Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Reply from Congressman Chuck Fleischmann

I sent a email to Congressman Fleischmann well before election day and just received my response today. I asked several questions about his voting record and why I should vote for him. This is his response.

 
 
Dear  Samuel :
 
 
Thank you for taking the time and write to me with concerns about  four of  my  votes.   The legislation that you specifically had question s about are HR 6233,  the   Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 HR 6169, the Pathway to Job Creation through a Simpler, Fairer Tax Code Act of 2012 House Amendment 1416,  Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act , and   HR 5896, the  Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2013 .   Your input is appreciated, and it is an honor to represent you in Congress.
 
HR 6233 was introduced by Representative Frank Lucas, has passed through the House, and is currently pending in the Senate Committee on Agriculture. I understand that many in the Third District are farmers and support their families by agricultural means. In these difficult economic times, that can be difficult.  Unfortunately, HR 6233 was brought to the House floor on Election Day, and I was unable to be there.  My 98.2% voting record shows that I take my job as your representative very seriously and I hope that you will continue to watch my votes. 
 
HR 6169 was introduced by Representative David Dreier and has passed through the House, but has not yet been reported to the Senate. Creating jobs and getting America back to work is my top priority as your Congressman.  Similar to HR 6233 , I did  not vote on this bill because it was brought to the  House f loor on Election Day. On a  more  personal note, I have co-sponsored and voted on several bills to create jobs, such as H.R. 1229, H.R. 1230, and H.R. 1231. All of these bills would increase our capacity to drill offshore and create high paying jobs in the oil industry. I also voted on H.R. 1938, the NAMES Act, which would direct the Secretary of Energy to complete the permitting for the Keystone XL pipeline. TransCanada, the pipeline's creator, is expected to quickly hire 13,000 American construction workers once the permit is approved. 
 
The House Amendment 1416 was introduced by Representative Steve King to support the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  I am  staunch supporter of DOMA and  committed to maintaining traditional marriage as the family centerpiece.  Recently, I signed on to a  House  resolution exp ressing concern with the Obama A dministration's refusal to uphold DOMA.    Rest assured, I will continue working to ensure that marriage remains  an institution between one man and one woman. This should be our guiding principal , whether in the military or in the civilian world.
 
HR 5896,  Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2013 ( NDAA ), extends and reaffirms the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). There have been many allegations about the detention of United States citizens without trial in relation to this bill.   The statutory langue of Section 1021 (e) reads as follows: 
 
(e) Authorities.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States, or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States. 
This language, which is what I voted for, makes it clear that the detention provisions for American citizens have not changed from previous years. Under  Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, US citizens are guaranteed the right to challenge their detention, including when they captured abroad while fighting for the Taliban (as was the case with Mr.  Hamdi ). I believe the right to challenge detention is a fun damental right in this country.  Additionally , Section 1021 (b) makes it clear that the detention provisions only apply to "al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces.
 
I hope this information answers your questions. I cannot represent you well without knowing your concerns. Thanks again for reaching out to me, and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any additional assistance in the future.
 

Sincerely,

Chuck Fleischmann
Member of Congress

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