HARPER – Census Terminates Partnership With ACORN
Dear Friend,
I hope this eNewsletter finds you and your family well. I want to bring you up to date on a few issues and activities that are important to Mississippi and to our country as Congress dives back into session.
ACORN
On Monday, the Senate voted 83 – 7 to ban funds from the $122 billion Transportation-HUD appropriations bill from going to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). This vote occurred four short days after the U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves announced he would end the partnership with ACORN while conducting the 2010 Census. As a member of the Republican Census Task Force, I applaud House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) for his efforts in ensuring a fair and responsible census for every American citizen.
NOTE: The 2010 Decennial Census has far reaching implications. The results of the census will impact the drawing of district lines, apportionment of members to the House of Representatives, and the distribution of monies to state and local governments.
Additionally, I joined Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other lead Republicans in signing a letter to President Obama requesting he use his executive authority to terminate all federal funding to ACORN and its affiliates. As the letter stated, it is evident that ACORN is incapable of using federal funds in a manner that is consistent with the law. Immediate action is necessary to ensure that no additional tax dollars are directed to ACORN. Simply put, ACORN should not receive another penny of American taxpayers’ money.
HEALTH CARE
President Obama visited Capitol Hill last week where he addressed a joint session of Congress regarding the future of America’s health care. After his speech, I called on the President to go back to the drawing board and return with constructive solutions to making quality health care coverage available, affordable and accessible for every American, regardless of pre-existing health conditions.
Instead, the Pelosi-led Democrats in the House continue to insist that, “In order to pass a bill in the House, it must have a public option.” A government-run public insurance option is unsustainable, places unnecessary burdens on our small businesses and would saddle Mississippi with unfunded mandates in the form of substantially higher Medicaid costs.
This bill is bad for the State of Mississippi. The legislation creates an unfunded mandate for states by expanding the Medicaid program to all individuals earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. States are already having difficulty funding their current Medicaid programs. Governor Barbour has pointed out that this expansion would burden Mississippi with an average increase of $360 million in additional costs for the next 10 years to fund Mississippi’s annual state share of the Medicaid program.
Republicans continue to seek constructive, bipartisan solutions for improving health care in America. This is why I support efforts to reduce health care costs for small businesses and promote entrepreneurship such as H.R. 1470, the “Equity for Our Nation’s Self-Employed Act.” This bill would allow self-employed individuals to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums as a business expense from their taxes so they can reinvest and grow their businesses.
IN THE NEWS
Over the weekend, The Rankin Ledger featured the Horton family and their daily battles with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This genetic disease that affects the voluntary muscles used for crawling, walking, head and neck control, and swallowing, is the leading genetic killer of children under two. I urge you to read about their daughter, Evie, in the article below.
Family raising awareness for Spinal Muscular Atrophy disease
I am also including a feature that ran in both The Northeast Ledger and The Rankin Ledger, which highlights how important my family and my church are to me. I gain great strength from both and hope you will enjoy this article.
Fighting the good fight in Congress
Thanks again for your support. I am honored to represent you in Congress. If I can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to visit my website listed below or contact one of my offices.
God bless,
Gregg Harper
Member of Congress
