THIS WEEK IN THE SENATE
Following consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate will take up the annual appropriations bill to fund the Department of Justice, Department of Commerce, NASA, and the National Science Foundation.
THE ROUNDUP REPORT
Negligent Officials Removed from Phoenix VA: 3TV is reporting that the Department of Veterans Affairs has removed three senior Phoenix VA officials for mismanagement and neglect that led to delayed treatment for veterans. Read the full story here.
- Key Takeaway: “U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) released the following statement on today’s announcement: ‘Though long-overdue, the removal of those who contributed to the lack of leadership at the Phoenix VA sends a clear message that misconduct and mismanagement will not be tolerated.”
Fighting Big Labor’s Assault on Small Business: The Hill is reporting that Sen. Flake has introduced legislation to permanently halt the implementation of the administration’s “persuader rule” to benefit Big Labor by arbitrarily placing costly and onerous mandates on small businesses that consult with attorneys or labor relations experts during union organizing drives. The overtly-biased rule would exempt labor unions from those mandates. Read the full story here.
- Key Takeaway: “Eliminating this flawed rule will protect businesses from mandates designed to create an uneven playing field in favor of unions and will prevent yet another layer of economically-crushing regulatory burden on small businesses,” Flake said in a statement.
Reducing Wildfire Risk: As the Tenderfoot Fire marked the unofficial start of the 2016 fire season, Sen. Flake joined Sen. McCain to send a letter to the Forest Service expressing concerns over the slow pace of forest restoration projects – such as the large-scale Four Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI) – designed to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in Arizona. The letter also stressed the need for the Forest Service to strongly consider the suggestions of Arizona stakeholders when allocating resources for 4FRI. Read the full letter here.
- Key Takeaway: “…[the Forest Service’s] commitment at an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing in March to consider sixteen possible actions proposed by the Eastern Arizona Counties Organization (ECO) to speed up work was also a step in the right direction. However, we have heard troubling reports over the past two months that the momentum on these issues may be slowing.”
Confronting Homelessness: Sen. Flake joined Sen. McCain and other members of the Arizona congressional delegation to write the Department of Housing and Urban Development on behalf of 67 families in Maricopa County facing homelessness due to a last-minute agency decision not to fund several Arizona-based housing organizations. The letter urges HUD use existing resources to work with these local groups to find a short-term solution to prevent these families from being abruptly displaced. Read the entire letter here.
- Key Takeaway: “While we support increased competition in the [Continuum of Care] allocation process, due to limited funds, several Arizona-based housing organizations did not receive funding. This has resulted in the unfortunate and imminent displacement of 67 families in Maricopa County if a short-term solution is not found…In light of this impending housing problem, we request that HUD work with these housing organizations to identify any existing resources to prevent the 67 Arizona families from returning to homelessness.”
Reining in EPA Ozone Regulations: Sen. Flake’s bill to reign in EPA’s unreasonable and potentially devastating proposed ozone standard was approved by the House of Representatives last week. Read the full story here.
- Key Takeaway : “After today’s victory in the House, the Senate is positioned to make headway in the effort to rein in overreaching EPA regulations, including the flawed ozone standard. Hopefully it’s not long before this bill aimed at protecting jobs, eliminating unnecessary economic burdens, and restoring regulatory certainty finds its way to the president’s desk," said Flake.
Challenging Lake Havasu Boating Restrictions: Today’s News-Herald in Lake Havasu has published an editorial urging readers to submit comments in opposition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed restrictions on recreational boating at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, which would have a devastating impact on the local and regional economy. Read the full story here.
- Key Takeaway: “The Fish and Wildlife Service heard a unified voice – overwhelming opposition to the proposed boating regulations came from hundreds of Lake Havasu City residents, from local organizations including Lake Havasu City and the Lake Havasu Marine Association, from state agencies like the Arizona Game and Fish Department, from national political figures like Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, and Rep. Paul Gosar – that the boating regulations are simply ill-conceived, bad for business and full of dubious claims.”
Protecting Arizona Water in Lake Mead: Water Online is reporting on efforts to make utilities more stable during the droughts, including Sen. Flake’s proposal to ensure that Arizona water voluntary contributed to Lake Mead is not lost to other states. Read the full story here.
- Key Takeaway: “State officials told the U.S. Congress last month during a hearing that ‘it is time to end the gentleman's agreement currently governing states' use of water from Lake Mead and instead put tougher restrictions into law,’ Grand Canyon News reported. Legislation sponsored by Arizona Republican Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain would “toughen the restrictions and prohibit states from drawing water that other states have put in Lake Mead,” the report said, citing the bill’s supporters.”
THIS WEEK’S TRIVIA QUESTION
Luis Gonzalez, Greg Colbrunn, and Aaron Hill are the only Arizona Diamondbacks to hit for the cycle.
Last week’s winner was Greg from Phoenix whose question is: What was the hottest recorded day in Phoenix?
The 2nd correct e-mailer gets to submit the next question. Please email your answer to this week’s question to press@flake.senate.gov and we will notify you by the end of the week if you have won.
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