Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) to Speak at the RNLA Washington, D.C. Chapter Luncheon

The RNLA is pleased announce that Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) will address our June D.C. Luncheon June 11 at the Capitol Hill Club.

Rep. Chaffetz believes strongly in a constitutionally limited federal government. During his tenure in the House, Rep. Chaffetz has served on the most important committee for rural western communities, the House Natural Resources Committee, and continues to be a prominent member of the Congressional Western Caucus. He supports federal land management policies based on multiple-use and sustained yield and believes that state management and local control are the best long-term solutions for the land and rural communities. Rep. Chaffetz has been a tireless advocate of fiscal discipline, voting consistently to cut spending, eliminate earmarks, reduce duplication and retire outdated federal programs.

On some key issues:

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Lois Leaner Requests:

Rep. Chaffetz, and Health Care, Benefits and Administrative Rules Subcommittee Chairman Jim Jordan, sent a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen requesting further information on the “special project team” established outside of the normal agency process to respond to congressional subpoenas and requests for information, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and other investigative requests relating to Lois Lerner. The existence of the “special project team” was revealed earlier this week in testimony to the Committee from Mary Howard Director of the Privacy, Governmental Liaison and Disclosure at the IRS.

Ms. Howard’s testimony could explain the interminable delays related to the IRS’s responses to the Lerner requests.  In fact, the Committee has been waiting to receive all of Ms. Lerner’s emails for more than two years.  It has been almost a year since the IRS last produced documents to the Committee, and it is just now coming to light that the IRS Privacy, Governmental Liaison and Disclosure team was stripped of its ordinary responsibility to respond to the Lerner requests.  That information might never have come to light at all without Ms. Howard’s testimony, which had to be compelled through the issuance of a subpoena.

Permanent Inspector General at DOI:

The Department’s last permanent inspector general left on February 23, 2009—more than six years ago.  Since then, the office has been managed by an acting inspector general whose tenure has been the subject of recent, significant congressional oversight and controversy… Because acting inspectors general are inherently less independent than their permanent counterparts, however, stakeholders do not have full confidence that their work is credible.  Additionally, some acting inspectors general are candidates for the permanent job, which creates an incentive to conduct less aggressive oversight of the administration.  In any event, taxpayers suffer the consequences.

National Security

:

I am committed to fighting waste, fraud, and abuse within the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of State.  Exposing waste, fraud, and abuse allows our fighting forces and diplomatic personnel to perform their missions with efficiency, effectiveness, and safety, while also ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. 

With questions or to RSVP for a pay at the door tickets (note prices increase at the door), email dc515@republicanlaywer.net.