated workers. Played by Tom Hanks, Crowne enrolls in college to learn new skills in order to be competitive in the 21st-century workforce.

Unfortunately, this isn’t just Hollywood storytelling; it is a depiction of the economic environment our veterans face. We celebrated our independence last weekend and then returned to work as usual. But nearly 14 million Americans did not. Among them are nearly 1 million unemployed veterans, men and women who preserved the right for the rest of us to celebrate our nation’s 235th birthday.

Like Larry Crowne, two-thirds of unemployed veterans are between the ages of 35 and 64, and many face skills and training deficits. The remaining third are younger than 35; some were as young as ten on 9/11, and forfeited safety and education knowing they would likely serve in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Veterans have the leadership, integrity, and ingenuity employers often seek. Yet, there is a disconnect between employers and veterans in translating the experiences that hail from the battlefield to work on Main Street USA. In some cases, it is the basics, such as résumé writing, a skill not taught at boot camp. In others, it is the inability to compete in the global marketplace.

Over the next two years, we will see an influx of active-duty military members transitioning to veteran status as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down. We must ensure that America’s veterans have the education and skills to find employment as they return home.

We have already set in place the building blocks for many of today’s veterans. Through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, eligible veterans are getting college degrees, enrolling in on-the-job training programs, and training in specialized fields such as aviation in higher numbers than ever before. Read more. 

To learn more about the Veteran Opportunity to Work Act of 2011 (VOW), please visit: Veterans.House.Gov/Jobs

Jeff Miller Newsletter - July 3, 2011

The First Amendment of the Constitution grants all Americans the right of free speech and religion. This week, however, there are allegations that these basic liberties are being violated at the Houston National Cemetery by prohibiting the use of the word “God” on cemetery grounds.

If true, then we, and the Courts, must take immediate action against the activism that is being imposed on our hallowed grounds. Our citizens have the right to express themselves and their beliefs. A government official does not have the right to interpret the First Amendment on a whim. And regardless of personal religious belief, all of us must remember that the practice of religion is protected by our Constitution.

The questions we must have answered are: On whose authority does the Houston National Cemetery have the right to ban God from its grounds? Furthermore, if religion can be banned, who then will protect our other freedoms from falling prey to the same outcome?

As we witnessed over Memorial Day, when a federal judge in Texas ruled in favor of a Houston pastor reaffirming that the government cannot stop him from saying “Jesus Christ” during his invocation at the cemetery, the Constitution is still relevant.  Let us hope it remains so this Fourth of July on our nation's 235th birthday.

I urge all Americans to reflect on the Fourth of July’s true significance—the Declaration of Independence and the men who risked their lives to ensure the rights “endowed by their Creator” to secure independence was more significant than just a single piece of paper.

May God continue to bless all service men and women who fight to protect these precious rights and may God continue to bless America.