New Congress gears up

 

I am currently working to organize the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Two articles were recently published discussing my plans and goals as the committee’s chairman. You can read them here and here.  

Separately, two articles also appeared on my tax reform proposal. You can read those here and here.

What I saw in the Middle East

 

I recently returned from a trip to the Middle East that included visits to the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Erbil. There was some good news out of Iraq recently, as Kurdish fighters – helped by U.S. airstrikes – pushed back ISIS forces around the town of Sinjar. This advance broke ISIS’s siege of Mount Sinjar, where thousands of civilians had fled after ISIS launched a calculated campaign of mass murder. Despite this progress, ISIS’s recent publication of a manual approving the beating and trading of Christian and Jewish sex slaves, alongside harrowing reports of the widespread murder and forced conversion of Christians – including the killing of children – should remind us of the terrible fate that will befall millions if these depraved zealots are not defeated.    

Not many Americans would want to live amid this dangerous war. Yet in Iraq, I met U.S. servicemen and women who are risking their lives to assist the battle against ISIS. I am in awe of their selfless courage. These Americans are spending Christmas there – in a warzone far from friends and family – so that we can celebrate Christmas in safety here.

So I’d like to offer my gratitude and appreciation to military veterans as well as active duty, reserve, and national guard servicemembers, especially those now on deployment, and wish my friends and constituents a Merry Christmas.        

U.S. Senate to Central Valley: “No water for you!”

The House of Representatives this week passed its third bill in three years to alleviate the California water crisis. Based on extensive, bipartisan House-Senate negotiations, the California Emergency Drought Relief Act (H.R. 5781) included numerous Senate demands. The bill did not even strive to permanently solve the crisis, instead proposing measures simply to bring some short-term relief to families and to help farmers get through the upcoming growing season. Nevertheless, the Senate refused to approve even these minimal, temporary actions, just as it declined to act on the previous House water bills. The House was also prepared to pass the measures as part of the Omnibus spending bill, but the effort was killed by Senate opposition.   

Having rejected all our initiatives, the senators should explain their plan for relieving the water crisis. As I argued on the House floor, by the way they’re acting, it’s almost as if they have no plan at all . . .  

Separately, the Nunes Digest is updated here. 

Nunes on KMJ Appleton show at 11 PST today

I will be dropping by the Ray Appleton show on KMJ today at 11:00 am PST. Listen live here. 

Humbled and honored

I was honored today to have been appointed as the next Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. You can read Speaker of the House John Boehner’s announcement here, my statement here, and Chairman Rogers’ statement here.   

President Obama, His Royal Highness

One would think President Obama would interpret his latest Election Day shellacking as a resounding vote of no confidence in his agenda by the American people. But bizarrely, the president reportedly feels “liberated” by his party’s loss of control of the Senate. Even before the new Congress is seated, he plans to dramatically change the immigration system by signing executive orders, apparently unconcerned that such brazen moves would severely damage efforts at bipartisan cooperation on immigration and many other issues.

Although Obama previously admitted he does not have the authority to undertake these actions, he now argues that he is tired of waiting for Congress to act. If there is a clause in the Constitution that allows the president to usurp Congressional authority when he feels impatient, I haven’t seen it. Please take a look at the Constitution and tell me if you find it.  

The President is also reportedly planning a slew of dramatic executive actions to fight global warming. If his goal is to suppress economic growth and job creation, he’s on the right path.     

Turning to foreign policy, Russian strongman Vladimir Putin has been busy lately, dispatching Russian troops and new weapons systems into Ukraine, threatening the Baltics, announcing plans to send Russian bombers to the Gulf of Mexico, and possibly sending a submarine into Swedish territorial waters. Although Obama did not have much of a response to these provocations, his week was not free of accomplishments – he concluded a global warming agreement with China.

So we have that going for us.

Separately, the Nunes Digest is updated here.