America For Purchase

September 22, 2009

Senator John Cornyn
Senator Kay Hutchison
Representative Kevin Brady

I oppose the use of the Federal government to use the Patriot Act as a dragnet to vacuum up information on innocent taxpaying Americans.  This mass surveillance imposed by the Bush Administration violates the 4th Amendment on Search and Seizures.  There needs to be a common sense approach and ’cause’ to capture needed information on suspected terrorists.  Hardly any of the 300 million plus Americans should be held captive to such drastic data collection of personal information.

Sincerely,
IWaller

September 21, 2009
Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me regarding same-sex marriage. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Marriage laws have historically been the responsibility of state governments, and I generally oppose federal government intrusion into matters of state authority. Currently, there are four states in which marriages for same-sex couples are currently performed. However, in 23 states these unions are either statutorily or constitutionally banned. Clearly, one state’s action can have serious and far-reaching implications for other states, particularly because our Constitution requires states to give full faith and credit to the laws of other states.

In 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) defined marriage as only between a man and a woman, and provided that states are not required to recognize same-sex marriages granted under another state’s laws. I voted for this federal law, and I continue to support it today because I believe the traditional family unit should remain the foundation of our society. With respect to marriage, I am a strong supporter of the due process and equal protection rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. However, I do not support legislation that extends the traditional definition and recognition of marriage to same-sex couples.

On September 15, 2009, Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced H.R. 3567, the Respect for Marriage Act of 2009. The bill contains provisions that would force all states and territories in the Union to recognize all marriages that are legal in the state of origin. This legislation would further repeal the federal law implemented by the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, which stipulates that “no state or territory needs to treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state.” Currently, no Senate bill has been introduced to repeal DOMA.

Should Congress act on this legislation, I will keep your views in mind. I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to contact me on any issue that is important to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

July 13, 2009

Dear Mr. Waller:

Thank you for contacting me about efforts to reform our nation’s health care system through the creation of a new government-run “public” health insurance plan. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this important issue.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), spending on health care will account for nearly 17 percent of GDP in 2009-totaling as much as $2.6 trillion. Health care costs have more than doubled over the last ten years and far outpaced wage growth. I am well acquainted with the frustration of many Americans struggling to meet their health care needs within the current cumbersome system, and I understand the urgency to implement sound revisions.

Moreover, I oppose the creation of a Washington-run “public” health insurance plan, which I believe is unequivocally a gateway to a single-payer system. I believe that a new Washington-run, public plan “option” will devastate private insurance markets by acting as a competitor, regulator, and funder. Independent estimates have found that such a plan could result in 118 million Americans losing their current health benefits, and 130 million Americans left to rely on a government-run health care plan.

It may interest you to learn, that I am helping lead a Senate health reform working group that meets regularly to discuss the most pressing areas for reform in our nation’s healthcare system. It is important that Americans have access to affordable health insurance and therefore, I believe we must reform our healthcare system, emphasizing individual choice and trusting patients, their families, and their doctors-not lawyers or bureaucrats-to make health maintenance and treatment decisions. I am committed to improving access to quality, affordable healthcare, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind as I work my congressional colleagues, as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, to address this critical issue.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

July 9, 2009

Senator John Cornyn,

Senator Kay Hutchison,

Representative Kevin Brady

RE: American Free Choice Act

I am a Vietnam vet, my son is currently in the middle East, as a proud American I totally support the rights of Americans to have the option to join a union.  As Wall Street and corporate salaries have shot through the roof, these same greedy corporations want to continue their greed and
profits while denying hardworking, taxpaying Americans the same opportunity for fair pay and union support. 

While the GOP has supported big business over the welfare of average American families, their
continued action based on greed and manipulation of Americans is totally un-American.  Putting greed and profits over Americans demonstrates how Americans continue to get the shaft daily from those who are supposed to represent Americans.  Wall Street Banks, Corporate CEOs, big oil companies, health insurance companies and a host of others, buy the votes of politicians while robbing the treasury of Americans.  I am just now realizing that American politicians are for sale to the highest bidder. 

Again, I ask you to support the American Free Choice Act.

Sincerely,

IWaller

June 29, 2009

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Employee Free Choice Act. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

H.R. 1409 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative George Miller (D-CA) on March 10, 2009, and has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. S. 560 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) on March 10, 2009, and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

The Employee Free Choice Act amends the National Labor Relations Act to establish a system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations and to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices. Foremost, this legislation would allow employees to join a union through a practice known as card check. Without card check, employees choose whether or not they want union representation by casting secret ballots in an election presided over by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This legislation, however, permits employees to forego the formal NLRB election and to instead signal his or her decision for union representation by publicly signing an authorization card. Card check, therefore, denies employees the secrecy of a formal election which leaves employees potentially prone to coercive practices.

The National Labor Relations Act, enacted by Congress in 1935, is the major federal legislative initiative to address issues concerning the rights of employees, employers, and labor organizations. It defines employee rights to organize and to bargain collectively with their employers through representatives of their own choosing. Should the S. 560 be considered by the full Senate, you may be certain I will keep your views in mind.

I appreciate hearing from you and hope you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

June 22, 2009

The Honorable Barack H. Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

RE: Repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
Dear President Obama:

The United States of America prides itself on having the finest military in the world because of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices of our brave servicemen and women.  And yet, under 10 U.S.C. § 654 (Policy Concerning Homosexuality in the Armed Forces), better known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the talents and contributions of our openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) service members continue to be ignored simply because of who they are.  Every day, we lose approximately two service members to this misguided, unjust, and flat-out discriminatory policy.  Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is not only an injustice to them, but a disservice to the U.S. military and our country as a whole.      

As you know, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was signed into law in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton as a compromise to allow gay and lesbian service members to serve in the military – so long as they did not disclose their sexual orientations.  Fifteen years later, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is instead negatively impacting the lives and livelihoods of these military professionals and depriving our Armed Forces of their honorable service.  Since you took office on January 20, 2009, more than 250 gay and lesbian service members have been discharged under this law, which continues to undermine and demoralize the more than 65,000 gay and lesbian Americans currently serving on active duty.    

Although we are confident that you will remain true to your campaign promise to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, our LGBT service members and our country’s national security will continue to suffer if initial action is delayed until 2010 or 2011.  We urge you to exercise the maximum discretion legally possible in administering Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell until Congress repeals the law.  To this end, we ask that you direct the Armed Services not to initiate any investigation of service personnel to determine their sexual orientation, and that you instruct them to disregard third party accusations that do not allege violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.  That is, we request that you impose that no one is asked and that you ignore, as the law requires, third parties who tell.  Under your leadership, Congress must then repeal and replace Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell with a policy of inclusion and non-discrimination.  This bilateral strategy would allow our openly gay and lesbian service members to continue serving our country and demonstrate our nation’s lasting commitment to justice and equality for all.

As the United States continues to work towards responsibly ending the War in Iraq and refocus on the threat from al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, our LGBT service members offer invaluable skills that enhance our country’s military competence and readiness.  Despite the great strain on our military’s human resources, the Armed Forces have discharged almost 800 mission-critical troops and at least 59 Arabic and nine Farsi linguists under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the last five years.  This is indefensible.  The financial cost alone of implementing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell from Fiscal Year 1994-2003 was more than $363.8 million.  Our nation’s military has always held itself to the highest standards, and we must recruit and retain the greatest number of our best and brightest.  To do anything less only hurts our country’s military readiness and our service members.

We also want to bring to your attention the most recent examples of the failed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in action.  New York National Guard First Lieutenant Dan Choi and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach are two exceptional servicemen who have dedicated their lives to defending our country and protecting the American people.  Their bravery and abilities have been tested in combat, and now they face impending discharge under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. 

First Lieutenant Choi, a current National Guardsman with the 1st Battalion of the 69th Infantry in Manhattan, is a West Point graduate, Arabic language specialist, and Iraq War veteran who is under investigation for refusing to lie about his identity.

Lieutenant Colonel Fehrenbach, Assistant Director of Operations for the 366th Operations Support Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, has honorably served his country for 18 years as an F-15E pilot.  He has received nine air medals, including a Medal for Heroism during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and was hand-picked to protect the airspace over Washington, D.C. after the Pentagon was attacked on September 11, 2001.  Lieutenant Colonel Fehrenbach, who has flown combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan against the Taliban and al Qaeda, continues to serve while the recommendation for his honorable discharge moves forward to a review board, and eventually to the Secretary of the Air Force.  Just two years away from his 20-year retirement, he stands to lose $46,000 a year in retirement and medical benefits for the rest of his life if discharged.

The American people and service members of the Armed Forces overwhelmingly support the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  According to a national Gallup poll conducted in May 2009, 69 percent of Americans, including 58 percent of Republicans, favor allowing openly gay men and lesbian women to serve in the military.  Furthermore, a 2006 poll of 545 troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan by Zogby International and the Michael D. Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara revealed that 73 percent are personally comfortable with gay men and lesbian women. John Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Clinton administration, and more than 100 retired admirals and generals support this repeal, in addition to the Human Rights Campaign, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, and Knights Out, an organization of LGBT West Point alumni co-founded by First Lieutenant Choi. 

Mr. President, we cannot afford to lose any more of our dedicated and talented service members to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  On behalf of First Lieutenant Choi, Lieutenant Colonel Fehrenbach, and the more than 12,500 gay and lesbian service members who have been discharged since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was implemented in 1994, we stand ready to assist you in repealing this dishonorable and debilitating law as soon as possible, and in restoring justice and equality in our Armed Forces.

Please know that we will continue to monitor this situation and are hopeful that, together, we can address this urgent issue soon.  Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

The letter was authored by Hastings and signed by Representatives: Barney Frank (D-MA), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Fortney “Pete” Stark (D-CA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), José Serrano (D-NY), James Moran (D-VA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), James Clyburn (D-SC), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Bob Filner (D-CA), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Jane Harman (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Donna M. Christensen (D-VI), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Rush Holt (D-NJ), John Larson (D-CT), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), David Wu (D-OR), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Mike Honda (D-CA), James Langevin (D-RI), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Diane Watson (D-CA), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Debbie Wasserman Schulz (D-FL), André Carson (D-IN), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Phil Hare (D-IL), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Joe Sestak (D-PA), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Jared Polis (D-CO), Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Gregorio Sablan (D-MP).

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Dear IWaller:

Thank you for contacting me about health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you on this very important issue.

There is little disagreement about the state of America’s health care system. It’s broken. Today, 47 million Americans, including thousands of Montanans, find themselves without health insurance either because they’re denied coverage by insurance companies or because they can’t afford it. Millions more Americans are finding that health insurance doesn’t cover sky-high medical costs. The link between health care and the financial security of working families is undeniable. Just last year, the average household spent more than a quarter of its income on health insurance premiums. This trend is unsustainable.

Reforming a health care system as complicated as ours requires us to work together. In my over 30 years of serving Montanans, I’ve faced no greater challenge. We can’t afford to ignore the serious issues facing our health system any longer. I understand we won’t agree on every detail of comprehensive health care reform. There are trade-offs with any proposal. Radically changing American health care by adopting a single-payer system, for example, is not a solution that could pass in either the House or Senate. We are not Canada or Great Britain. America needs a uniquely American solution with both private and public funding.

Last November, I released my plan, “A Call to Action,” that offers a starting point for reforming America’s health system. My plan has three primary goals: (1) make health care more affordable, (2) increase the quality and value of the care that’s provided and (3) ensure coverage for all Americans. To accomplish any one of these goals, we must succeed on all three. For starters, we need health coverage for all Americans. Covering every American will help make insurance more affordable by preventing costs from shifting to those who have insurance.

Expanding insurance coverage doesn’t mean we are going to limit people’s options. Under my plan, if you are happy with the insurance you have, you can keep it. But if you’re uninsured or you lose your health insurance coverage, you will be able to purchase affordable coverage through a “health insurance exchange,” a one-stop shopping place for affordable insurance. If your income is too low to afford coverage, you can get a subsidy to help pay premiums. Small businesses will be offered a new tax credit for offering health insurance to their employees.

We also need to improve the quality of health care delivered in our system. The United States spends twice as much per person on health care as any other nation in the world. Yet we rank 19th out of 19 industrialized countries in terms of preventable deaths. Clearly, more care doesn’t always mean better care. Too often, patients are subjected to unnecessary tests and treatments simply because their doctors don’t know their full medical history. My plan rewards care that works, rather than wasteful and ineffective treatments. In doing so, it takes steps to reestablish primary care as the backbone of the health care system by paying primary care doctors more and providing incentives for medical students to choose a career in primary care. We also need a delivery system that helps physicians coordinate and manage medical care, and one that focuses more on prevention and wellness rather than treating a condition or illness that could have been avoided.

There are other things we can do to reduce costs as well. We need to invest in health information technology and comparative effectiveness research to better understand what treatments work best so that doctors and patients can make better decisions.

Funding health care reform and making the system more efficient and fair overall depends on our ability to make targeted reforms. For example, one way to invest in reform is to limit the exclusion of employee health benefits from tax. Such a limit would not affect the employer’s tax benefit and incentive for providing health care to employees, but rather would serve to constrain spending. The limit would also be specially designed to protect low-income tax payers. Rest assured any changes to the tax code will be designed to make health care more — not less — affordable for all Americans.

Many of my colleagues in the Senate share my ideas on health care reform. My plan is also generally consistent with President Obama’s vision for health care reform. In instances where our plans diverge, I’m committed to achieving consensus. I understand that there are many different opinions out there, but most can agree that reforming our broken health care system is necessary. Thanks again for getting in touch. Please don’t hesitate to contact me in the future.

Senator Max Baucus

http://baucus.senate.gov

Monday, June 22, 2009

Dear Mr. IWaller:

Thank you for contacting me about health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you.

In America today, concerns about our health care system have been rightly brought to the forefront of the national consciousness. Many of us are familiar with the reports of 47 million uninsured Americans, escalating prescription drug prices, and declining health insurance benefits. Unfortunately, for too many across Nevada and the country, these facts and statistics are not anonymous findings removed from daily life. As a fellow Nevadan, and as the Senate Majority Leader, I know that millions are struggling with the reality of America’s health care crisis.

Amid our health care crisis, however, I believe there are opportunities for members of Congress, the President and his Administration, the private sector, and other stakeholders to work together for the benefit of the American people. It is my hope that the solutions we develop and enact will ensure quality, affordable health care coverage for all Americans-regardless of their age, income, employment, or health status.

During the 111^th session of Congress, we have already made significant improvements to our healthcare system. For example, in February we passed an expansion and extension of the vital Children’s Health Insurance Program (P.L. 111-3). This legislation will expand coverage to an additional 4.1 million low-income children across our country. I am also pleased that as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5), billions of dollars have been allocated for health information technology, the National Institute of Health for research and development, and for prevention and wellness programs. In addition, the federal matching payments for state Medicaid programs have been increased, and a temporary subsidy for COBRA premiums has been implemented to help ease the burden for hard working families affected by the economic crisis. 

We have taken the first steps in a long, arduous journey towards healthcare reform, and there is still much more to be done. Please know that as we move forward, I will keep your ideas and concerns in mind. It is my hope that we can make affordable, comprehensive health coverage a reality for so many Americans who are currently struggling to pay their medical bills, and make ends meet.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. For more information about my work for Nevada, my role in the United States Senate Leadership, or to subscribe to regular e-mail updates on the issues that interest you, please visit my Web site at http://reid.senate.gov. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

My best wishes to you.

June 17, 2009

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me regarding reform of the credit card industry. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Our nation is in the midst of a severe economic downturn that is causing rising rates of unemployment, home foreclosures, and consumer credit defaults. As American families take actions to weather this economic recession, they are increasingly faced with overcoming another challenge: unreasonable practices employed by credit card companies.

Thousands of my constituents have shared with me their stories of how questionable credit card practices have negatively impacted their credit. To combat unfair practices and to provide stronger consumer protections, I voted to support H.R. 627, the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009, which passed the Senate and was signed into law on May 22, 2009.

The Credit CARD Act dramatically increases credit card consumer protections and transparency requirements. Specifically, it requires a written notice of 45 days for any interest rate or fee increase. It prohibits any rate increase during the first year of one’s contract (unless clearly stipulated to change as part of a promotional rate), and requires any cardholder payment to be applied to the balance with the highest interest rate. Furthermore, consumers seeking to pay down their balance will be provided with new and clearer disclosures on each billing statement, including the monthly payment amount that is required to eliminate their balance in three years.

The provisions of the Credit CARD Act will go into effect no later than February 22, 2010. As Congress continues to debate proposals to provide improved consumer protections, you may be certain I will keep your views in mind.

I appreciate hearing from you. Please do not hesitate to contact me on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

June 15, 2009

Dear Iwaller,

Thank you for contacting me regarding a single payer health care system. I appreciate your taking the time to write.

As you may know, S. 703, the American Health Security Act of 2009, was introduced by Senator Bernard Sanders on March 25, 2009, and was referred to the Committee on Finance. I understand your views regarding a single payer health care system. I agree that we are at a critical point when it comes to our health care system, and that we need to implement major changes. We are finally getting a consensus that this is no longer an issue that can be ignored. Health care should be affordable and accessible to all Americans and this is an area in which Congress can and should do a better job of meeting the needs of the American public. I look forward to working with Congress and President Obama to provide access to quality affordable health care. As a member of both the Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees, please be assured I will keep your comments in mind as the Senate debates comprehensive health care reform.

Again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me informed of issues of importance to you and your community.

Sincerely,

JEFF BINGAMAN
United States Senator

Phone:  (202) 224-5521
Toll-free in NM: 1-800-443-8658

June 13, 2009

I strongly urge you to SUPPORT any legislation that would enact a government-run, single payer OPTION health care plan. A public plan would be the most fair in giving Americans an opportunity and a choice on health care.  With unscrupulous BIG health insurance companies making decisions about my family’s health care based on greed and profits is TOTALLY un-American.  Competition from a Medicare type plan and the free market is what America is all about.   The U.S. Chamber of Commerce plans to support big business over fair and cost effective health care for Americans.

Please allow consumers be given an option of a public plan in an effort to drive down costs and save hardworking, taxpaying Americans money.

I encourage Congress to reform the insurance market and find ways to control costs along with providing a SINGLE PAYER OPTION.

Stand up for American families and take a stand against corporate health care greed.

Sincerely,

IWaller

June 12, 2009

The Honorable Eric H. Holder
Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Mr. Attorney General:

We, the undersigned, write to share our concerns that your office’s reluctance to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate potential crimes by former officials involved in torturing detainees is endangering our nation’s fundamental values and our credibility as a worldwide human rights leader.

The investigation of potential crimes, as others have pointed out, holds profound implications for our nation’s international legitimacy and future opportunities to credibly promote human rights. It also holds immense importance for the future historical record, as well as the policy debates on detention, surveillance, and other violations of civil liberties under the Obama Administration going forward.

Decisions to officially authorize torture, and acts that constitute torture, are illegal. Such acts violate a litany of laws, binding international treaties, and the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments to our Constitution. If torture is illegal, those who conduct or enable it should face investigation and, if warranted, prosecution.

The hypocrisy evident in allowing government officials throughout the chain of command to go unpunished for such heinous violations, when so many of our nation’s prisons are full of people guilty of far less serious offenses, makes a mockery of the equal justice under law that we so proudly present as a symbol of our country’s supposed commitment to its principles.

Some have suggested that an effort to investigate or prosecute our nation’s highest officials would prevent us from moving beyond this dark past. In fact, it would do the opposite by shining the light of day on our country’s actions and enabling us to prevent such violations-which will only recur if we allow these crimes to go unexamined-in the future.

We urge you, in your capacity as our nation’s senior prosecutor, to restore the rule of law by ensuring its equal application to all.

Respectfully submitted,

IWaller
The undersigned concerned Americans

cc: The Honorable David Ogden, Deputy Attorney General
The Honorable Lanny A. Breuer, Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, Chairperson, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Christopher S. Bond, Vice Chairman, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable John D. Rockefeller IV, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Ron Wyden, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Olympia J. Snowe, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Evan Bayh, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Richard Burr, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Russell D. Feingold, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Tom Coburn, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Bill Nelson, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable James Risch, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:16 PM

Dear Mr. IWaller:

Thank you for contacting me about efforts to enact a new federal law designed to prevent and prosecute criminal acts motivated by hate.  I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

Clearly, it is inexcusable and intolerable to target any individual or group for violence, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference.  I believe anyone found guilty of a violent criminal act deserves to be punished through vigorous enforcement of the law.  In fact, current law-including Texas law-already allows the courts to consider motivation during the penalty phase of a trial and subjects the accused to increased penalties.   As such, I do not believe a new federal law is warranted.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate.  Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

May 14, 2009

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me regarding national defense spending in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this important matter.

It is the primary duty of the federal government to safeguard its citizens and provide for the common defense. As our nation continues to fight in the Global War on Terror, President Barack Obama has outlined a plan to substantially increase troops in Afghanistan while withdrawing combat forces from Iraq. Without question, these actions will translate into major expenses for the Department of Defense (DoD). However, according to budget documents submitted by the Obama administration, it appears that there will be a marked decrease in overall defense spending.

Furthermore, recent statements by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates indicate that decreases in defense spending will be accomplished by canceling or postponing the acquisition of numerous major weapon systems critical to our national security. It has become clear that defense spending decisions made during the 1990s, and the resulting military “procurement holiday”, have left our Armed Forces without the needed advanced equipment and superior capabilities to defend our nation. We must not allow this shortfall to happen again.

I fully advocate the President’s call to maximize transparency in the budget process by including all foreseeable DoD requirements in the normal DoD budget request. Further, I support efforts to reform the DoD acquisition system by eliminating wasteful spending while ensuring that taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars are spent wisely. However, the decrease in overall spending on our national defense, was included Secretary Gates’ recent FY 2010 budget recommendations to President Obama, will result in drastically reduced funding for key programs such as the Army’s Future Combat Systems, several Air Force aircraft modernization efforts, and our nation’s missile defense program.

Now is not the time to attempt to cash in a “peace dividend.” Thousands of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines are serving in harm’s way in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world. Our troops deserve the very best equipment and resources to defend us now and against future threats. To this end, you may be certain that I will continue to advocate for national defense spending that is sufficient enough to support our troops in their current missions and guarantee U.S. national security in the coming years.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

May 6, 2009

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the use of tax dollars to pay executive bonuses. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

I share your concern about taxpayer money being used to pay corporate bonuses and the lack of accountability and transparency in this decision. As you may know, a provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5)-which I opposed-allowed $165 million in bonuses to be paid to the executives of American International Group (AIG) after the firm received approximately $170 billion in federal funding. Hard-working, financially responsible Texans should not have to pay for the irresponsible behavior of corporate executives who abused their positions. These executives must be held fully accountable under the law.

Furthermore, it is imperative that all parties associated with the current financial crisis are aggressively investigated and that any corporate executives found to be involved in criminal activities are swiftly prosecuted. I intend to ensure that a thorough criminal investigation is conducted and that those responsible for violating any criminal laws of the United States are held accountable. It is because of their poor-and possibly criminal-business practices that American taxpayers and our nation’s economy are in jeopardy.

I appreciate the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the Unites States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

May 5, 2009

President Barack Obama
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Kay Hutchison
Representative Kevin Brady

Re: Hate Crimes Legislation

Congress should pass the hate crimes legislation to include sexual orientation.  The current law protects race and religion and it is odd Christians who get protection under the law do not want protection for other members of society.  I think Jesus hung out with the fringes of society yet today religious righters preach politics and hate and fear-mongering over the golden rule.  With many gay teenagers committing suicide and gay people being murdered and mutilated, seems to me the hate crimes law should have already been revised to protect the innocent.

As a Christian I am ashamed at the behavior and actions of those ‘religious leaders’ who fill their coffers with money in the name of the church to foster the killing of innocent, taxpaying Americans.  This is about law, it’s not about church.

Sincerely,
IWaller

Response:

May 6, 2009

Dear Friend:
Thank you for contacting me regarding hate crime legislation.  I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

In the previous Congress, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) introduced S. 1105, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.  This legislation would have provided federal assistance to states, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes.  The bill defined a hate crime as a violent crime motivated by a prejudice based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.  When the language was offered as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill, I voted against including it.  The language was removed prior to final passage of the measure.

Representative John Conyers (D-MI) recently introduced H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.  This measure contains provisions similar to those contained in S. 1105 and equivalent legislation in the House of Representatives, H.R. 1952, both of which were introduced during the previous Congress.

I continue to believe that all violent crimes should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, regardless of the underlying motivation.  Should legislation regarding hate crimes come before the full Senate, you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind.

I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison

United States Senator
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

March 31, 2009

President Barack Obama
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Kay Hutchison
Representative Kevin Brady

Re: Credit Card Reform

I am requesting the House and Senate enhance S. 414, sponsored by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), and H.R. 627, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) to include stringent regulations prohibiting credit card companies from profiting by charging outrageously high interest rates. The government removed restrictions from these institutions just as you did with the financial institutions and yet you use our tax dollars to at will while not protecting consumers.  Please reinstate sensible, common sense regulations once in place, to stop credit card companies from abusing hardworking, taxpaying Americans.  I am confident you can tap other sources to fund your campaigns, but it is time you begin to put people
over your politics.

Sincerely,

IWaller

Response:  May 6, 2009

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me about reforming the credit card industry. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

I understand the concerns many Americans have about credit card fees, and I support efforts to enforce consumer protection laws that guard against industry abuses. The Truth in Lending Act of 1968 provides consumers with a number of protections from deceptive lender practices. Recently, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a division within the Treasury Department, directed credit card companies to establish stricter guidelines regarding interest rates and account management practices.

Additionally, you may be interested to learn that the Federal Reserve Bank recently issued regulations restricting credit card companies from changing interest rates without reasonable cause or without appropriately notifying customers. These regulations will also prohibit companies from charging fees to maximize penalties like double-cycle billing and universal defaults.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent Texans in the United States Senate, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind as legislation to reform the credit card industry is considered during the 111th Congress. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

April 7, 2009

President Barack Obama
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Kay Hutchison
Representative Kevin Brady

Re: Employee Free Choice Act

I totally support the right of employees to decide their own future by voting by ballot to unionize or not.  It is called FREE CHOICE because here in America, we believe in freedom.  If CEO and company executives can vote in private to give themselves multi-million dollars bonuses, hardworking, taxpaying Americans should have the ability to exercise their free work place rights. The gap in wages between management and employees has more than quadrupled in the past several years, resulting in the slow
demise of America’s Middle Class.  This is not good for the country, our families or our children.  While Congress and CEOs always put their politics and huge compensation packages over people, now is the time to put an end to greed.

Sincerely,

IWaller

April 15, 2009

President Barack Obama
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Kay Hutchison
Representative Kevin Brady

Re: Inheritance Taxes

I urge you to reverse this month’s Senate vote designed to cut the estate tax on multi-millionaires worth over $7 million — and to support President Obama’s proposal keeping the estate tax at the current level of 45% for inheritances from married couples above $7 million.

As the tax code has become less fair since 1980, inequality has worsened. President Obama simply wants to keep the estate tax at its current — reduced — levels. To lower it further makes no sense.

There is no way we can invest in America’s future and address our fiscal threats while larding more and more tax breaks on the wealthiest Americans. Please support the President and protect the estate tax. Thank you.

Sincerely,

IWaller

December 24, 2008

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me about congressional salaries. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

As you may know, Congress included in the Government Ethics Reform Act of 1989 (P.L. 101-194), a pay scale increase for elected officials based on the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for current federal employees. The ECI is an annual statistic tracking the average federal employee’s salary, which generally increases each year. By aligning congressional pay to the ECI, Congress has guaranteed itself a pay raise each year-unless Congress votes to forego the increase.

Additionally, I have supported efforts to deny automatic pay raises to members of Congress, and question any law that grants an automatic pay raise each year while the vast majority of Americans must fight for pay raises based on the merit of their job performance. Since P.L. 101-194 was signed into law, Congress has voted to cancel the authorized pay raise they were schedules to receive five times. Furthermore, with my support Congress passed the Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution of 2007 (P.L. 110-5) which included a provision that declined a pay raise for members of Congress that year.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

March 31, 2009

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act of 2009 (S. 61). I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

As you know, S. 61 was introduced in the Senate on January 6, 2009. This legislation would amend current bankruptcy law to allow modification of a debtor’s primary home mortgage. While no one wants families to lose their homes, Congress must consider the possible unintended consequences of S. 61. Many experts agree that this legislation would increase the interest rate and fees paid by families for their home mortgages, lead to more families filing for bankruptcy, and further destabilize the housing market. S. 61 was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further consideration, and as a member of this committee, you may be certain that I will keep your thoughts in mind as this legislation is considered.

Nonetheless, I remain committed to finding real solutions that will allow American families to obtain affordable mortgages during these tough economic times. During Senate debate of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5), I supported an amendment that would have helped address the struggling housing market. The Fix Housing First Amendment (S.Amdt. 353) would have made 4 to 4.5 percent mortgages available to every creditworthy American in an effort to ease the pressure on family budgets. Millions of Texans would have qualified for this refinancing option-translating into an average $300 reduction in the monthly mortgage payments of middle-class families. Additionally, this amendment would have created a $15,000 homebuyer tax credit for the purchase of any principle residence and would have encouraged lenders to modify privately held mortgages, a provision that would have helped stem the number of foreclosures and slowed the increase of the housing inventory. Finally, S.Amdt. 353 would have put in place a number of critical tax incentives, aimed at creating jobs and spurring small business investment. Unfortunately, S.Amdt. 353 was not included in the final version of P.L. 111-5.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the United States Senate, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind should Congress consider efforts to provide assistance to homeowners during the 111th Congress. Thank you for taking to the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

April 28, 2009

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me with your views regarding fair pay legislation. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 was introduced to address certain aspects of the United States Supreme Court’s holding in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. In that case, the Court held that the time for filing a complaint alleging discrimination is measured from the actual act of discrimination, not when the employee becomes aware of the discrimination. I share the concerns of some in Congress that for certain types of discrimination, such as unequal compensation based strictly on gender, the facts that would place an employee on notice of discrimination are not always apparent. In some circumstances, starting the 180-day filing period when a discriminatory decision is made will not permit employees a reasonable opportunity to discover the discrimination and file a claim.

As your Senator, I want to make sure that employees have a fair opportunity to bring a legitimate claim of discrimination, and that employers have a fair opportunity to defend themselves. While the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was aimed at helping the victims of discrimination, I had concerns that the bill would also allow employees to bring claims that are years or decades old, even when the employee has been aware of the discrimination for a long time, potentially causing uncertainty for many small businesses.

I introduced the Title VII Fairness Act in both the 110th and 111th Congresses to offer an alternative approach that would allow employees more time to file claims while addressing the potential consequences that the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act could have on small and mid-sized businesses. The Title VII Fairness Act, which commentators and policy professionals referred to as a “thoughtful alternative,” retained the 180-day filing requirement following an actual act of discrimination, but allowed an employee to show that he or she did not know of the discrimination and could not reasonably be expected to know based on the facts of the case. For an employee with a claim of compensation discrimination, they could show the court, for example, that discussing pay in their workplace could subject them to discipline or that they did not receive regular performance appraisals. These are among the circumstances a court might determine merit a case going forward, even though the complaint was not filed within the required 180-day period.

When the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act came up for debate again in this Congress, I offered the Title VII Fairness Act as an amendment. The Senate debated my amendment for several days. I shared my concern that the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act’s provisions alter the law in a way that treats the simple act of issuing a paycheck, which may bear the stain of discrimination that might be decades old, as a reason to restart the statutory filing period. Such a framework could require employers to defend claims that are years or decades old with evidence that has been lost or compromised by the passage of time.
I also raised concerns that the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act may inadvertently expand the potential universe of plaintiffs by allowing anyone “affected by” the discrimination to bring a claim. This may allow third parties to file lawsuits on behalf of themselves or the employee subject to the discrimination. My intention was to balance the interests of the employee and the employer, so that employees have sufficient time to file claims and to make sure we keep an equal and level playing field. My amendment sought to ensure that people who own a business struggling in this very tough economy have the ability to defend against claims that are filed in a timely way. Regrettably, my amendment did not pass.

Although I believe my amendment would have provided a better approach to employment discrimination, I voted for the overall bill on final passage because — as someone who has experienced discrimination in the workplace firsthand — I believed it was important to make sure employees have sufficient time to file claims for discrimination that may not be readily apparent to them at the time of the discriminatory conduct.

I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

April 2, 2009

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me about the detention facility at the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

Many of the enemy combatants being held in Guantanamo Bay-largely members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban-continue to pose a direct threat to the security of the United States. All Al-Qaeda and Taliban detainees at U.S. facilities are treated humanely and in accordance with our laws. It is important that the United States maintains a facility to gather the intelligence that is instrumental in preventing future terrorist attacks. Closing the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, and releasing terrorists currently being held at the facility, could unleash another wave of terrorist attacks. In fact, dozens of terrorists previously released from Guantanamo Bay have returned to the battlefield to fight against American and coalition forces. This is unacceptable, and I strongly oppose any effort to close the detention facility at the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay or transfer these dangerous prisoners to the United States.

Furthermore, I visited Guantanamo Bay to observe facility operations and the living conditions of detainees. Although neither Al-Qaeda nor Taliban detainees qualify under applicable legal authority for prisoner of war (POW) status, they have been treated humanely and are allowed many POW privileges-including the opportunity to worship, access to correspondence materials, and meals that adhere to Muslim dietary laws.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former Texas attorney general, I recognize the complex issues that arise as we work to balance individuals’ rights and freedoms with the need to prosecute the Global War on Terror and protect the American people. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind as I continue to closely monitor this issue. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

April 10, 2009

Dear Friend:
Thank you for writing me regarding the implications of President Obama’s Executive Order to close Guantanamo Bay. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

On September 11, 2001, the United States peered into the face of evil when 19 foreign terrorists brought the violence of Islamic extremism onto our soil, claiming the lives of nearly 3,000 Americans. That day changed the course of history, delineating the post-9/11 era from the days that came before. In the eight years since, America and its allies have boldly waged the Global War on Terror in an effort to prevent terrorism from ever reaching America’s shores again and to protect free nations across the world. This conflict has presented our nation with unique operational challenges for which there is no wartime precedent, such as where and how to detain captured terrorists, including the self-confessed mastermind of 9/11, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Since shortly after 9/11, enemy combatants have been detained at a prisoner facility at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. Now, the Guantanamo Bay detention facility has become a point of contention. Just two days after President Obama’s Inauguration, he issued an Executive Order to close the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention facility within a year. I believe this action is premature, and I am extremely concerned about the fast-looming deadline, particularly when no viable alternative for housing these dangerous terrorists and enemy combatants has been outlined.

President Barack Obama’s Executive Order states that the closure, which would require the release or transfer of nearly 300 detainees, should be practicable and consistent with national security interests. This cannot happen without a full discussion and thorough plan for the detainment of these enemy combatants. The policy contemplates five scenarios for handling current detainees: hand them over to their home countries for incarceration; transfer them to a neutral country; transfer them to prisons on U.S. soil; send them to U.S. facilities abroad; or release them outright. Unfortunately, all of these alternatives heighten the threat to the lives of Americans at home and abroad.

Without question, the worst of these options is to send Guantanamo prisoners to domestic prisons in the United States. By taking this action, we would essentially place terrorists in the neighborhoods and communities of American citizens. In 2007, the U.S. Senate expressed its firm opposition to any plans to release Guantanamo detainees into American society or to house them in U.S. facilities, by a vote of 94-3. Vice President Biden (then-Senator of Delaware) was among the 94 Senators opposing transfer of the prisoners to the U.S; President Obama (then-Senator of Illinois) was not present for the vote.

Alternatively, transferring enemy combatants to prisons in foreign states or releasing them to their home countries is also a dangerous proposition. In January, it was reported that former Guantanamo detainee Said Ali al-Shihri, who had been released into the custody of Saudi Arabia, has subsequently resurfaced as a terrorist operative. Today, he is al-Qaeda’s deputy leader in Yemen and is charged with planning and executing acts of violence against the U.S. and its allies. And al-Shihri is not the exception. According to the Pentagon, as many as 61 enemy combatants released from Guantanamo have since reconnected with terrorist networks and renewed their commitment to destroying America and our way of life. Even more frightening, these 61 former prisoners came from the group of 500 that were deemed less dangerous and were thus released. That means that the approximately 270 detainees currently in Guantanamo represent the most violent and nefarious prisoners.

Clearly, a viable alternative to Guantanamo has not yet been identified. Expediting closure of this detention facility without absolutely ensuring American lives won’t be endangered would place misguided foreign policy goals above the protection of our homeland. Moreover, it signals a dangerous return to the pre-9/11 mindset.

On February 11, 2009, I sent a letter to the President, urging him to reconsider his Executive Order and to reject any option that could land terrorists in Texas or anywhere else on American soil. Before setting a deadline to close the detainment camp at Guantanamo Bay, the American people must first be assured that the transfer or release of detainees will not increase the risk of harm to American citizens at home or abroad. As it stands, the administration cannot give that assurance today.

Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue, and please feel free to write or call me in the future with your opinions.
Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

February 22, 2009

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me about efforts to stimulate the economy. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this important matter.

As you know, the Congress recently passed-and President Barack Obama signed into law-the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) along partisan lines. I could not support this legislation, which increases the size and scope of the federal government, adds over $1 trillion to the federal deficit, and fails to reduce the tax burden on all working families and small businesses. In fact, this legislation will increase Texans share of the national debt by almost $90 billion and according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, will have a negative impact on economic growth over the next ten years.

Nonetheless, I remain committed to finding real solutions that will have an immediate, positive impact on the economy. During the Senate’s debate of P.L. 111-5, I supported an amendment that would have helped address the struggling housing market. The Fix Housing First Amendment (S.Amdt. 353) would have made 4 to 4.5 percent mortgages available to every creditworthy American in an effort to ease the pressure on family budgets. Millions of Texans would have qualified for this refinancing option-translating into an average $300 reduction in the monthly mortgage payments of middle-class families. Additionally, this amendment would have created a $15,000 homebuyer tax credit for the purchase of any principle residence and would have encouraged lenders to modify privately held mortgages, a provision that would have helped stem the number of foreclosures. Finally, S.Amdt. 353 would have put in place a number of critical tax incentives, aimed at creating jobs and spurring small business investment. Unfortunately, S.Amdt. 353 was not included in the final version of P.L. 111-5.

Furthermore, excessive taxation hinders job creation for small businesses and overburdens taxpayers during difficult economic times. According to the Tax Foundation, taxpayers worked almost four months last year to pay for government operations. This is more than what they worked to pay for food, clothing and housing combined. As such, I offered an amendment to P.L. 111-5 that would have lowered the 10 percent tax bracket to 5 percent. This proposal would have provided tax relief to every Texan who pays the federal income tax. Hard-working Texans deserve to keep more of their own money to spend, save, and invest how they see fit. Although the Senate failed to adopt my amendment, I will continue working to provide broad-based tax relief to all Americans.

Finally, I understand the frustration of American taxpayers regarding Congress’ inability to restrain spending-the primary factor contributing to the budget deficit and our national debt. Like you, I am concerned about the long term effects of excessive government spending, often on wasteful, ineffective government programs. In an effort to be a better steward of tax dollars, Congress must eliminate government waste and fraud and restrain runaway spending. Although P.L. 111-5 included some meritorious funding initiatives, I believe that any programmatic funding should be openly debated during the annual appropriations process. While I am not a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over the annual appropriations bills that allocate federal spending, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that all Texans are well served.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate, and as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind should relevant legislation be considered during the 111th Congress. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

April 22, 2009

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the state of our economy. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

Last fall, the high-profile failure of numerous financial institutions threatened the stability of our broader economy. In response to these events, on October 3, 2008, Congress passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), which authorized $700 billion in federal assistance to bolster the financial sector. The bill allocated $250 billion for immediate use by the U.S. Treasury Department, and required approval from the President for an additional $100 billion and from Congress for the remaining $350 billion.

The intent of the bill was to authorize the purchase of troubled assets from financial institutions through the creation of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Unfortunately, despite my objections, the Treasury Department deviated from the intent of the legislation by using the initial $350 billion to purchase equity stakes in more than 300 financial institutions and to provide loans to several non-financial institutions, including General Motors, Chrysler, and American International Group.

With the initial $350 billion in TARP funding depleted by January 2009, the President requested that Congress authorize the second $350 billion.  On January 15, 2009, a resolution was offered in the Senate to block the second half of the $700 billion financial rescue program from being released to the U.S. Treasury Department.  I supported the resolution to prevent the release of the remaining $350 billion in TARP funds because I disagreed with the Treasury Department’s decision to abandon the legislative intent of the program to reinvigorate the frozen credit markets by purchasing “toxic assets” from financial institutions that were unhealthy and at risk of failing.  Furthermore, I was appalled by the numerous accounts of egregious misuse of taxpayer dollars by executives whose companies received TARP funding, and by the lack of oversight and response to prevent these actions from occurring again.  Unfortunately, the resolution failed to receive enough votes to stop the second round of funding.

As Texans, we have learned to take responsibility for our actions. Being asked to pay for the mistakes of others is something many, including myself, find deeply troubling. As a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, which has oversight jurisdiction of the financial industry and the Treasury Department, one of my top priorities in the 111th Congress is to engage in meticulous oversight of the new Administration’s implementation of the TARP. You may be certain I will continue working to ensure the stability of our economy while preserving the interests of American taxpayers.

I appreciate hearing from you. Please do not hesitate to contact me on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

March 10, 2009

Dear Mr. W:

Thank you for contacting me regarding postal reform. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this issue.

On January 28, 2009, U.S. Postmaster General Jack Potter testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee regarding the current financial state of the United States Postal Service (USPS). As new technologies revolutionize commerce and the ways in which Americans communicate in our global economy, the USPS faces challenges to remain financially sound relying solely traditional mail delivery services. As such, Postmaster General Potter testified regarding several reforms the Postal Service may consider implementing to remain solvent during changing market conditions.

These provisions include various cost-cutting measures such as reducing mail delivery to five days a week, and revenue-generating measures such as raising the cost of postage stamps. Any proposal to modernize the USPS must appropriately consider the impact changes would have on individuals and businesses. Though I am not a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind should relevant legislation come before the full Senate.

I appreciate the opportunity to represent Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

April 15, 2009

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the management of the United States Postal Service. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

The Postal Service is an independent federal agency that determines its own rules and procedures. Yet, like all federal agencies, it is subject to congressional oversight. The Postal Service offers a unique and valuable service, and Texans rely on regular and affordable mail delivery. Due to the increased use of e-mail coupled with the current economic downturn, the Postal Service’s revenues have decreased significantly. As you know, due to the budget shortfalls, Postmaster General John E. Potter recently suggested that lawmakers allow for a decrease in the number of mail delivery days during the week.

The nation’s mail system should continue to deliver the best service at the lowest cost, without sacrificing frequency, reliability, and quality. While reform of the Postal Service is necessary to lower its operating costs and to meet its budget, I do not support decreasing the number of mail delivery days. Any decrease in mail delivery days would hurt Texas residents and businesses, especially those who depend on the Postal Service to communicate with loved ones or to ship goods at an affordable cost. You may be assured that I will work to ensure that the Postal Service continues six days of mail delivery each week.

Should the full Senate consider legislation that would decrease weekly mail delivery by the Postal Service, you may be certain I will keep your views in mind. I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator

284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov

February 11, 2009

Senator Kay Hutchison

Senator John Cornyn
U.S. Senate
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001

I urge you to pass big and bold economic recovery legislation as soon as possible. The final legislation from House-Senate negotiations should be as robust as possible to meet the challenge of an economy in crisis. Do not let conservative obstructionists like Sen. Mitch McConnell distort and delay this critical legislation any further. Our neighborhoods, cities and states need help immediately. Thank you.

Sincerely,
IWaller

cc:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

January 6, 2009

Representative Kevin Brady

Senator John Cornyn

Senator Kay Hutchison

Please take your time putting together a stimulus package. And I would like to see the following changes made to the package. 

1) All US corporations outside of the US must be fined, pay back taxes and begin to pay all taxes going forward. 

2) Wasteful spending by the Pentagon, Congress and NASA should be investigated, and stopped immediately,

3) Of the hundreds of military bases abroad, many are not needed, therefore close military bases which add no security value to the U.S.

4) Rollback tax cuts on wealthy Americans,

5) Enact a policy that eliminates pork barrel spending until the US budget can be balanced.

These are some of the immediate tax issues which must be addressed in order to bring fairness
across the board for all citizens.  I elected my Congressional Reps to do the right thing, use common sense, and STOP playing politics with taxpayers’ money.

Sincerely,

IWaller

April 14, 2009

President Barack Obama
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Kay Hutchison
Representative Kevin Brady

Re: Big Ticket Weapons Systems

The Emergency War Spending Bills should not include money for Big-Ticket Weapons Systems because most of these systems are out-dated and not useful for the 21 century war against terrorists.  The continued huge out-of-control spending supported by the GOP for antiquated systems simply
demonstrate the tunnel vision and backward thinking which cannot be substantiated any longer.  I totally support the forward thinking approach by Sec. Gates in revising weapons systems and defense spending which mirrors 21st century security for Americans. It greatly concerns me that older, decades serving Congress people are not willing to accept change or offer valid support for a 21st century military.  As a Vietnam vet with my son currently serving in the Middle East, I want our soldiers to have 21st century tools over the politics of the GOP to support out-dated defense systems.

Sincerely,

IWaller

February 22, 2009

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500

Re: Please stop government-funded religious discrimination NOW

Dear President Obama:

When you first announced your Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during your campaign, I was pleased to hear you state that organizations that receive government funds should not engage in hiring discrimination based on religion and must not proselytize to the people they help. But when you signed an executive order creating the Council, you failed to put an immediate end to such discrimination and clearly ban proselytization. Although you have offered criticism of some of the constitutional pitfalls of Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative, I am saddened to note that every rule and regulation of his Initiative remains intact today.

I am a strong supporter of yours and will continue to be. I do believe that change should come immediately to the way government approaches Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. When an individual wishes to dedicate his or her professional life to serving the neediest members of his or her community, that individual’s religious beliefs should not be an obstacle. But today, qualified public servants can be turned away from government-funded providers and told that the work of restoring justice in their communities is not an option for someone of their religious background and beliefs or even sexual orientation. Additionally, the IRS has done nothing to penalize tax exempt religious organizations who use their platforms for political purposes thus violating existing tax law. Until your Administration revokes the Bush executive orders and regulations, this will remain the policy of the United States government.
I encourage your Administration

As a concerned citizen and taxpayer, I ask that you act quickly to deliver on your campaign promises regarding the work of your Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Please revoke Bush’s insidious policies and end government-funded discrimination immediately. When it comes to protecting civil rights and upholding the Constitution, I hope you will not back down from your commitments and duties as President.

Sincerely,

IWaller

November 25, 2008

Environmental Protection Agency

Dear Administrator Johnson and EPA staff,

In April 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide if it is harming our health and welfare.

For nearly eight years, the Bush administration has done nothing to address the growing threats we face from global warming. Hurricanes are getting stronger, the North polar icecap is melting, and we’ve suffered through intense droughts, floods and killer heat waves.

I urge you to take immediate action and rule that carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants clearly “endanger the public health and welfare” and thus should be regulated under the Clean Air Act. Carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution is the primary cause of the climate crisis. We’re already seeing dramatic and dangerous climate effects today, and the climate crisis threatens the very livability of our planet for our children. We must reduce CO2 pollution now. Rather than continue to rely on polluting fossil fuels, we can “Repower America” by using energy sources that don’t emit CO2, and make the switch to 100% clean electricity.

Sincerely,
Iwaller

November 20, 2008

Re:  Is Congress less important than the Iraqi Parliament?

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid,As you know, the Iraqi Parliament will be voting soon on whether to approve an agreement setting the terms of the ongoing military relationship between the United States and Iraq.  I am truly shocked to hear that the United States Congress will not be given the same opportunity.

There have been many times over the past two years when I have been disappointed in your unwillingness or inability to defend Congress against an overreaching executive.  But this situation may be the worst.  I understand that the Bush administration is not even letting Congress read the agreement before it is signed! 

From what I have read, it appears as if the current agreement contains terms that will actually give Iraq a measure of control over U.S. forces.  No foreign nation or international entity has ever been given the authority to direct U.S. forces without prior congressional approval either through a majority vote of both chambers or a two-thirds vote in the Senate in the case of treaties.

Are you really going to be the congressional leaders who destroy all traditions related to international agreements?  Are you really going to allow President Bush to unilaterally dictate the terms of the U.S.-Iraq relationship for years to come?

For gosh sake, do something!

I sincerely hope that you will issue a joint statement as soon as possible, signaling your strong belief that Congress shall not be bound by an U.S.-Iraq agreement not approved by Congress.

I will be anxiously awaiting your response.

 IWaller

September 22, 2008

Dear Member of Congress,

RE:  Do not give Secretary Paulson unchecked power!

If we have learned one thing over the past seven years, it is this:  Do not EVER trust the Bush administration when the question of executive power is at issue!  From the Patriot Act to the authority to use force in Iraq to the need to pass a new FISA law, the Bush administration is always saying some kind of crisis necessitates urgent action, which inevitably leads to the administration being given — and abusing — unprecedented power.

This week, the Bush administration is at it again.  With the specter of a complete Wall Street collapse hanging over our heads, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is seeking 700 billion taxpayer dollars to bail out the financial industry.  Putting the need for some kind of bailout aside, what makes the Bush administration proposal completely outrageous is the fact that they want to be given unfettered power to spend $700 billion without any kind of oversight or accountability. 

Section 8 of the legislation provides, “Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.”

Yes, the Bush administration is asking you to give the Secretary of the Treasury the complete and total authority to spend $700 BILLION as he wishes.  His decisions cannot be questioned by any entity.  With respect to Congress, the proposed legislation requires the Secretary to merely submit reports about his activities starting three months after the first purchase of mortgage-related assets and semi-annually thereafter.  That’s like giving a gambling addict your life savings and asking him to send you a postcard from Las Vegas every once in a while.

It is long past time for Congress to actually serve its constitutional function and guide and oversee the activities of the executive branch.  You have skirted your responsibilities for too long.  Enough is enough already.

I hope that you agree.  I will be watching to see how you handle this situation.

American Freedom Campaign

September 9, 2008

Dear Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid,

I am writing to urge you and your Democratic colleagues to begin to actively and aggressively campaign for Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden.  The lack of visibility by our Democratic leaders is unacceptable given the importance of this election.  I would hope the gridlock you have helped to create in Washington would be impetus enough to motivate your active participation to ensure Americans have the leadership desperately needed to move this country forward and accomplish the goals of Barack Obama, Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. 

Now is not the time to sit in you ivory tower and let others do our bidding while you sit idly by.  As elected leaders of the United States of America, you have an obligation to do the will of, for and by the people, the will of those who elected you and the will of the Democratic citizens who urgently need change in this country. 

Skyrocketing unemployment, high fuel prices, escalating inflation, record home foreclosures and banking institutions going bust, American jobs being shipped overseas, 48 million Americans without health insurance, funding for child care being obliterated and billions of my tax dollars, American tax dollars being spent on a never ending war and being shipped out to pay for foreign oil and an ever exploding debt whose burden will be placed on all Americans, our children and grandchildren.  While most of these problems will not directly impact you and your families; and most Americans will never enjoy the benefits we pay for our Congressional leaders (large salaries, health care, pensions, etc.), nonetheless you are needed to do all in your power to address these issues for all Americans that you represent.

It is shameful the lack of leadership you are demonstrating by sitting on the sidelines, when this could be one of the biggest opportunities you will have to change the direction of this country and get Congress moving on issues important to Americans.  It would also advantage Congress to have a President of the same party to eliminate gridlock and actually accomplish tremendous Congressional initiatives and undue much of the damage caused by the Bush Administration and championed by John McCain such as restoring our liberties where our phone calls can no longer be tapped, our mail can no longer be opened and our laptops will be safe from the prying hands of government and the constitution can be fully restored to the state the American Founders intended. 

Please stand up, speak out be counted and engage in this campaign as if your lives depended on it, because American lives do!  Americans are counting on you to do the right thing and help Barack Obama and Joe Biden get elected.

Sincerely,

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting us and sharing your strong feelings about this important issue. Please find a statement from Senator Obama below.

We appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Obama for America,

Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy
and civil liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required court orders.

That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive
immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.

After months of negotiation, the House passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year’s Protect America Act. Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the
fight against terrorism will continue, but the President’s illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct
surveillance – making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance
in the future.

It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I voted in the Senate three times to remove this provision so that we could seek full accountability for past offenses. Unfortunately, these attempts were
unsuccessful. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going
forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.

It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but
do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect
the lives – and the liberty – of the American people.

———————-
Paid for by Obama for America

I am one outraged American over Congress passing the FISA amendment on July 9, 2008. Today I wrote the following letter to Senator Kay Hutchison, Senator John Cornyn, Representative Kevin Brady, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Leader Harry Reid, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader John Boehner. The overwhelming majority of Americans did not support the new FISA bill, yet our leaders, once again, denied the will of the people. It is shameful!

July 10, 2008

“At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide. Abraham Lincoln.”

I am just a simple, law abiding citizen of little import who strongly believes that the Constitution of the United States of America is the single greatest document ever written or conceived by man. And it would seem you and your colleagues are intent on causing the suicide of the ideals within that document, ideals which are manifested in our nation, its laws and actions.

You capitulated to a President with a 28% approval rating who is a lame duck because you fear looking weak in the next general election. Instead of doing what you know is right; you sold your vote to appear strong but in reality, by doing so, showed how weak you truly are. What strength is displayed in allowing yourself and your morals to be dictated by greed or fear or lust for power or whatever motive drove you to vote for FISA and telecommunication amnesty. No one thinks the person who doesn’t stand up to the play ground bully is strong, sad perhaps, pitiful, a weakling in need of protection, but not strong. Worse are those who side with the bully so he won’t pick on them, weasels, back stabbers, pitiful as well. By voting thus, by caving in to the bullying tactics of the GOP, by placing a corporation above the law, you are a shame to the institution of the Congress and the ideals of the Constitution and have desecrated your ‘sacred oath’.

I have read the arguments put forth by members of both the House and Senate in regards to defending the telecommunication companies that openly and brazenly broke the law; that they were acting in good faith on the requests and documentation provided by the White House. I sit here stunned at that reasoning. If I, a dimwitted and simple common person can see the flaw in that logic then I can only conclude that you, supposedly a person of learning and wisdom who holds a seat in the greatest legislative body ever assembled could as well. This of course leads me to assume that there were other reasons, perhaps nefarious ones, perhaps those that I pointed out above, that lead to your vote.

Assume that there has been a rash of crime in my hometown, burglaries, home invasion, even a murder. The local citizens, for the most part good people who pay their taxes and obey the law and obediently play their role in propping up our economy by consumerism are as terrified as sheep threatened by a wolf. They are demanding action to end the crime wave.

In towns across America, there are existing laws that allow for the local police force to conduct surveillance of suspects through direct observation, wire tapping, searching of private property, and like the rest of America these actions are conducted through the obtaining of warrants through the judicial system. These warrants can be obtained even on short notice, so if an informant gives word that a home invasion is planned in the next few hours and the authorities need more evidence to prevent the crime, they can obtain it [the warrant] quickly.

It’s like the ‘phone company’. An individual’s phone calls have always been private and are intended for the recipient. Everybody knows it is a crime to ‘tap’ someone’s phone but if the government wanted to listen into someone’s phone conversations, they had to get a warrant, if not, they would be breaking the law. As a retired phone company employee, if an executive of the phone company ordered me to ‘tap’ someone’s phone without a warrant and I did as I was told, I would be breaking the law. With the passage of the new FISA Bill on July 9, 2008, anyone’s phone calls can be recorded by the government and it is no longer illegal since there is no longer a need for a warrant. U. S. Citizens privacy is no longer a benefit of the freedoms guaranteed under the U. S. Constitution. This is shameful!

Ironically, did we not just celebrate the anniversary of our independence from the rule of a monarch? Who is George Bush and the U. S. Congress to demand private citizens give up their right to privacy as though this were some kind of socialistic or communist state?

Your vote to allow amnesty to the phone companies who broke the law and to take away my right to privacy to justify the illegal acts of a President, who is only an elected official, just like yourself, is disgraceful.

You take these words by Thomas Paine and turned them completely around:

But where says some is the king of America? I’ll tell you Friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal of Britain. Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the word of God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America the law is king. For as in absolute governments the king is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other. But lest any ill use should afterwards arise, let the crown at the conclusion of the ceremony be demolished, and scattered among the people whose right it is.

When you attempt to destroy the ideal of America by trampling the Constitution, when you place individuals and corporations above the law in some illogical argument that we are breaking the law to get the law breakers it is painful. It is painful to watch the country I love slowly dissolve into some Orwellian state, painful to see the ideals of the Constitution abused as if they held no meaning. To paraphrase the U.S. Army major in Vietnam speaking to Peter Arnett after they destroyed the village of Ben Tre, ‘we had to destroy the village in order to save it’. In order to save America, you have decided to destroy it.

The beauty of America is that it is dynamic. We ebb and flow with the times. We make mistakes, out of passion, out of obeying the mob, out of our own sheer stupidity, but our form of government allows for us to correct those mistakes. The first step in correcting this Orwellian act is to challenge it in a court of law, though I have little faith that it will ever be overruled because judges and Congress are as much in cahoots or in fear of George Bush and have their heads in the corporate feedbag as much as you. The real corrective action will come in November and subsequent elections. Your actions deem you unworthy to be called a representative of the people. Therefore I need to correct the mistake I made in electing you to office and replace you with someone who will not cave to the pressure of the lobbyists, corporations or will of the mob but will do what is the right thing visa-vie the Constitution and the American people.

I am an American, I am a Viet Nam era veteran, I have a son now serving in the military, I vote, I keep up on politics and you have motivated me to step forward and do what I can to ensure there are changes in leadership in the next session, and I will work as hard as I can to overturn this horrendous law.

Karl Rove thinks he can thumb his nose in your face and you won’t do a darn thing about it.

Karl Rove thinks Congress and its subpoena power is a joke.

Whichever party you represent, you must realize you represent the people first and the people do not want to see our system of government destroyed. More importantly, you took an oath to defend the Constitution. Accordingly, your top priority is to ensure that the executive branch does not become unaccountable to the legislative branch.

Karl Rove has been issued a subpoena to appear before the House Judiciary Committee. He must appear and he must provide full testimony without hiding behind inappropriate and unjustified claims of executive privilege.

If he does not appear, he must be arrested and brought forcibly to the Committee to testify. In the alternative, Congress should impeach President Bush for allowing this kind of defiance of Congress to occur under his watch.

The nation is watching to see what you will do. They want to see whether Karl Rove is right.

Are you a wimp?

Sincerely,

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Office of the Speaker
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

Members of Congress and the White House have created an environment which may add to the decline of the United States, as we know it. As your constituent, I am writing today to let you know I oppose the out of control spending and lack of concern for Middle America. The cost of the Iraq war now over $523 Trillion, the US Deficit $9,409,016,605,593 as of today indebted to many foreign governments, tens of Billions of dollar in pork barrel spending, oil prices out of control, prescription drugs and food at an all time high, while the average American is encountering financial problems not experienced in decades.

The US Government is not doing anything about global warming; they do not force oil companies to invest in new energy resources within our great country, but instead reward them with huge tax breaks, pharmaceutical companies are reaping record profits while Congress plays its little game of politics.

The US Congressional leaders place themselves as superior to the average American. Congress is not impacted by the rising debt, the high cost of energy, the high cost of food, the high cost of prescription drugs. You are not accountable to Americans and if your high dollar salary is not high enough, you just vote yourself another raise, while every decade or so, you throw a few pennies at minimum wage earners. We pay your salary, we pay for your pension, we pay for your healthcare and you charge us for hundreds of millions of dollars of your personal expenses.

I am requesting in the strongest terms the US Government begin to immediately address the needs of Americans and stop making decisions based on red and blue philosophies; stop making decisions based on the thousands of lobbyists’ who support the Congressional issues and elections; stop ignoring the working people and our needs, stop the out-of-control spending and stop this abuse!

The Congress and the White House have clearly replaced their allegiance to America with greed and power. You have no accountability to Americans and you ignore year after year, these same issues which continue to degrade the American society.

If you had a conscience, you should be ashamed. There should be a revolt in this country and you and your colleagues should all be fired for dereliction of your duty and oath of office.

As Speaker of the House, I urge you to do the right thing and immediately address these issues which impact all Americans.

Sincerely,

You may be certain I will keep your suggestions in mind as these matters are discussed. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856

http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

Letter to Senator Cornyn
Jun 30, 2008

Senator John Cornyn
Constitution Avenue and 2nd Street, NE
Washington, DC 20510-4305

Dear Senator Cornyn,

Earlier this spring, all members of Congress were required to submit their final requests for earmarks to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. As one of the taxpayers who will be forced to pay for these projects, I ask you to make your requests available to
the public.

While the rules of Congress do not yet require such transparency, some members of Congress have voluntarily published lists of their earmark requests, and they should be applauded. If you have not done so, I encourage you to follow their lead.

Members have made various excuses for not publishing their earmark requests, claiming that they have to “manage constituent expectations,” don’t want to “offend local officials,” and that earmark requests are “confidential.” Some members published their earmark requests for fiscal year 2008, and others will be doing so for the first time this year. Publishing earmark requests has not resulted in adverse consequences for those members.

Publishing the requests after the appropriation has already been approved does not afford sufficient time for taxpayers like me to review them. We deserve a more open and transparent appropriations process. Again, I call on you, in the spirit of transparency and accountability, to publish your earmark requests today!

Sincerely,

June 6, 2008
The Honorable John Cornyn
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Cornyn,

Members of Congress and the White House have created an environment which may add to the decline of the United States, as we know it. As your constituent, I am writing today to let you know I oppose the out of control spending and lack of concern for Middle America. The cost of the Iraq war now over $523 Trillion, the US Deficit $9,409,016,605,593 as of today indebted to many foreign governments, tens of Billions of dollars in pork barrel spending, oil prices out of control, prescription drugs and food at an all time high, while the average American is encountering financial problems not experienced in decades.

The US Government is not doing anything about global warming; they do not force oil companies to invest in new energy resources within our great country, but instead reward them with huge tax breaks, pharmaceutical companies are reaping record profits while Congress plays its little game of politics.

The US Congressional leaders place themselves as superior to the average American. Congress is not impacted by the rising debt, the high cost of energy, the high cost of food, the high cost of prescription drugs. You are not accountable to Americans and if your high dollar salary is not high enough, you just vote yourself another raise, while every decade or so, you throw a few pennies at minimum wage earners. We pay your salary, we pay for your pension, we pay for your healthcare and you charge us for hundreds of millions of dollars of your personal expenses.

I am requesting in the strongest terms the US Government begin to immediately address the needs of Americans and stop making decisions based on red and blue philosophies; stop making decisions based on the thousands of lobbyists€^TM who support the Congressional issues and elections; stop ignoring the working people and our needs, stop the out-of-control spending and stop this abuse!

The Congress and the White House have clearly replaced their allegiance to America with greed and power. You have no accountability to Americans and you ignore year after year, these same issues which continue to degrade the American society.

If you had a conscience, you should be ashamed. There should be a revolt in this country and you and your colleagues should all be fired for dereliction of your duty and oath of office.

I urge you to do the right thing and immediately address these issues which impact all Americans.

Sincerely,

=====================================
Subject:
Thank You For Contacting My Office

From:
SenateWebmail@cornyn.senate.gov

To:
Date:
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:17:42 -0400

Dear Mr. W——-:
Thank you for contacting me regarding earmark reform. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

Americaâ€^TMs founding fathers understood a free society could not exist without informed citizens and an open, accessible government. That is why strengthening government transparency and accountability has been among my highest priorities since coming to the Senate. The more information that we can put in the hands of the American people about what Congress does on a daily basis, the stronger our democracy will be. I can think of no area where accountability is more important than in the process of how Congress spends the money that Texans send to Washington.

To this end, you will be pleased to know that I have introduced the Federal Spending and Taxpayer Accessibility Act of 2008 (S. 2852). This legislation, in an effort to shed more light on government spending, creates an on-line earmark tracking system, providing taxpayer record statements and enhancing agency expenditure transparency. Taxpayers will be able to use the Internet to track earmarks by Congressional Member, recipient, bill and state. Additionally, this site will inform taxpayers of the total amount of earmarks sponsored by each member of Congress in each appropriation bill. For more information regarding other earmark reforms I support, I encourage you to visit my website at http/www.cornyn.senate.gov.

I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind as similar legislation to reform the earmarking process is discussed during the 110th Congress. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934

Dear Senator Cornyn,

You will soon vote whether or not to override President Bush’s veto of H.R. 2419, the 2008 Farm Bill. I urge you to sustain the veto of this bloated, special-interest legislation.

Despite soaring commodity prices and farm income, the Farm Bill fails to provide any significant reform of Depression-era agricultural programs, which today overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest farmers and
mega-agribusinesses — at the expense of taxpayers and consumers like me!

If this Farm Bill becomes law, taxpayers will continue to finance subsidies for married couples who farm and have adjusted gross income (AGI) of as much as $1.5 million, as well as for people with AGI of $500,000 who are not even full-time farmers! I understand that some farmers today receive taxpayer-provided subsidies in excess of $1 million annually!

What’s more, the new “permanent disaster fund” created by this Farm Bill will burden taxpayers with another $3.8 billion to benefit many of the same farmers who already receive the bulk of the direct subsidy payments.

As a consumer, I also pay for these over-generous farm programs. Each year, sugar price supports alone cost Americans $1.9 billion in higher prices at the grocery counter — not just for sugar, but also for sugar-containing products, like cereal, baked goods, and candy. The 2008 Farm Bill guarantees domestic sugar producers a support price that is nearly twice the world market price and also grants them an 85 percent share of the U.S. market, shutting out imports that could lower costs.

At a time when many Americans are struggling with rising food prices, continuing cost-inflating agricultural programs that further enrich a wealthy few should be unconscionable.

Congress should go back to the drawing board and create a Farm Bill that provides real safeguards for small family farms, while not overburdening taxpayers and consumers.

I urge you again to vote to sustain President Bush’s veto of H.R. 2419.

Sincerely,
Mr. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject:
Thank You For Contacting My Office

From:
SenateWebmail@cornyn.senate.gov

To:
Date:
Fri, 30 May 2008 12:29:52 -0400

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx:Thank you for contacting me about the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (P.L. 110—233). I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

Unpredictable weather conditions, unfair trade practices by foreign countries, and burdensome tax and environmental regulations affect numerous Texas producers each year. Over the past decades, Congress has taken steps to temper financial hardships and maintain agricultural income through federal assistance. In addition to traditional farm support, the “farm bill” outlines the role of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the next five years in matters such as the conservation of land and wildlife habitat; facilitating food and fiber exports and international trade; domestic and international nutrition and food aid; biofuels and other scientific research priorities; forestry and horticulture; live animal markets; and a number of rural development programs that stimulate the economy in Americaâ€^TMs small towns and communities.

Farming in Texas will always carry an element of risk; however, the “farm bill” will provide Texas farmers with better tools to manage their financial security than ever before. Additionally, taxpayers will benefit as the “farm bill” dramatically reduces federal support when commodity prices are high. Further, it ends government payments to the wealthiest farming operations and landowners, while continuing to support family farmers in Texas.

In addition, you may be interested to learn that three-quarters of the USDA budget over the next five years will be devoted to nutrition and food aid programs such as the rebranded food stamp program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), school lunch and breakfast programs, and international food aid. I believe the federal government should provide assistance to the neediest Americans as they work to achieve independence. However, we must do so in a responsible manner that provides nutritious foods and does not encourage or sustain unhealthy diets. To this end, the “farm bill” requires the USDA to develop new ways to combat obesity among food stamp beneficiaries, and I am proud to have amended this legislation to make children the priority in the fight against obesity.

Finally, the Senate “farm bill” will establish, for the first time in history, a permanent disaster trust fund to respond to weather-related disasters that the current crop insurance program does not cover. Historically, Congress has responded to agriculture disasters with unbudgeted emergency spending measures that increase the federal deficit and often become a magnet for additional “pork barrel” spending. Now, instead of waiting for Congress to administer aid, the trust fund will provide timely and reliable relief to farmers following a natural disaster. Additionally, because it is equally important that Congress act as a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, I amended the bill to prevent taxpayers from paying for future natural disasters twice—once from the trust fund and again with additional emergency federal spending.

The “farm bill” passed, with my support, and was overwhelmingly enacted by Congress into law on May 22, 2008. Passage of this bill is an important and long-overdue step for Texas farmers and ranchers and all those served by the USDA. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interest of all Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov