Washington D.C. – Ways & Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX) issued the following statement today upon the announcement that the U.S. – Peru Trade Promotion Agreement will today enter into effect:  Ways & Means Committee Ranking Member Dave Camp (MI-4): “This is a crucial time for our nation, and opening up… Read more

Washington D.C. – Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Wally Herger (R-CA) issued the following statement today after Democrats’ released a summary of health care provisions in the proposed stimulus bill: “Chairman Rangel’s summary of the health care provisions included in the stimulus bill is, unfortunately, in line with the House Democrats’ theory that we can borrow and spend our way… Read more

  The head of the Senate Budget Committee said he doubts President-elect Barack Obama’s $825 billion economic stimulus package will create as many jobs as promised because it won’t do enough to unlock credit markets. Senator Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat, said his committee projects the plan will reduce the unemployment rate by “maybe” 1 percent, or about half of the 3 million… Read more

  Tomorrow House Democrats plan to bring a bill to the floor that will expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program. And just like last year the bill is full of missed opportunities and misplaced priorities. Before I get into the details on how this will raise your taxes I want to make two points perfectly clear: 1. SCHIP should cover poor kids first. The Democrat plan shifts the… Read more

A 2006 Joint Economic Committee (JEC) study found that death tax "liabilities depend on the skill of the estate planner, rather than on capacity to pay." So much for tax fairness. By contrast, "family-run firms and farms particularly feel the pinch of the estate tax, because they are less likely to have the liquid resources needed to meet their estate tax liabilities." The latest JEC estimate is that the death tax has reduced the stock of capital in the economy by about $847 billion. Read more

Democrats have decided to pay for their proposal for a massive SCHIP expansion, which dilutes the focus on poor children, with tens of billions of dollars in additional tobacco taxes.   Short of finding at least 22.4 million new smokers (the number required to adequately fund SCHIP) Democrats will be forced to either kick millions of children off of health insurance or raise… Read more

Ways & Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement today after the subcommittee assignments were announced for the 111th Congress: "I congratulate the new additions to each of the subcommittees, " said Camp.  "The 111th Congress will take on a long to-do list of issues facing our country and the Ways and Means Subcommittees will play a central role in… Read more

Washington, DC – Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement today congratulating the new Republican members of the Ways and Means Committee:  “Our new members bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to the Committee,” said Camp.  These characteristics will serve the Committee well as we work towards solutions to the… Read more

Washington D.C. – Ways & Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement today in response to a proposed Democrat plan to amend the rule on the motion to recommit: “Today’s rule change makes it easier to raise taxes and makes it harder to cut them.  With this ploy it is clear that Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have no intention of seriously debating… Read more

-Today, House Democrats will attempt to block a requirement that would force the House to debate proposals that would protect the solvency of the Medicare program, ensuring that it continues to provide life-saving health care to seniors for years to come.   -The Democratic Rules Package would irresponsibly ignore the financial crisis facing the Medicare program.  If this… Read more