News

News January 2008:

Urgent Clean Coal Research Critical to Wyoming Upon hearing of the restructuring of the FutureGen project Senator Barrasso issued the following remarks; 1/31/08 “Clean coal research is critical to the future of Wyoming coal, the future of Wyoming’s tax base, and the future of Wyoming’s workers. “Washington’s bureaucracy is full of doubletalk. Programs are authorized then not funded. Funds are appropriated then not spent. And there is endless study and debate of clean coal initiatives with no follow through.


Enzi says Dept. of Energy should consider investing some Illinois FutureGen project $ in Wyo. 1/30/08 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., made the following comments after the Department of Energy announced its plan to halt funding for the proposed FutureGen plant in Illinois. "The FutureGen project is one of many important efforts to make coal cleaner. If the Department of Energy is able to follow through with its restructured FutureGen approach, I hope the agency will consider putting some funding in energy-rich Wyoming.
Enzi Web site garners national recognition One of the best sites in Congress 1/30/08 “I am proud that my Web site has been recognized as one of the Hill’s best in 2007,” said Enzi. “Wyoming residents need effective online resources to actively participate in the democratic process in the 21st century. From the latest news to my voting record to internship information, I strive to make my site an interactive and user-friendly tool that truly accommodates Wyoming residents’ congressional needs.”
Wyo Delegation Spearheads Royalty Change Process Health care, energy, education solutions top list of Enzi priorities too 1/30/08 WASHINGTON - The Wyoming delegation thinks enough is enough when it comes to the recently enacted provision that would essentially steal two percent of Wyoming’s mineral royalties, costing Wyoming nearly $20 million a year. To stop this federal pickpocketing from going forward, the delegation began the process of building a coalition of members to oppose the royalty change. The first step in the process began with a letter to the Secretary of the Interior as well as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget asking the agencies to halt the inclusion of “net receipt sharing” in the President’s budget proposal for the Department of Interior for 2009. The delegation will continue to lead this effort and build the coalition.
Barrasso Calls Wolf Lawsuit Ridiculous 1/29/08 WASHINGTON – A lawsuit filed by environmental groups to stop Wyoming Game and Fish from managing gray wolves is frivolous and not based on sound science, U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said today.
Enzi comments on President’s State of the Union address Health care, energy, education solutions top list of Enzi priorities too 1/29/08 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said he is in a position to play a vital role in executing many of the nation’s needs as outlined by the President including health care, energy and education priorities. The President suggested the needs for the next year in a joint session of Congress and the nation during his eighth and final State of the Union address.
Barrasso: Secretive Washington Spending Under Microscope 1/29/08 “Secretive spending in Washington is out of control. I welcome the President’s initiative to veto bills that do not significantly slash earmarks. "To quote directly from the State of the Union , “If these items are truly worth funding, the Congress should debate them in the open and hold a public vote.” I could not agree more.
Delegation spearheads royalty change process 1/29/08 To stop this federal pickpocketing from going forward, the delegation began the process of building a coalition of members to oppose the royalty change. The first step in the process began with a letter to the Secretary of the Interior as well as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget asking the agencies to halt the inclusion of “net receipt sharing” in the President’s budget proposal for the Department of Interior for 2009. The delegation will continue to lead this effort and build the coalition.
Enzi sets outline for a truly stimulating economic package 1/29/08 "A stimulus package should not be a fiscal fun bag for legislators and lobbyists, but a tool to make helpful adjustments today and progressive changes in the future. It is important for my colleagues to keep in mind that if you have to increase taxes to pay for it, then it’s not a stimulus," said Enzi. "I applaud President Bush, Treasury Secretary Paulson and Congressional leaders for looking into ways to bolster our economy. Despite a few areas of concern, the American economy remains strong, competitive and resilient. I look forward to passing a stimulus package that will put a few specific programs and incentives into place instead of taking drastic steps that may have unintended consequences in the future."
Barrasso: U.S. Can’t Walk Away From Coal 1/29/08 “In his State of the Union Address, the President properly noted ‘we must fund new technologies that can generate coal power.’ Wyoming produces a third of our nation’s coal. In fact half our nation’s electricity is generated from coal.
Application for House District 56 Natrona County Republican Party Chairman Bill Cubin announces process for interested candidates to fill the vacancy in House District 56 1/28/08 CASPER – Bill Cubin, Chairman of the Natrona County Republican Party, today released the initial procedures that will be used by the Natrona County Republican Party to fill the vacancy in House District 56 left by the resignation of former Rep. Tom Walsh. “Our goal is to have this process be professional and entirely open to the public. In addition, we want to have this whole thing done in enough time so that the new representative in district 56 will be able to attend the legislative budget session on the very first day and not miss a vote,” said Cubin. “This means that we are pretty time compressed and have a lot to do in a very short period of time.” Republicans interested in filling this vacancy must: Meet the constitutional requirement of being a state representative, Live within the district and be able to provide proof of residence, Be at least 21 years of age, Be eligible to vote and otherwise hold public office, Fill out an application online at http://www.natronagop.com, or download the application from http://www.natronagop.com or http://www.wygop.org and submit it with a one page cover letter and a two page resume no later than 5:00 PM on February 5 at the Wyoming Republican Party Headquarters, 400 East 1st Street, Suite 314. All applications, resumes and cover letters can also be turned in via email at w.cubin@bresnan.net, wygop@vcn.com, and chairman@natronagop.com. No other extraneous documents will be accepted or forwarded on to the Selection Committee. The Republican Precinct Committeemen and Committeewomen who live within House District 56 will meet on February 7 at 6:00 PM at the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Boulevard, to nominate three individuals to fill the vacancy. Those names will be passed to the Natrona County Commissioners and they will select one of the three to fill the vacancy. Anyone with questions, or if they are having problems completing the application, should call Chairman Bill Cubin at 265-2674 or 262-4972. You can email him also at chairman@natronagop.com or w.cubin@bresnan.net. \| click here for the application
Cubin Statement on the President’s State of the Union Address 1/28/08 “Tonight the President set the course for our country to revitalize its economy, improve vital services to our nation’s veterans, diversify our energy sources, improve our education system and empower Americans with affordable healthcare options. He also laid the foundation to foster new trade opportunities, combat the global killers of AIDS and extreme poverty and continue our efforts to deter terrorism and bring stability to the Middle East. I am hopeful that this Democrat-led Congress will, at long last, come together with the President in the spirit of bipartisanship to deliver common sense solutions for these pressing issues facing our nation. Together I believe we can get our economy back on its feet and keep our nation safe.”
Barrasso Outlines Mining Law Reform Goals 1/24/08 At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Barrasso outlined his three core principles for mining law reform. Barrasso wants to ensure America’s mining industry remains globally competitive, provide certainty for the industry and taxpayers, and deliver a healthy dose of common sense to the policies affecting mining.
Cubin Announces 2008 Military Academy Nominations 1/24/08 Young men and women interested in attending the U.S. military academies sent applications to Cubin’s congressional office and were interviewed by her review committee. The nominees were selected using a number of guidelines including character, leadership, academic achievement, physical aptitude, medical fitness, goals and motivation. Those nominated will now be screened by academy officials and selected for admission. Final appointments will be announced later this spring by the academies.
A CASE FOR THE REAL-ID ACT 1/23/08 Consider for a moment the case of Ziad Jarrah. On September 9, 2001, Mr. Jarrah was stopped for speeding. He showed the officer his license. The officer, having no way to use the license to determine any information about Mr. Jarrah, including that he possessed three ID’s, and had entered the U.S. illegally, issued him a speeding ticket, and let him go. Two days later, he helped to hijack United Flight 93. Among them, the 9/11 terrorists had some 30 valid driver’s licenses or state ID’s. Some were obtained through legal processes, others fraudulently. Either way, their ID’s granted them access and legitimacy to plan and carry out their attacks. Like it or not, these are the facts. In the aftermath, the 9/11 Commission recommended that a secure ID replace the patchwork system that had been exploited to kill thousands of Americans. In response, Congress passed the REAL ID Act of 2005. Recently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its long-awaited rules on how states will implement the program. Last week, Wyoming’s largest newspaper, The Casper Star Tribune, responded to the new rules with an incomplete, one-sided editorial bursting at the seams with misinformation. Please allow me to inject some truth about REAL ID into the debate.
Cubin Votes to Sustain 2nd Presidential Veto Democrats Fail at Second Attempt to Reauthorize SCHIP 1/23/08 It is unfortunate, but telling, that Democrats in Washington would rather revisit last year's political battles than compromise and address pressing issues facing our nation," Cubin said. "Today a housing crisis looms across America, we have a broken immigration system and in less than two weeks a critical anti-terror law that closes loopholes in our intelligence laws will expire, yet the Democrat Majority continues to play political games with children's healthcare. The people of Wyoming – and the entire country – deserve better."
Cubin Votes to Sustain 2nd Presidential Veto Democrats Fail at Second Attempt to Reauthorize SCHIP 1/23/08 It is unfortunate, but telling, that Democrats in Washington would rather revisit last year's political battles than compromise and address pressing issues facing our nation," Cubin said. "Today a housing crisis looms across America, we have a broken immigration system and in less than two weeks a critical anti-terror law that closes loopholes in our intelligence laws will expire, yet the Democrat Majority continues to play political games with children's healthcare. The people of Wyoming – and the entire country – deserve better."
Barrasso: Critical Sheridan VA Job Will Be Filled Senator Applauds VA Secretary for Taking Quick Action 1/16/08 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo. today applauded Veterans’ Affairs Secretary James Peake for assigning a full-time benefits officer to the Sheridan VA Medical Center. “It is our responsibility as a country to set a standard of excellent care for our Wyoming veterans who have sacrificed for us all,” Barrasso said. “I am thankful that Secretary Peake acted so promptly on my request for a full-time service officer at the Sheridan VA Medical Center. Reversing the 90-day trial allows our veterans to cut through the Washington bureaucracy.”
VA Heeds Cubin's Call to Fill Sheridan VA Vacancy 1/16/08 Since the position was first left vacant Cubin has worked with Wyoming’s veteran community and the VA’s regional offices to fill the benefits counselor position at the Sheridan VA Medical Center. The Congresswoman also penned letters to former Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson, former Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gordon Mansfield and VA Denver Regional Office Director Janice Jacobs urging the VA to provide veterans in Wyoming access to a personally available federal resource for claims processing.
Veterans deserve higher mileage reimbursement Enzi teams up with rural senators to seek increase 1/16/08 Washington, D.C. - The funding has been allocated, the veterans want it, now senators are asking the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs to announce a much needed 17.5 cent increase in the amount disabled veterans are reimbursed for traveling to VA hospitals to receive care, according to U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.
Cubin Introduces Bills to Protect Jobs in SW Wyoming Legislation Would Even the Playing Field for Uinta County Factory 1/16/08 Cubin introduced H.R. 4983 and H.R. 4984, both known as temporary duty suspension bills. The bills would lift an import tax on products needed by Carbon Fiber Technology LLC to broaden their product line and expand their business. Under current trade law, the Evanston-based company would be charged a 7.5 percent tax on materials they import to make their carbon fiber. Cubin’s bills would suspend the tax for the next five years.
Veterans position re-instated full time Enzi’s efforts pay off to benefit veterans 1/16/08 Washington, D.C. - After months of pressuring the Veterans Benefits Administration to get adequate attention for Wyoming veterans by restoring a full time Veterans Benefits Representative position in Sheridan, good news was released today when the Sheridan Veterans Affairs Hospital was informed that the full time position would be restored.
Wolves: Senator Says Washington Should Stay Out Barrasso Says De-Listing Process Should Move Forward 1/15/08 “We cannot lose sight of the real goal behind the Endangered Species Act: recovery and delisting,” Barrasso said. “This is an issue that directly affects the lives of Wyoming ranchers, energy producers and sportsmen. It has a direct impact on Wyoming livestock and wildlife, not Washington ’s. These Congressmen don’t even live in our time zone. They have no concept of the damage gray wolves do.”
Cubin Unveils 2008 Legislative Agenda Top Priorities Focus on Healthcare 1/15/08 “During my final year in Congress, I plan to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing our nation including healthcare, energy development, immigration and public land management,” Cubin said. “There is still much work to be done in Washington and I plan to leave Wyoming’s footprint permanently etched in the halls of Congress.” Cubin will work to usher through Congress a variety of legislation she has championed during her thirteen year tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives. Among Cubin’s top legislative priorities are a bill to ensure that rural access to phone service remains affordable; legislation to provide death benefits to aerial firefighters killed in the line of duty; a bill to encourage modern energy infrastructure development throughout Wyoming and the west; and legislation to make certain that illegal immigrants could not receive tax-payer funded social security benefits.
Barrasso: Make Criminals Pay For Meth Mess Senator Addresses Annual Meth, Substance Abuse Conference 1/9/08 CASPER, WY – During the keynote speech at the 5th Annual Methamphetamine and Substance Abuse Conference in Casper, U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., urged passage of legislation to utilize seized criminal funds to clean up meth labs. “This bill doesn’t cost Wyoming taxpayers a dime,” Barrasso said. “It makes criminals pay for criminal activity.” Barrasso is the lead Republican sponsor of S. 2100, the “Federal Emergency Meth Lab Cleanup Funding Act of 2007.” The bill would make the U.S. Department of Treasury Forfeiture Fund (TFF) available to help property owners clean up contaminated meth lab sites.
Urgent Development of Clean, Renewable, Predictable Energy is Essential Senator Barrasso Addresses Wind Energy Expo 1/8/08 DOUGLAS, WY – During Tuesday’s speech at the wind energy expo in Douglas, U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., stressed the need to encourage further development of affordable, clean, secure and predictable energy sources in Wyoming . “In Wyoming , wind is the primary, untapped source of renewable energy,” Barrasso said. “In an environment where oil is $100 a barrel and consumers are demanding cleaner energy, development of renewable forms of energy, like wind, is essential,” Barrasso said.
Cubin Announces Relocation of Rock Springs Office 1/8/08 Starting today, Representative Cubin's Rock Springs office will be located in the UP Office building. The office will continue to be staffed by Field Representative Bonnie Cannon. Office telephone and fax numbers will also remain the same..
Democrats’ Mismanagement of Congress Affects American Women 1/07/08 Democrats passed an energy bill that does nothing to address oil prices or home heating costs. Rep. Charlie Rangel introduced a ‘tax reform bill’ that the Heritage Foundation found would cause an average income loss per household of $2,339 and significantly increase taxes on over 10 million taxpayers. In addition to this, Democrats are floating other tax hikes such as a $150 billion “war surtax,” which would add two percent to low and middle income Americans’ tax bills, and a proposed 50-cents per gallon increase in gas taxes. They say these tax increases are needed to balance the budget but what we should be doing is cutting wasteful federal spending..
Barrasso Move to Deny Driver’s Licenses to Illegals Endorsed 1/3/08 NumbersUSA with over 500,000 members and the Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), boasting more than quarter of a million members and the Coalition for a Secure Driver’s License (CSDL) with members in 48 of the 50 states, have endorsed the “Barrasso No License for Illegals Bill” (S.2334). In a letter to Senator Barrasso, NumbersUSA President Roy Beck states; “The handful of states issuing official driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, aid and abet the aliens’ ability to avoid being held accountable. Indeed, driver’s licenses issued to illegal aliens put the American public at risk because licenses are used almost routinely in daily life to verify ones identity.”.
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