Conaway Chronicle: Intelligence, Obamacare, Texas Events

Statement

Thank you for reading The Conaway Chronicle, a review of my activities in Congress and the 11th District.

Worldwide Threats:

During an Intelligence Committee Hearing on Feb. 4th, I asked Director of National Intelligence James Clapper about China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea and beyond. I also asked him about China's modernization of their military and their internal threats. The U.S. must have the intelligence that we need to protect ourselves from foreign threats. To listen to my questions and his answers, please click on the below photograph.

Benghazi Investigation:

The Sept. 11th, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi was a tragedy and a reminder of the threats that our country and the brave men and women who represent our country face. Immediately after the attack, Republican House members raised concerns that the Obama Administration's depiction of the attack and the events leading up to it were not consistent with publicly available information. We are conducting an intense investigation of the terrorist attack and will continue our efforts until we have the truth about what happened. I am on two of the five congressional committees, Armed Services and Intelligence, that are participating in the coordinated investigation of the terrorist attack. We will release as much information as soon as we can. The below link offers a detailed review of the information that we are currently able to share about the investigation: http://www.gop.gov/benghazi/

Andrews Chamber of Commerce:

I had a great time at the Andrews Chamber of Commerce banquet on Saturday. I presented Gerry Tucker, who is in the photograph with me and his wife, with the Pioneer Award. I also presented the Community Service Award to Shannon Morgette. People like Gerry and Shannon and the work they do are what makes the places we live our homes. They are the foundation on which our communities are built. Besides having the honor of presenting these awards, I also got to hear The Bellamy Brothers perform. They were great. To see a video of them playing, please click on the bottom right photograph.

Sportsmen's Heritage:

The House passed a bill, H.R. 3590, this week that would protect the rights of American hunters and anglers. The bipartisan bill would eliminate regulations that prevent hunting and fishing on public lands and prohibit the creation of new regulations. Public lands belong to the American people and the government should not impose unreasonable restrictions on our ability to hunt and fish on these lands. Furthermore, many jobs in rural communities depend on the hunters and anglers. If this bill becomes law, it would create more jobs.

Obamacare:

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report on Feb. 4th that said ObamaCare will reduce the number of full-time workers by roughly 2.3 million through 2021. That report also said that ObamaCare will insure 1 million fewer people this year than previously estimated. The Obama Administration needs to concede that their healthcare law is failing the American people and work with Republicans to create jobs and strengthen our economy.

Water:

The House passed a bill, H.R. 3964, this week that would address the drought emergency in California by restoring some water supplies that are needed to save farms and preserve jobs in California. Because of the Endangered Species Act, water is being used to save the tiny Delta Smelt, which is in the below photograph, rather than the men and women whose livelihoods depend on access to water. This week I also met with Texans who were in Washington, D.C., for Texas Water Day. I praised the residents of West Texas for working cooperatively to preserve their water supplies. I told them that the water crisis in California is a stark example of why it is important for Texans, rather than the federal government, to maintain control over their water supplies. This week Texas Farm Bureau President Ken Dierschke also provided testimony to Congress about a proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule that would expand the Clean Water Act and harm Texas farmers and rancher

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