April 19, 2012

Let's make tax time less taxing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Every year, every one of us across east Alabama prepares for and usually dreads Tax Day—that day in mid-April when we ensure we have gotten our tax returns filed on time. 

According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, each American will work 107 days just to pay their federal, state and local taxes. That’s a lot of work, and Americans are rightly asking these days what exactly they’re getting for their tax dollars. It goes without saying that during these tough times, we should not be increasing the number of days people must work just to pay their taxes.

As of writing, taxes are not only on the minds of families and businesses, but they continue to be a hot topic on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers in both the House and Senate are taking different approaches to revamp our complicated, cumbersome tax system and help contain our rapidly rising debt. I am most interested in pursuing a simplification of our tax code. A flatter and fairer tax code with fewer loopholes would go much farther toward leveling the playing field and helping bring our massive debt under control. 

Getting this done shouldn’t be so difficult. Our tax code is too large, too long and costs Americans far too much in time and expense just to comply with the IRS.

With the national unemployment rate at 8.2 percent and Alabama’s unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, I also believe as Congress debates this issue that now is not the time to raise taxes on any American. We should be focused like a laser on trying to save and create good-paying jobs in this weak economy, especially by our small businesses. 

Just this week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that addresses both taxes and helping our small businesses. The Small Business Tax Deduction bill, which I voted for, would cut taxes for businesses of 500 or fewer employees by 20 percent, helping small businesses thrive and grow. This bill is one of over 30 the House of Representatives has passed to help America’s job creators. 

By providing some tax relief, these small businesses should be able to create and keep good-paying jobs across the country. The tax reform debate will continue throughout this year. If you have ideas as to how we can make the tax code simpler and fairer, please send me your thoughts. 

As always, contact me on this or any issue by visiting my website at www.mike-rogers.house.gov, become a fan on Facebook at Congressman Mike D. Rogers, follow me on Twitter at RepMikeRogersAL and subscribe to my YouTube page at MikeRogersAL03.

March 9, 2012

America's ongoing energy crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  Across east Alabama, folks are downright angry about the rising costs of gas and they have every reason to be. So am I. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.76. In February it was $3.47, so in one month, it has increased 29 cents and from the way things are going, it seems that trend will continue. 

With our national unemployment at 8.3 percent and Alabama’s at 8.1 percent, our economy is still bad. Folks across Alabama and the nation are still tightening their financial belts to make ends meet.  If gas prices continue to rise–as it looks like they will–folks may be forced to choose between filling up their tanks or their pantry. 

As most folks have seen on the news recently, the situation in the Middle East continues to be in turmoil. Just this week, I met with representatives from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Like most folks in east Alabama, I am fully supportive of our ally, Israel. 

As Iran continues to pursue its rogue nuclear weapons program, the constant threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz remains. Almost 20 percent of the world oil trade crosses through the Strait of Hormuz, so if Israel and Iran enter into a military conflict, prices could soar.  

President Obama is asking other countries to step up oil production, but America doesn’t just need more distant sources of oil. We need real energy solutions here at home. For example, I wish Congress would get serious and allow the Keystone Pipeline XL to bring oil in from our friend and ally, Canada, to be refined into gasoline and help create jobs in America. We could also do more safe drilling here at home. We could open just 3 percent of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and also drill from the Outer Continental Shelf. 

President Obama highlights America’s increased oil production in the U.S., but most of that has been on private land over which the federal government has little control. One recent report, from the Institute for Energy Research, notes oil production on federal lands declined by 11 percent last year.  The time is now.  The American people cannot continue to have gas prices stay on the rise in the current state of our economy.  Everyone in Washington must help America become energy independent, which will lower the price at the pump. 

Feb. 9, 2012

Rising gas prices

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  It’s mid-February and hard to believe that Spring Break is right around the corner for many of our kids and families. For all of us across east Alabama, the coming spring also means gas prices will likely spike again. That, of course, brings more pain at the pump during these already tough economic times. 

Gas prices are already going up. According to AAA Alabama, the average price of gas is over 30 cents above the average this time last year. 

So the rising cost of energy is back in the news. For years the debate in Congress has tracked the rise and fall of energy prices, and with too few common sense solutions ever passed, we’re often left with the sense that our energy challenges simply are not being addressed fully enough. Yet it’s a debate we must keep having. Developing countries like China are consuming more of the world’s energy reserves, which in turn is pushing up prices. That’s why we must find ways to become more energy independent to help stabilize the cost of energy for our families and businesses. 

So far, this year the debate has centered on a project out west called the Keystone Pipeline XL. If built, I believe this is the type of project that could make a huge difference in helping wean our country off of our dependence on the Middle East for oil and help create new good-paying jobs. The pipeline would bring more oil into the United States from Canada. But, as of writing, this project–which could create thousands of new jobs–is stuck in limbo in Congress. Let’s get it built. I also hope Congress will fully support another one of this year’s hot topics in energy: natural gas exploration. Recent media reports have shown that some American companies have been willing to bring some manufacturing jobs back to America to take advantage of its abundant natural gas resources. 

That won’t help ease the pain at the pump though. That’s why I recently joined with many of my colleagues in asking President Obama's Department of the Interior to develop a real offshore drilling plan, not just a symbolic one. We desperately need to increase our domestic sources of oil ultimately to help keep prices lower.  

As always, feel free to contact me on this or any issue  at www.mike-rogers.house.gov, become a fan on Facebook at Congressman Mike D. Rogers, follow me on Twitter at RepMikeRogersAL and subscribe to my YouTube page at MikeRogersAL03.

 Jan. 26, 2012

What does 2012 hold?

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  2012 is off to a busy start and Congress has returned for its second session. Unfortunately, as our economy continues to limp along, there still seems to be too much “business as usual” around our nation’s capital. 

For example, let’s look at the budget. Every family across east Alabama lives by its income and expenses. That’s why it’s troubling that January 24 marked a thousand days since a budget has been passed by the Democrat-controlled Senate. Americans are left scratching their heads, knowing Congress can do better. 

Meanwhile, here in Alabama the unemployment rate has been going down. That seems to be good news, which we all hope means more people are finding work. Of course, there continues to be new layoffs as well, leaving even more people suffering and asking “where are the jobs?” 

Jobs have to be our nation’s number one priority in 2012. In the House, Republicans have passed 27 bipartisan bills which are part of the Plan for America’s Job Creators, but all of these bills are still sitting idle in the Senate. Let’s get those bills passed. 

One of the bills deals with a once-obscure energy independence and jobs project called the Keystone Pipeline XL. This pipeline, designed to carry oil from Canada to refineries in the U.S., is estimated to create thousands of jobs. It also would help increase our energy independence by lowering the amount of oil we need to import from countries that may not have our best interests at heart. I hope President Obama ends his opposition to the project and instead helps our country become even more energy independent while helping get Americans back to work. 

As February begins, I hope we will all take time to acknowledge Black History month. East Alabama is rich in history of great African Americans and was honored by the recent premier of the movie “Red Tails” about the brave Tuskegee Airmen. We will continue to honor them and all of our civil rights leaders who have made a difference. 

As always, contact me on this or any issue at www.mike-rogers.house.gov,  become a fan on Facebook at Congressman Mike D. Rogers, follow me on Twitter at RepMikeRogersAL and subscribe to my YouTube page at MikeRogersAL03.