POSEY E-NEWSLETTER                                                                    JUNE 17, 2013


Dear Friend, 
                                       
Thank you for reading my June 2013 E-mail Newsletter. We have some interesting topics this month including:

1. What's up with the IRS? - Recent testimony before several House Committees    raises disturbing questions about IRS employees targeting conservative groups with audits and lengthy, complicated questionnaires that seemed to be designed to disqualify groups from receiving a 501 c4 status, chill free speech and limit advocacy... (Read More) 

2. Protecting the Indian River Lagoon - The Indian River Lagoon, along with our beaches, is essential to our community’s natural beauty. As such, annual federal funding for the Indian River Lagoon is an important priority for Rep. Posey, and again this year he supported full funding for the National Estuary... (Read More)

3. Making America Less Dependent on Middle East Oil - With the support of Rep. Bill Posey, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to allow the construction of the $7 billion privately funded Keystone XL Pipeline... (Read More) 

4. Legislation to Return to the Moon - Rep. Posey was joined by 10 of his House colleagues in reintroducing bipartisan legislation directing NASA to develop a plan for returning to the Moon and establishing a human presence... (Read More)

5. My Thoughts on Why Benghazi is Important - There are still many unanswered questions about the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that resulted in the death of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador... (Read More)

6. Honoring the 65th Regiment known as the "Borinqueneers" - Rep. Posey was recently joined by Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi in introducing bipartisan legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the... (Read More)

Also, please let me know your thoughts on important issues before Congress. CLICK HERE to take my latest survey and send in your thoughts.

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It's an honor and a privilege to serve as your Representative in Congress. 

                                                                                  Sincerely,
                                                                             
                                                                                    Bill Posey


IRS Update  _________________________________________________________________________
Accountability Needed at IRS
Recent testimony before several House Committees raises disturbing questions about IRS employees targeting conservative groups with audits and lengthy, complicated questionnaires that seemed to be designed to disqualify groups from receiving a 501 c4 status, chill free speech and limit advocacy, and overwhelm them. It is now abundantly clear that those with a conservative ideology were singled out. Now we need to uncover who directed this violation of law and basic principles of equality. 

Many in Congress have suspected something was wrong for over a year, yet top officials at the IRS told Congress a year ago there was no effort to target particular groups. I believe strongly that people should be treated the same by every agency, regardless of your political beliefs. I am fully supportive of the ongoing investigation to get to the bottom of this abuse.

                                    
          
 Protecting Local Nature Preserves   _______________________________________________________
                  
Protecting the Indian River Lagoon

Rep. Posey tours the Indian River Lagoon and speaks with volunteers planting mangroves.

The Indian River Lagoon, along with our beaches, is essential to our community’s natural beauty. As such, annual federal funding for the Indian River Lagoon is an important priority for Rep. Posey, and again this year he supported full funding for the National Estuary program. This $16.8 million program provides a base grant of $600,000 to each of the 28 national estuaries around the country.

This funding goes to the St. Johns Water Management District to be used to support Indian River Lagoon research to improve the lagoon’s health and provide the National Estuary Program with seed funding for restoration projects and planning. 

Nationwide, the National Estuary Program has restored and protected more than 1.5 million acres of land since 2000. The program is cost-effective, is driven by local economic and environmental priorities, and decisions are made on the best science available. 
                              
                                                          
                                            
Making America More Energy Independent _________________________________________________

 Keystone Pipeline Would Create Jobs, Make America Less Dependent on Middle East Oil                      
With the support of Rep. Bill Posey, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to allow the construction of the $7 billion privately funded Keystone XL Pipeline to move forward. Construction of the Keystone Pipeline, even after having completed a cumbersome application and review process, has been delayed by the Administration for years. Parent company TransCanada estimates that construction of the Keystone pipeline will create thousands of American jobs and supply consumers with millions of barrels of North American oil.

“The Keystone Pipeline will help make America more secure, less reliant on Middle East oil and create thousands of American jobs,” said Posey. “This project and other energy exploration efforts have long been frozen in bureaucratic limbo which is a major reason why energy development in America has become so costly. We need affordable energy for America's families, to power our economy, fuel our businesses and create more jobs.”

Specifically, H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, ends years of delays in the application process of the Keystone pipeline by removing the need for a Presidential Permit and eliminating unnecessary red tape so the pipeline project can move forward. The legislation also requires the project to adhere to the standards of the National Environmental Policy Act. In 1973 Congress acted to approve the Trans-Alaska Pipeline which faced many of the same hurdles and delays as the Keystone Pipeline.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, when completed the Keystone Pipeline would be able to move up to 830,000 barrels of oil per day – roughly half the amount of oil the United States imports from the Middle East. About 17% of the oil Americans depend on comes from Saudi Arabia and another 8% is imported from Venezuela, 6% from Nigeria, 5% from Iraq, 3.3% from Angola and 1.5% from Algeria. In total, about 40% of all the crude oil we use is imported from unstable or regimes often at odds with the United States.
                   
                              
                   
The Race for Space ___________________________________________________________________

Bipartisan Legislation Sets NASA's Focus on the Moon
 
 Rep. Posey was joined by 10 of his House colleagues in reintroducing bipartisan legislation directing NASA to develop a plan for returning to the Moon and establishing a human presence there.

Rep. Posey discusses human space flight policy at a recent press conference in front of the U.S. Capital.

The RE-asserting American Leadership in Space Act, or REAL Space Act, sets a clear course for NASA toward human space flight while keeping within current budget constraints.

“The Moon is our nearest celestial body, taking only a matter of days to reach,” said Posey. “In order to explore deeper into space—to Mars and beyond— the moon offers us the ability to develop and test technologies to cope with the realities of operating on an extraterrestrial surface.”

Specifically, the REAL Space Act directs NASA to plan to return to the Moon by 2022 and develop a sustained human presence there as a stepping stone for the future exploration of Mars and other destinations within our solar system. The legislation also emphasizes the importance of maintaining the United States’ preeminence in space, and underscores the necessity of preserving America’s independent access to space.


National Security  ______________________________________________________________________
                   
Why We Need a Select Committee on Benghazi
 By Congressman Bill Posey
 
There are still many unanswered questions about the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that resulted in the death of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. This attack was significant not only because it occurred on September 11th, but because it was the first time in almost 34 years that a U.S. Ambassador has been killed in the line of duty. Nine months later, many questions remain and the Administration is still struggling to explain what happened.

The House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee recently held a hearing to shed more light into Benghazi with three State Department officials giving testimony that clearly contradicts the Administration’s account of the events on the ground. The families of the brave Americans who died that day are asking for straight answers on what happened, and I believe they deserve to know exactly what transpired.

Conflicting and Confusing Testimony - We have had several House committees hold separate hearings on Benghazi. What has been told to one Committee contradicts testimony before another Committee. The only way to get the whole story is through the creation of a Select Committee so that one Committee collects all the data and hears all the testimony. Select Committees have been held for much lesser issues, like the Select Committee on the House Beauty Shop (1970s) and a Select Committee on House Restaurant (1969).

Why Was Backup Not Sent to Assist Those Under Attack? - It is becoming clear that there were repeated refusals to authorize military forces to respond to the attack, despite frantic requests from State Department officials on the ground in Libya. Furthermore, CIA operatives already on the ground were instructed to “stand down” even as the situation deteriorated before their eyes.

ABC News Reported on May 10, 2013, That the Administration Removed All References to Al-Qaeda, Terrorism, and CIA Warnings. Why? - On May 10, 2013, ABC News reported that the White House removed “all references to Al Qaeda and all references to CIA warnings before the attack.” Twelve published versions of the talking points memo were released by ABC News and it’s reported that the facts directly contradict what the White House said about the talking points memo in November, 2012.

Anti-Muslim Video and Benghazi Demonstration Myth - Despite the fact that State Department and Libyan officials knew the attack was a coordinated terrorist attack the day after it occurred, why did Ambassador Susan Rice declared on multiple talk shows the following Sunday that it was a spontaneous demonstration in a response to the anti-Islamic movie Innocence of Muslims? And why, two weeks after the attack, in his address to the United Nations, did the President state, “there is no video that justifies an attack on an Embassy?”

What Difference Does It Make? – Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton famously asked “What difference does it make?” in response to questions about why the Administration misled the public for so long about cause of the attack. Well, perhaps because knowing the truth will help us hold somebody accountable for decisions that were made and help us protect Americans from harm when we face national security threats.

Family Members of Slain Americans Want a Select Committee - These and other unanswered questions are why I cosponsored legislation last December to create a Select Committee to get to the bottom of what happened in Benghazi so families can have closure and we can ensure this never happens again. Patricia Smith, mother of State Department Information Officer Sean Smith, who died in the attacks, has pleaded for answers and supports the creation of such a Select Committee. “Please, please help me find out who is responsible and fix it so no more of our sons & daughters are abandoned by the country they love.”

The worst part about Benghazi is that brave Americans were left behind to suffer tragic deaths at the hands of hostile enemies while their pleas for help were heard in Washington and went unanswered. If our government asks other Americans to put their lives at risk, then we have a responsibility to come to their aid. And, when there are existing threats, as we now know was the case in Benghazi, we have an obligation to make sure we can aid and support Americans who put their lives at risk on our behalf.
                   
Originally Published in Vero's Voice
                     
Honoring American Heroes  ____________________________________________________________

Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Honor the 65th Infantry Regiment – “The Borinqueneers

 Rep. Posey was recently joined by Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi in introducing bipartisan legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the “Borinqueneers”. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award that Congress can bestow, next only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Borinqueneers Joe Pikar, Celestino Cordova and Dolores Nieves join Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi of Puerto Rico and Congressman Bill Posey of Florida in announcing the introduction of the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Act.

“The Borinqueneers participated in some of the fiercest battles of the Korean War and awarding such a high honor is an appropriate way to show our gratitude to these heroes for their bravery, their service and their sacrifices,” said Congressman Bill Posey. “They are part of a proud tradition of service in the face of adversity that includes the Tuskegee Airmen, Montford Point Marines, Navajo Code Talkers and the Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team – all of whom have already received the Congressional Gold Medal.”

The Borinqueneers are the 65th Infantry Regiment which Congress created in 1898 as an all-Puerto Rican segregated unit. Called upon to serve in World War I, World War II, and especially the Korean War, the Borinqueneers have consistently shown exceptional and unyielding valor on the battlefield despite the hardships they lived under such as ethnic discrimination.

As a unit, they earned a Presidential Unit Citation, a Meritorious Unit Commendation and two Republic of Korea Unit Citations, including personal praise from General MacArthur when they were called to the front lines of the Korean War. Individuals within the regiment were also awarded Distinguished Service Crosses, Silver Stars and Bronze Stars.                    
              
                   
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