• Terry Town Halls
  • News
  • Sequestration

Terry Town Halls

Congress will be in a district work period during the month of August and during this time I will be hosting town hall meetings around the metro area. I hope you plan to attend one of these town halls because it is a great way to allow us to sit down and for you to communicate your concerns. I look forward to hearing from you and discussing the issues facing our country. My office is still working to confirm some of the venues for these town hall meetings so please keep in contact with my office for further details when they become available. I look forward to seeing you. Thursday, August 8Common Ground Community Center1701 Veterans Drive, Elkhorn7:00PM Saturday, August 10American Legion11690 S. 216th St, Gretna9:00 a.m.Thursday, August 22Sump Library222 North Jefferson Street, PapillionNoonThursday, August 29Lake Point Center2401 Lake Street, Omaha7 p.m.Wednesday, September 4Omaha South High School Auditorium4519 S 24th St Omaha NE 681077 p.m.

CONGRESSMEN TERRY, THOMPSON INTRODUCE LEGISLATION EXPANDING HIGH QUALITY HEALTH CARE ACCESS FOR MEDICARE PATIENTS

Aug 02, 2013

Bipartisan Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act Allows Physician Assistants to Serve Hospice Patients

WASHINGTON, D.C. Representatives Lee Terry (R-NE) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) today introduced bipartisan legislation access to high quality health care.  The bipartisan “Access to Medicare and Hospice Act,” allows for physician assistants to care for Medicare hospice patients.

“Patients who are entering hospice deserve to have the peace of mind that they’ll be able to depend on trusted health care they’ve previously received,” said Representative Terry. “Whether it be from the physician or a physician assistant, our legislation will ensure that Medicare patients will be able to depend on this same qual...

Terry Votes to Give Students Certainty When Financing Their Education

Jul 31, 2013

WASHINGTON - Representative Lee Terry today made the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act by a vote of 392-31:

“This legislation that was approved today by the House of Representatives ties student loans to the market rate while fixing the rate for the entire life of the loan. Next month, my oldest moves into his dorm at Lincoln, so I’m all too familiar with the rising cost of a higher education. Today’s vote takes the federal government out of the student loan business and provides certainty for millions of students pursuing their college degree.”

Legislative Background

On Thursday, May 23, 2013, the House passed H.R. 1911,&...

Rep. Terry’s Statement in Response to President Obama’s Claim that the Keystone XL Pipeline Won't Create Jobs

Jul 28, 2013

WASHINGTONRepresentative Lee Terry (R-NE), author of legislation in the House of Representatives that would approve the Keystone Pipeline, today made the following statement in reaction to President Obama’s interview with The New York Times in which the president downplayed the potential for the pipeline to create jobs:

“The president conveniently chooses to ignore the construction jobs from steel, fabricration, and the rest of the jobs that would be created by our nation of builders if he would just approve the Keystone Pipeline. He also conveniently chooses to ignore the March draft EIS from his own State Department that said Keystone could create upwards of 42,000 jobs.

“As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, ...

Terry Re-Introduces GAS Act

Jul 25, 2013

Bill Removes EPA Barriers Allowing Local Markets Flexibility During Market Shortages

WASHINGTON Representative Lee Terry (R-NE) today introduced H.R. 2823, the Gas Accessibility and Stabilization (GAS) Act of 2013 to reduce the severity of gas price spikes and allow localities the flexibility of using boutique fuels during a supply disruption. The legislation also directs a study on how best to simplify our complex gasoline system. 

Terry, re-introducing legislation from the last Congress, noted that when supplies are interrupted, it’s critical to restore fuel for consumers as fast as possible.

“We continue to operate in an environment ...

Terry Statement on Amash Amendment

Jul 25, 2013

I agree with the Heritage Foundation in this case that the Amash amendment is likely unconstitutional.  The amendment tells a federal FISA court Judge the specific language that must be used in court orders, a power reserved for the judicial branch under the Constitution.  I do not believe that Congress should dictate to a Federal Judge precisely what one must say in a court order.  As an attorney, I can attest that circumstances and evidence in each case is different and Congress dictating to the judicial branch what they must say in an individual case violates the separation of powers granted to the Federal government under the Constitution.

The appropriate response to the NSA's broad interpretation is to amend the PATRIOT Act, and I am worki...

Read More

Sequestration Page

Congressman Terry on Impact of Sequester on Department of Defense Civilian Personnel

February 20, 2013

 OMAHA, NE – Representative Lee Terry (R-NE) today made the following statement in response to the Pentagon’s announcement that 800,000 civilian personnel will be furloughed as part of sequestration:

 “Two years ago when the President proposed sequestration as part of a grand bargain; I supported it in good faith.  My assumption was this President was willing to work with Congress to reform out-of-control Washington spending and reduce our national debt. Unfortunately, the emphasis from the President has been on raising taxes rather than cutting spending.

 “Therefore, I've joined my colleague's, twice voting to end the sequester and put in place common sense reforms that will reduce our deficit and prevent these devastating cuts.

 “Today’s announcement by the Pentagon is disappointing.  It makes no sense for us to go through with the sequester when the Federal government by its own estimates has made over $115 billion in improper entitlement payments; is spending billions each year maintaining vacant government buildings; and, paying $1.2 million for seniors to play video games in the name of ‘research’.

 “Everyone knows we can’t continue to kick the can down the road. And these civilian personnel, some of whom are my constituents and work at Offut AFB, shouldn’t be used as political footballs.

 “When I held my first hearing last week as Chairman of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade subcommittee, I did so in cooperation with my colleagues across the aisle.  The result was a bipartisan tone that I hope will continue through this Congress.

 “There is time still left. The President can set a bipartisan tone and I urge him to come to the table rather than putting this crucial part of our national security on the menu."



 

 

3 Omissions from President Obama's Press Conference on His Sequester


1. The sequester was President Obama's idea.

  • President Obama and his team were the first to propose the sequester. Bob Woodward and Jay Carney both confirmed this over the past week.


2. Republicans passed two plans to replace the President's sequester, yet Senate Democrats have passed no replacement.

  • House Republicans took steps to replace President Obama's sequestration, passing bills on two separate occasions to replace the sequester with responsible spending cuts and reforms. The Democratic-controlled Senate did not consider either bill.
  • H.R. 5652, Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act
  • H.R. 6684, Spending Reduction Act of 2012


3. In 2013 the federal government will take in more revenue than ever before.

 


 

Gop Leaders Slam Obama sequester speech

By Jake Sherman

2/19/13 11:53 AM EST

Congressional Republican leaders slammed President Barack Obama’s sequester speech Tuesday with only two weeks to go until massive across-the-board spending cuts take effect.

House Speaker John Boehner asked what “spending is the president willing to cut” to keep first responders employed.

“Washington Democrats’ newfound concern about the president’s sequester is appreciated, but words alone won’t avert it,” Boehner said in a statement. “Replacing the president’s sequester will require a plan to cut spending that will put us on the path to a budget that is balanced in 10 years.”

And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Obama proved Tuesday that “more than three months after the November election, President Obama still prefers campaign events to common sense, bipartisan action.”

“Surely the president won’t cut funds to first responders when just last year Washington handed out an estimated $115 billion in payments to individuals who weren’t even eligible to receive them, or at a time when 11 different government agencies are funding 90 different green energy programs,” McConnell said in a statement. “That would be a terrible and entirely unnecessary choice by a president who claims to want bipartisan reform.”

Boehner’s office declined a POLITICO request to speak to the Ohio Republican. Congress is out of session this week as the sequester deadline looms.

Obama and House Republicans have diametrically different policy prescriptions for solving the automatic cuts that take hold March 1. Boehner wants the package to be solely spending cuts; Obama prefers a mix of cuts and new tax revenue from closing loopholes in the tax code.

“We should close loopholes and carve-outs in the tax code, but that revenue should be used to lower rates across the board,” Boehner said in a statement sent out by his office. “Tax reform is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to boost job creation in America. It should not be squandered to enable more Washington spending. Spending is the problem, spending must be the focus.”

To view online:
http://politi.co/XKPecm