Dec. 15, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement commenting on the ongoing negotiations over the omnibus spending bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2016:

“The fact that Congress is still negotiating the omnibus on a number of policy riders provides a glimmer of hope that what is reportedly a disastrous funding of President Obama’s entire environmental, foreign policy, and economic agenda may have some small victories limiting the size and scope of the government included.

“Americans for Limited Government has laid out over the course of the last six months a pathway for Congress using its constitutional power of the purse to rein in the Obama administration on a series of less controversial but still vitally important issues.

“It is our hope that congressional Republicans don’t completely walk away from the limited government premise of their party, exchanging it for the embrace of special interest lobbyists. It is our commitment that any piece of the omnibus worthy of praise will be singled out as a small victory.”

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 11, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to former DHS terrorism investigator and whistleblower Philip Haney’s allegations that the Obama administration deliberately shuttered an investigation that might have thwarted the San Bernadino mass murder because he was told the investigations were problematic because they were into Islamic groups:

“Former DHS terrorism investigator and whistleblower Philip Haney has made startling allegations that the Obama administration deliberately shuttered an investigation that might have thwarted the San Bernadino mass murder — because he was told the investigations were problematic because they were into Islamic groups. Had Haney’s investigation been allowed to continue, he maintains it might have resulted in a blocking of the San Bernadino fiancée visa because of the couple’s relationship with a radical mosque.

“The Obama administration may be deliberately blinding our intelligence agencies’ capacity to properly vet visa applications or to pursue domestic leads in terrorism investigations if those investigations focus on Islamic centers. Since when do law enforcement and intelligence agencies skip over religious motivations for murders in pursuing leads? They’re supposed to follow evidence and intelligence wherever it leads, not deny the obvious link between Islam and the killers because of political correctness. There is no First Amendment protection against investigating religiously motivated attacks. If this policy is widespread, it might help explain why Western intelligence agencies have been blind to the latest wave of attacks.

“This comes as the San Bernadino neighbors were afraid to say something even though they saw something, for fear of being labeled bigots. Political correctness is getting people killed, and those who urge law enforcement and intelligence not to focus on the religion involved with these repeated attacks are playing a very dangerous game indeed.”

Attachments:

“Whistleblower: DHS Pulled Plug on Surveillance That Could’ve ID’ed CA Terrorists,” The Kelly File, Dec. 10, 2015 at http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/12/10/whistleblower-says-he-could-have-prevented-ca-attack-if-government-didnt-cut-funding

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 10, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) and the freshman class of the 114^th House of Representatives for establishing the Article One project as a priority to reassert Congress’ constitutional prerogatives, including the power of the purse:

“Reasserting Congress’ constitutional prerogatives including the power of the purse has been a long-held belief by Americans for Limited Government and today the Representative Ken Buck-led House Republican freshman class affirmed that principle by establishing an Article One project as a class priority.

“It is noteworthy that the newest House members have taken this step after spending their first year watching how the House of Representatives has failed to jealously guard its constitutional power of the purse against usurpation by the Senate and the Executive Branch. It is encouraging that they are taking this first step toward using their collective voices on this issue that is critical to the future of representative democracy.

“Representative Ken Buck, the freshman class president, deserves praise for his efforts to lead the freshman class in this action. Notably, Buck penned a letter earlier this week signed by about 11 of his colleagues urging the defunding of a number of President Obama’s most egregious initiatives.  It is this kind of thoughtful, aggressive foresight on how Congress can rein in the President’s pen and phone that I hope will be on display through Buck’s new freshman class project.”

To view online: http://getliberty.org/house-freshman-class-asserts-congress-article-one-constitutional-prerogatives/

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 10, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising 12 senators that voted no on the all-important cloture vote and 64 U.S. representatives that voted against reauthorization of the Elementary Secondary Education Act:

“We thank the 76 members of Congress who voted against the continued nationalization of our state and local education system, a one size fits all, standardized approach that has failed our children for more than 50 years. Rather than putting funds directly in the hands of local school boards, the federal approach to education directs how the monies will be spent, and on what, an approach that limits outcomes and restricts choices for parents. The fact that Congress continues to accept failure because of the inertia that develops around a periodic reauthorization of an otherwise permanent program is unacceptable, and calls into question the entire process that produces it and other federal programs that run of their own accord.

“We rightly expect more of our children when they are in school, to think creatively, and parents have a right to expect that Congress should put their kids ahead of the failed federal bureaucracy. Thank you to the 64 Members who stood up for our nation’s kids futures and against the failed federal education philosophy that has been reauthorized by Congress.”

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 9, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Republican congressional leaders to include as many policy riders that limit the size and scope of government as possible in the omnibus spending bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2016:

“The omnibus spending bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2016 presents an historic opportunity for Congress to rein in the Obama agenda for 10 of the last 13 months of his presidency. Republican leaders and conservatives in Congress can accomplish that by using their power of the purse to defund some parts of the President’s agenda. While Obama has promised to use his pen and his phone to complete the fundamental transformation of America, Congress can use the Constitution to stop him.”

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 7, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Congress to take up a defund in the 2016 omnibus that would prohibit the use of funds for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) union walkaround rule:

“Congress has the opportunity to stop one of the more absurd Obama Administration labor rules by defunding what is known as OSHA’s walkaround rule in the upcoming omnibus. The Labor Department ruling allows union representatives to join OSHA inspectors on non-union company sites with the goal of increasing the likelihood of employees and management acceding to organizing efforts. The House Appropriations Committee rightly acted in June to defund this onerous rule in the underlying legislation for the Labor HHS spending bill.

“This blatant attempt at government coercion and intimidation has no place in U.S. law, and Congress can stop it in its tracks in the upcoming Omnibus funding bill. Failure to overturn Obama’s payoff to his Big Labor supporters would represent Congress walking away from the concept of equal justice under the law as the OSHA enforcement power will be skewed by the active presence of a biased advocate.”

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 3, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Congress to include language in the upcoming omnibus spending bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2016 that would block any funds from being used to finance the United Nations (UN) Green Climate Fund:

“Congress should just say no to Obama’s $3 billion promise to the UN Green Climate Fund by explicitly stipulating in the omnibus that no funds shall be spent on it. The reality is that the U.S. commitment to the Green Climate Fund is anticipated to dramatically expand in the years to come to more than $25 billion annually as part of a $100 billion a year global wealth transfer to developing economies.

“Sen. Jim Inhofe has been at the forefront of this issue, and we urge Congress to follow his lead in ensuring that not one taxpayer dollar goes to the UN Green Climate Fund that will simply redistribute $100 billion a year to developing economies.

“We already subsidize developing economies with world trade rules that grant special and differential treatment, and the new Paris climate deal will exempt developing economies from the punitive regulations that the U.S. adheres to. Not to be outdone, then those same countries will receive $100 billion a year that U.S. taxpayers will disproportionately fund. This is just another bad deal, and U.S. taxpayers will have to pay for it — again. It’s time that Congress just say no.”

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 2, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging the House to suspend consideration of the S 1177 & HR 5 conference report, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA):

“It is beyond absurd that House Republicans would be opening up new potential funding for Planned Parenthood through the Every Student Succeeds Act at a time when the House has voted to defund Planned Parenthood via budget reconciliation. By tying funds for school-based health centers to compliance with the Public Health Service Act, which explicitly allows Planned Parenthood eligible to receive funds, the possibility of new funding is opened. Speaker Ryan needs to pull the bill from the docket immediately. There is simply no excuse for hiding potential funds in a House bill for Planned Parenthood, a group that is currently under investigation by a House special committee for their misdeeds.”

Attachments:

SEC. 8035. LIMITATIONS ON SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.

Subpart 2 of part F of title VIII, as amended and redesignated by section 8001 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:

‘‘SEC. 8543. LIMITATIONS ON SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.

‘‘Notwithstanding section 8102, funds used for activities under this Act shall be carried out in accordance with the provision of section 399z–1(a)(3)(C) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280h–5(a)(3)(C)).’’.

http://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ESSA%20FINAL%20Conference%20Report.pdf#page=858

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Dec. 2, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement again urging Congress to include a rider by House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) that would block the Department of Justice legal settlement monies from going to third-party groups in the upcoming omnibus appropriations legislation:

“Unless the Obama Justice Department has legal settlements in the offing that would compel businesses to give far left-wing groups lots of money, there is absolutely no reason anyone should oppose the Goodlatte rider. If there is money in the offing for third-party groups from the settlements, it should be defunded. If there might be money in the offing in the future, it should be defunded. If it is not included in the omnibus because Obama had plans to give money to those groups though settlements, then that proves why it should be defunded.

“The $17 billion Bank of America settlement is a perfect example of the misuse of settlements as Bank of America was required to give millions of dollars to third party activist groups. Legal proceedings by the government must never be used as shakedowns to enrich the coffers of any political cause, regardless of ideology.

“This particular rider was in the Commerce, Science and Justice appropriations bill that passed the House without even being subjected to a recorded vote.  There is no excuse for Rep. Goodlatte’s common sense amendment to not being including the omnibus spending bill.”

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 including ALG President Rick Manning.

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