Nov. 3, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today praised House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for refusing to rule out policy riders on the upcoming omnibus appropriations bill when he said at a news conference today, “We fully expect we’re going to exercise that power”:

“Paul Ryan’s initial comments related to using the power of the purse to help rein in President Obama’s outrageous agenda is an encouraging start to his Speakership. This is particularly significant given that it was a direct response to Harry Reid’s demand that Congress roll over and play dead on omnibus spending bill policy riders. It sounds like there’s a new sheriff in town. Hopefully, Ryan will help clean up the big government swamp in Washington, D.C.”

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.

###

Nov. 2, 2015, Fairfax, Va.–Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising U.S. Representatives Paul Gosar, Trent Franks, Brian Babin, D.D.S., Marsha Blackburn, Steve Chabot, Scott DesJarlais, Stephen Fincher, Louie Gohmert, Glenn Grothman, David P. Joyce, Cynthia Lummis, Thomas Massie, Lamar Smith, Lynn Westmoreland and Ted Yoho for signing a joint letter to House and Senate appropriators urging them to include language in the upcoming appropriations bill defunding a regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to condition community development block grants on redrawing local zoning along racial and income boundaries:

“It is refreshing that so many members are committed the defund of this onerous HUD regulation that conditions community development block grants on redrawing local zoning along racial and income boundaries. The federal government has no business dictating local zoning policy.

“This is the exact assertion of the power of the purse that is needed for Congress reassert its Article I powers as the chief lawmaking body in government. Rep. Gosar’s defund is needed to stop this massive federal government encroachment on local control of communities.

“Americans for Limited Government remains committed to doing everything in its power to convince Congress to include the House-passed defund of the HUD action into any new spending bill to protect local communities from Obama’s takeover of every neighborhood in America that accepts federal money.”

Attachments:

15 House Republicans sign letter to House and Senate appropriators urging action on HUD defund, Nov. 2, 2015 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/11022015-AFFH-Letter-to-Appropriators.pdf

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.

###

 

 

Oct. 29, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement praising an oped by U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) published in the Washington Examiner that blasts legislation that just passed the House that suspends the debt ceiling until March 2017:

“Ken Buck makes the right point about John Boehner and Barack Obama’s bad debt deal. It denied the nation an opportunity to have a real discussion about our financial crisis that finds us $19 trillion in debt and teetering on the edge of no return. The debt ceiling suspension until March 2017 could have been used to extract concessions from the Obama administration on entitlement reforms or budget cuts. Instead it increases spending by $80 billion over the next two years, breaking sequestration’s budget caps, raids Social Security to bail out the disability trust fund, and leaves most Republicans in the House once again voting in opposition to a plan put forth by Republican leaders, all the while drawing unanimous Democrat support.

“Ken Buck is right. It’s time to get serious about the debt and our budget woes. It’s just that the Boehner-Obama debt deal does not get us there.”

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.

###

Oct. 27, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the two-year budget deal that suspends the debt ceiling until after the November 2016 elections:

“It is absurd that Republicans in the House have allowed a lame duck speaker to negotiate a debt ceiling that locks in increased spending for not one, but two years, weakening their power of the purse.

“The irony is that Boehner’s only major achievement as Speaker was budget sequestration that slowed down the growth of the debt for three years. Sadly that achievement is wiped away by this parting shot. It is rare that an outgoing Speaker would take an eraser to his own legacy.

“Speaker Boehner resigned his post due to concerns over his autocratic rule of the House. As a final going away gift, he is using the manufactured debt ceiling crisis to run over the next Speaker’s fiscal prerogatives, negating any real reforms that might have been implemented. Let us hope the House stops him by opposing the rule to bring this measure to the floor. A vote for the rule can only be viewed as a vote for the 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.

###

Oct. 23, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) for noting the hypocrisy of renaming the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building while failing to rename other federal institutions named after Democrat Party racists such the Richard Russell Senate Office Building, the Robert Byrd correctional facility, and others:

“Ken Buck’s challenge to the politically correct police who would smash every statue in their revolution against history is refreshing. It sets a bold example on how to deal with these bullies. Renaming the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building while failing to rename other federal institutions named after Democrat Party racists such the Richard Russell Senate Office Building, the Robert Byrd correctional facility, and many more is a testament to the Left’s hypocrisy and selective revisionism. Considering such legislation is beneath Congress, and it is time to follow Ken Buck’s lead in confronting this divisive gotcha censorship.”

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.

###

Oct. 23, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in opposition to so-called socially responsible investing being included in 401(k)s by the U.S. Labor Department:

“The only criteria fiduciaries should use for 401(k) and pension funds is the suitability and profitability of an investment.  The goal of these funds is to provide retirement security for workers, and the Labor Department’s newly issued interpretation that allows so-called socially responsible investing, to be a factor in these investment decisions is nothing less than playing politics with retirement funds.  Look no further than the inclusion of the SEIU’s CFO in Secretary Perez’ media announcement and it is clear that this is a political play and not a financially sound one.  If Perez was honest, he would have confronted the SEIU about their failure to protect union member pensions, as two of their local pension funds are one and two on the Labor Department’s Critical Status Notices, and are at risk of failing.

“The Obama Administration’s attempt to turn retirement dollars into a slush fund for whatever the liberal cause of the moment is, sets a dangerous course for every American who wants assurance that the options they are provided are based upon likelihood of success, and not a veiled attempt to funnel money to far left or politically favored companies.

“Prior to the announced changes, so-called socially responsible investments were allowed if they were equal to other investment options in terms of potential return. Now, Perez is turning this on its head with language suggesting that fiduciaries are to consider this, not just as collateral factors, but as the ‘proper components of the fiduciary’s primary analysis.’ Americans for Limited Government will use every lever at our disposal to overturn this disastrous and dangerous decision.”

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.

###

Oct. 21, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) demands that he will only run for House Speaker if he is anointed without opposition before a single vote is cast:

“It is almost obscene that in response to demands that the power of the Speaker be limited, that Paul Ryan is demanding a scepter, crown and throne to take the job. Talk about a guy who just doesn’t get what’s wrong in Washington, D.C.”

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.

###

 

 

Oct. 14, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement responding to potential Federal Communications Commission (FCC) consideration of broadcast exclusivity rules at an upcoming Oct. 22 meeting:

“Consumers have more visual entertainment options at their disposal right now than at any time in history.  Given this diversity of options, it makes absolutely zero sense for the FCC to even consider making changes to the exclusivity rules that ensures local broadcasters are able to operate in a fair, open and competitive marketplace under unique regulatory requirements.

“Let’s be clear, there is no legitimate free market argument for the FCC to once again overstep its authority and throw local, over the air broadcasters, into a legal limbo by arbitrarily changing the exclusivity rule.  This is particularly obvious when one remembers that local broadcasters are required to provide their product free of charge for public services as a requirement of their FCC issued broadcasting license.

“Americans for Limited Government strongly urges the FCC to take no action related to the broadcast exclusivity rules tomorrow or at any time in the future as it would be both another egregious legislative power grab by an administrative agency designed to pick winners and losers, and would harm the least affluent consumers who can’t afford to pay thousands of dollars a year for television, and depend on free over the air broadcasting for news, weather and local happenings.”

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.

###