Congressman George Radanovich California�s 19th Congressional District

Last year, in an effort to address many of the emerging safety concerns with certain children’s toys and other products, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).  As the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) prepares to meet the effective date of February 10, Members of Congress are being inundated with phone calls, letters and emails from constituents concerned about various emerging unintended consequences that have the potential to be economically crippling.

Many of these constituents are small business owners or simply talented craftsmen with a passion for a hobby that they are able to share by selling their products on eBay, local craft fairs, or out of their own home.  It would be a shame if the tireless and well intentioned work that went into protecting our children through the passage of CPSIA also contributed to the demise of these local artisans.

In a letter to Energy and Commerce Chairman Waxman, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) and I suggested a way to jointly find a solution that does not compromise the meritorious intentions of the legislation yet also protects these small business from potential closure: the Energy and Commerce Committee should hold a hearing to examine the numerous unintended consequences of CPSIA and the CPSC should delay the imposition of pending action.

Certainly, during these times of economic uncertainty and record job losses the last thing Congress should do is ignore an issue that could potentially close thousands of small businesses around the country.  It is my hope that Chairman Waxman heeds our advice and understands the distress of our constituents.

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Washington, Apr 9 -

House GOP leaders announced a series of principles to guide Congress when addressing the tension in the current housing market. Congress has a responsibility to address the needs of the innocent victims in the current housing crisis while not punishing those homebuyers who have done their due diligence by keeping up with their mortgage. These principles will help lay the foundation for Congress to act soundly and responsibly on behalf of millions of American homeowners.

• Support Homeownership. Homeownership is central to the American dream and a key part of our free economy. We need to keep the dream of homeownership within reach of middle-class families.
• Jump Start the Housing Market. The best way out of the housing crisis to get Americans purchasing homes again. The housing market needs a jump-start, not a bail-out.
• Lower taxes on middle-class families. Lower taxes on middle-class families will help increase homeownership. We cannot tax our way to a housing recovery, and higher taxes on American families will only add to the middle-class squeeze.
• Help Needy Homeowners Who are Truly Victims. We must address the threat to our economy and help needy homeowners who are truly victims without a taxpayer bailout that rewards reckless behavior.
• Reform and Transparency. We must bring reform and transparency to the housing market and improve our overall economy, as well as ensure that this situation doesn’t become a feeding frenzy of trial lawyers eager to profit from people’s misfortune.
• Fairness for Responsible Homeowners. As a matter of fairness, we should stand up for Americans who saved and invested responsibly, not reward reckless behavior at the expense of those who did the right thing.
• Protection for Taxpayers. We should protect taxpayers from having to bail out speculators and scam artists.
• Stake in the Outcome. Anyone receiving government assistance should have to make a financial sacrifice and have a stake in the outcome.

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Energy independence is one of the most critical issues facing our nation. This Congress has a responsibility to the American family to ease the burden they are feeling at the gas pump and reduce the cost of heating American’s homes this winter.

Unfortunately, this Democrat majority is either unwilling or unable to accept that responsibility.

The majority wants to place unrealistic federal mandates on renewable electricity that will drive up the cost of utilities and mandates on renewable fuel that will increase the cost of food at the supermarket.

The American public wants results. That means increasing domestic oil and gas production, building petroleum refineries for the first time in 30 years, and expanding the use of nuclear energy.

Instead, the static electricity created by my shoes rubbing across this carpet creates more energy than the Democrat’s energy bill.

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To those who claim the Armenian Genocide happened too long ago to be relevant today, I would like to direct your attention to the following article:

Son of Journalist Convicted in Turkey

October 11, 2007

(AP) ISTANBUL, Turkey - The son of a journalist killed earlier this year after calling the massacre of Armenians genocide was convicted Thursday of insulting Turkey’s identity for republishing his father’s remarks.

Arat Dink, editor of the Armenian newspaper Agos, and publisher Serkis Seropyan each received a one-year suspended sentence for “insulting Turkishness,” said their lawyer, Erdal Dogan. He said they would appeal the sentences.

Dink is the son of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was convicted of the same charge for calling the killing of Armenians during World War I genocide. He had appealed the conviction when he was killed by a Turkish youth in January.

The massacre of Armenians is one of the darkest periods in Turkish history. Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed in 1915-17 during the Ottoman Empire, before the birth of modern Turkey.

Turkey rejects the label “genocide,” maintaining that the death toll is inflated and insisting the killings occurred at a time of civil unrest.

The verdict for Dink and Seropyan came a day after legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a nonbinding bill that declares the Armenian killings genocide _ over Turkey’s objections.

“The discriminatory mentality which turned intolerance into a state tradition has yet again declared criticism and expression of opinion an insult to Turkishness and a crime,” the group Human Rights Associated said in a statement.

The European Union has pressured Turkey, which aspires to join the 27-nation bloc, to scrap the controversial law on “insulting Turkishness,” saying it restricts freedom of speech.

Some Turkish leaders, including President Abdullah Gul, also believe the law has harmed Turkey’s EU bid.

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Tomorrow’s markup in the House Foreign Relations Committee is a key day for H. Res 106, a resolution that calls on the United States to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide that took place in the early part of the twentieth century. As a chief sponsor and former author of this same resolution in previous Congresses, I am well aware of the hurdles facing this legislation. Turkey has an incredible lobbying effort and has historically spent millions of dollars a year to keep this resolution off House floor. In 2000, nearly identical legislation was scheduled for a vote on the floor. I was headed up the stairs of the Capitol as then President Clinton called former Speaker Hastert and asked for the bill to be pulled, and a vote was never taken.

There is no excuse for a democracy such as ours to not properly recognize this abomination that took place 92 years ago. It is imperative that America is able to draw clear lines between good and evil, just and unjust—without that ability we are unable to address those inhumanities that are ongoing around the globe today such as in Darfur and Myanmar.

Hopefully, the members of the Foreign Relations Committee will take the courageous first step tomorrow and do what is morally right by voting to pass this resolution out of committee and allow for a vote on the House floor. The survivors of the Armenian Genocide who are still with us today deserve to see our country confront and defeat this campaign of denial. It is time for this House to set things right and officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

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Washington, Aug 10 -
Hi all, I hope everyone is having an excellent August. After an interesting last week of session in the House, I am back in California—thank goodness.

Washington D.C. can be a little too stuffy for me, so it is always great to get back to the District and speak with folks from home. That is exactly what I had the opportunity to do this last Wednesday when I hosted the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Stephen Johnson, for a roundtable discussion on San Joaquin Valley air quality issues.

Almost a year ago I was able to arrange for then Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Rob Portman to meet with myself and a few folks from the Valley representing air quality needs. During the meeting we conveyed to Director Portman the importance of securing funds in the President’s budget for cleaning up the San Joaquin Valley’s air. Although it was too late in the Fiscal Year 2008 budget process for additional funds to be inserted, Director Portman understood the severity of the problems that we are facing. During the meeting I suggested bringing the EPA Administrator to the Valley as a means of highlighting the gravity of the Valley’s air situation in an effort to secure funds for FY09.

At my request the EPA Administrator accepted the invitation to Fresno for a closer look at our dirty air and to discuss possible solutions. Last Wednesday saw the meeting come to fruition and Administrator Johnson spent valuable time with comprehensive representation of the Valley’s air quality interest groups.

Representatives from the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley’s Air Quality Work Group, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, California Air Resources Board, National Parks Conservation Association, the Allergy Institute, Operation Clean Air, and Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, all participated in an informative and thought provoking discussion. The inclusion of such a wide variety of representatives from around the Valley—the Air Quality Working Group alone represents over 300 organizations—made for an inclusive discussion.

The Administrator was briefed on the health impacts of our poor air quality; the ozone impact on our national parks; and the specific objective of advancing the recommendation to accelerate attainment of the federal 8-hr ozone standard and PM2.5 standards.
Administrator Johnson was impressed with the hard work and dedication that the participants displayed. The Administrator instructed his Region IX Director, Wayne Nastri, to make accelerated attainment in the San Joaquin Valley a priority. Agreement was reached that EPA and Air Resources Board (ARB) would co-host a conference to look at new technologies to accelerate attainment. There were some other specifics, such as a commitment from the Administrator to try to get railroad companies to give priority to bringing Tier 3 locomotives to California first. The matter of incentive funding was discussed at length and will be followed up by later meetings.

All in all, I was very pleased with the end results of the discussion. The Administrator shared with me his delight in seeing so many passionate people engaged in such an important issue. We have a long road ahead in the San Joaquin Valley to achieve the quality of air that we deserve to breath, but this meeting was a productive step towards that goal.

Many thanks go to all who participated, particularly Administrator Johnson for taking the time to visit with us. I hope the rest of August proves to be as positive and constructive as this meeting was.

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Washington, Jun 15 -
Last Friday I was very excited to join my colleagues in announcing the formation of the Congressional Water Caucus. Water issues such as supply, storage and quality are critical to American’s day to day lives. I believe these issues will become increasingly vital in future years as more droughts begin to emerge throughout the country and water demands continue to rise. As the former Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Water and Power, I was engaged in many efforts to find common sense solutions to our nation’s water problems.
The Water Caucus will work to advance solutions to our nation’s water needs as well educate our colleagues on water. Together, the caucus developed the “Twelve Principles of Water Policy,” which will help guide our caucus as we tackle important water issues facing our nation.
The formation of this caucus is good news for Americans who rely on clean, affordable water and I am proud to be a co-chairman
The Twelve Principles of Water Policy

• Ensure an adequate supply of fresh water for U.S. citizens, securing a sufficient water supply for both urban and rural areas
• Consider all available technologies for increasing water supply efficiently, while safeguarding the environment, including the use of best management practices
• Recommend a means of capturing and storing excess water for future droughts
• Implement strategies to improve water use efficiencies and reduce water waste
• Support adequate funding to implement water re-use strategies wherever appropriate
• Advocate the coordination of efforts by Congress, the President, and state and local government to solve water issues
• Consolidate and streamline efforts between local, state, and Federal government agencies to reduce the bureaucratic red tape many local communities face when trying to build water reservoirs and other infrastructure needs
• Protect the rights of state and local governments
• Suggest financing options for new public works water projects
• Encourage Federal assistance to state and local governments to identify potential groundwater banking as part of sustainable water supplies
• Recognize international implications for water resources shared with other nations
• Collect and share data related to water use and water quality to determine effectiveness of policy

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