House conservatives gather this morning to take your questions about taxes, sequestration and a range of other issues facing Congress in the coming weeks and months. It’s your opportunity to be heard on Capitol Hill. Submit a question in the comments below.
Conversations with Conservatives runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET today. You can watch it here and also follow the action on Twitter (hashtag #CWC112) or Facebook. I’ll have the privilege of moderating.
Today’s gathering comes as lawmakers grapple with the major challenges heading into the upcoming August recess and beyond. With the Bush-era tax cuts expiring, Medicare payments to doctors ending, sequestration looming and the debt-ceiling possibly rising, there’s a lot at stake in the next six months. Add to that unfinished appropriations bills, which might not be done by Election Day or later.
Lawmakers also face a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government. A trio of Republican senators called on the House GOP to remove the threat of a government shutdown during the lame-duck session of Congress. Sens. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) want action before the August recess to fund the government through early next year. Otherwise, they warn of Democrat mischief during the lame-duck session:
During that time, under the gloomy cloud of yet another government shutdown, members of Congress who lose in the 2012 elections can freely vote to raise taxes, increase spending, pass international treaties, increase the debt limit and gut national defense. They will never have to answer to voters again.
These important issues should not be decided in panicked moments. And it would be a complete disservice to the public if we chose to let an old Congress, completely unaccountable to voters, determine the major issues of our day.
We cannot give Reid this chance. Let us repeat: House Republicans need to pass the plan to keep the government funded through 2013 before the August recess.
Conversations with Conservatives is chaired by Reps. Raúl Labrador (R-ID), Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) and Jeff Landry (R-LA). Reps. Justin Amash (R-MI), Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Steve King (R-IA) and Ted Poe (R-TX) are also expected to attend.
The monthly event launched in March with the goal of giving free-market and liberty-minded members of Congress a greater voice on Capitol Hill. Members field questions from journalists and bloggers on Capitol Hill as well as an online audience.
What timeline do you envision for a Russia PNTR vote in the House? Can it get done by the August recess? This vote is critical for the U.S. business community. Thank you.
Don't you think it's crazy how Syria's Assad looks to Obama for an exit plan………Delay Delay Delay and hope it goes away? Yes or No
Does the Army and Militia (National Guard) have the determination to follow the Constitution in the face of intimidation from some future tyrant acting under color of law?
What action can be taken for illegal acts by President Obama and his administration, such as gutting the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the Temporary Assistance of Needy Family Program. What action can be taken and is there anything in process to take action?
Everyday you do not publicly expose Harry Reid refusing to allow bills to help America from coming to the floor, you drive a stake in the heart of America!!!!
I am sorry sir but the reason that the senate doesn't work is because of the obstructionism on the right. For example: Jim Demint's "Secret Holds" Or the fact that Mitch McConnell said his #1 priority was to make Barak Obama a 1 term president. No matter how much it hurts our country and our people. The republicans are nothing but a group of old white fascists. Obama 2012!!! Power to the 99%
Will the House do as Senator Jim DeMint has pleaded and pass a CR before the August Recess to avoid the manufactured post-election "crisis" that we all know is coming? If not, why not?
Has the unwillingness to compromise become a new 'plank' in the Tea Party/GOP platform?
Is the power/influence of Koch Industries preventing the US from utilizing green renewable energy or is the 'new' GOP betting on fossil fuels for the next generation?
Will the house review and make a determination concerning Sheriff Joe Arpaio's evidence of Obama's fraudulent birth certificate?
During a necessary transition period, would the GOP support transferring present oil subsidies to discovering a renewable energy replacement?
What is the GOP comprehensive plan for the US to transition from fossil-fuel dependancy to a renewable form of energy?
Gas, coal, and oil are all limited natural resources; what is the GOP plan for finding new 'green' sources of energy to replace them and when can Americans expect to see some major change?
If conservatives take the Senate and hold the House, would you consider a vote to pass the FairTax? If not, why not?
What is the exact reason for GOP continual resistance to rewable energy expansion and I don't want to hear about cost being our biggest hurdle? All new ventures COST, to begin.
The history of Income Tax is pretty clear; they were established to pay for wars. Since the wars of the past 12 years have not been funded, how should Americans pay for these costly wars?
Will you be willing to eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, certain departments such as the EPA, Department of Education, and the Department of Energy?
Will you vote to overturn Sarbaines-Huxley and Dodd-Frank on day one of the Romney administration?
Will you consider going after Eric Holder on criminal charges resulting from Fast-and-Furious after the election? How about the President for abusing the Constitution?
What stops the House from attaching the “Repeal of ObamaCare Act” to a CR to fund the federal government and make the Democrats in the Senate choose between Obamacare and a government shutdown?
What are some Republican ideas to shrink the size of the Federal Government? Any plans to privatize programs or send them to the individual states?
Nobody thinks the 16 trillion dollar debt came from un-funded wars for the past 12 years?
look at current spending, use your mind's ability to grasp actuality…
Possibly not all of it ,but at a Billion Dollars a day…for 11 years hmmmm that would be quite a chunk
If you don't address the trillions of dollars spent on overseas 'wars', how can you call yourselves serious Americans?
You'll have to address that to the president himself…
If Mitt Romney is elected and the US starts another anti-Arab war, how will American's pay for this?
if Obama is reelected and the US government starts another anit-Arab war, how will Americans pay for this?
Don't you think that since the big oil companies made billions off the wars abroad, should they not pay a little more in taxes to help fund those very wars?
Any "extra" money that the oil companies make off of overseas wars is being taxed already. Do you want to create a new tax bracket just for war profits? Otherwise you penalize everyone else who makes lots of money from other sources.
You mean the big oil companies in Saudi Arabia? Yes, they should pay for all wars in the middle east!
ACA is a rule and why are GOP trying to change that?
is ACA constitutional? THE PEOPLES' CONSTITUTION IS A RULE! WHY IS THE PRESIDENT CHANGING THAT?
I know Conservatives don't understand complex ideas, when I hear them say they started their business ALONE; they fundamentally don't get it.
What's complex about the truth of the matter that really you don't understand?
Simply driving on a road pays for it? If that were the case, the roads would be in much better repair.
If you buy gas you're paying the tax that government added to pay for rode maintenance. So we were told by people adding the tax. Simply buying gas pays for the roads. Roads wouldn't be in question or a problem today if competence, accountability was the rule and pretension wasn't played in serious times! If that's too complex you'll have to help yourself.
How do college grades compare to taxes paid (or avoided)?
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED!
What are you doing to bring your message to the left–e.g. not just preaching your opinions to the choir?