June 24, 2014

Calling for Independent Congressional Counsel to Uncover the Truth Behind IRS Scandal

I am calling for Congress to appoint an independent congressional counsel to get to the bottom of both the targeting of conservative groups and actions taken by the Administration to hide information relating to this targeting.

Since the disclosure that the IRS somehow lost two critical years of Lois Lerner’s email, the news keeps getting worse for the American public. We are all outraged by this development, which is a clear attempt to shield the Obama Administration from accountability for targeting conservative groups. But now we learn that Lois Lerner’s hard drive, along with computer data of six other employees connected to her, has been destroyed and likely not recoverable. To compound this outrage, the IRS has known about this for several months, but withheld this key fact from the Finance Committee, which is actively investigating the IRS. This is simply inconceivable.

Earlier last week, I called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for suppressing the First Amendment, but that’s no longer enough.

The Obama Administration’s Department of Justice won’t meaningfully pursue the IRS, but Kansans are demanding a full investigation, wherever it may lead, into how and why the IRS shut down the activities of the Administration’s opponents. At this point, only a congressionally appointed and separately funded special counsel, with full subpoena power, can get to the bottom of this matter.

The IRS’ assault on the Constitution cannot stand. We need to have a full and complete accounting of what was done, by whom, and at whose direction. Only then can we begin to restore the public’s faith in our government and their right to freely participate in the electoral process.

Crisis at the Border

The joint criminal and humanitarian crisis at our southern border is a tragedy that lies squarely with the President. It is also a tragedy that could have been avoided. Along with many of my colleagues, I have long said that any talk of immigration reform must first start with securing the border. This demand wasn’t punitive or mean spirited. It was commonsense. We knew that if we changed the pathway to citizenship before closing the gaping holes in our border security we would have a flood of new illegal immigrants. We were right. 

President Obama didn’t listen. He ignored Congress. He ignored the border state Governors. He unilaterally enacted policies emboldening desperate parents to send their children to the United States through human traffickers and drug cartels. Now our southern border has been flooded with children who have illegally entered the country, and our border security apparatus doesn’t have the manpower or the resources to cope.

These children want a better life and are not to blame.  The men and women patrolling our borders have been shouting from the rooftops for more help, more resources, and more personnel, they are not to blame. The President needs to listen and act on recommendations to secure the border.

Fighting to Stop the Release of the Guantanamo Detainees

Last week, I joined my colleagues, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, in introducing a bill to temporarily halt further transfers or releases for detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Following the controversial prisoner swap the Obama Administration made earlier this month, resulting in the release of the ‘Taliban 5’ terrorists, further releases should be off the table until President Obama can explain how this swap was in the United States’ national security interests.

The dangerous terrorists housed at Guantanamo Bay pose the same serious threat they always have. For this President to release five of the worst al Qaeda affiliates at the same time that terrorists are taking charge in Iraq is a dangerous game I am not willing to play. I don’t know why the President does not feel the same desire to protect our national security.

Specifically, the bill will prohibit any funds from being spent on transferring or releasing Guantanamo detainees until either 90 days after submitting a report to Congress that justifies the release of the Taliban 5, or 180 days after this bill is signed into law.

Stopping the EPA Takeover of Water

I joined Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo) and 29 other Senators last week in putting forth legislation to stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from taking over all private and state water in the United States. The Protecting Water and Property Rights Act of 2014 prevents the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing their March 2014 proposed rule which would significantly expand federal authority under the Clean Water Act, allowing a massive land grab by the federal government, since few water bodies would escape the agencies’ broad definition of ‘waters of the United States.’

 After already calling on the EPA and Army Corps to withdraw the proposed rule, I want to make sure that the expansion of regulatory jurisdiction over ‘Waters of the United States’ is shelved for good. This straightforward legislation prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of the Army from finalizing the rule or trying a similar regulation in the future.

 Recognized as Taxpayer Hero

It was an honor this month to be recognized as a ‘Taxpayer Hero’ by Citizens Against Government Waste for my work to cut wasteful spending, reduce taxes, and make government more accountable to taxpayers. 

Under the reckless fiscal policy of the Obama administration and the Democrat-controlled Senate, Congress’ fiduciary responsibility to the tax payer has been completely ignored. More taxes, more spending and more government seem to be their answer to every problem we face.

Yet, Kansans know this is not the path to prosperity. We understand that we need pro-growth policies, a lower tax burden, and less government involvement in our lives and our pocketbooks to allow middle class families and main street business to thrive. These pro-growth ideals are precisely the policies I fight for every day in the U.S. Senate. I thank Citizens Against Government Waste for its recognition of my work, and look forward to continuing the fight to ensure a more responsible, accountable government for our children and grandchildren.

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

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