Gallagher Introduces the Serve the People, Not the Swamp Act

Washington, D.C. - January 29, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI, 8th) introduced H.R. 765, the “Serve the People, Not the Swamp Act”, a collection of common-sense Congressional reforms he has supported since his first term in office. The bill would prevent Congress from going into recess without first adopting a balanced federal budget; establish a 5-year ban on lobbying for Members of Congress and high-ranking executive branch officials; and terminate taxpayer-funded pensions for Members of Congress. Click here to read the bill.

Gallagher released the following statement after introducing the bill:

“We need our representatives to get back to viewing their time in Congress as a deployment, not as a path to a cushy lobbying job with a special pension. Members of Congress shouldn’t be getting retirement deals funded by taxpayers, and we shouldn’t be leaving town for weeks at a time when we haven’t even completed Congress’s most basic task of passing a budget each year. These ideas haven’t made me popular in D.C., but I didn’t run for Congress to be popular. I ran to fix problems and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

REP. LIEU STATEMENT ON RESIGNATION OF HHS SECRETARY TOM PRICE

Washington, D.C. - October 2, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles County) issued the following statement on the resignation of Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price.

“It’s great that Price took responsibility for his reckless actions but this doesn’t change the Trump Administration’s culture of self-dealing. Tom Price was just one example of numerous department heads who were more concerned with their comfort than with serving the public. At a time when agency heads are slashing programs for sick people, veterans, children, and the elderly, these swamp flyers are sticking the American people with the bill for wasteful – and possibly illegal – travel in private jets around the country

If Trump were serious about draining the swamp, he would also fire Secretary Mnuchin and Administrator Pruitt, who have also taken luxury private travel on the taxpayer’s dime. I couldn’t believe I had to introduce a bill this week curbing private plane travel for senior political appointees. What a ridiculous state of affairs we’re in that we have to push to codify basic standards of ethics and good governance."