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U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) introduced two pieces of legislation to restructure the federal role in elementary and secondary education. The proposals reflect the latest effort by House Republicans to enact lasting reforms to No Child Left Behind.

The Student Success Act (H.R. 3989) and the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act (H.R. 3990) will replace broken accountability provisions (known as Adequate Yearly Progress or AYP) with state-developed accountability systems, roll back antiquated federal teacher mandates in favor of local teacher evaluation systems, and grant state and local leaders enhanced flexibility in the use of federal funds. read on

By U.S. Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.)

Across the nation, Memorial Rifle Squads provide a military ceremonial burial service at no charge for the families of honorably discharged veterans. Memorial Rifle Squads rely on the Army to provide excess ceremonial rifles and ammunition necessary to help them perform these important duties. Last fall, the Memorial Rifle Squad at Fort Snelling was informed by the Army of its efforts to recoup a number of the Squad’s ceremonial rifles, which would hamper their ability to fulfill their mission.

In December, I sent a letter to Secretary of the Army John McHugh on the squad’s behalf asking the Army to reverse its decision and allow the Fort Snelling squad to keep its rifles. Additionally, I asked the Army to work with me to reassess current law so memorial rifle squads and other eligible organizations including local chapters of the American Legion and VFW (such as the Kenyon, Minn. squad pictured at right) wouldn’t face similar bureaucratic red tape. read on

By Act for America

The second half of the 112^th Congress has just begun and I thought it would be a good time to update everyone on the status of legislation on ACT! for America’s “High Priority List.” These are legislative proposals that have been introduced in the 112^th Congress that we feel are important to our national security interests and which we have publicly endorsed and are actively supporting via the national office and our grassroots base.

Please go to the Contact Congress page on our website to learn more about each of these bills and to send a pre-written e-mail of support to your Members of Congress. It couldn’t be easier and it’s so very important. Each of you plays an important role in seeing these critical proposals move through the legislative process successfully. As you’ll see, many are “stuck in committee.” These proposals will move further through the legislative process only if your federal legislators hear from you. read on

By U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.)

This week the House passed H.R. 3835, legislation that would extend the current pay limitation for Members of Congress and federal employees by an extra year, through the end of 2013.  With record trillion-dollar deficits, I am committed to fiscal responsibility.  In addition to voting for a pay freeze, I have voted to cut my own budget twice this Congress.

As families in Central Florida and across the country are forced to cut back their spending during these tough economic times, why should the federal government be any different?  This is why I voted to freeze my own salary and the salaries of federal employees.  While millions of Americans are fighting stagnant pay and high unemployment, Congress owes it to hard working taxpayers to be responsible with their money.   If the American people are being asked to make sacrifices, then Members of Congress need to make sacrifices as well. read on

Congressman Labrador Questions Attorney General Holder on Fast and Furious

By MOAA

On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta confirmed our fears when he released details on just how significant the defense cuts will be regarding the soon to be released FY2013 President’s budget.

The Pentagon’s FY2013 base budget request of $525 billion is a $6 billion dollar reduction compared to that of the FY2012 base budget, but the impact over the next five years reduces defense spending by $259 billion.

The impact of the cuts to military members and retirees runs deep. read on

By MOAA

In December, Congress agreed to a two month patch to avoid a 27 percent cut to Medicare/TRICARE physician reimbursement rate (doc fix), along with an extension of the payroll tax holiday and certain unemployment benefits through February.

As part of this short term deal, Congress agreed to establish a 20 member conference committee to hash out a long term extension of these three issues when Congress returned to Washington in 2012.

On Tuesday, that panel of legislators met for the first time. read on

By Judicial Watch

Students can sue their public school district for violating their First Amendment right by eliminating a radical La Raza studies program that ignites racial hostility, teaches disdain for American sovereignty and illegally segregates students by race.

Only in America would a federal judge rule that a U.S. taxpayer-funded institution can get sued for refusing to provide such a divisive program that one instructor denounced for igniting racial hostility. The case involves the Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican Raza Studies program, nixed after state legislators banned funding for ethnic studies curriculums that advocate the overthrow of the U.S. government. read on

By U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)

The Internet is the epitome of the American free spirit. It enables entrepreneurs to market, innovate and create. It gives others the opportunity to comment, sound off and learn. At the same time, foreign websites are being created to sell or profit off of stolen American intellectual property (IP). This online piracy results in a tremendous loss of jobs and seriously harms our economy.

Nobody wants our own businesses to suffer because of the illegal conduct of foreign profit-makers. But, it’s just as important to ensure that we preserve our constitutionally protected free speech rights and allow the innovation that the Internet provides to billions of users to keep flourishing. read on