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This is the year to go all out! I need your support!

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:34:37 GMT

Dear Friends,

The 2012 election will be remembered as the most pivotal election of the 21^stCentury, and I am writing today to ask for your help in my re-election campaign. I have two Democrat opponents so far, and I sincerely hope you will help me win this election decisively. You can contribute through my website, www.CulbersonForCongress.com, up to $2,500 for the primary and up to $2,500 for the general election. You can contribute in one installment or in several, and by using a credit card. Maximum donors are automatically enrolled in my Advisory Board and are invited to join me at small lunches held regularly so we can update each other on our work. My next Advisory Board lunch for 2012 is scheduled for Monday, February 13, and I hope you will join us.

We have always heard that the next election will be the most important, but this year it is absolutely true. If Barack Obama is re-elected, especially if we lose control of the House, he will
succeed in bankrupting our great nation by converting us into a European-style social welfare state. He and his party followers will also dismantle our magnificent military so thoroughly that America will be reduced to second class status worldwide.

I do not believe President Obama is incompetent or that he doesn't understand free markets. All the damage that he and his party followers are doing to our great nation and to our economy is deliberate. Obama's goal is to create a permanent majority in America that will live on handouts and will therefore always vote Democrat. This is why Democrats obsessively expand the welfare state, oppose voter I.D., and support amnesty and universal unionization with automatic union dues deduction - 99% of the political contributions from those automatically deducted union dues go to Democrats. This is why they want more debt, and why they wanted the trillion dollar stimulus - most of which went to hire more unionized government workers. The Democrat’s goal is permanent political power which requires loyal, dependable voters, and they are on the brink of success.

We just passed the point where less than half the country pays taxes, and more than half the country either works for the government or gets a check from the government, the national debt exceeds the total economic output of the nation, and the total unfunded liabilities of the national debt and all government payout programs combined exceeds the value of the United States of America, if the entire nation could be sold at once, lock, stock and barrel, at full current market value. Democrats have succeeded in pushing America to the precipice of bankruptcy.

This election will decide if We the People are able to turn this around, and put us back on track to a balanced budget and a limited government where a majority of Americans prosper free of government support. Above all, Constitutional conservatives like me are committed to the restoration of the America we grew up in - the America we know and love.

My hero Thomas Jefferson believed that "to preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude." He also said repeatedly that "it is incumbent on every generation to
pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one half the wars in the world." It is absolutely essential that Republicans defeat Barack Obama and that we win back the Senate and hold onto the House. If we win this election, principled Constitutional conservatives will drive the agenda in Congress, and the White House will work with us, not against us. I am absolutely confident of this. The urgency of our financial problems, the clear common sense of our solutions and the strength of the Tea Party principles that are driving this election will make the leadership of Constitutional conservatives in the next Congress irresistible.

You know my passion for the restoration of the 10th Amendment, individual liberty, and my commitment to balancing the budget, ultimately with a Constitutional amendment. As a chairman of an Appropriations subcommittee, I will have a direct role in turning around federal spending, and moving us in the right direction. You can count on me to keep my word to represent you as a free market Constitutional conservative who is totally committed to the restoration of the American Republic by restoring the 10th Amendment's guarantee of State sovereignty and individual liberty.

But I need your help. I hope you will support my re-election with a financial contribution. I also hope you will help this fall by attending or co-hosting a neighborhood coffee or co-signing a letter to your neighbors to turn out and vote. We need to do everything in our power to ensure the defeat of Barack Obama and the election of a Republican Congress.

This is the year to go all out! Thank you for the friendship and support you have given me and my fellow Republicans in the past, and I am looking forward to working with you to win a sweeping across the board victory in 2012.

Sincerely yours,

John Culberson

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30-Jan-12 5:34 PM

Rep. John Culberson's Response to the State of the Union Address

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) issued the following response to President Obama’s State of the Union address:

"I am pleased that President Obama’s State of the Union speech spent less time than usual attacking Republicans. Unfortunately, his speech was filled with statements that will play well on the campaign trail, but it contained little substantive policy. The proposals we did hear confirm that he will continue to try to transform the America we know and love into a European style social welfare state where a majority of Americans are dependent on the federal government for a paycheck or a handout.

"In light of the President's policies and his recent rejection of the Keystone Pipeline, it is not believable for him to tell us he is committed to “[a] future where we're in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren't so tied to unstable parts of the world [and] an economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.” For the last three years, the President has made it more difficult for America to produce our own energy, and he is determined to raise taxes on Americans who work hard and are the most successful.

"Like so many Americans who want to see the size of the federal government reduced, I also found it absurd to hear this president claim he believes in Lincoln’s motto that “government should only do for the people what they cannot do for themselves, and no more.” It is the height of hubris for him to promote tax cuts and deficit reduction, and to claim that he is committed to eliminating government waste and cutting regulations. President Obama has created more debt and bigger deficits than any president in history, and he has aggressively grown the government, expanded its power, extended regulations into virtually every corner of our lives, and driven federal spending to the highest level since World War II.

"Despite the praise he properly bestowed on our men and women in uniform, Obama and his party followers are aggressively working to dismantle and dramatically weaken the greatest military the world has ever known. At the same time, their policies embolden our enemies and strengthen Israel’s enemies yet they undermine Israel's national security as well as our own. He has also abruptly abandoned all our sacrifices in Iraq and left that fragile democracy alone to face their fanatical enemies in Iran.

"Around the world, America’s enemies, especially communist China, Iran and other radical states in the Middle East, are growing stronger and becoming bolder, while President Obama dismantles our military and apologizes to the world for our strength and our pre-eminence. It is appalling that he even tried to apologize to the Japanese for President Harry Truman’s necessary decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even the Japanese government understood that apology would have been a disaster and stopped it.

"His speech last night was utterly unconnected to the reality of everything he has done and is trying to do. His State of the Union was pure political theatre designed to trick us into thinking that he shares the values and goals of most Americans. He and his party followers hope they can fool us just long enough to win this next election.

"I prefer to follow Thomas Jefferson's advice, "Follow the core principles of the Constitution and the knot will always untie itself." We can balance the budget and restore our liberty and prosperity by unleashing American ingenuity and hard work with massive tax cuts matched by spending cuts but above all by restoring the Constitution's limits on the federal government, especially the 10th Amendment's guarantee of State sovereignty and individual liberty.

“My strenuous opposition to President Obama has nothing to do with my political party – I am devoted to his defeat in 2012 because he is systematically weakening and dismantling America into a bankrupt, weak social welfare state.

“I am absolutely committed to the restoration of American liberty as the Founders intended – and the only way to restore our rapidly disappearing liberty is to dismantle the federal government by restoring the Constitution, especially the 10th Amendment’s guarantee of individual liberty and State sovereignty. The only hope to achieve these vital goals is to defeat President Obama’s agenda in Congress and to defeat him at the ballot box this November."

25-Jan-12 10:00 AM

Culberson Statement on US Supreme Court's Rejection of Court Drawn Maps

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:00 GMT

It is gratifying to see that the Supreme Court unanimously nullified the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas' redistricting maps and ordered them to start over. Even the most liberal members of the Supreme Court agreed that the District Court had gone too far in drawing their own legislative and congressional maps for the entire State of Texas when there was no evidence that the entire State had been redrawn in an illegal and discriminatory way.

The Supreme Court's opinion today built an important electric fence around activist judges to deter them from redistricting from the bench except in those narrow and specific instances when plaintiffs have proven that a particular district has been drawn in a discriminatory way. Time and again appellate courts have reminded activist lower courts that their role is strictly limited to curing specific violations that must first be proven, and this is an especially important guiding principle in redistricting cases.

All Americans will benefit from this historic decision today because it will help ensure that legislative and congressional districts are designed by the people's elected representatives first and foremost, while the courts exist to protect the rights of anyone who can prove discrimination. This is the way it should be.

20-Jan-12 12:00 PM

Governor Perry need volunteers for Iowa!

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:23:07 GMT

Governor Perry is rounding up volunteers for Iowa...

The Perry campaign needs folks to help January 2nd and 3rd, but volunteers are welcome as early as December 30th.

For more information, please contact: strikeforce@rickperry.org

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21-Dec-11 5:23 PM

Rep. John Culberson: "This is not complicated"

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:00:00 GMT

Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) issued the following statement on the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act:

“This is not complicated. The House bill keeps everyone’s payroll taxes stable for one year. The Senate bill allows everyone’s taxes to go up in two months.

“The House bill requires people who get an unemployment check to prove they are looking for work or completing a GED or college degree. The Senate took this out.

“The House bill allows states to require you to submit to a drug test to receive unemployment benefits. The Senate took this out.

“The House bill permits business owners to immediately expense 100 percent of new investments, dollar-for-dollar, in the current year tax return. The Senate took this out.

“The House bill protects American industrial boiler manufacturers from being shut down by unachievable Obama EPA restrictions. The Senate took this out.

“The House bill stops welfare recipients from using their Lone Star-type cards at ATM machines in casinos, strip clubs and liquor stores. The Senate took this out.

“The House bill cuts off unemployment and food stamps payments to millionaires. The Senate took this out.

“The House bill requires people to produce a Social Security number before receiving a refundable child tax credit. The Senate took this out.

“The House bill protects doctors from a 27 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement payments for two years. The Senate only protects them for two months.

“These are dramatic and important differences that are unacceptable under any common sense standard. I agree with Speaker Boehner that we should always do the right thing for the right reason. The House bill is the right thing for the right reason.

“We must follow the rules everyone learned in Civics 101. When there is a difference in the bills in the House and the Senate, we go to Conference to work them out as soon as possible. I am ready to do just that and I am prepared to stay for as long as it takes to make sure that no one’s taxes go up; and we preserve as many of the House-passed common sense provisions as possible.”

Click hereto watch Congressman Culberson’s speech on the House floor.

20-Dec-11 5:00 PM

Rep. John Culberson Continues Metro Funding Oversight

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:45:00 GMT

My principal goal since Metro first proposed their transit solution plan in 2003 is to protect the taxpayers from an unrealistic expansion plan that would bankrupt Houston Metro and leave the taxpayers responsible for bailing them out.

I was very pleased to learn that FTA shares my concerns and that approval of the federal grants announced today was based on a scaled back expansion plan that includes only the locally funded Harrisburg line (East End), and the two federally funded lines (the Southeast and North lines). I am pleased that the FTA recognized the financial challenges in building the entire Metro Solutions Plan.

I will continue to do what is best for the taxpayer and ensure Metro is not ‘buying more house than the taxpayers can afford.’”

In an ongoing effort to ensure that Houston Metro complies with federal regulations and guidelines, Congressman Culberson recently met with the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) to review their grant application criteria and Metro’s most recent application for $900M in Full Federal Grant Agreement (FFGA). The FTA stated that in their analysis of the entire Metro Solutions Plan that Metro would be “financially challenged” if they attempt to construct the entire plan and do not remove out-year projects from their long-term expansion plans. The current grant application was based only on the expansion of the Southeast Line and North Line.

Additionally, Metro Chairman George Greanias stated in a letter confirming that the FTA’s decision to award the FFGA was based on a scenario that assumed “no University and no Uptown line, and ridership generated only by the current Main Street, North, Southeast and East End Lines.

30-Nov-11 3:45 PM

Houston Business Journal: Keystone XL pipeline would put job-hungry Americans back to work

John Culberson - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:00:00 GMT

Right now, more than 13 million Americans are unemployed, and our country is in desperate need of job creation and economic development. If President Obama is serious about putting Americans back to work, he would look no further than our domestic energy sector. As Houston has proven, advancements in American energy production can create jobs and decrease our dependence on foreign nations for energy resources.

Private sector energy companies want to put Americans to work, but economists and analysts alike have blamed uncertainty as one of the biggest hindrances to our recovery. Since February 2009, the Obama Administration has systematically derailed the energy industry by delaying or cancelling many proposed energy projects, and cancelled 77 energy land leases in Utah, citing the need for additional review. According to the American Petroleum Institute, these leases had already completed all necessary requirements.

Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office noted the administration has failed to issue 91 percent of leases on federal land in a timely manner. These are jobs being left on the table.

Another reason for private sector uncertainty is the threat of onerous regulations that will cripple the energy industry. Take, for instance, the Eagle Ford Shale development in South Texas. A small town job fair recently held in Beeville attracted more than 2,000 employment-hungry Americans to fill more than 1,000 jobs being offered by the oil and gas industry. President Obama’s call for new, burdensome regulations will delay the hiring of these professionals, and put those already hired at risk of being furloughed, or worse, let go outright.

The administration seems to think these regulations will only affect the top-line profit for energy companies. They do not take into account the total amount of jobs that are generated by this industry. Every worker, from drivers to equipment manufacturers, risks losing employment once these restrictions create an eventual slowdown in production. This is not the way to generate an economic recovery.

Recently, debate in Washington has focused on the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline to increase the flow of Canadian crude oil to Texas refineries. This pipeline would be incredibly beneficial to both our nation and Texas. In addition to bringing 50,000 jobs to our state, it would create 120,000 jobs nationwide, and drive $2 billion into the Texas economy.

Most important, this project will be built without using a single cent of taxpayer dollars. The U.S. State Department has also concluded this would be one of the safest pipelines ever assembled under current statutes, but as the Environmental Protection Agency speaks out against the project’s approval, more and more American jobs are lost every day.

The facts can no longer be ignored. We should allow private industry to invest their own money to create jobs without the federal government watching its every move. Mr. President, approve the Keystone XL Pipeline now, and stop destroying the domestic energy industry through over-regulation. Let’s get Americans back to work.

28-Oct-11 3:00 PM

Rep. Culberson’s Statement on the Houston National Cemetery Settlement Agreement

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:00:00 GMT

I am glad the lawsuit is over and grateful that Judge Lynn Hughes has ordered the VA to stop interfering with our veterans’ funerals. It is deeply disappointing that it took a lawsuit to force the VA to do the right thing. I plan to change the law to ensure that the federal government cannot interfere with our veterans’ funerals, and I will also work to have Arlene Ocasio removed. Under her direction, the cemetery chapel was closed and used for storage, and she has repeatedly prevented prayers from being said over the graves of our veterans.

21-Oct-11 3:00 PM

John Culberson praises settlement in Houston cemetery religious-censorship case

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:00:00 GMT

Houston Rep. John Culberson praised a settlement finalized Wednesday in a case involving accusations of religious censorship at Houston National Cemetery.

Veterans and volunteer groups had accused cemetery officials and the Department of Veterans Affairs of banning them from using religious terms such as “God” and “Jesus” during services there.

Under the settlement the VA agreed “not to ban, regulate or otherwise interfere with prayers, recitations, or words of religious expression absent family objection.” The VA also agreed to let veterans’ families hold services with whatever religious or secular content they would like.

“Far too many of our military veterans have been laid to rest without a final prayer spoken over their graves because of some misguided policies that were blindly enforced,” Culberson, a Republican who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, said in a statement today. “This practice has finally come to an end.”

Also under the agreement, local members of Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4 and Houston National Memorial Ladies will resign as official VA volunteers. As private citizens, they can then provide their own texts of recitations to funeral homes, and veterans’ families can then decide if they want the groups to provide any services at the cemetery.

Read the full list of agreement terms here.

The parties reached the agreement last month through mediation with former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Phillips. U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes consented on Wednesday.

The VA has said it was never department policy to ban those words and that they are commonly invoked at VA cemeteries across the country.

21-Oct-11 3:00 PM

Congressman Culberson’s Statement on the Passage of the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Today, House Republicans took another step to protect the American labor force. The passage of the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act will shield the cement industry from one of many onerous government regulations the Obama Administration has proposed.

Unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have created another burdensome rule that will hinder private sector job growth. The EPA’s Cement MACT rule would apply a national emissions standard that is currently unattainable because the technology does not exist. Not one cement factory in the United States can reach this impossibly high standard. If this rule is implemented, approximately 20 plants will inevitably close their doors, up to 1,500 American jobs will be eliminated, and the industry will be forced to send more jobs overseas. Furthermore, the rule alone will cost $2.2 billion to implement, an expense our country simply cannot afford during these dire economic times.

Wiping out the cement industry is counterproductive, and this legislation attempts to prevent damaging over regulation to get America back on track. If we return to our constitutional ideals and cut taxes, reduce spending, and stop over regulation, we will unleash American entrepreneurship to create jobs and spur economic growth.

7-Oct-11 8:00 AM

Job Search Resources

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Nearly every day, I hear from a constituent struggling to make ends meet in this difficult economy. Some of the people I hear from are small business owners dealing with unnecessary and costly government regulations, others are individuals out of work after being laid off, and some are recent college graduates having trouble finding a job.

As your representative, I have worked to keep tax rates low and limit the size of government so businesses can grow and create jobs. With over 153 million people in our nation’s labor force, we are a productive and hard-working country struggling through a turbulent economy.

Recently, we received more disappointing economic news. In a recent report, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office presented a dreary economic forecast warning of “profound budgetary and economic challenges” ahead. According to the report, our national unemployment rate, which is currently at 9.1 percent, isn’t expected to drop below 8 percent until 2014.

In an effort to help those of you who are looking for work, I have pulled together some resources that list a number of job vacancies in our area.

·USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site, is a database of available federal government positions.

·Public Affairs Links, will allow you to subscribe to a email publication of government job listings.

Additional listings are available on my website.

For all who are looking for work, I hope you find these resources useful. Please know that I will continue working to cut taxes and spending dramatically, and unleash America’s entrepreneurial spirit.

10-Sep-11 8:00 AM

Culberson Luncheon Sept 16th!

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:58:50 GMT

You are cordially invited to a luncheon honoring

Congressman John Culberson
Seventh District of Texas

Friday, September 16^th12:00 p.m.

La Griglia
2002 West Gray

RSVPJennifer Naedler

281.304.0093, fax 281.304.0269, or Jennifer@CulbersonForCongress.com

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__$2,500* __$1,000 __$500

__I cannot attend but will help re-elect John with a contribution $__________

*Contributions of $2,500 include Advisory Board membership

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Checks may be made payable to “Culberson for Congress”

Contributions may also be made online www.CulbersonForCongress.com

Culberson for Congress, P.O. Box 41964, Houston, Texas 77241

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2-Sep-11 11:58 AM

NOW is the time for a Balanced Budget Amendment

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 22:00:00 GMT

American families and businesses have to balance their checkbooks each year. Why shouldn’t the federal government be required to do the same?

Sixteen years ago, the House of Representatives passed a Balanced Budget Amendment with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, it fell one vote short in the Senate. Today, we have the historic opportunity to revive debate on the most basic solution to our deficit crisis - the Balanced Budget Amendment.

It’s time for Washington to stop spending money it simply doesn’t have. The idea of balancing a budget is not an “unproven economic theory.” Currently, 49 states abide by some type of a balanced budget amendment. If state governments can force themselves to live within their means, the federal government can too. A constitutional amendment to balance the budget every fiscal year would legally force (not simply “advise” or “recommend”) Congress to spend no more than it takes in.

A Balanced Budget Amendment would incorporate three fundamental principles:

(1) amend the Constitution to require that total spending for any fiscal year not exceed total receipts;

(2) require that bills to raise revenues pass each House of Congress by a 2/3 majority; and

(3) establish an annual spending cap so that total federal spending could not exceed 18% of the economic output of the United States.

Businesses across the country have criticized the government for crippling their ability to grow and create jobs. Over-regulating, over-taxing, and over-spending are shattering business and consumer confidence in our fragile economy. By forcing a vote on the Balanced Budget Amendment by the end of this year, Republicans are showing that we’ve heard the call from families and businesses that “enough is enough.”

I have been a proud cosponsor of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution every session since I was sworn into office in 2001. As a free market, constitutional conservative, I’m convinced that a Balanced Budget Amendment is only way to get our country back on the right fiscal track. We must stop the tide of spending to save our children and grandchildren from drowning in the ocean of debt that Washington has created.

19-Aug-11 5:00 PM

Culberson BBQ Birthday Bash - Aug 27th!

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:36:40 GMT

TO CONTRIBUTE ONLINE CLICK HERE!

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17-Aug-11 4:36 PM

Culberson endorses Perry for President!

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:10:05 GMT

“I have known Rick Perry since 1987 when we served in the Texas House together. I’ve always admired him as a dedicated conservative and for his devotion to his family and his faith. His principled leadership has carried Texas through one of our nation’s worst economic downturns because Texans agreed with him that low taxes, less regulation, and less litigation would unleash entrepreneurship and create jobs.

“I’m confident he’ll win the nomination and the election because he’s been a successful leader and Texas has a great story to tell.”

- Congressman John Culberson

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16-Aug-11 10:10 AM

Averting a Default

John Culberson - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:00:00 GMT

Last night, I reluctantly supported the debt ceiling compromise for several important reasons. First, America will run out of money in early August, putting us at risk of a default. The ratings agencies have threatened to downgrade our AAA credit rating, which would drive up interest rates, shrink our GDP, and collapse our economy. For every 1% increase in interest rates, we lose a trillion dollars worth of spending cuts we enact.

There is a particularly well researched explanation of the debt ceiling problem at www.bipartisanpolicy.org. Click on the debt limit analysis, and pay particular attention to the Bloomberg.gov debt bubble link.

Recognizing the very real threat of default and downgrade, we had to find a way to avoid this disaster while preserving our core principles. Constitutional conservatives only control one half of one third of the government, and the federal government has been hardwired for decades to spend ever increasing amounts of our tax dollars, so we were facing very long odds in the fight to control spending.

Despite these daunting obstacles, Speaker John Boehner managed to forge a solution that preserved our core principles.

First, this agreement prohibits any new tax increases. Second, it enacts enforceable spending caps for the next decade that will restrain future spending. It cuts more than one dollar of spending for each dollar the debt limit is increased, with spending cuts totaling $2.1 trillion over 10 years. Finally, this legislation guarantees a vote on the Balanced Budget Amendment by requiring each chamber of Congress to vote on the amendment before the end of the year.

I have co-authored the Balanced Budget Amendment every year since 2001, and I am an original cosponsor of the Cut, Cap and Balance Act. I am fiercely committed to balancing Washington’s checkbook the same way that most states and American families do.

You can always count on me to do the right thing for the right reasons and to approach every vote as a free market, constitutional conservative. While Speaker Boehner was accurate in saying this plan is far from perfect, he deserves credit for the extraordinary job he did negotiating the largest possible package of cuts that could pass the Democrat Senate and the White House.

We have much more work ahead of us to balance the budget and improve our economy. We need to get the federal government out of our way and let Americans save, invest, and create jobs. Texas is proof that tax cuts, deregulation, and tort reform are the best ways to create jobs and grow the economy. I am committed to these goals, but it will take a conservative majority in the Senate and a conservative in the White House to work alongside our conservative majority in the House.

This battle was the first in a much longer fight to restore the constitutional limits on the federal government and eliminate the roadblocks to job growth created by decades of unrestrained spending, taxation, and overregulation. Today’s agreement moves America in the right direction, and you can count on me doing my part to keep us moving in the right direction.

2-Aug-11 10:00 PM

Debt Ceiling Update

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:00:00 GMT

As Congress continues to navigate this urgent and complicated debt crisis, you can count on me to do the right thing for the right reasons and to approach every vote as a free market, constitutional conservative. I have cosponsored a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution every session since 2001, and I am an original cosponsor of the Cut, Cap and Balance plan that puts America on track for a balanced budget. I will continue to strenuously oppose any tax increases, while pushing hard for massive spending cuts and enforceable spending caps.

My hero, Thomas Jefferson, once said, "Though you cannot see when you take one step what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear their leading you out of the labyrinth - the knot which you thought a Gordian one will un-tie itself before you." Applying those basic principles will help avert a default, and ensure the deepest possible spending cuts and the strongest possible spending caps.

I also want to stress that none of the proposed plans will affect Medicare, Social Security, or Medicaid for anyone age 55 or older.

However, it would be tragically shortsighted not to reform these entitlement programs since they are unsustainable on their current path.

The gravity of a default is not lost on me, or our leadership. A 1% increase in interest rates will instantly wipe out the spending cuts while inflicting untold damage on our economy and our standing as the global financial leader and holder of the world's reserve currency.

Unfortunately we fiscal conservatives are temporarily outnumbered in Washington, and we will have to reach some sort of agreement to avoid the catastrophe of default. Since the Democrat led Senate and the White House oppose both the Balanced Budget Amendment and the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan we passed out of the House, Speaker John Boehner’s latest plan appears our best option to avoid a default.

Speaker Boehner’s plan contains no tax increases and achieves 80% of the spending cuts set out in Congressman Paul Ryan’s conservative Roadmap budget plan adopted this spring. The Boehner plan also contains nearly $1.2 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years. Speaker Boehner believes this is the largest cut we can hope to pass through the Democrat controlled Senate, and his plan also ensures that we will get a series of votes on different versions of the Balanced Budget Amendment, which gives us the best chance of sending it on to the States for ratification. The plan would require another vote on raising the debt limit in six months, providing another opportunity to achieve even larger spending cuts. I believe this plan is the best short term solution and it is absolutely imperative that we adopt it.

I am determined to leave America more free and more prosperous for our children and grandchildren just as our parents and granparents did for us. I know the right thing to do is to cut spending and cut taxes but that is simply not possible with the current president and the current Senate, and we face a default deadline that must be met.

I am confident America will not default on its debt, but I cannot yet say which path we will take to get there. You should rest assured that I will stay true to my core principles as a Jeffersonian, free market constitutional conservative, and as he said, I am confident “the Gordian knot will untie itself.”

Thank you for entrusting me to represent you in the United States Congress.

27-Jul-11 5:00 PM

BANNING GOD AT VA CEMETERY MAY LEAD TO CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:00:00 GMT

Are hearings before Congress the best way to get to the truth?

HOUSTON - The case of Arleen Ocasio, the director of the Houston National Cemetery, who is accused of banning the use of the words “God Bless,” “God” and “Jesus Christ” from services at the VA run cemetery has sparked a national outrage among Christians and champions of free speech. Now one Texas lawmaker plans to hold Congressional hearings on the issue.

Representative John Culberson (R-TX 7^th), whose district covers a good portion of Northwest and West Houston, is calling for a congressional investigation of the Houston National Cemetery after going undercover himself to see if cemetery officials are still preventing Christian prayer at the funerals of military veterans.

Culberson told Fox News Radio, “The Obama administration continues to try to prevent the word ‘God’ from being used at the funerals of our heroes. It’s unacceptable and I’m going to put a stop to it as fast as humanly possible.”

Culberson said he attended a burial service at the Houston National Cemetery in July and personally witnessed volunteer members of the honor guard from the Veterans of Foreign Wars being prohibited from using any references to God.

“The Obama administration had told the nation and me they were not interfering with the prayer said over the graves of veterans. And I went undercover to personally verify that claim.”

The Obama Administration and VA officials have vehemently denied that religious speech has been banned and have also offered their full support for Chicago native Arleen Ocasio.

Fox News reports:

“The idea that invoking the name of God or Jesus is banned at VA national cemeteries is blatantly false,” said VA Press Secretary Josh Taylor in a written statement to Fox News Radio. “The truth is, VA’s policy protects veterans’ families’ rights to pray however they choose at our national cemeteries.”

John Culberson oversees the Congressional sub-committee responsible for funding the cemetery and has called for Ocasio to be fired. Several lawsuits are pending against Ocasio and the cemetery.

Those lawsuits have been filed by the VFW, an American Legion post and a volunteer group called Houston’s National Memorial Ladies, all of whom say the VA banned members of their organizations from using the words “God” or “Jesus” at burial services.

The lawsuits also claim that Ocasio demanded all planned funeral services be submitted to her in writing, in advance for approval.

“It makes my skin crawl that liberals are attempting to drive prayer out of a funeral ceremony for our heroes. We’re going to fix this so that no Obama liberal bureaucrat will interfere with the funeral of a hero,” Culberson told Fox News Radio.

The controversy first came to light during a Memorial Day event when Houston Pastor Scott Rainey was prevented from using the name of Jesus in a prayer. Rainey eventually won his fight, and did conduct the Memorial Day service citing Jesus Christ in his text.

Culberson has said that he hopes to begin Congressional hearings on the matter in the fall.

As a Christian, and as a conservative, I fully share Rep. Culberson’s outrage at Ocasio. I am equally outraged at the possibility of any attempt to ban “Jesus” coming down from on-high as a mandate from the he VA or the Obama administration. However, before we go the route of spending taxpayer money to hold Congressional hearings, I would like to see how the lawsuits pan out.

I think this is one of those situations where public opinion and the decision in, and potential cash award from, a civil lawsuit could be far more effective than Congressional hearings.

I don’t in any way doubt Rep. Culberson’s motives in wanting to hold hearings. I just think this is the type of incident that could be more effectively dealt with in the court system. I also think public opinion, especially if translated into votes, could be far more effective and much less costly to taxpayers than Congressional hearings.

Many times Congressional hearings result in obfuscation by those testifying before Congress, and at times don’t seem to bear any real fruit. See Congress’ investigation into steroid use in Major League Baseball as an example.

Let the civil lawsuits do the heavy lifting and reveal the truth.

If Ocasio acted alone, then that should be revealed in court. If this is policy from the VA, or the Obama administration, then that should be revealed as well.

We need to ask if this is a policy from the VA, then why have no other complaints surfaced from other National Cemeteries? Again, the prospect of a civil lawsuit and a potential “pay day” would almost surely bring other complaints to light, if any existed, whereas not many people are lining up to voluntarily testify before Congress.

Lacking any similar complaints from other VA cemeteries, one ought to assume that this is not systemic within the VA and therefore Congressional hearings would be costly overkill.

It seems far more logical that Ocasio was acting alone either out of some misguided attempt at fostering tolerance through an act of intolerance as bureaucrats are wont to do, or that Ocasio simply has a personal agenda against Christianity.

At this point it does not appear that Ocasio, or the VA, or anyone else at the Houston National Cemetery has outlawed the names “Allah” or “Yahweh.” There have been no complaints from anyone of any other faith. Perhaps that’s because the majority of those buried in the Houston National Cemetery under Ocasio’s tenure have been Christian.

Again, a civil case will ferret out the facts. If Muslims, or Jews, or adherents to any other faith have been buried without incident, we must conclude that this case is one of specifically targeting Christians, and then the same questions remain:

Did Ocasio act alone?

Is this VA policy?

Barring more complaints from other National Cemeteries, it would seem almost certain that what has happened in Houston has been the work of one person.

Regardless of how this plays out, either through the courts or Congressional hearings, I agree wholeheartedly with Rep. Culberson’s outrage and desire to get to the truth, and agree with him and many, many others who think Ocasio needs to be fired.

27-Jul-11 4:00 PM

Texas Lawmaker Calls for Congressional Probe Into Ban of Christian Prayers at Military Funerals

Jennifer Naedler - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:00:00 GMT

A Texas lawmaker is calling for a congressional investigation of the Houston National Cemetery after he went undercover and determined that cemetery officials are still preventing Christian prayers at the funerals of military veterans.

“The Obama administration continues to try to prevent the word ‘God’ from being used at the funerals of our heroes,” said. Rep. John Culberson (R-TX

“The Obama administration had told the nation and me they were not interfering with the prayer said over the graves of veterans,” he said. “And I went undercover to personally verify that claim.” VA officials have strongly denied they’ve banned any religious speech – and have offered support for Arleen Ocasio, the cemetery’s director.

Taylor declined to comment on the pending lawsuit or other ongoing legal proceedings, but did say, “No one should make judgments before all the facts are known.” Culberson said the commander of the honor guard was told by cemetery officials to approach a grieving widow to reconfirm that she wanted the word God mentioned at her husband’s graveside service.

“He quite correctly said as a Texan and a man of honor and integrity, ‘I’m not bothering that poor woman at this most terrible time of her life. We’re going to do the ritual,’” Culberson said. “Right in front of me, the VA directly and deliberately attempted to prevent the VFW from doing their magnificent, spiritual ritual over the grave of this fallen hero."

The cemetery is already the focus of a lawsuit filed on behalf of the VFW, an American Legion post and Houston’s National Memorial Ladies. They claim the VA banned members of the organizations from using the words “God” or “Jesus” at burial services.

They also allege they were banned from reciting prayers or using religious language during services unless families approved the text in advance. Culberson, who oversees the sub-committee responsible for funding the cemetery, said that he wants the cemetery director fired – and he’s willing to do whatever possible to make sure that happens.

“The cemetery director has to leave,” he said. “I will zero out her salary. If she attempts to work for the VA anywhere in the state of Texas her salary will be zero.”

“It makes my skin crawl that liberals are attempting to drive prayer out of a funeral ceremony for our heroes,” Culberson said. “We’re going to fix this so that no Obama liberal bureaucrat will interfere with the funeral of a hero.”

But Taylor said the rules set in place at the cemetery are meant to protect the grieving families.

“Put simply, VA policy puts the wishes of the veteran’s family above all else on the day it matters most – the day they pay their final respects to their loved ones,” Taylor said. "Out of respect for the families, VA’s policy exists to prevent anyone from disrespecting or interfering with a veteran’s private committal service.”

Controversy first surfaced nationally at the cemetery during a Memorial Day event when a Houston pastor was ordered by the VA to remove the name of Jesus from his prayer.

Culberson said he hopes to hold hearings on the cemetery in the fall.

“They will bury 10 to 20 American heroes today and the Obama administration is preventing prayers from being said over their gravesites – today, ” Culberson said.

27-Jul-11 4:00 PM

It's Time to Cut, Cap and Balance

John Culberson - noemail@culbersonforcongress.com — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Earlier today, the House of Representatives passed the Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011. Passing this bill shows our commitment to getting America back on the right fiscal track.

As an original cosponsor of the Cut, Cap and Balance Act, I believe this legislation provides a common sense solution to our nation’s debt crisis. It adopts a three-step-program consisting of immediate and significant spending cuts, capping spending for the next 10 years, and adopting a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to force the federal government to live within its means. The bill requires these three steps to be taken before we can even consider raising the debt ceiling.

Since 2009, the national debt has increased by $3.7 trillion, which is greater than the total amount of debt the U.S. accumulated from 1776 to 1992. With our national unemployment rate above nine percent and government spending increasing at a staggering 28 percent over the past three years, it is beyond debate that Washington’s profligate spending is ruining our nation’s economy.

While we cannot allow our debts to go unpaid, we must also send a strong signal to the markets, our creditors, and to other nations that we are serious about restoring fiscal order. The Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 sends the unequivocal signal that we will take the necessary steps to prevent fiscal collapse and preserve American greatness for future generations.

Please visit the Republican Study Committee’s website hereif you have any further questions about this legislation.

20-Jul-11 10:00 AM