Veterans, Carbon Tax, Organ Harvesting, Printing, Shooting

On June 7, 2016, Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN, 1st) introduced the Ethical Patient Care for Veterans Act, legislation to require clinicians practicing at the VA to report directly to state licensing boards whenever they witness unacceptable behavior from other VA clinicians. Currently, it takes at least 100 days for the VA to decide whether or not a complaint of substandard health care practices reported to the VA should be referred to the state licensing board.

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The Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016, passed the House of Representatives on June 8, 2016. This legislation would extend the implementation deadlines for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) costly ozone standards. Studies by the EPA have shown ozone levels have dramatically declined since 1980.

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H.Res. 343, Expressing concern regarding persistent and credible reports of systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People's Republic of China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups – passed by voice vote, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Congressman Steve Russell’s (OK-5) amendment, also known as Federal Register Printing Savings Act, was adopted in the House by a voice vote, and was included in the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act which was passed Friday morning. Russell’s amendment curtails the printing and distribution of unnecessary copies of the Federal Register that is distributed to each Congressional and House Committee office daily. Since the Federal Register is available online, any office that needs the information can find it digitally; therefore, almost all of the printed copies are discarded. Of course, if a member of Congress, or other federal official, wishes to receive the printed copies of the Federal Register they may still register to do so. The annual savings of hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars could then be put to better use.

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About the Orlando Shooting: (for those who want to make the issue about guns) I think a gun that can shoot one bullet to kill one human being is just as dangerous in the wrong hands as one that can shoot 700 rounds. I also believe that if anyone takes away my right to own either is putting me into danger when face to face with a criminal who obtained his weapon illegally. Whether he got the weapon legal or not, not having the option of owning a gun with the same firepower diminishes my ability to defend myself.

And, if you think you are going to make such weapons disappear completely so they can't be obtained illegally, you are dreaming.