The Kline Line: Summit of All Fears – Another Government Takeover of Health Care

Summit of All Fears:
Another Government Takeover of Health Care


Dear Friends,

When Republican Scott Brown was elected to the U.S. Senate by the people of Massachusetts, conventional wisdom suggested the White House and Congressional Democrats would accept that Americans clearly repudiated their reckless agenda, which included a government takeover of health care orchestrated behind closed doors and in back rooms. More than a month has passed since that historic night in Massachusetts, and to borrow a quote from my personal hero, President Ronald Reagan: There they go again.

President Obama has arrogantly ignored the wishes of the American people by again working behind closed doors to introduce yet another government takeover of health care. Americans will not accept a bill that raises taxes, levies job-killing mandates, puts Washington bureaucrats between you and your doctor, funds abortions, and makes huge cuts to Medicare. Yet that is what we continue to see from the White House.

Tomorrow, I am joining a select group of Congressional leaders to attend the White House health care summit. While I was hoping this would be a genuine attempt to hit the reset button and start from scratch with health care reform we can all support, it appears the President and Congressional Democrats have already predetermined the outcome and are seeking nothing more than political theater as they revive policies similar to those the American people have already rejected.

Yesterday on Facebook, I asked what pillars of health care you think should be included in any reform. I was pleased to see that many of your ideas are the very same principles Republicans have included in their health care reform proposals. Some of your responses are below:

  • “Tort Reform.”
  • “Portable private ‘family’ plans will raise competition and lower prices.”
  • “[Get] government out of it and privatization promoted with overhaul of regulatory oversight. Health savings accounts and the like and, yes(!) portability.”
  • “Tort Reform!”
  • “Not allowing for exclusion of pre-existing conditions (that is after all what you actually need coverage for). Affordable insurance for self-employed individuals and family.
  • “Increase competition by letting people buy insurance across state lines… create co-ops so individuals can pool their risk and pay lower premiums… tort reform… health savings accounts.”
  • “Tort reform, allowing purchases of insurance across state line, insuring pre-existing conditions for a limited time (to allow priming the pump) or if there was previous insurance (to allow for switching companies).”
  • “Lawsuit limits!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
  • “Tort reform would bring premium prices down a lot.”

In a meeting with House Republicans yesterday, Leader John Boehner said the President has basically crippled the summit by coming in with a rerun of the same failed bill that couldn’t pass the House or Senate. “We shouldn’t let the White House have a six-hour taxpayer-funded infomercial on Obamacare,” Boehner said. “We need to show up. We need to crash the party.”

Someone needs to protect the will of the American people and I look forward to joining Republican leaders in doing just that Thursday at the White House.

Keeping in Contact with You

Please feel free to share this update with your friends and family. You can also keep up to date by visiting my Kline for Congress website. If you aren’t already, please become a Facebook “fan” and encourage your friends and family to do the same so they can stop by often and post comments on my Facebook wall.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please e-mail me or visit the Kline for Congress website.

Sincerely,

John Kline

This email was sent by john@klineforcongress.com
Kline for Congress | 101 W Burnsville Pkwy, Suite 104 | Burnsville | MN | 55337

John Kline’s Pork Report: One Anniversary I Would Like To Forget

One Anniversary I Would Like To Forget

Dear Friends,

This week marked the one-year anniversary of the President signing a pork-laden stimulus bill that clearly has failed to live up to the his promises of keeping unemployment below 8 percent and creating jobs “almost immediately.” One year later, the failures of the stimulus are abundantly clear – an $862 billion addition to our national debt and 4 million jobs lost.

Consider some of the pork included in the President’s “jobs” bill last year:

  • $390,000 in stimulus funds to conduct a study on the relationship between drinking malt liquor and using marijuana
  • $25,000 to the National Park Service to buy a ‘Bat Gate’
  • $1.3 million for archaeological surveys on man-made lakes in Connecticut
  • $4 million to build a bike trail to a Taco Bell
  • $3.4 million to be spent helping turtles cross the road

Rather than implement an ineffective and ill-conceived stimulus bill, I would have preferred an economic plan like the alternative proposed by me and my Republican colleagues – the Economic Recovery Act – that would have put real money in the hands of small businesses by allowing an across the board tax deduction to encourage investment and free up funds to hire new employees. It is our private sector – not our government – that will rescue us from this severe recession.

One year after the devastating so-called stimulus was signed into law, here are some numbers you need to know:

  • 3.5 MILLION: Jobs President Obama promised the stimulus would create by the end of 2010. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The Signing Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, Press Release, Denver, CO, 2/17/09)
  • 2.8 MILLION: Jobs lost since President Obama made that promise. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 2/16/10)
  • 6.3 MILLION: Jobs President Obama must now create to keep his promise by the end of 2010. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The Signing Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, Press Release, Denver, CO, 2/17/09; U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 2/16/10)
  • 1.1 MILLION: Jobs President Obama’s economists project will be created by the end of 2010. (David Jackson, “Obama Economic Report: Stagnant Job Growth This Year,” USA Today, 2/11/10)
  • 5.2 MILLION: Jobs by which President Obama’s economists’ projection leaves him short in keeping his promise. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, USA Today, 2/11/10)
  • 6 PERCENT: Not surprisingly, the number of Americans who say Obama’s stimulus created jobs.  (Stephanie Condon, “Poll: Economy Brings Down Obama’s Job Approval Rating,”CBS News’ “Political Hotsheet” Blog, 2/11/10)
  • 7.7 PERCENT: Unemployment rate when President Obama was selling his stimulus plan in January 2009. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 2/16/10)
  • 8 PERCENT: Unemployment rate President Obama pledged the Stimulus would prevent us from reaching. (Christina Romer and Jared Bernstein, “The Job Impact Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan,” 1/9/09)
  • 9.7 PERCENT: Current unemployment rate. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 2/16/10)
  • 16.5 PERCENT: Current unemployment rate when underemployed and discouraged workers are included. (Sara Murray, “Signs Of Hope As Jobless Rate Dips,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/6/10)
  • 334,000: Americans who have given up looking for a job since the stimulus was signed. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 2/16/10)
  • 47: States that have lost jobs since the stimulus was signed.  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 2/16/10)
  • 10: States that moved from single-digit to double-digit unemployment since the stimulus was signed.  (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 2/16/10)
  • $862 BILLION: Updated cost of stimulus – a $75 billion increase from last year’s cost estimate. (“The Budget And Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2010 To 2010,” Congressional Budget Office, 1/26/10; Douglas Elmendor, Director, Congressional Budget Office, Letter To Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 2/13/09)
  • 440: Number of nonexistent congressional districts that received stimulus funds. (Richard S. Dunham, “Site Lists Jobs In Imaginary Texas Districts,” Houston Chronicle, 11/18/09)
  • $6.4 BILLION: Amount of stimulus funds that went to nonexistent congressional districts. (Richard S. Dunham, “Site Lists Jobs In Imaginary Texas Districts,” Houston Chronicle, 11/18/09)
  • $18 MILLION: Cost Of stimulus website, Recovery.gov. (Rick Klein, “$18M Being Spent To Redesign Recovery.gov Web Site,” ABC News’ “The Note” Blog, 7/8/09)

Keeping In Contact With You

Please feel free to share these updates with your friends and family, so they, too, can stay informed about my work on their behalf in Washington. You can also keep up to date by reading the “Pig Tale Blog” section of the Stop the Pork website or posting a comment on my Facebook wall. If you aren’t already, please become a Facebook “supporter” and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please e-mail me or visit the Stop the Pork website.

Sincerely,

John Kline

Prepared and Paid for by Kline for Congress

This email was sent  by john@klineforcongress.com
Kline for Congress | 101 W Burnsville Pkwy, Suite 104 | Burnsville | MN | 55337

Kline`s Corner ALERT: Red Bulls Will Receive Overdue Pay March 15-19

February 16, 2010
Sec. of Defense Offers Final Answer:
Majority of Minnesota’s Red Bulls
to Receive Overdue Pay March 15-19

Dear Friends,

Earlier this afternoon, I welcomed news from the Office of the Secretary of Defense that long overdue bonus pay will be received by members of the Minnesota National Guard by March 19.

The announcement follows my questioning of Defense Secretary Robert Gates regarding when the 2,500 Minnesota soldiers whose deployments to Iraq were extended involuntarily would receive their long overdue bonus pay. I am pleased to see decisive action to rectify this unacceptable situation. Our brave men and women in uniform can finally have confidence that they will receive the benefits they have earned.

According to the announcement by OSD, the majority of soldiers still in service will receive their pay via electronic remittance on March 15-19. The majority of those who have already left the service will receive a check issued during the same period.

For two years I have joined my Minnesota Congressional delegation colleagues in bipartisan, bicameral efforts asking the Department of Defense to expedite bureaucratic delays. In October, the national defense bill was signed into law with a provision I supported to authorize funding for the Post Deployment & Mobilization Respite Allowance (PDMRA) benefits and fix the bureaucratic glitch. Earlier this month, I pressed Sec. Gates for answers regarding when the Red Bulls will receive their overdue pay, and today, he provided finality to this troubling issue.

I will continue to closely monitor this situation in the coming days and weeks until the paychecks are in our soldiers’ hands once and for all.

Best wishes,

John Kline
Member of Congress

Office Locations
Minnesota Office
101 West Burnsville Parkway #201
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone: (952) 808-1213
Fax: (952) 808-1261
Washington, D.C. Office
1210 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2271
Fax: (202) 225-2595

The Kline Line: Taking Responsibility For Our Destiny

Taking Responsibility For Our Destiny

Dear Friends,

The events of the past few weeks have created a palpable energy in Washington. In the wake of the Massachusetts election, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are beginning to sense a change on the horizon. As I continue to hear from my constituents on issues from health care to spending to energy taxes, the message from Waconia to Waterville is remarkably similar: Keep us safe, but keep your distance.

Despite the clarity of the message coming from the American people, however, the Democrat majority in Congress refuses to listen. Just one week ago Speaker Pelosi and her Democrat colleagues forced through the House a $1.9 trillion increase in the debt limit. I don’t know whether they are hard of hearing or completely out of touch with their constituents, but I haven’t heard anyone asking for the largest one-time increase in the debt limit in history.

As we saw in Massachusetts, that type of tone deaf leadership is a recipe for disaster. The American people will not tolerate being taken for granted. They are making their voices heard. The time is ripe for change, and I have an idea what sort of change that should be.

Unlike my Democrat counterparts, I have been listening to my constituents. At the heart of it all, they long for their government to get back to basics – to reclaim the promises of our founding fathers. To restore America to what it can – and should – be.
The federal government should not be in the car business. We should not be in the banking business. Above all, we should not be in the business of imposing our whims and desires on the men and women we were elected to represent.

Article I of the Constitution lays out exactly 18 powers given to the U.S. Congress – among them:

“… to coin money, declare war, regulate commerce with foreign nations, and establish post offices.”

Nowhere in the Constitution does it grant Congress the authority to meddle in the lives of Americans. Not once does it prescribe stepping between patients and their doctors. Never does it authorize denying small businesses and those who have worked hard to earn an honest living a devastating share of their earnings. Contrary to the views of the Democrats in Congress, no one knows better than you how your money should be spent.

This presumptive behavior simply isn’t right. It is time for the American people to reclaim the rights they have been guaranteed – the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

And how do you do that? You exercise your constitutional right to representation by voting, and the fundamentals of our democratic process began in Minnesota last week during Caucus Night. It continues in the coming weeks at local BPOU Conventions, then the 2nd District Convention March 20 in Red Wing, and the State Republican Convention April 29-May 1 in Minneapolis.

At the end of the day, we all must take responsibility for our own destiny – and the destiny of our great nation.

I am asking you to join me in this pursuit. I look forward to visiting with many of you at your BPOU Conventions in the coming weeks.

Keeping in Contact with You

Please feel free to share this update with your friends and family. You can also keep up to date by visiting my Kline for Congress website or posting comments on my Facebook wall. If you aren’t already, please become a Facebook “supporter” and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please e-mail me or visit the Kline for Congress website.

Sincerely,

John Kline

Prepared and Paid for by Kline for Congress

This email was sent by john@klineforcongress.com
Kline for Congress | 101 W Burnsville Pkwy, Suite 104 | Burnsville | MN | 55337

Kline`s Corner: Minnesota Red Bulls` Bonus Pay Long Overdue

February 11, 2010
Bonus Pay for Red Bulls
is Long Overdue

Dear Friends,

One year ago, more than 1,000 members of the Minnesota National Guard were deployed to Basra, Iraq, where the Guard’s 34th Infantry Division took command and control of 14,000 U.S. troops in nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces. Having served admirably in answering our nation’s call, they are now returning to the families, friends, and communities they left behind.

Among the many challenges returning soldiers face, some of Minnesota’s Red Bulls are waiting for thousands of dollars in “bonus pay” promised as long as three years ago. In January 2007, the Post-Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) program was implemented to offer extra pay and allowances to those military members whose service was involuntarily extended during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Because of unexplained administrative delays, more than 2,500 Minnesota soldiers – and nearly 23,000 National Guard members nationwide – have still not received a single PDMRA payment.

It is outrageous that any individual who bravely served our nation is forced to wait three years to receive their benefits. Last week, in a House Armed Services Committee hearing, I pressed Secretary Robert Gates regarding when Minnesota’s Red Bulls will receive their overdue pay bonuses. (Click here to view the video). While the Secretary didn’t provide a definitive answer, my office was assured by the Office of the Secretary of Defense that our soldiers can expect to receive their long overdue payments “in the next two months.”

I fully expect the Secretary to provide details in the coming days regarding precisely when our Minnesota troops can expect to receive the benefits they have earned. For more than two years, I have worked with Minnesota Congressional delegation colleagues to expedite delays. I will continue to pursue a resolution to this unjust treatment of our Red Bulls and will not rest until the paychecks are in our soldiers’ hands.

National Debt: $14,294,000,000,000!

Last month, the President spoke often of ‘fiscal responsibility’ – both during his State of the Union address and again in a meeting with House Republicans – yet last week, Speaker Pelosi passed the largest one-time increase in the debt limit in our nation’s history. Minnesotans are tired of the reckless, runaway spending that has become all too common for this Congress. I agree with the overwhelming majority of constituents who want to end the growth of this massive mountain of debt.

I joined bipartisan opposition to raising the debt limit to $14,294,000,000,000 ($14.3 trillion). The bill narrowly passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a 217-212 vote. The new debt limit increase of $1.9 trillion amounts to an increase of $6,157 per person and $16,214 per household – and a total debt burden of $46,319 per person or $121,982 per household.

It has been eight weeks since majority leadership in Congress last voted to increase the debt limit – raising it by $290 billion on Dec. 16, 2009. In that time, Speaker Pelosi and majority leadership have:

  • Passed seven resolutions congratulating sports figures or teams;
  • Passed 23 resolutions honoring individuals, entities, or causes;
  • Passed five bills naming post offices;
  • Authorized $50 million to construct a new National Park in the Virgin Islands; and
  • Passed ZERO bills to reduce spending or lower the deficit.

MinnPost: Kline leads effort to oppose raising debt ceiling

Town Hall Meeting Set for Feb. 19

Listening to the views and concerns of constituents in Minnesota’s Second District is fundamental to representing them. On Friday, Feb. 19, I will host a town hall meeting at the Faribault High School in Faribault.

If you are unable to attend next Friday but would like to share a question or concern, there are a variety of ways you can reach me. You can click here to sign up for a future telephone town hall meeting, call my district office at (952) 808-1213, or visit my virtual 24-hour online office at kline.house.gov

Honoring the Future Leaders
of the U.S. Armed Forces

One of the most rewarding responsibilities I have as a member of Congress is nominating the future leaders of the United States Armed Forces.

As a retired Marine Corps Colonel and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I believe these students are well qualified to represent Minnesota and serve our nation.

Earlier this month, I honored several residents from Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional district at a ceremony in my Burnsville office to recognize the young men and women I nominated to the U.S. Service Academies.

Students interested in applying for a 2011 nomination can receive more information online by clicking here, or by calling my district office at (952) 808-1213.

Encouraging Minnesota’s Student Artists

Each year, I invite high school students who live in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional district to participate in the Congressional “Artistic Discovery” competition, a nationwide art contest that provides Members of Congress an opportunity to showcase the talents of high school students in their districts and acknowledge our nation’s gifted young artists. I continue to be impressed with Minnesota’s young artists, and I look forward to proudly displaying the winning entry in the U.S. Capitol.

All artists who enter the competition receive certificates of participation and will have their entries publicly displayed in several locations around the district. Art entries must be received by April 16. For more information, please click here.

Tivo Alert: Tune In to KSTP-TV’s “At Issue”
at 10 a.m., Sunday

Tune in to KSTP-TV (Ch. 5) at 10 a.m. this Sunday. I will be visiting with KSTP-TV political reporter Tom Hauser to provide an update on the long overdue bonus pay for Minnesota’s “Red Bulls,” as well as discussing my continued opposition to a government takeover of health care.

Best wishes,

John Kline
Member of Congress

Office Locations
Minnesota Office
101 West Burnsville Parkway #201
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone: (952) 808-1213
Fax: (952) 808-1261
Washington, D.C. Office
1210 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2271
Fax: (202) 225-2595

John Kline’s Pork Report: Pelosi Writing Out Checks Our Country Can’t Cash

Pelosi Writing Out Checks Country Can’t Cash

Dear Friends,

During last week’s State of the Union address and again in a meeting with House Republicans, the President repeatedly used rhetoric conservatives could embrace – calling for “fiscal responsibility,” “spending freezes,” and “earmark reform.” While no one expected the President to make a complete 180-degree turn from the previous 12 months of failed economic policies, Americans were optimistic about this indication of fiscal responsibility from Washington.

Unfortunately, just days after the President’s call to rein in spending, he unveiled a new $3.8 trillion budget that once again spends too much, borrows too much, and taxes too much. The President’s budget plan more than doubles the debt, pushes the deficit to a new record of $1.6 trillion in FY 2010, and raises taxes by more than $2 trillion through 2020.

Adding insult to injury, yesterday, Congress wrapped up the week by passing the largest one-time increase in the debt limit in our nation’s history. I joined bipartisan opposition to this $1.9 trillion increase, which raised the debt limit to an unfathomable $14.3 trillion.

Americans continue to tell me they have had enough of Washington’s reckless addiction to wasteful spending. But that hasn’t stopped Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Congressional Democrats from saddling our children and grandchildren enormous debt.

Weekly Waste Watch: $7 Million in Stimulus Funds for a ‘Bridge to No Benefits’

Each week on my Stop the Pork web site, I highlight examples of government waste on the “Weekly Waste Watch” page. This week’s installment comes from Thedford, Neb., where $7 million in stimulus funds were spent on a “Bridge to No Benefits.”

The purpose of the bridge was to help 168 residents avoid a 30-second wait at a local train crossing. But according to Mike Hodges, a local business owner, crossing the bridge won’t even help residents avoid the current 30 second wait time — it will actually take longer to cross the new roundabout bridge. Will the bridge at least create jobs? Not for Thedford. Town Chairman Judy Taylor complained that the bridge contract was awarded to a Colorado company that is using their own workers. In fact, not one full-time job will be created through the construction of this $7 million bridge. CNN closed a  segment about this bridge by saying: “No economic benefit, no full time jobs, and a lot of taxpayer dollars used to cross the road.”

Keeping in Contact with You

I hope you are enjoying the Stop the Pork “Pork Reports.” Please feel free to share these updates with your friends and family, so they, too, can stay informed about my work on their behalf in Washington. You can also keep up to date by reading the “Pig Tale Blog” section of the Stop the Pork website or visiting my Facebook page. If you aren’t already, please become a Facebook “supporter” and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please e-mail me or visit the Stop the Pork website.

Sincerely,

John Kline

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Kline for Congress | 101 W Burnsville Pkwy, Suite 104 | Burnsville | MN | 55337

Power by Trail Blazer

THE INSIDE SCOOP Representative Pat Garofalo 2/1/2010

THE INSIDE SCOOP
Representative Pat Garofalo
2/1/2010

- SESSION STARTS ON THURSDAY

– RECORD BORROWING ANTICIPATED
- ATTEND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PRECINCT CAUCUSES
STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS BEFORE
I once saw a movie featuring Bill Murray called Groundhog’s Day.  The premise was that no matter what the main character did, every time he woke up he had to live through the previous day – Groundhog’s Day.  The plot of the movie was that he lived through this day hundreds and hundreds of times.  The upcoming legislative session kind of reminds me of that.  Once again, for what seems like the 5 billionth time – we will have a fight over how to balance the budget.  Some say raise taxes, some say cut spending, others want to do both.
My perspective – In the neighborhood I live in, there are/were 4 homes in foreclosure and 5 other families dealing with a lost job/reduced hours.  Families are spending less.  Same with small businesses.  I don’t understand why government should be any different.  I know these spending cuts will be difficult, but unlike the federal government Minnesota actually has to balance it’s budget.  Please let me know your thoughts on this….
EXPECT HIGHER INTEREST RATES…..
The Treasury Department released estimates on how much money they anticipate the federal government will need to borrow in the first 3 months of 2010 - a mind blowing $392 billion dollars.  This is obviously unsustainable and will lead to significantly higher interest rates at some point.  No surprise that the 30 year bond has gone up 170 basis points in the last year.  Here is a link to the story.
PARTICIPATE
Regardless of your political party, please be sure to attend your local precinct caucuses.  I’ve enclosed a link to help you find precinct locations for the Republican, DFL, Green, Independence, and Constitution Parties.
ABBY’S JOKE OF THE MONTH
Q – What happened when there was a fight at the Fish n Chips restaurant?
.
.
.
.
.
A - Two fish got battered. :-)
It is an honor to serve as your State Representative.  Please stay in touch.  Thanks!
Rep. Pat Garofalo
District 36B
221 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
(651) 296-1069
1-888-667-3337

Kline`s Corner Alert: President Should Listen to the American People

January 27, 2010
President, Congress Should
Listen to the American People

Dear Friends,

Throughout the Administration’s first year, Americans repeatedly have voiced their concerns about the dangerous path our federal government is taking. For months, Minnesotans have been telling me that they are concerned with skyrocketing debt caused by runaway spending. They are troubled over the President’s go-it-alone strategy – the consequences of which have been an ineffective non-stimulus package and a wildly unpopular plan to put the government in control of health care. As working families and small businesses have been forced to cut back and make tough choices to live within their means, the federal government has gone on a historic spending spree.

After listening to the President’s remarks tonight, I remain concerned by his inability to recognize that the private sector – not the federal government – should be creating jobs. Prior to taking office, the President promised he would go ‘line by line’ through the federal budget to identify and eliminate wasteful pork-barrel spending. Instead, he has proposed a 51 percent increase in federal spending over the next decade. While I welcome his call for a spending freeze, Congress should do more and pass strict budget caps that will limit federal spending each year. Unless we change course, the President’s economic policies will add more than $14 trillion to our national debt over the next 10 years.

As the senior Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, I agree with the President that we need to reform our federal education laws, and I am anxious to enact policies that empower parents, teachers, and communities to provide a quality education for all our nation’s students. While I welcome responsible investments in programs that improve educational opportunity, this Administration has demonstrated a troubling pattern of new federal mandates and intrusions in exchange for new education dollars. We don’t know how much money will go to special education and other existing, unmet needs – what we do know is that they’re putting more than $1 billion more into federal programs that haven’t been tested. With an eye toward educational innovation and flexibility, we must understand that the road to reform does not begin or end in Washington.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, a veteran of the Marine Corps, and a father whose son will soon return to the Middle East region for a third tour, I was pleased to hear the President reiterate his commitment to winning the war against Islamist Extremists despite his decisions to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and try terrorists in U.S. civilian courts. Al-Qaeda and its affiliated networks remain formidable enemies of our country and democracy worldwide – and we must treat them accordingly.

I look forward to receiving the President’s budget next week, and I encourage the Administration and Congressional Democrats to heed the calls of the American people and work toward commonsense solutions that will provide security and freedom for our country, grow the economy, and put Americans back to work.

Best wishes,

John Kline
Member of Congress

Office Locations
Minnesota Office
101 West Burnsville Parkway #201
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone: (952) 808-1213
Fax: (952) 808-1261
Washington, D.C. Office
1210 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2271
Fax: (202) 225-2595

the Kline Line: Americans Want Freedom – Plain and Simple

Americans Want Freedom – Plain and Simple

Dear Friends,

On Tuesday evening, Democrats across the country received a clear message from the overwhelming majority of Massachusetts voters who elected Republican Scott Brown to represent them in the U.S. Senate. Their vote was a clear repudiation of the reckless agenda of the President and Congressional Democrats. This is the same message I have been hearing loud and clear from Minnesotans who have been telling me for months that they do not want a government takeover of health care, and they are tired of closed door meetings and backroom deals like the “Louisiana Purchase” and the “Cornhusker Kickback.”

It’s unclear whether Democrats will heed their call, but Americans have grown weary of the borrowing, the spending, the bailouts, and the takeovers. They want affordable and accessible health care – not a government takeover that puts a bureaucrat in the room with you and your doctor. They want tax relief for working families and small businesses – not so-called stimulus bills based on failed tax-and-spend policies and fictitious congressional districts. They want energy independence – not a national energy tax.

They want freedom – plain and simple.

I recommend reading the following articles if you have not done so already:

‘Right to Life’ is Front and Center in Health Care Reform

Today marks the 37-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s historic failure to protect the right to life in America. Earlier today, thousands of Minnesotans marched in front of the State Capitol in St. Paul to send a message to public officials that a majority of Minnesotans believe that the right to life is a founding principle of this country.

This right– and our obligation to protect it – has been front and center in the Congressional debate surrounding health care reform. I was proud to support an amendment offered in the House of Representatives that would prohibit government funding for abortion. Unfortunately, it remains to be seen whether this protection will be included in the final version of health care legislation that will ultimately receive a vote in the House and Senate.

The debate on this bill is far from over. It is critical for every one of you to remain vigilant in your efforts to ensure your elected representatives know of your opposition to any health care provision that uses taxpayer dollars to fund abortions. With the 2010 elections on the horizon, continued protection for the right to life hangs in the balance. We must remain steadfast in our commitment and obligation to this most fundamental of all rights.

Join Our Facebook Efforts to Win Back America

Let’s ensure Tuesday night’s call by Massachusetts voters for less government and more transparency is heard across America! I challenge you to encourage 10 of your family members or friends to become “fans” of my Facebook page and join our efforts to win back America.

Sincerely,

John Kline


This email was sent by john@klineforcongress.com
Kline for Congress | 101 W Burnsville Pkwy, Suite 104 | Burnsville | MN | 55337

Kline`s Corner: Health Care Reform Should Take the American People Into Consideration

January 15, 2010
Health Care Reform Should
Take the American People
Into Consideration

Dear Friends,

When Congress set out to reform our health care system, Republicans were ready and willing to work in a bipartisan way to bring down costs, expand access to quality care, and preserve the relationship between patients and their doctors. I remain committed to those goals today, and I will continue fighting for these principles on your behalf.

Unfortunately, majority leadership in Congress and the White House have grown so infatuated with the notion of a ‘historic’ achievement they seem to have forgotten the importance of sound policy. Over the past two weeks, they have once again retreated behind closed doors to make deals and finalize a single version of their government takeover of health care. Now, according to news reports, Democrats face intense infighting between the House, the Senate, and special interest groups, leading Congressman Eric Cantor (Va.) to suggest: “This health care bill can be defeated.” Major issues still facing the Democrats include taxes, abortion, the inclusion of a government-run plan, and Medicare.

I support a solution that empowers doctors and patients by making health care more affordable, more accessible, and more accountable. Minnesotans deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing they have the health care their families need, when they need it. I remain committed to an open and transparent process that takes into consideration the positions of the American people, not simply majority leadership in Congress and their special interest allies.

Best wishes,

John Kline
Member of Congress

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