20070104 Congressman Bartlett Introduces 14 Bills at Start of 110th Congress

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett Introduces 14 Bills at Start of 110th Congress, Recognizes Historic First Woman Speaker

January 4, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the first day of the 110th Congress, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett said that, “America is the greatest country in the world and every first day of every new Congress we set a new world record.

We are blessed to have a federal government that is the world’s longest continuously operating constitutional republic.

2007 marks the 15th year that I will have the honor to serve more than 660,000 residents of the Sixth District of Maryland as their representative in the Congress.

I have introduced fourteen bills and I look forward to advancing them and three priority issues: ethical embryonic stem cell research, energy, and electro-magnetic pulse (EMP).

Marylanders should be very proud that Nancy Pelosi has become the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives in our nation’s history.”

Energy

Peak Oil Resolution - Reintroduction of H. Res 507 that expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States, in collaboration with other international allies, should establish an energy project with the magnitude, creativity, and sense of urgency that was incorporated in the ‘‘Man on the Moon’’ project address the inevitable challenges of ‘‘Peak Oil’’.

Energy Farm Bill – Reintroduction of H. R. 5925 to support federal research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities to enable the development of farms that are net producers of both food and energy.

Expanded Tax Credit for Hybrid Vehicles – Introduced a new bill to increase

from 60,000 to 250,000 the annual limit on vehicles, such as hybrids, eligible for the alternative motor vehicle tax credit.

Stem Cell Research

Congressman Bartlett’s bill H.R. 5526, the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act. Pluripotent stem cells are cells which can specialize into any bodily tissue, but cannot themselves develop into a human being. The Bartlett bill would accelerate federal research on pluripotent stem cells without harming human embryos. It was the most popular pluripotent stem cell bill -- supported by 100 Senators and 273 House members as well as the President during the 109th Congress. It did not become law because of parliamentary procedures. Under the Rules Package of the new Democratic leadership of the House, no debate and no vote will be permitted about any alternatives when the House votes next week on the reintroduction of H.R. 810, the Castle-DeGette stem cell bill.

Defense and Homeland Security

Improving National Capital Area Homeland Defense – Reintroduction of H.R. 44 to evaluate the definition of the National Capital Region used by the Department of Homeland Security to determine whether the definition should be modified to include additional jurisdictions in the States of Maryland and Virginia along Interstate Routes 270, 95, and 66.

Enhanced and Modernized GI Benefits - Reintroduction of H.R. 3625, the Bartlett Montgomery GI Bill, to encourage servicemembers to re-enlist, support military families and provide more realistic rates of educational costs for higher learning by permitting servicemembers to transfer unused GI education benefits to their spouses or children.

Immigration Reform

American Child Support Enforcement Immigration Act – Reintroduction of H.R. 5977 to deny family classification petitions for new spouses or dependents filed by an individual who owes child support.

Protecting the Health and Life of Pregnant Women and Children

Holly’s Law, the “RU-486 Suspension and Review Act Suspension of RU-486” – Reintroduction of H.R. 1079 to suspend FDA approval of the drug and send it back for review in light of its link to the deaths of five American women and serious injuries to more than 840. If a review finds that the FDA violated its own rules the suspension of RU-486 would be indefinite.

Tax Reform

Move Income Tax Filing Day - Reintroduction of H.R. 442 to move the deadline for filing federal income-tax returns, from April 15 to the first Monday in November —the day before Election Day to strengthen the link between the politicians we elect and the taxes we pay.

Campaign Reform

First Amendment Restoration Act – Reintroduction of H. R. 689, to restore Americans’ First Amendment rights by repealing a provision in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 which prohibits labor unions and corporations (including non-profits) from sponsoring non-PAC-funded broadcast advertisements that include any references to federal candidates during the 30 and 60 days before primary and general elections.

Political Convention Reform Act – Reintroduction of H.R. 45 to prohibit the use of taxpayers’ money for political party conventions.

Second Amendment Rights

Citizens' Self-Defense Act – Reintroduction of H. R. 47 to protect the right of law-abiding citizens to obtain firearms for security, and to use firearms in defense of themselves, family, or their home, and to provide for the enforcement of that right.

Honoring America’s History and Heritage

Washington-Lincoln Recognition Act – Reintroduction of H.R. 43 to direct all federal agencies to refer to the federal holiday on the third Monday in February by its legal name, George Washington's Birthday. The bill also calls on the president to issue a proclamation each year recognizing the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday falls on February 12.

National Trails Discovery Act – Reintroduction of H.R. 690 - to authorize an additional category of national trail known as a national discovery trail, to provide special requirements for the establishment and administration of national discovery trails, and to designate the cross-country American Discovery Trail as the first national discovery trail.

Drug Abuse

Powder-Crack Cocaine Penalty Equalization Act – Reintroduction of H.R. 1501 to equalize the penalties for powder cocaine and crack cocaine offenses.

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