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Irrelevant Representation
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When President Obama declared to the nation that he had a "phone and a pen," the message was clear: if Congress didn't act as he wanted, he would act unilaterally.
This built on his choice phrase from 2011 of "We Can't Wait," seeking to bypass Congress with a litany of executive orders, recess appointments, and bureaucratic rulemaking.
When he said he would act without Congress during last year's State of the Union, my colleagues across the aisle didn't speak up for the legislative branch's role. Rather, most Democrats stood up and applauded the executive branch taking over their role.
These elected members of Congress were signaling to their constituents that they are fine with being irrelevant. They would rather stand with President Obama than stand up and represent their constituents.
You can read my full guest column, "Irrelevant Representation," here.
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| Ensuring the Best for Our Vets |
| Addressing education and housing opportunities for our veterans |
Rep. Wenstrup with local veterans of the War on Terror
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Have a bill or letter you would like me to support?
Let me know here.
More Ways to Connect
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As the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I am working to improve education and housing programs available for our nation's veterans with a package of legislation I introduced earlier this year.
Our responsibility doesn't end once an initial bill becomes law; my aim is to ensure that our veterans' programs are working as intended.
The GI Bill Education Quality Enhancement Act (H.R. 476)
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The GI Bill Processing Improvement Act (H.R. 475)
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- Improves processing times for GI Bill educational claims.
- Works with states to implement in-state tuition for veterans and dependents.
- Standardizes veteran enrollment reporting.
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The Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP) Clarification and Reauthorization Bill (H.R. 474)
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- Expands on legislation I introduced last year which would clarify eligibility for homeless veterans across federal assistance programs.
- Reauthorizes the HVRP, a highly successful program that provides grants to homeless veteran providers for job training programs.
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Visiting Lima with Rep. Jim Jordan
Last week, I joined fellow Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-4) to visit the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima. This Ohio facility is the only manufacturer of the M1 Abrams tank in the nation, a crucial tool for our fighting men and women in the military.
As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, this facility continues to retrofit and upgrade our military's tanks to be able to respond to current threats. Shutting down the Lima facility would mean losing the talent pool of American workers and technology we've developed over the last 15 years. The plant also relies on dozens of American suppliers—many of which are small businesses. I am glad the Army has finally recognized this reality, and requested funding to accelerate planned upgrades for the Abrams tank in this year’s budget.
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House Happenings
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Passing a Balanced Budget
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On March 25th, the House passed a responsible budget blueprint for the American people, and an indication of our priorities: addressing our staggering national debt, balancing the budget in less than 10 years, and repealing ObamaCare in full. Just as critical is defense funding for our national security. Peace and security come from strength, not weakness. |
Repealing the Flawed Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR)
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The House voted to repeal the destructive SGR formula and replace it with a system that provides more stability for physicians and encourages quality and innovation. Also included is the first real entitlement reform in nearly 20 years, necessary to ensure that Medicare remains for our children and grandchildren while critical to securing our nation's fiscal future. |
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Coming Up in Congress |
- Reforming the IRS - As April 15th approaches, the House of Representatives will consider a number of tax related bills, ranging from a Taxpayer Bill of Rights to legislation that reduces bureaucracy and increases transparency at the IRS.
- Strengthening Cyber Security - Cyber attacks hit American companies and consumers hard in 2014, from Target to Home Depot to Sony. Later this month, the House of Representatives will be working on legislation to promote greater sharing of cyber-threat information between the private sector and the government, to better identify attacks and prevent personal data breaches.
- Annual Appropriations - Federal funds are appropriated every year through 12 separate appropriations bills. The House of Representatives will begin this important work this month, starting with the Energy & Water appropriations and Veterans Affairs and Military Construction appropriations bills.
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District Travels
While Congress has been out of session for the 2-week Easter district work period, I've been making several stops around Ohio's Second District. Just last week I visited Ursuline High School, the Batavia Rotary, McNicholas High School, and Siemens PLM. I also joined in Opening Day festivities with several of our wounded warriors as the Reds brought home a win against the Pirates!
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Student Section
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| Internship Program |
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Immediate openings are available to intern with my office, both in Washington, D.C. and Ohio.
Internship positions are offered for college and graduate students, and are designed to provide students with first-hand experience in a Congressional office.
Applications are open for spring and summer positions today. I encourage you to apply!
Visit my website for more details. |
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Congressional Art Competition |
Each Spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors the Congressional Art Competition. Talented high school students from across Ohio's Second District (and the nation) compete to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for an entire year.
The deadline to submit artwork to one of my district offices is Friday, April 24, at 5pm.
Visit my website for a complete list of rules and important dates. |
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Academy Day |
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Members of Congress have the privilege of nominating exceptional young people for admission to the U.S. Service Academies, where motivated young men and women have the opportunity to sere their country while developing valuable leadership skills.
On Saturday, April 25th, I will host my annual "Academy Day" for prospective Academy students and their parents. The day consists of an Academy Fair, as well as a formal program featuring representatives from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, and the Coast Guard Academy.
Visit my website for more details about Academy Day and nominations. |
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Constituent Survey
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Do you approve of the Obama administration's negotiations with Iran on nuclear enrichment?
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| NOTE: Please DO NOT respond to this email as this inbox is unattended. To contact my office please click here |
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Connect:
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WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICE
1318 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
P:
(202) 225-3164
F:
(202) 225-1992
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HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE
7954 Beechmont Ave, Suite 200
Cincinnati, OH 45255
P:
(513) 474-7777
F:
(513) 605-1377 |
PEEBLES OFFICE
170 North Main St.
Peebles, OH 45660
P:
(513) 605-1380
F:
(937) 798-4024
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UNION TOWNSHIP OFFICE
4350 Aicholtz Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45245
P:
(513) 605-1389
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