According to Recovery.gov, MN has 19 Congressional Districts

I love representing Minnesota’s Third Congressional District, but who knew there were so many more Congressional districts in Minnesota?  According to “Recovery.gov”, the Administration’s website that is supposed to highlight the positive impact of the misguided stimulus, Minnesota apparently has 11 more Congressional Districts they can be proud of today!  The website lists Minnesota’s 27^th, 9^th, 57^th, 12^th, 14^th, 22^nd, 11^th, 42^nd, 20^th, 13^th, and 00 (seriously, look below).

And if this wasn’t enough, look at how much they say the government has spent versus how many jobs created in the 3^rd District.  Regardless of the fact that the jobs “saved or created” measurement is virtually impossible to verify, even if these numbers are accurate the government would have spent $638,763 PER JOB in the 3^rd District alone. Not exactly the best return on investment.

The efforts to spin the stimulus as a positive piece of legislation have been underway for months, but this website is just another symbol of how the stimulus has been mismanaged and misrepresented, at the expense of almost a trillion dollars to taxpayers.
Below are the numbers listed for all of Minnesota’s “districts”.  You can also see the website for yourself HERE:

http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=stateSummaryAllCD&statecode=MN

FROM RECOVERY.GOV

State/Territory Summaries

Top Congressional Districts	Jobs	Amount
4th congressional district	10,812.6	$764,468,476
5th congressional district	458.4	$458,174,244
8th congressional district	828.7	$313,308,912
7th congressional district	1,056	$298,918,610
1st congressional district	460.2	$255,148,301
3rd congressional district	305	$194,822,857
2nd congressional district	156	$157,682,226
6th congressional district	187.5	$141,416,755
27th congressional district	2.5	$3,159,857
9th congressional district	0.8	$2,249,950
57th congressional district	35	$606,956
00 congressional district	0	$404,340
12th congressional district	0	$322,479
14th congressional district	6	$299,527
22nd congressional district	0	$222,012
11th congressional district	0.5	$87,116
42nd congressional district	0.3	$69,544
20th congressional district	0.2	$55,262
13th congressional district	5	$42,109

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Via Star Tribune: Paulsen aims to stop TARP program

It might have been one of the most audacious moves in Erik Paulsen’s first year in Congress: An amendment to pull the plug on the Bush-era Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the controversial $700 billion bailout of Wall Street financial firms.

But, alas, the Minnesota Republican’s effort died in the House Financial Services Committee Tuesday, the victim of a largely party-line vote of 37-30.

Paulsen’s proposal would have ensured that the TARP expires on December 31, as originally envisioned. Some remaining $200 billion in uncommitted funds would then be used to pay down the deficit.

While that’s already the plan, Democratic leaders oppose the idea of stripping authority from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who, with notification to Congress, can extend the program to October, 2010.

Paulsen’s effort to remove this trigger was offered as part of the Financial Stability Improvement Act of 2009, currently being marked up on the panel. Sensing anti-bailout sentiment across the land, a similar proposal has been made in the Senate by John Thune, R-S.D.

“Taxpayers are tired of the revolving door of bailouts and deficit spending in Washington,” said Paulsen, citing testimony by a special a special Inspector General overseeing the TARP funds that the program will “almost certainly” result in taxpayer losses.

“TARP funding is simply becoming walking-around money for the government, and today my colleagues missed an important opportunity to bring this program to a close.” Paulsen said.

A stand-alone bill may now be in the offing.

Paulsen Works to End Bailout Program by End of Year

Minnesota Congressman offers amendment in Financial Services Committee to end bailout spending, use remaining dollars to pay down federal debt

Washington, D.C. – During legislative markup in the House Financial Services Committee today, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) offered a proposal to end bailout spending through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) by the end of 2009 and use remaining funds to reduce the national debt. Paulsen’s proposal, offered as an amendment to the Financial Stability Improvement Act of 2009, was unfortunately rejected on close committee vote of 30-37.

“Taxpayers are tired of the revolving door of bailouts and deficit spending in Washington,” Paulsen said.  “The inspector general overseeing the TARP program recently said it will ‘almost certainly’ result in a loss for taxpayers, and yet it is likely the program will extend well into next year.  TARP funding is simply becoming walking-around money for the government, and today my colleagues missed an important opportunity to bring this program to a close.”

Under the legislation Congress approved in the fall of 2008, the Troubled Asset Relief Program is set to expire on December 31st of this year. However, the legislation also grants the Administration the right to extend the program until October of 2010, which can be triggered by the Secretary of the Treasury sending a notification letter to Congress.   Paulsen’s amendment would have removed the trigger for extending TARP, officially ending the program on December 31st, 2009, and committed the remaining TARP funds to reducing the national debt.

Paulsen also announced he intends to soon introduce stand-alone legislation in the House that will mirror this amendment.  Senator John Thune (R-SD) has offered a similar measure in the Senate.

For more information on Paulsen’s work in Congress, please visit www.paulsen.house.gov.
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The House Health Plan’s Negative Impact on Seniors:

One of my major concerns with the health care bill passed by the House Majority last week is the negative impact it would have on seniors. Supporters of this plan have attempted to suggest that the hundreds of billions in Medicare cuts contained in the bill somehow wouldn’t impact services, but simple common sense suggests otherwise. However, over this weekend, a new nonpartisan report confirms our fears about this bill’s effect on seniors.

As reported in the Washington Post, the reports states the bill “would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens and could jeopardize access to care for millions of others.”

You can read the recent Washington Post story on the report HERE.

 

Where are the jobs?

Today we reached a 26-year milestone no one can be proud of: a 10.2% national unemployment rate, the highest since 1983. More than one in ten Americans are currently without a job. The job market remains dismal and it is hitting Americans in a very personal way. Whether family, friend or colleague, we all know someone that is being affected by the continued upswing in unemployment.

The blame for this can be placed in many different places. However, I believe the misplaced priorities of a spending-happy Washington has exacerbated many of the problems. Rather than focusing on real policies to create jobs, Congress and the Administration has instead passed a misguided stimulus, a lavish federal budget, and is now proposing a 1,990 page health care bill that will actually tax businesses even more, instead of helping them grow. In short, the leadership in Washington is saddling Minnesotans and all Americans with more taxes, more government bureaucracy, and less opportunities for prosperity.

Since I entered Congress, I’ve heard over and over from Minnesotans that their number one priority is jobs. Congress’s focus must be putting people back to work. However, we can’t do this without changing our current path. We must stop levying burdensome taxes on our true job creators. We must put an end to the runaway spending and debt. And we must focus on putting an end to the continued government expansion that is harming job growth.

Minnesotans are working hard to keep their job and live within their means, despite this difficult times. Why shouldn’t Washington do the same?

Paulsen: Detainees shouldn’t get first wave of H1N1 vaccine

by Elizabeth Dunbar, Minnesota Public Radio
November 3, 2009

St. Paul, Minn. — A Minnesota congressman is concerned about reports that detainees at Guantanamo Bay will soon get the H1N1 flu vaccine.

Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen on Tuesday sent letters to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Secretary of the Army John McHugh, saying he opposes any plans to give detainees vaccinations while Minnesota and the rest of the nation waits for the vaccine to become more widely available.

The Associated Press reported this week that the vaccine will arrive this month at Guantanamo, despite complaints that American civilians should have priority. Several other members of Congress have expressed opposition to the plan.

Paulsen told officials in his letter about H1N1 hospitalizations that have occurred in Minnesota, and how Park Nicollet Health Services recently had to shut down a vaccine appointment line after being overwhelmed with callers.

“I certainly understand the underlying problem being an overall lack of vaccines nationwide, but I was extremely disappointed to learn that detainees currently being held at Guantanamo Bay will soon be offered H1N1 vaccination, while high-risk priority groups such as pregnant women and children in Minnesota and across the nation continue to wait for this vaccine,” Paulsen wrote.

Paulsen hopes to get a response from government and military officials.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/11/03/vaccine-detainees/

Star Tribune: Paulsen delivers a little light reading to local libraries

Pundits and politicians have been lifting the nearly 2,000 page Democratic health care reform proposal on television for days, but Rep. Erik Paulsen wants Minnesotans to see it for themselves.

The Republican congressman, whose district is just west of the Twin Cities, announced today that he will be distributing copies of the bill to local libraries so his constituents have a chance to read it before the House brings it to the floor. The bill will go to Southdale Library, Ridgedale Library and Brookdale Library.

Paulsen has previously supported legislation which would require legislation to be posted online 72 hours before a vote. He also posted links to the bill on his Web site.

“With the U.S. House of Representatives expected to debate the bill and possibly vote on it as early as this week, every member of Congress needs to carefully review this bill – and I want to ensure my constituents have the same opportunity,” Paulsen said in a statement.

Bring More Transparency to Congress

In November 2006, Speaker Pelosi pledged to lead the “most honest” and “most open” Congress in history.  Yet, in my first year alone, I’ve watched as Congressional Leadership rammed through thousand-page bills, amendments crafted in the dead of night and, now, closed door negotiations on a massive health care overhaul.

It’s just common sense: the American people, as well as members of Congress, should know what bills contain before votes take place.  Previous Congresses, including those led by both parties, have too often failed to live up to this standard.  Now is the time for Congress to change, and I’m committed to bring more sunlight and transparency to the entire legislative process.

In fact, just yesterday I took part in a press conference with other House freshman that called for greater transparency in the pieces of legislation that are coming before us for a vote.  As representatives fresh to Capitol Hill, we are determined to change business as usual as we continue through our first term.

Furthermore, earlier this year, I successfully passed a bill to bring previously nonexistent transparency to spending of bailout funds.  However, Congress must do much more.  Some examples of additional measures I am working to increase transparency are:

• READ THE BILL. Put all bills online for at least 72 hours before they come to a vote.
• BAN “PHANTOM AMENDMENTS.” Require committees to post bill text online within 24 hours of adoption.
• OPEN HEALTH CARE NEGOTIATIONS TO THE PUBLIC . Prevent secret deals behind closed doors and ensure a full and open debate.
• BRING SUNLIGHT TO THE RULES COMMITTEE. Allow cameras in the secretive Rules Committee, which decides which bills come to a vote.

 

From the Wall Street Journal: The Spending Rolls on

From the Wall Street Journal:  The Spending Rolls on

Despite the ever-increasing national debt, and the recent completion of the largest budget deficit in U.S. history, the Majority Leadership in the House seems intent on driving up government spending even further.   Check out an editorial in the Wall Street Journal today, which puts the current situation in clear context.

OCTOBER 26, 2009

The Spending Rolls On

The fiscal 2010 bills grow domestic programs by 12.1%.

The White House disclosed the other day that the fiscal 2009 budget deficit clocked in at $1.4 trillion, amid the usual promises to do something about it. Yet even as budget director Peter Orszag was speaking, House Democrats were moving on a dozen spending bills for fiscal 2010 that total 12.1% in more domestic discretionary increases.

Yes, 12.1%.

Remember, inflation is running close to zero, or 0.8%. The good news, if we can call it that, is that Senate Democrats only want to increase nondefense appropriations by 8% for 2010. Because these funding increases become part of the permanent baseline for future appropriations, the 2010 House budget bills would permanently raise annual outlays for discretionary programs by about $75 billion a year from now until, well, forever.

These spending hikes do not include the so-called mandatory spending programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which exploded by 9.8% and 24.7%, respectively, in the just-ended 2009 fiscal year. All of this largesse is also on top of the stimulus funding that agencies received in 2009. The budget for the Environmental Protection Agency rose 126%, the Department of Education budget 209% and energy programs 146%.

Read the full piece HERE:

Medical Device Tax Hearing

Yesterday, I held a field hearing in Plymouth to examine the impact of the proposed medical device tax.  During the hearing, I heard stories from five panelists who testified about the impact this tax would have on  Minnesota jobs, medical innovation and patients.  Minnesota’s medical device industry is an American success story –and a tax on the medical device industry is the last thing Minnesota’s economy needs.

This is a critical issue and yesterday’s hearing was the subject of several news stories, which are available below.

To see the television clips, CLICK HERE.

You can read about the hearing via the following links:

+  Star Tribune Story, Pleas to spare med-tech firms from federal tax

+ Minnesota Public Radio, Rep Paulsen says medical device tax a ‘wrongheaded approach’

+ Finance and Commerce, Medical device makers argue against fee in health care legislation