August '08 Nevada Government—Shelley Berkley Column

Unhappy Anniversary:

The Republican Energy Bill, Three Years Later

Exactly three years ago House Republicans passed energy legislation they claimed would bring down the cost of gasoline and end our dependence on foreign oil. The result? Energy is more expensive than ever and gas prices have hit record highs. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel’s statement on the Republican energy bill is below:

“Three years ago, Republicans said their energy policy would bring energy prices down and move America towards energy independence. By any measure, their policy has failed. Unfortunately, the party that says they are for ‘all of the above’ keeps voting for more of the same.”

A chart outlining energy price increases since the GOP energy bill was passed and quotes from Republicans who said their energy plan would bring down energy prices and make America energy independent are below.

PRESIDENT BUSH: “I'm confident that one day Americans will look back on this bill as a vital step toward a more secure and more prosperous nation that is less dependent on foreign sources of energy.” [Bill Signing, 8/8/05]

MINORITY LEADER JOHN BOEHNER: In August 2005 Rep. John Boehner said the GOP Energy Bill would bring down prices writing, “So what is being done to bring

gas prices down? The Energy Policy Act of 2005 … is a balanced, bipartisan bill that will ultimately lower energy prices for consumers and spur our economy.”

[Addressing Our Energy Concerns, 8/19/05]

MINORITY WHIP ROY BLUNT: Touting the final GOP Energy Bill, Rep. Roy Blunt said, “Keeping the lights on should not be a partisan issue. Filling up a gas tank should not be a partisan issue. … I urge my colleagues to support this conference report. Vote for lower gas prices and increased energy independence for America.”

[Blunt Floor Statement, 7/27/05]

ENERGY AND COMMERCE RANKING MEMBER JOE BARTON: Barton called the GOP Energy Bill “one of the great legislative achievements of the decade.” Barton also said the GOP Energy Bill was “a balanced bill and will move America toward energy independence…Our goal in writing this legislation was, very simply, to both ease demand, increase supply and save consumers and businesses money spent on energy.” [Barton Statement, 7/29/05; Barton Statement, 8/8/05]

ENERGY AND COMMERCE MEMBER JOHN SHIMKUS: On the day that the GOP energy bill conference report passed the House of Representatives Rep. John Shimkus said, “…I do believe that it [the GOP Energy Bill] will help us become more independent of foreign oil, will expand our use of renewable fuels, and will make our electricity production and transmission more reliable. All of which will help slow price increases.” [Shimkus Press Release, 7/28/05]

New Law Will Aid Nevada Families

Caught in Mortgage Crunch

President Bush today signed legislation supported by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley that will help address the nation’s mortgage crisis. The new law will aid Nevadans facing the loss of their home, help prevent additional foreclosures, and deliver incentives designed to get empty homes off the market and into the hands of new owners.

“This new law will provide eligible Nevadans with the ability to refinance their loans and that will allow even more families to remain in their own homes. Las Vegas continues to feel the impact of the housing slowdown more than almost any other community and our State remains at the top of the foreclosure list, which makes this package even more important for Valley families,” said Berkley. “When a family loses their home, no one wins, and the goal of this new law is to prevent even more foreclosures from sweeping Nevada and the nation. As a result of our housing help package, more families will now be able to refinance their homes by tapping lower-cost mortgages that they can pay in full each month and which are insured by the U.S. government.”

The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act will allow families in danger of losing their homes to refinance their mortgages utilizing affordable government-insured loans. The package also provides up to $7,500 in tax credits for first-time homebuyers.

“The surge in foreclosures has led to huge inventories of unsold homes in Nevada and across the nation. Providing up to $7,500 in tax credits for first-time homebuyers creates a great incentive to get more families into properties that are currently sitting vacant,” said Berkley. “This will also help our cities, counties and other local governments by creating new revenue and by reducing the amount spent on dealing with abandoned homes and blighted properties.”

The new law also:

Expands homeownership opportunities for veterans and helps returning soldiers say in their homes and avoid foreclosure.

Provides additional standard deduction for real property taxes to help homeowners who claim the standard deduction by allowing them to claim an additional standard deduction of up to $500 ($1,000 for joint filers) for state and local real property taxes. This provision applies for tax year 2008;

Provides $11 billion increase in tax-exempt bond authority as well as a provision to enable cities and towns to more efficiently use tax-exempt bonds in the effort to develop affordable rental housing;

Allows cities and states to buy up and rehabilitate foreclosed properties that are currently driving down home prices, reducing state and local revenues, and destabilizing neighborhoods;

Creates a new fund to boost the nation’s stock of affordable rental housing in both rural and urban areas for low and very low-income individuals and families.

Setting The Record Straight On Bush

The Facts About The Bush/Gop ‘Drill Only’ Policy

· Nearly 80 percent of offshore oil is in areas that are already OPEN for exploration.

· In fact, 68 million acres, onshore and offshore, are already UNDER LEASE by oil companies, BUT NOT BEING DRILLED.

· Democrats have said “use it or lose it” to the oil companies: drill the oil or give up the lease to someone who will.

· And Democrats have called for mandatory leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska – which has MORE oil than the Arctic Wildlife Refuge.

· Democrats are working to bring down gas prices by taking crucial steps to curb excessive speculation in the energy futures markets.

· Democrats are also working to lower gas prices immediately through legislation to release a small portion of the government oil stockpile.

· So let’s be clear: Republicans are picking a POLITICAL fight, not a POLICY fight.

THE REALITY IS:

· Oil companies have BILLIONS of barrels of American oil available to them right now.

· And the President’s own Department of Energy says the impact of any new drilling will be insignificant – promising only pennies per gallon a decade or two down the road.

Berkley Backs More Funding To Serve

Needs Of Nevada Veterans

White House Threatens Veto over Increase

Needed to Care for America’s Troops

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley said she will vote to increase funding to care for Nevada veterans when the measure reaches the House floor. The White House is threatening to veto more funding for the VA, including additional resources to address PTSD and other metal health issues impacting troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The measure includes $48 billion in funding needed to serve the needs of veterans in Nevada and nationwide, a $3 billion increase over White House funding levels. The 2009 Military Construction and VA funding is expected to come before the house for a vote this evening.

“The VA is facing its biggest challenge in decades as America welcomes home our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and this additional funding will help make sure we can provide these men and women, and our older veterans, the top notch healthcare they deserve,” said Berkley. “Our bill increases funding for the VA by more than $3 billion over the President’s budget and I challenge those seeking to block this bill to explain to America’s veterans and their families why they oppose a measure that will enable us to better care for those who served our nation in the military. As a member of the Veterans” Affairs Committee, I have heard first hand from the VA about the need for more resources and today we are answering that call by increasing funding to expand healthcare, address mental health issues, modernize VA facilities, to aid homeless veterans and to supply state-of-the-art prosthetics to VA patients who have lost a limb or limbs,” said Berkley.

H.R. 6599 - The Military Construction and

Veterans Affairs FY09 Appropriations Bill

Total VA Funding: $47.7 billion ($2.9 billion over the President’s request) for veterans’ medical care, claims processors, and facility improvements.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse: $3.8 billion for specialty mental health care and $584 million for substance abuse programs.

Beneficiary Travel: $100 million above the President’s request to increase the beneficiary travel reimbursement rate from 28.5 cents per mile to 41.5 cents per mile.

Assistance for Homeless Vets: $130 million for the homeless grants and per diem program, rejecting the President’s $8 million cut and the same as 2008, including $32 million to hire additional personnel for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program.

New Generation Prosthetics: $1.6 billion, $250 million above 2008 and $116 million above the President’s request, to provide veterans with appropriate prosthetic support given recent advances in technology. An additional $500 million will go to research to help improve the quality of life for injured and aging veterans.

Construction/Maintenance: $1.9 billion, rejecting the President’s $788 million cut and $215 million above 2008, to fulfill the Department’s commitment to fund recommendations made by the Capitol Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES), which was established to look at facilities and determine their construction. Also includes $5 billion for on-going maintenance and renovations.