ALG impact: HUD ending local zoning regulations, Qualcomm takeover

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In the first few months of 2018 there were many defining moments, for our country and for Americans for Limited Government.

Because of you, The Department of Housing and Urban Development is ending the federal takeover of local zoning. You’ve directly assisted in restoring federalism from this Obama regulation.

  • Because of your support, Americans for Limited Government led the opposition of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair House (AFFH) with the help of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), which prevented federal funds from being used by the federal government to take over local zoning authorities.
  • Americans for Limited Government argued that HUD Secretary Ben Carson’s moratorium on implementation of the AFFH regulation until 2024 would be subject to legal challenge and the best way to protect his efforts was for Congress to assert its Article One spending authority.
  • Congress agreed by asserting its Article One powers of the purse to include prohibitions on implementing the most egregious parts of the regulation in the Omnibus bill in the culmination of nearly four years of consistent effort by Americans for Limited Government to protect local zoning authority from being taken over by the federal government.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson for just rescinded the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing local zoning assessment tool, and now Americans for Limited Government is pushing for full rescission.

Because of you, America is one step closer to being and staying safe. You played a critical role in alerting President Trump to the takeover that would have crippled our national defense.

  • Americans for Limited Government took aggressive action urging the President to stop the takeover of Qualcomm (a US based company) by a Singapore based company due to both its economic and national security implications.
  • The Trump Administration acted quickly and decisively in heeding ALG’s warnings and successfully prevented the hostile corporate takeover which would have had disastrous national consequences.

Because of you, we are actively working toward an America with limited government to maximize your individual freedoms.

Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao praised for efforts to create rational CAFE standards

May 23, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao for starting the process of revising the Obama Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standard (CAFE) standards for automobiles:

“The Obama administration attempted to utilize CAFE standards to transform America and to force us into tiny cars or expensive electric vehicles. Disturbingly, not even the tiny golf-cart-like cars meet the 2025 Obama fleet average mandates. While 2025 may seem a long way away, automobile makers have 3-to-7-year development timelines, and failure to act now could cripple this important industry as they sought to meet standards that are not technologically feasible. Secretary Chao through her efforts is recognizing consumer choice and revisiting the societal changes Obama was attempting to force. Her efforts are both courageous and wise.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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ALG urges passage of Amodei amendment to NDAA on rare earth minerals and metals

May 23, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today urged passage of an amendment by U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) to the NDAA supporting rare earth minerals and metals:

“The development of rare earth metals is critical to the national security of the United States and being competitive in the 21st century economy. Rep. Amodei’s amendment is a great step forward in meeting our nation’s needs for rare earth metals, and we strongly urge passage.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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HUD praised for rescinding local zoning assessment tool

May 21, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson for rescinding the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing local zoning assessment tool:

“The HUD decision to rescind the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing local zoning assessment tool is the first necessary step in fully undoing this draconian federal government takeover of local zoning prerogatives. HUD Secretary Ben Carson deserves praise from every American who believes in the basic concept of federalism by enacting this initial step to unwind the Obama zoning regulation. Congress also deserves praise for their decision in the much-maligned omnibus spending bill to defund key components of the AFFH regulation to do with zoning, insulating the Department from nuisance lawsuits intent on continuing the Obama administration’s priorities regardless of the 2016 election results.”

Attachments:

“Lawsuit can’t compel HUD Secretary Ben Carson to implement the Obama HUD racial and income zoning reg because Congress prohibited it,” By Robert Romano, May 9, 2018 at http://dailytorch.com/2018/05/lawsuit-cant-compel-hud-secretary-ben-carson-to-implement-the-obama-hud-racial-and-income-zoning-reg-because-congress-prohibited-it/

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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Haspel either knew about anti-Trump spying or she lied to Congress, neither is acceptable

May 17, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging President Donald Trump to withdraw the nomination of Gina Haspel to head the Central Intelligence Agency after questions emerged over her potential role in spying on the Trump campaign in 2016:

“The Senate should stop any and all action on the Gina Haspel CIA nomination given new information about her potential culpability in igniting a massive counterintelligence investigation during the presidential campaign. Senator Rand Paul is asking the right question, which is, what did Gina Haspel know about the anti-Trump spying scandal, and when did she know it? Given her position as CIA London Station Chief at the very time this London-based operation was underway, it is not credible that she was unaware of this major abuse of power. Given her sworn statement that she would disobey legally given orders that she thought were wrong, it is clear that if she knew about the investigation, she embraced it. Either she lied to Congress, or she is at the heart of the greatest abuse of power by the executive branch that our nation has ever seen. Neither is acceptable, and President Trump should withdraw Haspel’s nomination.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s actions must match words on illegal immigration amnesty discharge petition

May 17, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) statement that “We cannot disrupt ourselves. Intensity levels are still not there, and discharge petitions release the power of the floor that the American people gave us the responsibly to hold. When you release that power the majority goes to Nancy. If you want to depress intensity this is number one way to do it”:

“House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s actions need to match his words when it comes to the illegal immigration amnesty discharge petition, and he needs to cut off all political support for any Republican who remains on the petition, including fellow California Rep. Jeff Denham. McCarthy claims he wants to be Speaker of the House but if he cannot corral his closest allies in the House conference on an issue that is an existential threat to the Republican majority by his own admission, then he is clearly not up to the task. McCarthy’s actions will tell whether he has the mettle to be Speaker of the House or even Minority Leader.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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Senate culpable in Obama holdovers’ continued grip on Justice Department

May 16, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging the Senate to immediately confirm Jeffrey Clark, nominee for Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, Brian Benczkowski, nominee for Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, Eric Dreiband, nominee for Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and Joseph Hunt, nominee for Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division:

“We are nearly 16 months into the Trump administration and it is inexcusable that the Senate cannot find the time to confirm qualified nominees to be Assistant Attorneys General for the criminal, civil rights and natural resources divisions. Right now, the politicized career holdovers from Obama’s corrupt Justice Department are acting without adult supervision. The Senate shares a great deal of the blame for this lapse and is helping to create an unaccountable environment at the Justice Department. Time’s up. It’s time to get the Trump administration started by confirming his very well-qualified nominees to direct these vital offices at the Justice Department.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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Trump administration Ginnie Mae choice puts China before vets

May 15, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in opposition to the nominee to head up the $1.9 trillion Ginnie Mae, Michael Bright:

“The announcement that Michael Bright will be nominated to lead Ginnie Mae is a slap in the face to veterans with lower credit scores who have seen their access to VA home loans attacked through his agency policies appeasing China. Bright stated in an industry publication after speaking with foreign investors, ‘The Chinese were very upset with our prepayment speeds.’ America does not need Michael Bright squeezing veterans to make his Chinese banking friends happy. Bright’s nomination to Ginnie Mae is a bad, bad choice and should be withdrawn.”

Attachments:

“China is flexing its economic muscle against a U.S. government housing agency, and veterans are paying the price,” By Printus LeBlanc, May 15, 2018 at http://dailytorch.com/2018/05/china-is-flexing-its-economic-muscle-against-a-u-s-government-housing-agency-and-veterans-are-paying-the-price/

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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Trump art of the deal shines in EPA ethanol deal

May 9, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising President Donald Trump for negotiating a deal on ethanol that will allow Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) to be applied towards exported ethanol:

“President Trump proved he is a deal maker once again by reaching an agreement with ethanol producers and oil refiners. While Americans for Limited Government believes that the RINs credits eliminated altogether and the ethanol subsidy is nothing more corn welfare, the solution negotiated President Trump is an elegant balance between the political interests of corn growers and the economic interests of non-ethanol refineries who have subsidized ethanol production through RINs credits.

“The decision to permit E15 to be sold year-round and allow RINs to be attached to exported ethanol is a victory. Corn farmers get to grow more corn, and oil refiners do not get hit with excessive RINs fees. The President’s plan will likely provide relief for many struggling refineries and give assurance to corn farmers their crops will be sold.

“As we saw with the Philadelphia Energy Solutions bankruptcy, high RINs costs can break a refinery. The President’s actions will ensure thousands of high paying jobs at similar refineries around the nation are safe from the long arm of government overreach. The prior system threatened to destroy parts of the refining industry and the President’s compromise strikes a balance, demonstrating his art of the deal is the real deal.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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President Trump should withdraw Haspel nomination

May 9, 2018, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging President Donald Trump to withdraw the nomination of Gina Haspel for CIA Director after she testified that “I support the higher moral standard this country has decided to hold itself to. I would never, ever take CIA back to an interrogation program. First of all, CIA follows the law… My moral compass is strong, I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if it was technically legal. I absolutely would not permit it”:

“The CIA Director has the right to resign, when given a direct, lawful order by the elected President of the United States that she morally disagrees with, but she doesn’t have the right to disobey said order. This new concept that the FBI and intelligence community somehow has a higher moral compass than the elected President is proven wrong every day as we continue to learn more and more about their domestic spying and attempts to influence the U.S. presidential election.  Now, nominee Haspel has testified under oath that she will disobey lawful orders.

“While she may have honorably served under now Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Haspel’s testimony putting her judgment about legal orders above that of the Commander and Chief makes her unfit to serve as CIA Director, and President Trump should do the nation a service and withdraw her, already controversial nomination from further consideration.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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