This week, the House passed H.R. 5485, the Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, legislation providing funding for the Treasury Department, the Judiciary, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Small Business Administration, and several other agencies.
The job of this bill is to prioritize funding for the programs and agencies we need to grow our economy and enforce our laws, while targeting programs with a proven track record of misconduct, like the IRS. This bill makes some of the most significant reforms to the agency’s out of control behavior – forcing it to streamline and focus on core duties.
Congress has an obligation to provide proper oversight when it comes to the management of taxpayer dollars, and as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, this is a responsibility I take very seriously. Every day, I’m asked, ‘Why don’t you do something?’ Well, this bill ‘does something’ by removing funding from executive agencies that have become political tools of the Administration.
Click here to learn more about specific provisions included in the bill.
Washington Visitors
Great Basin College President
I had the opportunity to meet with the President of Great Basin College, Mark Curtis, and his wife Margaret who were in Washington this week to see the Elko Basque dancers perform at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Thanks for Stopping by!
Washington Wrap-Up
Addressing Our Broken Mental Health System
Nearly 11 million Americans struggle from a serious mental illness. Thousands of these cases are right here in Nevada – which has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. Many of these events could be prevented if it weren’t for the patchwork of antiquated programs and ineffective policies that make up our nation’s healthcare system. This week, I took action by supporting H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. This bill resolves convoluted policies surrounding mental illness to ensure individuals and their families have immediate access to quality care before, during and after a crisis.
Click here to view a video from the bill’s sponsor and learn more.
Amodei join’s Bipartisan Working Group to Introduce Fiscal State of the Nation Bill
Today, I was an original cosponsor of an important bipartisan initiative - the Fiscal State of the Nation, H.Con.Res.140. With our national debt sitting at over $19 trillion and expected to triple within the next 10 years, Washington must start having a serious conversation about the best ways to rein in out of control spending in order to put our economy on a long-term path to prosperity. By annually educating lawmakers and Americans on the reality of our nation's debt crisis, this bill puts us one step closer to effectively tackling our fiscal challenges.
Click here to learn more.
Rural Update
Last week, I was in home in Nevada to hear from constituents. Below are some of the Nevadans I met with:
Latin American Chamber of Business
I attended the Latin American Chamber of Business breakfast in Reno to give an update on significant issues affecting Nevada’s Hispanic community. I make it a priority to meet with our Hispanic community on a quarterly basis. In order to make progress on these issues, it’s important for us to work closely together. Thank you to everyone who came out.
Elko City Council
In addition to speaking with the Latin American Chamber of Business, I also traveled to Elko to provide the City Council with a Washington update. Specifically, we discussed Second Amendment rights and due process, public lands issues, and action the House has recently taken to address the sage hen issue in Nevada.
Nevada Lands Council
I ended the week by joining the Nevada Lands Council to discuss the importance of having local communities decide for themselves the best uses for public lands as opposed to Washington-centric management by a federal agency. As a third generation Nevadan, I am committed to protecting America’s lands for future generations.
Serving Nevadans
My staff and I are dedicated to providing the people of Nevada with the highest level of representation and constituent service.
You may be interested to know that my rural representative, Martin Paris, works out of my Elko District Office on Railroad Street. As a life-long Nevadan, he understands the unique needs of our rural communities and is pleased to assist constituents in any way possible. If you ever need assistance with a federal, state or local agency, please do not hesitate to stop by my Elko office or phone Martin at: (775) 777-7705.
Opportunities for Students
Fall 2016 Internships
The application deadline has been extended to FRIDAY, JULY 15th for Fall 2016 internships in my Washington office. Candidates should possess an interest in the legislative process, strong communication skills and attention to detail. Responsibilities include: answering phones, leading tours of the U.S. Capitol, attending committee hearings and performing various other tasks based on skills and interests. A qualified applicant will possess excellent oral and written communications skills and a willingness to work on a variety of tasks. Nevada ties strongly preferred. Interested candidates should send their cover letter and resume to: nv.internship@gmail.com. Visit: http://amodei.house.gov/internships/ for additional information.
In Case You Missed It
Nevada Newsmakers
Recently, I joined Sam Shad on Nevada Newsmakers. Tune in to our discussion by clicking here or on the video above.
Looking Ahead
Next week, the House will consider the FY 2017 Interior Appropriations Bill, legislation that promotes the responsible use of our natural resources by providing critical funding to the programs we need to address current needs. Included in this bill are a number of provisions I introduced that offer meaningful solutions to the challenges facing the West. We will also take action on a number of measures to combat the threat of terrorism.
