By Tom Waring
Wire Staff Writer
U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick was unopposed in Tuesday’s election, and the three-term Republican will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Kevin Strouse and Shaughnessy Naughton.
The Midweek Wire went to press before the votes were counted.
National Democrats plan to target the 8th Congressional District as they try to regain control of the House of Representatives. The district includes all of Bucks County and a portion of Montgomery County.
While Strouse and Naughton were campaigning for last-minute votes last week, Fitzpatrick was visiting Newtown Middle School for the fourth time to speak with students about the importance of addressing the nation’s ballooning $17 trillion debt.
Students sent letters to the congressman about the subject.
“Bucks County has some of the most well-educated and well-informed school students in the country. These eighth-graders fully understand the threat of growing our national debt at an unsustainable rate. I was pleased to have the opportunity to hear their concerns directly,” Fitzpatrick said. “In the letters I received in Washington from these students, and the questions they asked today, it is easy to tell they understand the gravity of the situation surrounding the debt we’re leaving their generation.”
Fitzpatrick serves as vice chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
At a March House Financial Services Committee hearing, Fitzpatrick read several of the students’ letters regarding the national debt to expert witnesses, including Honeywell CEO David Cote and Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former Congressional Budget Office director and current president of the American Action Forum.
“I think their letters are right on the money, and I wish they would write to all the other teenagers in the country to do the same thing,” Cote said. “They’re absolutely right. They’re the ones that are going to be the most affected by [the national debt].”
Fitzpatrick’s presentation centered on student questions about what action is being taken to combat the continued accumulation of debt, including highlighting his support for a balanced budget amendment and bipartisan work with the group No Labels.
“There is work that needs to be done right now to begin addressing our national debt — from getting Washington back in the business of budgeting by passing a bipartisan budget agreement, to finding ways to make the government more efficient with less,” Fitzpatrick said. “When it comes to a common-sense strategy to rein in government spending, No Labels has a plan. I am a co-sponsor of nine bipartisan bills that demonstrate responsible measures to decrease spending and increase efficiency in ways we can all agree on — something the students were very interested in.”
The Make Government Work legislative package includes a number of cost-saving measures meant to decrease federal spending in a bipartisan fashion while larger deals are negotiated. Fitzpatrick is a co-sponsor of all nine bills and the lead sponsor of the Stay in Place, Cut the Waste Act, which would convert half of federal travel to digital communication, saving taxpayers $50 billion over the next decade.
“Congressman Fitzpatrick understands the impact out-of-control federal spending will have on the next generation. I am especially impressed he was able to speak to my class about his efforts to make other members of Congress aware of this threat,” said Joe Fabrizio, history teacher at Newtown Middle School. “I am most grateful — as are my students — that Congressman Fitzpatrick read each students’ letter and used several on the floor of Congress in an attempt to draw attention to the debt crisis.”
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Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick recognized National Police Week after meeting with the Bucks County Police Chiefs Association.
The congressman said, “Each year, we set aside one week to specifically recognize the call to service and profound commitment to duty embodied in our law enforcement officers — both in Bucks and Montgomery counties and across the nation.
“In speaking with police chiefs today, I am reminded that while we honor them annually with a special week, our families and communities rely on their service year-round. For many, the vital service of our local police might go without thought or fanfare. National Police Week reminds us of the importance of their duty to protect and serve — every day.
“This week, we also recognize the extraordinary sacrifice of those officers lost in the service of others. Whether it be ‘Blue Masses’ or the renaming of local landmarks, we must always cherish the memory of our fallen officers and strive to continue their legacy of commitment. It is critical we support our police departments and police officers each day, in spirit and in action — even if nothing more than offering a simple ‘thank you.’ So, in recognition of National Police Week 2014, I join with grateful communities around the nation in thanking our current, former and fallen officers.”
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Last week also marked the 51st annual National Small Business Week.
Each year, Fitzpatrick visits 100 businesses in 100 days around the district — speaking with residents about the successes and concerns they deal with on a daily basis. In Congress, he has introduced or advanced various pieces of legislation concerning workers and small businesses.
The Made in America Act formalizes American-made standards for products and incentivizes manufacturers to increase domestic production through increased connections to American consumers.
The American Research and Competitiveness Act makes permanent the research and development tax credit utilized by more than 20,000 American small businesses to create jobs and increase economic growth.
The Skills Gap Strategy Act requires the development of a report that provides recommendations to address the national “skills gap” by increasing the number of employees and employers participating in on-the-job training and apprenticeships as well as higher employer participation in education and workforce training.
The Skills Act eliminates and streamlines dozens of overlapping federal programs, and helps connect out-of-work Americans with the job-training programs they need.
The Innovation Act helps businesses better defend themselves against abusive patent litigation, promoting more private-sector growth, innovation and job creation.
“Small businesses are the engine of the American economy — and the heart of American communities, including here in Bucks and Montgomery counties,” Fitzpatrick said. “The United States’ 27 million small businesses account for more than half of the nation’s private sector production and nearly half of all private sector jobs. In fact, over the last nearly two decades, small businesses have generated 65 percent of new jobs created across the country.
“Whether it is the family farm, the technology startup or your favorite restaurant in town — these places embody the entrepreneurial spirit that makes our nation great and the pride Americans have in our work. The impact of these businesses is immeasurable — but this week we take time to distinguish their importance and focus on how we can empower them to continue to succeed. In Washington, that means rolling back the crushing regulations that disproportionately hold back workers at small businesses. While ensuring safety and standards is important, government leaders from both parties need to look at ways to cut through the red tape that costs employers more than $10,500 per worker. With an estimated 3,305 new federal regulations in the works, now is the time to take meaningful action.
“By making regulations easier and more efficient, streamlining our confusing tax code, and ensuring we’re training the next generation of employees for the jobs of today, we can do just that.
“I, along with the House, have taken a number of bipartisan actions to move toward these reasonable goals. Let’s make Small Business Week a week of action to strengthen and encourage the small and family-owned businesses that make our nation and our communities special.”
