[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PAUL A. GOSAR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 4, 2014

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize passage of several 
pieces of legislation during the week of February 24, 2014. 
Unfortunately, I was not able to vote for final passage of these bills 
because I was out on medical leave recovering from much needed hip 
replacement surgery.
  H.R. 1211, the FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act of 2014, is 
important legislation that increases transparency and streamlines the 
process for requests of public information disclosures under the 
Freedom of Information Act. This legislation passed through one of my 
committees, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, with 
my support.
  H.R. 1123, the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition 
Act, is a bill that reverses a previous Library of Congress rule that 
made the unlocking of cell phones illegal after the FCC and industry 
had agreed that consumers had every right to unlock their phones. It 
also directs the Library of Congress to issue a rule to determine 
whether consumers should be allowed to unlock similar devices, such as 
tablets.
  H.R. 1944, the Private Property Rights Protection Act, is a bill to 
remedy a Supreme Court decision, Kelo v. New London, regarding 
governments' eminent domain powers. This legislation is very similar to 
one passed in the 112th Congress, which passed by voice vote. I am a 
strong supporter of private property rights and I agree 100 percent 
with the sense of Congress stated in this legislation that it should be 
``the policy of the United States to encourage, support, and promote 
the private ownership of property and to ensure that the constitutional 
and other legal rights of private property owners are protected by the 
federal government.''
  H.R. 3865, the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act, is 
an incredibly important piece of legislation designed to prevent the 
IRS from adopting a proposed rule that changes the way 501(c)(4) 
organizations are allowed to operate under the tax code. As the 
Oversight Committee noted in its hearing this week, this rule is 
tantamount to ``doubling down'' on the discriminatory practices against 
conservative groups that were uncovered in 2013. I strongly support 
this bill.
  H.R. 2804, the All Economic Regulations Are Transparent Act, is a 
bill that requires federal agencies to further disclose and report on 
much of their processes and rules. One of my favorite provisions of 
this bill is that agencies and Washington bureaucrats pushing forth new 
regulations have to assess and disclose the costs that their proposed 
rules will have on small businesses and the economy. If the rules are 
going to be made, they should have a sound basis and fully consider the 
economic impact. This bill accomplishes those goals and has my support.
  H.R. 3193, the Consumer Financial Protection and Soundness 
Improvement Act, makes a series of changes to the Consumer Financial 
Protection Bureau (CFPB) to rein in much of its autocratic authority. 
It will replace the Director of CFPB with a five member independent 
commission; it makes CFPB subject to the regular authorization and 
appropriations process; it requires the CFPB to use the GS pay scale 
like other federal agencies; and it prohibits the CFPB from accessing 
or using personal financial data of a consumer without express 
permission. I support reining in the unchecked authorities of the CFPB 
and support this legislation.
  H.R. 899, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, is 
a bill that, among other things, enhances the ability of the public to 
identify federal mandates that may impose additional costs to citizens, 
workers, businesses, as well as State, local, and tribal governments. I 
am a firm believer that the Federal Government must not crush the 
smaller guy with undue burdens and mandates. I strongly support this 
important legislation.
  Had I been present for these votes, I would have voted in support of 
these three important bills with an ``aye'' vote on rollcall Nos. 63, 
64, 67, 69, 78, 85 and 90.

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