January 5, 2011
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, took the oath of office as a Member of the 112th Congress. Vowing to put great focus on deficit reduction, Thompson said:
“The Congress and the Administration under President Barack Obama has over the last three fiscal years borrowed about $3.7 trillion. That is more than the entire accumulated national deficit for the first 225 years of U.S. history.
“It means we have a $14.2 trillion national debt. It went up by $1 trillion just in the last seven months. The ‘debt’ is the accumulated national deficit. If you divide that number by the population, each citizen now owes more than $45,000. To continue along those lines is unimaginable. We must look at targeted consolidations, cuts or sunsets to programs in the next two years and make government work better for the American people.”
Thompson cited his committee assignments as key to many of the major issues during the new Congress. The issues include jobs, the economy, domestic energy production and agriculture and regulatory mandates.
“I worked hard during the 110th Congress to attain my new committee assignments. I have added the Natural Resources Committee this year and that committee has jurisdiction over much of our domestic energy production,” said Thompson. “I remained on the Agriculture Committee and have been named Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry. And, I will continue my work on the Education and Labor Committee.”
Thompson has voiced concerns that, “The federal government, through the Environmental Protection Agency will make attempts at further regulating carbon emissions, agricultural and waste water runoff into the Chesapeake Watershed, and domestic energy production in the Allegheny National Forest. These mandates will have grave consequences for our local economies and local governments. My job will be to advocate for our local interests and ensure the federal government does not overreach, as it so often does.”
After the initial swearing-in of the new Congress, a vote took place on the election of the Speaker of the House. Thompson’s vote was number 218, which, coincidentally, was the vote that gave John Boehner, R-Ohio, the number of votes needed to become the new Speaker. The final tally for Boehner was 241 Republican votes.
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Thursday, January 13, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Thompson Votes to Prevent Largest Tax Increase in History, Extends Tax Relief to All Americans
Washington, D.C. -
December 17, 2010
Economists differ on how to stimulate the economy and move the country back into job-creating prosperity. But most agree that raising taxes in a poor economy is a bad idea and does not lead to job creation.
If the House and Senate had not acted the week before Christmas, on January 1st, your tax rates would have reverted to the high rates in effect back in 2001. An average middle-income family would have their taxes go up by $1,540. Even the lowest income bracket taxpayers, 88 million Americans, would have received, at minimum, a tax increase of $503. Unfortunately, there are too many people who could not have absorbed such costs.
In total, taxes would have gone up $3.9 trillion over the next ten years—a job-killing increase. Now, there is a two-year reprieve.
What was at stake?
Without the vote:
* The death tax would have increased to a rate of 55 percent with a low exemption amount of $1 million. Under the new package the tax will be a flat rate of 35 percent with an exemption of $5 million per person.
* The Alternative Minimum Tax would have been extended to 15 million taxpayers.
* The tax rate on capital gains would have risen from 15 percent to 20 percent. The tax rates on dividends would have risen from 15 percent to being taxed as ordinary income.
* The “1603 Renewable Energy Grants” would have expired.
The legislation also extended unemployment benefits at their current level for 13 months. Everyone agrees that the jobless need this assistance. But, as I have said before, if it is important enough to do, it is important enough to pay for it. Unfortunately, there was no money in the bill to pay for this extension.
In addition the payroll tax holiday provides less revenue to the Social Security program. The Democrats insisted on an employee-side payroll tax cut of about two percent. The deduction goes from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent of income, which for a household making $50,000 (median for PA) a year, means a savings of $1,000. That equals about $112 billion next year that will not be going into the Social Security program.
Although I objected to both of these provisions, I supported the entire package with the knowledge that the Senate and the Presidency are still controlled by the Democrats.
December 17, 2010
Economists differ on how to stimulate the economy and move the country back into job-creating prosperity. But most agree that raising taxes in a poor economy is a bad idea and does not lead to job creation.
If the House and Senate had not acted the week before Christmas, on January 1st, your tax rates would have reverted to the high rates in effect back in 2001. An average middle-income family would have their taxes go up by $1,540. Even the lowest income bracket taxpayers, 88 million Americans, would have received, at minimum, a tax increase of $503. Unfortunately, there are too many people who could not have absorbed such costs.
In total, taxes would have gone up $3.9 trillion over the next ten years—a job-killing increase. Now, there is a two-year reprieve.
What was at stake?
Without the vote:
* The death tax would have increased to a rate of 55 percent with a low exemption amount of $1 million. Under the new package the tax will be a flat rate of 35 percent with an exemption of $5 million per person.
* The Alternative Minimum Tax would have been extended to 15 million taxpayers.
* The tax rate on capital gains would have risen from 15 percent to 20 percent. The tax rates on dividends would have risen from 15 percent to being taxed as ordinary income.
* The “1603 Renewable Energy Grants” would have expired.
The legislation also extended unemployment benefits at their current level for 13 months. Everyone agrees that the jobless need this assistance. But, as I have said before, if it is important enough to do, it is important enough to pay for it. Unfortunately, there was no money in the bill to pay for this extension.
In addition the payroll tax holiday provides less revenue to the Social Security program. The Democrats insisted on an employee-side payroll tax cut of about two percent. The deduction goes from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent of income, which for a household making $50,000 (median for PA) a year, means a savings of $1,000. That equals about $112 billion next year that will not be going into the Social Security program.
Although I objected to both of these provisions, I supported the entire package with the knowledge that the Senate and the Presidency are still controlled by the Democrats.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thompson Named Chairman of House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson learned from House Agriculture Committee Chairman-Elect Frank Lucas that he will lead the Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry for the upcoming 112th Congress, beginning January 5th, 2011.
Last week, Thompson was made aware, that in total he will have three committee assignments for the 112th Congress. He had retained seats on the House Agriculture and the House Education & Labor Committees, in addition to a new appointment on the House Natural Resources Committee.
In response to the news that he was named Chairman for the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry, Thompson said, “I am honored that Chairman Lucas and my colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee have recognized my commitment to our nation’s farmers and agricultural sector. This appointment will be great for the people of the 5th District and Pennsylvania, as I will have more input toward the issues affecting our lives on a daily basis – from the Commonwealth’s family farms to Marcellus Shale, to the Allegheny National Forest and Chesapeake Bay Watershed.”
The jurisdiction of the Conservation, Energy & Forestry Subcommittee will include soil, water, and resource conservation; the small watershed program; energy and bio-based energy production; rural electrification; and forestry in general.
An announcement earlier today from Agriculture Committee Chairman-Elect Frank Lucas of Oklahoma stated:
“Our Subcommittee Chairmen have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the success of American agriculture and rural economies. They are ready to join me in addressing the challenges that farmers, ranchers, and small businesses face across rural America. The next year will be an exercise in educating our freshmen members on both sides of the aisle, providing oversight of the administration, and building a strong working relationship as we prepare to reauthorize the farm bill in 2012.”
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Last week, Thompson was made aware, that in total he will have three committee assignments for the 112th Congress. He had retained seats on the House Agriculture and the House Education & Labor Committees, in addition to a new appointment on the House Natural Resources Committee.
In response to the news that he was named Chairman for the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry, Thompson said, “I am honored that Chairman Lucas and my colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee have recognized my commitment to our nation’s farmers and agricultural sector. This appointment will be great for the people of the 5th District and Pennsylvania, as I will have more input toward the issues affecting our lives on a daily basis – from the Commonwealth’s family farms to Marcellus Shale, to the Allegheny National Forest and Chesapeake Bay Watershed.”
The jurisdiction of the Conservation, Energy & Forestry Subcommittee will include soil, water, and resource conservation; the small watershed program; energy and bio-based energy production; rural electrification; and forestry in general.
An announcement earlier today from Agriculture Committee Chairman-Elect Frank Lucas of Oklahoma stated:
“Our Subcommittee Chairmen have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the success of American agriculture and rural economies. They are ready to join me in addressing the challenges that farmers, ranchers, and small businesses face across rural America. The next year will be an exercise in educating our freshmen members on both sides of the aisle, providing oversight of the administration, and building a strong working relationship as we prepare to reauthorize the farm bill in 2012.”
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