The work of the 113th Congress is now underway. The start of the new Congress always means the introduction of new bills, and over the last two weeks I have introduced legislation aimed at reducing federal spending and removing the burdensome red tape of federal government. My goal is to enable American hard work and ingenuity.
 

Condemning President Obama’s Debt Ceiling Overreach

As my first legislative effort in the 113^th Congress, I introduced a resolution to put my fellow Senators on the record to affirm that Congress holds the sole authority to borrow money on the credit of the United States and that it cannot cede this power away to the President.  

In the Constitution, the Founding Fathers unequivocally gave the power of the purse to Congress, and that is where it should remain.  Today, we face a mountain of debt due to this Administration’s out-of-control government spending. Giving the President unilateral power to incur more public debt, which he has stated he would like, will only create more long-term financial peril for our children and grandchildren.

Preserving Congress’ role in establishing the debt limit is a vital component to making deficit reduction a reality. Not only does the debt limit provide an essential check on executive borrowing, it provides public accountability for Congress’ spending practices. The debt limit additionally allows Congress to step back and evaluate fiscal policy’s impact on debt. Abdicating this role would fundamentally alter the checks and balances embedded in the Constitution and should not be bargained away.  I spoke on the Senate floor about this important legislation, which you can watch by clicking on the image below.

Click Here to Watch.
 

Introducing a Bill to Protect Patients from Rationing Health Care

My fight for better patient care in the face of Obamacare continues. I have introduced the Preserving Access to Targeted, Individualized, and Effective New Treatments and Services Act of 2013 (PATIENTS Act) to block a rationing tool known as comparative effectiveness research (CER). CER would deny or delay coverage of health care treatments for patients in federal health programs like Medicare.

Health care is not one size fits all. Research such as comparative effectiveness can be used to limit a patient’s options for treatment and effectively ration care. The government should not attempt to interfere with decisions that should be made between a patient and their doctor.

We have seen how comparative effectiveness research works in Canada and the United Kingdom. It is the patient that ends up paying the price for increased government intervention in the doctor-patient relationship.  Americans do not want the federal government limiting their treatment options and deciding what is best for them -- they want to be informed and work with their doctor to decide the best treatment program.

Introducing a Bill to Eliminate Costly and Redundant EPA Permit Requirements for Applications of Pesticides

This week, my colleague from Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns and I introduced legislation to eliminate a burdensome, costly and redundant Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permit requirement for applications of pesticides.

Since early 2012, the EPA has enforced a now permanent rule requiring approximately 35,000 pesticide applicators to get an additional permit to cover about 500,000 applications per year. The EPA estimates the permit rule will cost states, local entities and pesticide applicators $50 million and require one million hours to implement per year. Under the Clean Water Act, use of pesticides without these duplicative permits can be punished with up to $37,500 per day in fines.   

This double layer of red tape is costly to the agriculture industry and consumers. This creates confusion and the potential for significant penalties. Our bill eliminates this redundant permit requirement while at the same time ensuring proper pesticide use through existing law.

Fighting Regulations that Harm the Economy

Finally, I have introduced legislation to continue the fight against regulations issued by the Obama Administration that hurt the nation’s struggling economy.

S. 191, the Regulatory Responsibility for our Economy Act, would put the power of law behind the President’s widely touted, but largely ignored, executive order directing federal agencies to review their regulations ensuring they cause no harm to the economy or job creation. The bill has also received letters of support from the Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association and the American Association of School Administrators, which can be found HERE. 

 Two years ago, I applauded the President for recognizing that the volumes of regulations released by his administration were hurting job creation, stifling growth, and generally making life more difficult on hard working Americans. However, since that day, this promising executive order has received little more than lip service from this administration.  Loopholes have been exploited across the Federal Government and Americans continue to struggle under the regulator’s boot. So let’s make it law. Let’s really look at the size and scope of our government and return it to its role as a partner in America’s success rather than an impediment to it.
 

Saying Goodbye to Kansas City’s First Lady, Adele Hall

Franki and I were deeply saddened to learn of Adele Hall’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Don and all of her children and grandchildren. Simply put, she was a remarkable lady who brought a grace and elegance to everything she touched. The generosity that Adele and Don have bestowed on Kansas and the Kansas City region has impacted countless lives and causes. It will be a lasting legacy for Adele and her family.

Adele’s passion for politics has made our state and our country a better place to live. She was an adviser to presidents, governors, senators, members of Congress, and many other leaders in her community. Her advice and guidance were invaluable to me, and personally, I will always owe her a debt of gratitude.

The heavens are a little brighter because they have a shining star in Adele Hall. She will be so missed by so many.
 

Happy 152nd Birthday, Kansas

This week we marked Kansas’ 152nd birthday. As part of the weekend’s festivities, I attended the annual Native Sons and Daughters dinner in Topeka. Looking forward to another great year in the state of Kansas! 
 

Check Senator Roberts’ Website, YouTube and Facebook Sites for Updates

You can visit my YouTube site for more information on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and Kansas by visiting www.youtube.com/SenPatRoberts. It's a great place to find speeches and debates on the Senate floor, press conferences, interviews and Senate hearings. You can also stay updated on all these happenings on my Facebook and Twitter sites.

If you wish to contact me about an issue or want more information, please visit my website, roberts.senate.gov.