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Frankly Speaking - Agriculture
House Republican Budget Provides Balance and Opportunity
Mar 22, 2013Recently, the United States House of Representatives passed ‘The Path to Prosperity: A Responsible, Balanced Budget.’ I am encouraged to see the House has put forth a plan that will help balance the federal government’s checkbook, restore financial stability and create jobs in our country. At a time when we are over $16.7 trillion in debt, a solid plan is essential to helping fix the fiscal crises we are facing today.
Filed under: Agriculture, Energy, General, TaxesAmerican Taxpayer Relief Act: A Step in the Right Direction
Jan 4, 2013Click HERE to listen to Congressman Lucas’ Frankly Speaking provided below:
Recently, I voted for passage of H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which prevented our country from going over the fiscal cliff. While I realize this legislation is not perfect, it was necessary to protect the constituents of Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District and all American taxpayers from what would have been the largest tax hike in history.
Filed under: Agriculture, Agriculture Committee, Economy, GeneralAmerican Energy: Obama’s Actions Speak Louder Than His Words
May 17, 2012Washington, D.C. - President Barack Obama has been hitting the campaign trail hard touting his administration’s “all-of-the-above” energy policy. Unfortunately, when it comes to domestic energy, his actions speak louder than his words.
Filed under: Agriculture, Agriculture Committee, Constituent Services, Economy, EnergyDelay in Approval of Keystone Pipeline is a Delay in Job Creation
Jan 17, 2012On December 23, 2011, President Barack Obama signed into law H.R. 3765, which requires the President to consider issuing a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline within 60 days, unless he determines the project would not serve the interest of the United States. This project would create 20,000 direct jobs and spur the creation of 118,000 spin-off jobs. Additionally, the pipeline will carry 100,000 barrels per day of oil from the U.S. Bakken to Oklahoma and Gulf Coast refineries, while in-turn easing our dependence on foreign countries for U.S. oil supply.
Filed under: Agriculture, Economy, EnergyImplementation of Free Trade Agreements Should Happen Now
Aug 8, 2011Delays in implementation of three pending free trade agreements between the U.S. and Colombia, Panama and South Korea are costing the United States in market share and access to foreign competitors. Recently, the White House insisted on Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in return for implementing free trade agreements. This further delays the creation of many jobs and economic growth in America. Trade agreements have already been negotiated, agreed to and signed by the United States, however, an up or down vote in Congress has yet to occur.
Filed under: AgricultureBurdensome Federal Regulations Hurt American Farmers and Ranchers
Feb 11, 2011American agriculture is under attack. Every day the administration seems to demonstrate just how vastly disconnected it is from the folks who feed us. The administration fails to realize that rural America’s economy is dependent on agriculture. The in-your-face-approach that the administration has taken regarding government regulation has increased the cost of doing business for America’s farmers and ranchers. If the administration is allowed to continue down this path, the only choice for many farmers and ranchers will be to stop farming altogether.
Filed under: Agriculture
New Year, New Congress
Dec 23, 20102010 was a challenging year in this country, as American families lived through record high unemployment rates and a lagging economy. And much to their disappointment, their elected officials in Washington seemed more concerned with making government bigger than creating jobs. During the 50 town hall meetings I held this year, my constituents voiced their discontent with what was happening and I joined them in their frustration at leaders in Washington’s failure to listen to them. Whether the trillion-dollar government takeover of health care, the out-of-control federal spending that has
Filed under: AgricultureNational Tragedy Should Not Be Exploited to Pass Harmful Cap-and-Tax Legislation
Jun 23, 2010On April 20, 2010, an explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico that set off a chain of events leading to one of the worst environmental disasters – if not the worst – our country has ever faced. The explosion caused three leaks in an underwater oil well, spilling tens of thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico on a daily basis. In fact, at its worst, the government estimates that the well was leaking between 12,000 and 19,000 barrels of oil each day before BP’s latest effort to contain it.
Filed under: AgricultureReining in the EPA
Mar 5, 2010My Republican colleagues and I introduced a measure, H.J. 77, in the House of Representatives that would rein in the aggressive power-grab of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Last December the EPA released an endangerment finding which stated that gases such as methane and carbon dioxide were a threat to public health and should be regulated under the Clean Air Act. This endangerment finding is really just an underhanded way of imposing cap and tax regulations on the American people.
Filed under: AgricultureChange We Don't Want
Jan 20, 2010The resounding victory by Republican Scott Brown in the Massachusetts special election last night demonstrated a fact that President Obama might not be too happy with: the winds of change can blow both ways. The people of Massachusetts – an historically liberal state – spoke with one voice to reject his legislative agenda and to loudly say no to a government takeover of health care, no to a $600 billion national energy tax, and no to an economic policy of borrow, tax, and spend.
Filed under: Agriculture