LEGISLATION - BAILOUTS FROM SENATOR ROBERTS OF KANSAS

The Roberts Report


May 21, 2010
Financial Regulatory Reform
Senator Roberts pushed for a bipartisan financial reform bill that will end bailouts and not penalize small banks. Roberts is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee which reported out highly partisan legislation he opposed on derivatives, which is a key part of financial regulation reform. He supported a bipartisan alternative that would bring complete transparency to the currently unregulated swaps market and increase regulatory oversight.

Recently, Senator Roberts took to the Senator floor and said, “The American people are right to demand that they are never again put on the hook to bail out a failed company. They are right to demand that those who got us into the financial mess not be allowed to do so again. Unfortunately, the financial regulatory reform bill that the Senate approved, does not achieve these goals. It sends a signal that the government will bail out institutions just as it did with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two troubled mortgage giants that have received $125.9 billion in direct government funding and now have an unlimited U.S. credit line. It’s troubling that there is no mention of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in this current bill which will keep taxpayers on the hook for more bailouts of these entities. I supported several amendments to address this issue but unfortunately they were voted down on party lines.

“At a time when the unemployment rate is at 9.7 percent, the last thing Congress should do is make it more difficult for small businesses to start up and be successful. Small businesses are, as the president has acknowledged, the leading job creators in the country, especially in Kansas. I agree we need better regulation of our financial system but this current financial regulatory reform bill does not achieve that goal. However, it does increase the federal bureaucracy and make it more difficult and costly for consumers to obtain credit for their families and small businesses. This approach will not benefit consumers, community banks or our economy. We should improve this bill as it is vital for our economy that we get it right when addressing financial regulatory reform because the consequences will be seen for years to come.”

To watch Senator Roberts’ floor speech on financial reform, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYOxMVXTsZM and to hear audio of this speech, go to: http://src.senate.gov/public/_files/radio/robertsfloor042710.mp3 .

Immigration Debate
In reaction to Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s address to the Joint Session of Congress attacking Arizona’s new tough immigration policy, Senator Roberts said, “We need to respect that the Legislature and Governor of Arizona thought that the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act was the best way to address such a complex issue for the safety and well-being of the people in their state. It was improper for President Calderon to use his address to attack the new law in Arizona and call for comprehensive immigration reform. Just as the United States has immigration laws, so does Mexico and President Calderon would expect U.S. Citizens to follow these laws when they visit Mexico. It was also wrong for Calderon to use the expiration of the assault weapons ban as the rationale for violence along the border and in Mexico.

“For years I have called for more stricter enforcement of our immigration laws. I am already hearing from Kansans who are outraged by President Calderon’s comments and I share your frustration and disappointment with his statements. Rest assured should immigration reform come before Congress, I will continue my efforts to oppose amnesty for illegal aliens and be outspoken on the need to secure our borders first.”

Marine Corps Bill
To recognize the service and sacrifice of the Marine Corps, Senator Roberts, a former Marine, is leading efforts in the Senate to redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps. The bill corrects a long standing disparity by which the Marine Corps falls under the Department of the Navy by simply adding “and Marine Corps” to the title of the service. The Department of the Navy would become the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps and the Secretary would become the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. It does not move funds, change promotions or take away mission or jurisdiction.

Senator Roberts said, “By adding three words, we can credit the Marine Corps as a full service and publicly acknowledge that the Secretary of the Navy is also the head of the Marine Corps. We can acknowledge the Corps is on an equal footing with other services. And we can do this at a time when we are asking all of our servicemen and women to make great sacrifices for our country. This legislation does not detract from the tremendous commitment and dedication of our U.S. Navy personnel or any other service. It is not possible to overstate the service and sacrifice of any man or women who wears or has worn the Marine Corps uniform, whether in Iwo Jima 65 years ago or today.”

Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina has led the effort in the House of Representatives which passed the companion bill unanimously with a record 426 co-sponsors.
To hear Senator Roberts discuss his Marine Corps Bill: http://src.senate.gov/public/_files/radio/roberts51110.mp3 .

Tanker Competition
Senator Roberts criticized Department of Defense’s decision to extend the deadline by 60 days for proposals in the competition to select a new aerial refueling tanker for the Air Force.

“It is unfortunate that after years of delays, DOD has decided to ignore its own deadlines. Given the controversy of this acquisition, I should think DOD would want to run an undeniably fair competition instead of allowing further games to be played with the process. I am confident Boeing can build the best plane for the Air Force, no matter the competition," Senator Roberts said. "However, I urge the Department of Defense to run a fair competition and avoid coddling EADS to the detriment of American warfighters who have waited eight years for this contest to end and decades for a new tanker. I urge EADS to quit delaying and make a decision on entering the competition."

Senator Roberts has long fought to replace the nation’s aging tanker fleet at the earliest possible date, to give men and women in uniform the safest and best plane to complete their mission. The current tankers being used by the Air Force are from the Eisenhower era.

Senate Aerospace Caucus
In order to ensure a strong, secure and competitive American Aerospace sector, Senator Roberts recently joined the newly formed and bipartisan Senate Aerospace Caucus.

Senator Roberts said, “Over half of the world’s general aviation aircraft are built in Kansas. I am pleased to join my colleagues to work on behalf of an industry critical to our great state. We are the ‘Air Capital of the World.’ In 2008, the aviation industry employed over 40,000 people in Kansas. While that number came down a bit due to the economy, we’re starting to see the signs of growth. The Senate Aerospace Caucus will be chaired by Senator Kit Bond of Missouri and Patty Murray of Washington. I thank them for their leadership and look forward to tacking these important issues with the help of the Caucus.”

Flag Requests
United States Flags are available upon request from Senator Roberts’ office. Flags can be flown over the U.S. Capitol to honor family, friends or for special occasions. They can also be flown on a specific date if requested.

Each flag will be accompanied with a certificate signed by the Architect of the U.S. Capitol certifying the date that the flag was flown over the United States Capitol and listing the name of the person/persons or organization for whom the flag was purchased. Flags that have not been flown over the Capitol are also available for purchase. Normal processing time for flags flown over the Capitol is 4 to 6 weeks. All prices listed are at cost, and no profit is incurred. A $4 shipping charge is included in the price of the flag. To order a flag, please visit Senator Roberts’ website, complete this form and mail with the payment: http://roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=FlagRequests . If you have additional questions, please contact my Washington, DC office at (202) 224-4774.

United States Senate Youth Program
The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is a unique and educational experience for outstanding students interested in pursuing careers in public service. The program emphasizes education, leadership and public service including a visit to our nation’s capital. Two high school students from Kansas will have the opportunity to learn about the procedures and history of the United States Senate, meet with high level elected officials in the federal government and receive encouragement to explore a career in public service.

Teachers, principals, students, and parents can recommend this prestigious program to qualified students throughout Kansas. For more details on the availability of the program and scholarship to the high school juniors and seniors in our state, visit the United States Senate Youth Program’s website at http://www.ussenateyouth.org/ .The Washington Week for the selected students takes place March 5-12, 2011 and each student delegate will receive an undergraduate scholarship to the college or university of their choice. Students are chosen by the Kansas State Department of Education and the deadline for application for 2011 is October 10, 2010. Interested students should contact their high school principal or the Kansas State Department of Education, 120 SE 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66612, (785) 296-4950.

Kansas Guard Troops in Africa
Senator Roberts commended the 567 Kansas National Guard soldiers of the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry who recently deployed to the Horn of Africa for a year-long mission to promote stability. Based in Kansas City, Kansas with sub units in Wichita, Lawrence, Lenexa, Emporia and Manhattan, the soldiers were honored at a deployment ceremony in Salina.

Senator Roberts said,“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the men and women and families of this group for their upcoming difficult and challenging mission to the Horn of Africa, a troubled and unsettled region. As a former Marine and member of the National Guard Caucus, I am proud of the selfless sacrifices of these citizen soldiers who make up the National Guard. They provide the United States with a vital war time and peace time capability in our effort to secure our way of life. These men and women perform their difficult jobs to provide for our national security in a land far from their homes. I share with all Americans the desire to see the return of our troops as soon as possible and am proud Kansas plays such a large role in our national security. I will pray for the safety and return of these Kansas Guard troops and their families as they depart for this deployment on the east side of Africa. Thank you for your sacrifice to our great country – Semper Fi!”

To follow Senator Roberts on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SenPatRoberts . To watch Senator Roberts on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SenPatRoberts .

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