The memo below (and attached) on the February agenda was emailed to your boss this

morning. As always, please let us know if you have any questions or need additional
information.

MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:

House Republicans
Kevin McCarthy
January 29, 2015
February Agenda

I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from
wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
Thomas Jefferson
In keeping with our pledge to Grow Americas Economy Instead of Washingtons
Economy, I want to take a moment to recall what we have accomplished in just four short
weeks.
We have passed 27 different pieces of legislation in 13 legislative days, including:
Approving the Keystone pipeline (with the support of 28 Democrats)*
Passing the Hire More Heroes Act to make it easier for small businesses to hire
veterans without running afoul of Obamacare (passed unanimously and is currently
being marked up by the Senate Finance Committee)
Reauthorizing TRIA and correcting a Dodd-Frank regulation that harmed
manufacturers, farmers, and Main Street businesses (signed into law on January 12)
Restoring the 40-hour workweek and protecting the paychecks of millions of
Americans (supported by a dozen Democrats)*
Prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortions*
Ensuring that Obamacare mandates dont destroy volunteer fire departments
(passed unanimously)
Restoring common sense to financial regulations to help small businesses access
capital and grow (with the support of 29 Democrats)*
Expediting the licensing of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports both to create
jobs and strengthen our national security (with the support of 41 Democrats)
Streamlining the process for building natural gas pipelines so we can lower energy
costs for millions of American families (with the support of 14 Democrats)*
Blocking funds to implement the Presidents unconstitutional amnesty*

 Reforming the regulatory process to require agencies to seek public input and
adopt the least costly regulations*
12 separate bills to combat human trafficking, protect the most vulnerable among us,
especially children, and help survivors recover
As noted by USA Today this week, the White House has set its own record, issuing the most
veto threats ever in the first month of a new Congress (including all those above with an
asterisk). The Obama Administration spends more time drafting veto threats often on
bipartisan legislation than on identifying common ground.
This month, the new Republican Senate also set a record of sorts. The Senate has voted on
more than twice as many amendments this month than they voted on the entire prior year
under former Senate Majority Leader Reid!
We also shouldnt forget that on opening day, we took steps never before taken by a
Congress. We reformed our rules so that for the first time, we can take into account the realworld impacts of changes in the tax code and spending. Ensuring an honest accounting of
the economic and fiscal impact of legislation is a first step in proceeding with pro-growth tax
reform. We also changed our rules to protect the Social Security retirement system. Under
our new rules, it is no longer permissible -- as some Democrats desire -- to simply rob the
Social Security retirement trust fund to deal with the insolvency of the disability trust fund.
We are also exposing the Administrations mismanagement of foreign policy. The Foreign
Affairs Committee has begun holding hearings on Administration policy, with a particular
focus on the growing threats posed by radical Islamist terrorism, as well as the Islamic
Republic of Irans pursuit of nuclear weapons and its efforts to support terrorism. The
Speaker has scheduled a joint session to welcome the Prime Minister of Israel, Americas
closest ally in the Middle East, at a time of rising tensions in that critical region. The Armed
Services Committee has begun a series of hearings to examine the growing threats to the
United States and the Obama Administrations underinvestment in our military that has not
only hampered our ability to meet the national security challenges of tomorrow but also has
limited our ability to confront todays threats.
We did all this while organizing our committees, holding 24 hearings on topics ranging from
EPA regulations to Iran sanctions, and for the first time in a decade attending a joint planning
retreat with our Senate colleagues.
February
As we head into February, we will continue to fill in the details of the American Opportunity
Agenda framework outlined at our retreat, along with relevant messaging opportunities from
Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. This includes passing bills to expand individual
freedom, hold the government accountable so that we can unshackle small businesses, and
promote greater opportunities for children and middle-class families.
Messaging opportunity: An Opportunity Economy - Renewing America from the
Ground Up. We need to grow an opportunity economy instead of Washington,
D.C.s economy. Tomorrows good-paying jobs will come from the freedom to
innovate from the ground up, not from top-down bureaucracies looking out for
special interests.

February 2nd 5th

IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE WE DONT HAVE TO SETTLE FOR THE WAY

WASHINGTON WORKS NOW
We will begin the month renewing our commitment to individual freedom and opportunity.
First, we will consider H.R. 596, authored by Representative Bradley Byrne, to protect
individuals from government-imposed cost increases and reduced access to care and
coverage by repealing Obamacare. This legislation will also include instructions to the
relevant committees to develop our patient-centered health care reforms.
Messaging opportunity: Health care decisions should be made by patients and their
doctors, not by Washington, D.C. We need solutions that reduce costs, give every
American more control over their health care decisions, and provide access to
world-class care with 21st Century cures and treatments.

We will also hold agencies accountable for the true cost of federal mandates through H.R.
50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act. Authored by Representative
Virginia Foxx, this proposal will impose stricter requirements for how and when federal
agencies must disclose the cost of federal mandates and equips both Congress and the
public with tools to determine the true costs of regulations.
Finally, we will end the week with H.R. 527, the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility
Improvements Act of 2015, authored by Representative Steve Chabot, which requires
federal agencies to consider the economic effects of regulations on small business before
imposing overly burdensome mandates that prevent growth and job creation.
Messaging opportunity: Hardworking taxpayers deserve a responsive government
that is efficient, effective, and accountable to them. Washington needs to work for
the people, not against them. Without government nudging or approval, citizens
should have the freedom, choice, and control to pursue their own opportunity and
live as they please.

February 10th 13th

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF GROWTH IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES

We will consider language to update and make permanent provisions of the tax code related
to charitable giving. This includes provisions related to tax-free distributions from IRAs for
charitable purposes, encouraging donation of real property for conservation, and enhanced
deductions for the contributions of food inventory.
We will also make permanent the increased expensing benefits for small businesses
(Section 179).
Messaging opportunity: To build a healthy, opportunity economy, our tax code must
protect hardworking taxpayers. It should be fair, simple, and straight-forward, so
that every American can find a real opportunity to get ahead. We don't need
higher taxes. We need a more efficient, effective tax system.

February 24th 27th

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN

We will end the month with a week dedicated to creating opportunities for children to
succeed. During this week, the House will consider H.R. 529, authored by Representative
Lynn Jenkins to unequivocally oppose any plan to tax 529s, which is an outright assault on
families trying to save for their childrens education. This bill will also expand the allowable
uses of 529s, including for the purchase of a computer.
The House will finish February by considering elementary and secondary education reform
that would repeal the one-size-fits-all approach and instead give control and flexibility to
states and local school districts.
We will stop the President from coercing states to adopt Common Core standards and we
will consider proposals to replicate high-performing charter schools. At the start of the last
school year, more than a million children were on waiting lists for admission to charter
schools. No child should be trapped in a failing school, so next month we will act.
Messaging opportunity: Every child should have an equal opportunity to get a great
education. Great schools and great teachers open doors of opportunity for every
student. We should encourage high-tech, exceptional ways of learning in every
school for every student; give parents the right to send their kids to the schools of
their choice; and offer students access to affordable college educations.

Finally, we hope that the Senate will send the House-passed Department of Homeland
Security Appropriations bill to the President. In the event the Senate passes something
different than the House-passed bill, we will be discussing with the Conference the best way
to continue to challenge the Presidents unconstitutional amnesty.
It is incumbent upon every Member to engage with our constituents back home on these
issues and drive home the message that Republicans are focused on freedom, opportunity,
and accountability and that we are continuing to offer positive solutions to help the middle
class.
Conference will be providing additional messaging tools that we should all be using to build
up support for these measures prior to House consideration, as well as after passage.
Finally, in honor of the Super Bowl this weekend, lets see who can be the first to correctly
answer this months trivia question: Which 4 universities sport both a Super Bowlwinning QB and a U.S. President?
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