Kelly's corner

News from Senator Ayotte's Office


Dear Friends,

With the Senate in session this weekend, I write from Washington to share a quick update on the latest from Capitol Hill.

As you know, debate continues here regarding the nation's debt ceiling. With Tuesday's deadline just days away, members of the Senate and House are working to find a solution that can pass both houses of Congress and be sent to the president.

I thought it was unfortunate that Senate Democrats blocked consideration of the only two serious proposals - which had been passed by the House - to avoid default. We need to enact significant spending cuts and budget reforms to end business as usual in Washington, and prevent default and a downgrading of America's credit rating. I still firmly believe that this difficult moment provides an opportunity to place ourselves on a path to a balanced budget to preserve our country. We can no longer afford to kick the can down the road if we want to protect our economic future.

Last night, I appreciated the chance to discuss the debt ceiling debate on Sean Hannity's show. Click here to watch.

While America's fiscal crisis has been the main focus of attention in Washington this week, read on for additional news from my office.




Senator Ayotte: Pentagon Spending Must Be Scrutinized to Find Savings That Won't Undercut Readiness

During an Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee hearing this week, Senator Ayotte underscored the need to find savings within the Department of Defense (DoD) budget by identifying wasteful and duplicative spending at the Pentagon. The Senator, who serves as the panel's Ranking Member, noted that DoD is one of the few agencies in the entire federal government that cannot pass an independent audit of its finances; she expressed concern that DoD needs more reliable data and financial management processes necessary to fully evaluate areas of potential savings.

In her opening remarks during the hearing, Senator Ayotte emphasized the importance of obtaining reliable financial data to ensure that proposed spending reductions do not undercut warfighters or endanger military readiness.

"With our nation facing a serious fiscal crisis, we must closely scrutinize spending at every federal agency, including the Pentagon. DoD must be auditable to ensure that we're responsible stewards of taxpayer money," said Senator Ayotte. "However, as we reduce defense spending, it's critical to ensure that reductions don't undercut America's warfighters or compromise our military readiness. To distinguish between necessary defense budget cuts and reductions that would harm our troops and threaten readiness, we need reliable financial data and effective business processes and systems."


Senators Ayotte, Brown Renew Call for Stronger Contracting Oversight in Wake of Alarming Reports

Senator Ayotte and Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) on Monday renewed their call for strengthening oversight of U.S. funds for reconstruction projects in Afghanistan, following two recent reports that found U.S. taxpayer money had been indirectly funneled to corrupt powerbrokers and insurgents, including the Taliban.

Senators Brown and Ayotte introduced the "No Contracting With the Enemy Act" in February, aiming to make it easier for U.S. contracting officials to void contracts with contractors who funnel taxpayer resources to enemies of the United States, such as the Taliban. At a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee in March, General David Petraeus highlighted the urgency of legislation that would achieve the goals of the Brown-Ayotte bill, testifying that it was needed "the sooner the better."

"These reports highlight troubling shortcomings that must be addressed," said Senators Brown and Ayotte in a joint statement. "Our military in Afghanistan has taken steps to develop better oversight of contracting, but more must be done. With better oversight and with the authorities provided by our provisions, DOD contracting officials will be able to more effectively ensure our money does not end up in the hands of those attacking our troops. The Senate should move quickly to address this issue and pass our provisions that are critical to the mission in Afghanistan."

According to a report in Monday's Washington Post, a year-long investigation conducted by the U.S. military uncovered definitive evidence that taxpayer money intended to fund a $2.16 billion transportation contract in Afghanistan ended up in the hands of the Taliban through fraud, kickbacks, and money laundering. Another report released last week by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that, "While U.S. agencies have taken steps to strengthen their oversight over U.S. funds flowing through the Afghan economy, they still have limited visibility over the circulation of these funds, leaving them vulnerable to fraud or diversion to insurgents." Echoing General Petraeus' September 2010 Counterinsurgency Contracting Guidance issued to U.S. and alliance military forces fighting in Afghanistan, the SIGAR report called on all U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, operating in Afghanistan to improve visibility of subcontractors, integrate intelligence, plans and operations, and ensure that contracted funds are not used to empower insurgents.


Senator Ayotte, Colleagues Urge FCC to Conduct Cost-Benefit Analysis of Proposed Net Neutrality Rule

Senator Ayotte, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, this week urged the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the agency's proposed Internet regulatory rule before it goes into effect. In a letter to Chairman Julius Genachowski, Senator Ayotte, along with Republican colleagues on the Commerce Committee, requested that the agency conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis of its proposed net neutrality rule, pursuant to a recent Executive Order issued by President Obama.

Executive Order 13563, which the President issued on July 11, directs independent and executive agencies to conduct a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of proposed regulations prior to their adoption, with the intent of reducing onerous regulatory burdens on the business community and the public. Although the FCC approved the rules in December, the Senators are requesting a retrospective review, as the net neutrality rule is not federal law yet.

"All federal agencies, including the FCC, must weigh the economic impact of proposed regulations on America's businesses," said Senator Ayotte. "I have serious concerns that the pending net neutrality rule stands to discourage private sector investment and prevent cutting-edge products from reaching the marketplace. Government shouldn't get in the way of entrepreneurial innovation, and that's why I urge Chairman Genachowski to conduct a retrospective review of the rule."

Why Every American Should Receive an ObamaCare Waiver

By Michele Bachmann

Since its passage last year, over 1,300 ObamaCare waivers have been rewarded exempting nearly 3.1 million Americans out of the monstrous health care overhaul. With several hundred more waivers pending, the Obama Administration has decided it will no longer accept waiver applications after September 22 of this year. These waivers are extremely telling; if ObamaCare was truly the reform our healthcare system needs, why is the Administration allowing so many to opt out of the program?

It comes as no surprise that hundreds of companies are applying for waivers from ObamaCare. Business owners across the country continue to voice concern over how to implement the new ObamaCare rules without paying fines, laying off workers or even going bankrupt. As the book Why ObamaCare is Wrong for America points out, “ObamaCare will lead to slower wage growth, fewer job opportunities, and more businesses going under.”

Yet, the waiver-granting process became increasingly questionable as companies applied for exemptions. It seemed that ObamaCare regulators were passing out waivers mostly to friends of the Administration. For instance, of the 204 waivers granted by the Administration in April, nearly twenty percent went to some of the finest restaurants and businesses within House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s district. Even more jaw-dropping, of those 3.1 million individuals exempted from ObamaCare through waivers, over half – 1.55 million – are union members.

President Obama’s health care reform grows the size of government and increases its impact on our lives. According to Why ObamaCare is Wrong for America, ObamaCare sets in motion a massive federal bureaucracy with at least 159 new federal agencies, creates more than $500 billion in new taxes and will take $575 billion away from Medicare. In my view, it is time that every American, regardless of their relationship with the Administration, receives a permanent waiver from ObamaCare. I remain committed to working towards the complete repeal of this legislation.

Michele, My Belle

By Ron Dupuis

Granite Staters are fiercely independent when it comes to politics. That is one of the main reasons we get involved early. Of course protecting our first in the nation primary status is another.

Michele Bachmann, "in my humble opinion", seems to be on the side of every issue that concerns me. For example, Bachmann has stated that the number one issue in the coming Presidential election is the economy and job growth. Her plan is to reduce the role of government and "placing the trust in the real job creators, the private sector." This is something every small business owner in New Hampshire should applaud.

On the debt ceiling Bachmann has said " I will stand firm against an increase in the debt ceiling and as President, fight for a renewed vision of Constitutional government and reforms resulting in deep cuts in federal spending so that we never face this situation again." This is something our children, grand children and, believe it or not, our great grand children should be thankful for.

Obama care has been an unmitigated disaster and Congresswoman Bachmann has promised to repeal it. " As President, I will not rest until Obamacare is repealed, and will work to unleash the power of medical innovation and personal choice in producing better treatments and more cures that mean better outcomes at lower cost. And I will push for greater competition in the health care market - because competition both lowers prices and improves outcomes." Hear, hear, applaud applaud.

Bachmann's stated positions go on and on covering everything from national security to drilling for oil. All of which my agreements are wholehearted.

Since this is my column here are some of my thoughts that the Bachmann people should consider.
My feelings on:
Foreign aid; Not one dime to governments that are not representative or duly elected by the people. If Russia or red China want to support such entities let them do so. It has nearly destroyed us in the past and will do the same to them.
National Security; Pakistan is not our friend. President Bachmann should at the very least have our computer experts send a killer virus to affect their nuclear facilities and destroy their missiles. If that doesn't work, I understand Seal Team 6 is free.
Running mate; Ohio is an important state. Congressman Mike Turner (R) of Ohio's 3rd district would be a great choice. That way your theme could be
BACHMANN, TURNER IN OVERDRIVE
and the campaign song could be the Bachmann, Turner, Overdrive hit
"Taking care of business"

Obama and Holder show Supreme Arrogance

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Operation Fast and Furious


By Jerry McConnell
Friday, July 8, 2011
The unbelievable audacity of this Obama Administration is enough to rattle a man’s brain it is so brazenly full of chutzpah. It’s as if all of them from the Usurper-in-Chief on down think they not only can walk on water but they can use that water to cleanse all the dirt and mud that sticks to them from their dirty dealings.

They all feel that they are above any criticism or judgment for their nefarious or improper conduct; the order of the day is just forget and find someone to investigate for something else to take the spotlight off of them. It would be interesting to know just how many incidents or issues are being “investigated” by Congress into Obama accomplice miscreantic endeavors. Perhaps Congressman Issa can tell us.

Case in point: Our Secretary of the Department of Justice and Attorney General the highest appointed justice purveyor in our government, Eric H. Holder, was recently on a hot burner attempting to defend himself and his immediate superior, Barack Obama from involvement in the mass gun supply activity to criminals in Mexico who bring drugs into the United States and many other illegal activities.

To escape the heat emanating from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) launched Operation “Fast and Furious”—an illegal pipeline for shipping guns into Mexico Holder and his (un)Justice Department suddenly announced that they were going to launch criminal probes into CIA interrogations where alleged deaths were perpetrated during the Bush Administration.

That’s Slippery Ops 101; take the heat off yourself by aiming heat at someone else. I have a feeling Holder is an expert in dodging guilt or exculpation by deflecting it in another direction.

Much of what I have written here was derived from information gleaned at website FireHolder.com established by the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), from an article titled, “Help Stop the Conspiracy and Cover Up!” by Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President (NRA) and also FoxNews.com “Justice Department Launches Criminal Probe Into Deaths During CIA Interrogations.”

The LaPierre article contained a Petition circulating as a National Campaign to fire Attorney General Eric Holder and gives a detailed explanation of the BATFE program to assist Obama and Holder’s arguments that “your Second Amendment rights are to blame for the drug crimes and killings in Mexico.”

Obama is so intent on getting our Second Amendment gun rights taken away from us that they blamed the killings at the U.S.-Mexico border on the fact that “our Second Amendment rights are to blame for the drug crimes and killings in Mexico.

LaPierre continues, “Holder and other top-level Obama Administration figures—even the President himself—claimed that 90% of the guns used by violent drug cartels were coming from American gun dealers. In short, they blamed our Second Amendment rights for the violence of the Mexican drug cartels. But leaked U.S. State Department cables have exposed this as a bald-faced LIE.”

He further explained, “These Obama Administration cables proved beyond a shadow of a doubt what the Mexican government already knew: That the drug cartels were getting guns—along with fully-automatic weapons, grenade launchers, anti-personnel mines and other military hardware—through Central America, NOT THE U.S.”

But you’ll notice, Obama and Holder did nothing to let us know about the findings of the State Department and the cables that exposed them. They would rather lay a guilt trip on the good citizens of America in false accusation that their Second Amendment gun rights were to blame for the weapons.

The LaPierre report added, “While these leaked cables exposed the lies propping up Obama’s gun control agenda, administration officials at the highest levels pushed a strategy to fit their gun control aims.

“In a display of corruption and arrogance that’s shocking even for this Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) launched Operation “Fast and Furious”—an illegal pipeline for shipping guns into Mexico.

“With our government’s full knowledge and complicity, BATFE higher-ups ordered firearms dealers to sell these guns illegally to straw purchasers. And it wasn’t just a few guns… It was over two thousand.

This exercise in arrogance and impropriety in high government officials wound up costing the life of one of the BATFE men, Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry who was shot and killed in a gunfight with a group of armed Mexican “illegal entrants. And when the bandits fled, they left behind two AK-style rifles that were traced to sales made under the Fast and Furious operation.”

As stated above, Congressman Darrel Issa ( R-CA) as well as Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) are holding Congressional hearing into Operation “Fast and Furious” the ID given to the expedited sales operations that BATFE forced on gun dealers with the Mexican criminals. During these hearings Senator Grassley questioned Holder according to LaPierre asking, “How did guns that were allowed to ‘walk’ our of gun dealer shops during Operation Fast and Furious end up at a U.S. Border Patrol Agent’s murder scene?” Holder’s evasive answer, “I frankly don’t know.”

This synopsis of potential career ending story of illegalities committed by Justice Department officials was covered more completely in The Examiner on July 06, 2011 that these guns that were being practically given to Mexican criminals were part of the idea that they would be traced to “higher-ups” in the drug cartel for stronger evidence in future investigations.

But as Republican Chairman of the House Oversight Panel discovered, the planned ‘Operation Fast and Furious’ didn’t work as intended.

Several of the weapons sold with ATF approval have been used in nearly two dozen murders on both sides of the border, including that of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. After that killing the program was shut down with Justice Department officials denying any knowledge of Fast and Furious. But ATF Director Kenneth Melson has described multiple oral and written communications he had with senior Justice officials about the program both before and after Terry was murdered emphasizing the relevance of the cover-up.

Chairman Issa’s panel has run into a solid wall of obstruction and resistance Justice Department on requests for information and documents. In a letter to AG Holder, Issa said that ATF Chief Melson told congress that ATF’s senior leadership would have preferred to be far more cooperative with our inquiry but Justice Department officials directed them not to respond and they took full control of replying to Congress.

Obstructing congressional investigations is illegal, as is threatening to discipline or otherwise hamper or prevent any federal employee from cooperating with a congressional inquiry. As The Examiner stated, “We look forward to hearing the explanations of Justice Department higher-ups who told Melson not to respond to the Issa panel’s requests and who, according to Issa, thereby “sent over false denials” and “distorted the truth and obstructed our investigation. We might also find out what they were so determined to keep Issa from learning.”

NOW can we get the impeachment proceedings started?


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