The country is $16.7 trillion in debt (and counting). Many pieces of legislation have gone unfinished including the annual spending bills that Congress has failed to pass for the last…
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance has been following the developments out of the IRS scandal for several months now, and everyday we are learning more about the abuse and mismanagement at the agency. Congress has also been paying close attention and they are also mindful of the concerns the American people have about the increasing power the agency is going to have under Obamacare. There has been a strong sentiment for stopping this IRS power grab before it can start and now Congress is taking action in this fight. Today, the House will vote on H.R. 2009, the Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act of 2013 by Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.). The bill would ensure that the IRS would be unable to participate in enforcement of any provision or amendment contained in Obamacare. This morning the Taxpayers Protection Alliance was joined by Americans for Tax Reform, Center for Individual Freedom, Independent Women’s Forum, Less Government, and National Taxpayers Union in a coalition letter sent to Congress expressing support for this legislation and urging it’s passage. Click "read more" below to read the full letter
Taxpayers want commonsense reforms on taxes and regulatory policy and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is always looking for good news and relief for taxpayers, consumers, and businesses. An excellent example is the recently introduced Wireless Tax Fairness Act (WTFA) in the House of Representatives by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Trent Franks (R-Ariz.). This bipartisan legislation is aimed at protecting consumers from targeted tax increases on wireless services giving them a respite from excessive state and local government taxes on cell phones and currently has more than 100 co-sponsors in Congress. WTFA wouldn’t require any states to give up revenue earned, but what the bill would do is place a moratorium for 5 years, where all stakeholders would work together to figure out exactly which path to take on wireless taxes that would be beneficial to all parties involved. The legislation also calls for the very same stakeholders to find a solution to address the already high tax rates burdening the wireless industry. Building upon our previous support, in an effort led by the National Taxpayers Union, TPA joined with Digital Liberty, Americans for Tax Reform, American Commitment, Americans for Prosperity, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, The Heartland Institute, Less Government, and R Street Institute in a coalition letter this week urging members of Congress to support the Wireless Tax Fairness Act. To read the full letter, click "read more" below
Taxpayers Protection Alliance has been well aware of the promises Candidate Obama made while on the campaign trail in 2008, and then again in 2012 as an incumbent fighting for reelection. The most frequent commitments made by President Obama and his administration were to fix the economy he “inherited” and yet here we are more than four years removed from the previous administration and all President Obama has to show for it is continued high unemployment, less people in the workforce, gas prices climbing, a national debt nearly doubled, and a public that clearly disapproves of the way he has handled the economy.Those of you who thought President Obama would be “focused like a laser” on the economic problems facing millions of Americans have been continuously fooled as this President has not only lacked a focus on the economic troubles many are dealing with, but has been implementing policies that have been a hindrance to the economic recovery. Many individuals have been patiently awaiting better economic times since President Obama said “give it to me,” in 2009 when referring to the fact that he was responsible for the economy. Whether it’s Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, ‘Sue and Settle’, delaying Keystone XL, or tax increases, there can be no denying that the economic recovery is being held hostage by the very regulatory nightmares this administration has designed, championed, and ultimately implemented throughout the course of the last four years. Though this may seem like doom and gloom, there is a silver lining. Last week President Obama vowed to get back to business and do what he felt was needed to get this economy back on the right track. What is this momentous economic solution to help get the recovery moving? The one thing President Obama actually can argue he is good at, giving a speech!
Taxpayers aren’t used to receiving good news. And, if you have been following the trials and tribulations of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) and the expensive and needless Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification system developed and run by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), you know it’s been a frustrating 7 months with unanswered Freedom of Information Act requests to the General Services Administration and LEED (read more on TPA’s LEED Watch). There is some good news because more action is coming from Congress to limit the unchecked growth of LEED. The good news comes from an unlikely source, the United States Senate. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) has introduced an amendment to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) appropriations bill, aka the THUD appropriations bill, that would prevent DOT and HUD from using LEED to certify the projects they fund.
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has been diligent in following activity in Congress dealing with internet taxation issues and there have multiple pieces of legislation that have caught our attention including the Marketplace Fairness Act in the Senate, which TPA opposes as it would dismantle proper limits on state tax collection authority while causing serious damage to electronic and interstate commerce. There is now good news on the fight against internet taxation as yesterday the Senate introduced a new bipartisan legislation in the Digital Goods & Services Tax Fairness Act of 2013, which would help protect consumers against a barrage of taxes levied on “digital goods and services on the Web, including downloads of TV shows, movies and apps as online purchases become more mobile.” The bill is authored by Senate Finance Committee members Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and this is not the first time the due has attempted to bring about this type of legislation back in 2011. TPA is pleased to see that they have decided to take similar action this year, especially after the Marketplace Fairness Act passed in the Senate.
Yesterday (July 24), the House of Representatives passed the 2014 Defense Appropriations Bill by a vote of 315-109 costing taxpayers nearly $600 billion. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) followed the process and watched very closely how the leadership would approach this legislation after going back on their word for an open-process of allowing for full amendment consideration on the recently passed Farm Bill. Advocates for a fair and full debate were granted a bigger victory in this case with a limited-rule that allowed for the consideration of 100 amendments. There were many amendments that TPA had expressed opposition to and many we urged member to support, including an amendment sponsored by Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), Jared Polis (D-Col.), and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) that “Ends authority for the blanket collection of records under the Patriot Act” which received the most attention of any amendment. TPA was proud to be a part of numerous bi-partisan coalitions commenting on both the process and the content of the bill. On Tuesday July 23, TPA released a list of amendments that we supported and didn't support. Taxpayers had some victories and some defeats. The most troubling defeats were those amendments flagged by TPA as potential earmarks. Click "read more" below to see a list of those amendments and how they fared in voting
As the House of Representatives continues debate on H.R. 2397, the 2014 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is providing members a detailed guide on specific amendments and how they affect taxpayers. TPA takes a clear stand on these proposed amendments and explains how each of them could have positive or negative results for the country. It is time for Congress to take steps to ensure that the Department of Defense is given the necessary tools to defend the country and not use this legislation to waste valuable resources. With 20 years of experience hunting and exposing earmarks, TPA President David Williams has flagged the below items with the label “Earmark Alert” as potential earmarks. TPA will continue to monitor these amendments as the spending bill makes its way through the House, Senate, and eventually conference committee. Click read more below for a list of the amendments and Taxpayers Protection Alliance stands
EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. (courtesy Wikimedia) The federal government seems to have quite a few tricks up their sleeve when it comes to spending and regulation. ‘Sue and settle’ is the latest tactic used by the federal government and environmental groups to increase the federal government’s regulatory power over the private sector. The way this tactic is employed is when a federal agency, like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and a like-minded group, like the Sierra Club, coordinate a lawsuit between each other where there is no aggrieved party. The court then quickly adopts a pre-arranged settlement. Not only does this undermine the adversarial litigation process, the settlements pave the way for new regulations that are favored by the environmental groups and the EPA. The deadline to execute the settlement is intentionally short term, which leaves those affected by the new regulation with little opportunity to react. The EPA then implements the new regulation on a rapid timetable and, if questioned, the agency defends its actions as “court-ordered.” Now it appears that several states have had enough, and have decided to take on the EPA and ‘sue and settle’ in court. Led by Oklahoma’s Attorney General (AG) Scott Pruitt, 12 state AG’s have filed suit against the EPA demanding the agency turn over documents that may prove to show the pattern of cooperation and collaboration with various environmental organizations that has been termed ‘sue and settle.’
Just when you thought you heard it all along comes the federal government to throw a curveball at you. In a story that is part comical, part frustrating, but 100 percent true; the US Department of Agriculture compelled a magician to come up with a disaster plan in case something occurs (i.e. hurricane). The plan the feds want is not for the magician though, they want it for his rabbit. Yes, HIS RABBIT: “My USDA rabbit license requirement has taken another ridiculous twist. I just received an 8 page letter from the USDA, telling me that by July 29 I need to have in place a written disaster plan, detailing all the steps I would take to help get my rabbit through a disaster, such as a tornado, fire, flood, etc. They not only want to know how I will protect my rabbit during a disaster, but also what I will do after the disaster, to make sure my rabbit gets cared for properly. I am not kidding–before the end of July I need to have this written rabbit disaster plan in place, or I am breaking the law.”
