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Eastern North Carolina update with Congressman Walter B. Jones
Story Date: 7/18/2013
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Source: U.S. Congressman Walter B. Jones (N.C.-3), 7/14/13
As we move further into July, I would like to update you on my work in Congress for the people of the Third District of North Carolina. I had the pleasure of spending Independence Day at the Naturalization and Granting of Citizenship Ceremony in Kinston, as I have done for the past nine years. These individuals have committed an incredible amount of time and effort to the naturalization process in order to achieve their goal of becoming American citizens, and they should be commended for doing it the right way.
Defending the Constitution
Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution makes it clear that Congress, and Congress alone, has the power to declare war. All too often, the executive branch has ignored this provision and implemented military force without authorization from the House and the Senate. We cannot continue to spend American money and risk American lives in this manner. To that end, I have introduced a resolution which prohibits the use of war power against Syria without a vote in Congress and states that the president’s decision to bypass congressional approval would constitute an impeachable offense. In addition, I have joined my colleagues in the House to introduce legislation to restrict funding for military involvement in Syria without the consent of Congress.
Protecting Privacy Rights
For too long, the federal government has violated the privacy of ordinary Americans under the guise of "national security." In the wake of recent scandals, I have taken action to protect the privacy rights of Eastern North Carolinians. Immediately following the reports that the National Security Agency accessed the phone records of tens of millions of Americans, I demanded details on the frequency, duration, and extent of these secret surveillance activities. I also cosponsored a bill that would reform the sections of the Patriot Act that have been misconstrued by the government to allow the collection of private information from citizens.
In light of these scandals, it is important to preempt further threats to privacy. That is why I introduced the We Are Watching You Act in response to several companies that have filed patent applications for new technology in digital video recorders (DVRs) that would collect information about consumers while they watch television in order to target advertising. If these products become available for sale, my legislation would require companies to notify the public that their actions are being recorded in their homes and mandate that consumers be given a choice between purchasing a product that has the ability to hear and see them and one that does not. Moving forward, please know that I will be closely monitoring this situation and other attempts to breach Americans’ privacy.
Cutting Wasteful Government Spending
Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have established a proven record of fighting to eliminate wasteful government spending. As such, I opposed the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, which failed to pass the House when it was brought to a vote in June. Despite being commonly known as the “farm” bill, this 1,200-page, $1 trillion legislation had little do with actual farms. Instead, roughly 80% of the spending in the bill would have been devoted to welfare programs like food stamps, which badly need reform. Moreover, it would cost taxpayers almost 56% more than the last “farm” bill, which Congress passed in 2008.
Representing ENC on the House Armed Services Committee
As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am grateful for the opportunity to advocate for the military installations located in the Third District. The month of June was a busy one, as the committee drafted the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The NDAA passed the House with a vote of 315 to 108 and included 10 proposals that I introduced.
The first of my amendments would allow military chaplains to close their prayers as they see fit, ensuring that they are not denied their constitutional right to religious freedom. This issue has long been one of my top priorities, and I was pleased to see it included in the NDAA. The second of my proposals would bring transparency to the cost of taxpayer-funded overseas travel by members of Congress. Currently, when a senator or representative takes an international trip using U.S. military aircraft, the Department of Defense is not required to disclose the cost. I believe that making this information public will allow the American people to hold their elected officials accountable for their expenditures.
The additional provisions that I introduced address health services for members of the armed forces, DoD expenditures, and American foreign policy.
News You Can Use
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Thank you for taking the time to read about some of my work for the Third District. For daily updates on these and other important issues, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter. To contact me or learn more about the services my office provides for Eastern North Carolinians, please visit my web site.
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