Kay Bailey Hutchison is the senior U.S. Senator from Texas and is the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. She served previously in the
Texas House of Representatives, as the Texas State Treasurer. She and
her husband, Ray, live in Dallas with their two children, Bailey and
Houston.
| Sen. Cornyn serves on the Finance, Judiciary, Agriculture, and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee's Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge. For Sen. Cornyn’s previous Texas Times columns: www.cornyn.senate.gov/column.
|
THE STATE FAIR - A TEXAS TRADITION
By U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
I recently had the great honor of cutting the ribbon to officially open this year’s State Fair of Texas. Like most Texans, the State Fair has a special place in my heart.
Attending the State Fair is a fall tradition for many Texans. When I was in college, I came to cheer on my beloved Longhorns as they played the Sooners in the Cotton Bowl during Texas-OU Weekend. The national Red River rivalry during the State Fair has been a time of reuniting friends from both universities for years. And now, I bring my children to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of the fair! While fried bubblegum is the recent fried food contest winner – our family favorite is the good old-fashioned corny dog.
The State Fair has been a Texas institution for 125 years. What began in 1886 as the Dallas State Fair and Exposition has evolved into an annual celebration of Texas’ diverse history, culture, culinary arts, agriculture and commerce. More than 250 million visitors have attended the State Fair since it first opened. Whether from East Texas or Far East Asia, fairgoers are welcomed with open arms and a “Howdy Folks!” from Big Tex.
The State Fair has also been a robust economic engine for the region, creating more than 300,000 jobs. It has brought an economic impact of $10-$12 billion to the area. Even during difficult economic times, the Fair gives visitors a tremendous value for their entertainment dollar. This has been a hallmark of the State Fair throughout its history. During the Great Depression, Texas celebrated its Centennial. To mark this anniversary, Fair Park embarked on a massive building project to include museums, exposition halls, a band shell, a lagoon and many terraces and waterways. More than 8,000 people were hired for this project, including builders and laborers, artists and sculptors. In 1936, more than six million visitors attended the Fair, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
We still enjoy these magnificent buildings designed for the Centennial. They have been renovated and restored and are considered some of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture and art in America today. This year, Texas celebrates its 175th anniversary, and in the splendid Hall of State the Fair has brought together memorabilia and artifacts from Sam Houston and Santa Ana showcasing our state’s unique history. And to show once again that everything is bigger and better in Texas, they even have a life-sized replica of the Alamo! I hope every school in the state will take the opportunity to bring students to see the Texas history exhibit.
The State Fair of Texas is full of wonderful sights, sounds and smells. Texas cooks and bakers have been bringing their prized recipes for judging since the Fair’s early days. Our best craftsmen and women compete for the “best in show” and the winners are on display. And the State Fair’s Big Tex Choice Award for tastiest and most creative fried foods has been a culinary staple competition for the past seven years. This year’s winners are fried buffalo chicken in a flapjack and fried bubblegum – proving once again that Texans can fry – and eat -- just about anything!
There is something for every generation to enjoy at the State Fair that runs this year from September 30 through October 23. Whether you are coming for the football -- Texas-OU or Grambling-Prairie View A&M; or to taste the variety of foods; to ride the Midway rides; take in this year’s State Fair Musical; or walk through the craft and cooking demonstrations and contests, the State Fair of Texas creates fond memories and continues a great Texas tradition.
| Honoring Our Local Heroes: Texas’ Volunteer Firefighters
By U.S. Sen. John Cornyn
As recent wildfires ravaged parts of Texas, destroying homes and property in their path, thousands of Texans were displaced and endured tremendous losses. Among the hardest hit were a group of individuals who lost their homes to the very fires they were volunteering to fight.
A majority of the members of the Heart of the Pines Volunteer Fire Department—just between Smithville and Bastrop—lost their homes in the Bastrop fire, the most costly fire in Texas’ history.
For Mizzy Zdroj, one of the Heart of Pines volunteer firefighters, news of her home being destroyed did not deter her from continuing to work around the clock to fight the fires. Zdroj told the Houston Chronicle, “When I have this suit on, and I can make runs, and I can put out fires, and I can save other people from having to lose all their things - and having to explain that to their kids - I'll do it.”
According to the State Firemen’s & Fire Marshals’ Association, more than three-fourths of Texas’ fire departments are manned by volunteers. In recent weeks, these volunteer firefighters have flocked to Central Texas and other parts of Texas in droves to help battle historic blazes. For most, firefighting is not their day job. Among the Heart of the Pines team, for instance, are a truck driver, an artist, and a college chemistry lecturer.
In Texas and across the country, volunteer firefighters are often the first line of defense against wildfires and emergency situations in rural or less populated communities. The nation’s first volunteer fire department was established by founding father Benjamin Franklin. Franklin, who had witnessed the devastating effects of several fires since childhood, was concerned about the lack of organized fire protection. In 1736, Franklin established the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia, manned by 30 volunteer firefighters.
Since then, generations of volunteer firefighters have demonstrated courage and selflessness in the face of danger. Today, roughly 30,000 volunteer firefighters call Texas home. More than 85 percent of these men and women use their personal funds to meet the needs of their fire departments. As we’ve witnessed during this year’s historic drought, these local heroes go above and beyond the call of duty, and they deserve our utmost gratitude and support. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the employers who have given these volunteers the time off they need to serve and protect Texas communities.
I recently had the chance to tour fire-damaged areas of Bastrop and was humbled to see Texans coming together to help their neighbors in need. In addition to the hard work of our volunteer firefighters, many Texans have donated their time and talents in other areas to bring about recovery in Central Texas. While some manned the Incident Command Post in Bastrop, others facilitated donation drives for families who had lost homes and all their belongings, while others worked to find lodging for displaced livestock and family pets.
Though the Texas spirit has been tested to extremes in recent weeks, I am proud to say it has not faltered. Texans have stood shoulder to shoulder to help each other recover, and we will continue to do so until all of the fire victims are back on their feet. On the front lines of this effort have been our volunteer firefighters, many of whom have experienced great personal losses. I hope we can each do our part to rally behind these brave men and women in the coming days to express our appreciation for the protection they have so selflessly provided.
|
UPDATE ON THE "NO MORE EXCUSES ENERGY ACT"
by Congressman Mac Thornberry
I want to update you on some recent efforts to require the Congress to take action on energy issues.
In July 2007, I introduced a bill called the “No More Excuses Energy Act.” My purpose was to encourage the production of all kinds of energy here at home. The bill, H.R. 3089, would allow oil and gas exploration in areas that are currently off limits. It would also provide incentives for new refineries and new nuclear power plants. It would extend the tax credit for wind energy for 10 years. The more energy we can produce domestically, the less we will have to buy from other, sometimes unstable countries.
The name of the bill came from my frustration with Congress for making excuses and pointing fingers of blame at others, while ignoring the fact that the actions of Congress have contributed to the problem by making it harder to produce domestic energy. I believe Congress should stop making excuses and actually do something that can help solve the problem.
Unfortunately, attempts to have a vote on my bill, either on its own or as an amendment to another bill, have not yet been successful. In the House of Representatives, the Speaker has control of which bills can be scheduled for a vote. The only exception is when enough members sign a discharge petition requiring that the bill be brought for a vote.
The “No More Excuses Energy Act” was the first energy bill for which a discharge petition has been filed in this Congress. The petition was filed on June 10, 2008, and we currently have over 150 signers -- more than half way to the 218 we need. Additional discharge petitions are also being filed on other energy proposals in the coming weeks.
There are no quick, easy solutions to the energy problems we face. Some of the contributing factors, such as the increasing demand from China and India, are beyond our control. But there are some things we can control, such as the restrictions we put on ourselves that drive up the cost of energy and increase our dependence on imports. Those government policies must be changed, and I will continue to push for common sense solutions that help us produce more energy here at home and improve the standard of living for our citizens.
Regulations have made it too difficult to build refineries and new power plants, and we have put much of the country off limits to energy development. The “No More Excuses Energy Act” encourages responsible domestic energy production in the United States, increases the supply of energy and with time, would also help ease the pain Americans are feeling at the gas pump.
"No More Excuses Energy Act" would:
Encourage new refinery construction by requiring the IRS to take action on provisions from the Energy Policy Act of 2005, allowing tax exempt bonds to be used for construction of certain refineries.
Boost alternative energy development by extending the Wind Production Tax Credit for 10 years.
Lift the Congressional Moratoria on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf, potentially providing 17 billion barrels of oil.
Open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to responsible drilling, potentially producing nearly one million barrels per day for several decades.
Encourage the investment in a much-needed industrial base for building nuclear power plants by reducing the tax burden on that industry.
For more information on the “No More Excuses Energy Act,” follow this link.
TYING OUR HANDS ON ENERGY:
Energy is not only critical for U.S. national security, economic well-being and stability, but also important to the folks driving to work to provide for their families. For too long we have grown ever more dependent on unreliable foreign sources of energy. We have made it too difficult to build refineries and new power plants, and we have put much of the country off-limits to energy development. Here are some facts on energy consumption and production in the United States:
The United States consumes 22% of the world’s energy but produces less than 70% of what we use.
Annually, the U.S. consumes about 7.55 billion barrels of petroleum products and 23 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Federal lands are estimated to contain 31 billion barrels of oil and 231 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge could produce and estimated 780,000 barrels per day, over half of what we import per day from Saudi Arabia.
In 1982, 301 refineries were operating in the United States. There are only 149 refineries operating today.
More and more people recognize that conservation has its place, but until we produce more energy of all kinds here at home, we are only dealing with half of the answer to our energy crisis. We must unleash the creative power of Americans and unlock the energy resources we have here at home.
DRILL ONLY
You often hear it said that "we can't drill our way out of our energy problems." I think that's true. There is no one solution. We have to do more of everything here at home – implement reasonable conservation measures, research new forms of energy, develop renewables like wind, solar, and biofuels, and we have to produce more fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, which is the source of most of the energy we use today and will use in the foreseeable future.
SPECULATION
I believe there should be an investigation to look at the role speculation plays in current high oil prices – especially those transactions that are not fully disclosed. We should also remember that investors are putting their money into commodities like oil because they believe that the price will go up. Part of the reason they think so is that Washington has continued to tie our hands to prevent more production. In fact, some in Congress have repeatedly tried to abolish existing incentives to drill in the deeper waters off the Gulf of Mexico, and some are pushing to punish energy companies with a Windfall Profits Tax. When that is what the market hears out of Washington, no wonder they think the price of oil will only go higher. A number of experts believe that the best thing Congress could do to push down oil prices in the short term is to act on a pro-production energy agenda.
|
President George W. Bush (R): Web Site: www.whitehouse.gov; E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov; Washington Office: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW; Washington, US 20500; Phone: (202) 456-1414; Fax: (202) 456-2461
U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R): Web Site: hutchison.senate.gov; Washington Office: 284 Russell Senate Office Building; Washington, D.C. 20510-4304; Phone: (202) 224-5922; Fax: (202) 224-0776
Main District Office: 10440 N. Central Expressway, #1160; Dallas, TX 75231; Phone: (214) 361-3500; Fax: (214) 361-3502
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R): Web Site: cornyn.senate.gov; Washington Office: 517 Hart Senate Office Building; Washington, D.C. 20510-4302; Phone: (202) 224-2934; Fax: (202) 228-2856
Main District Office: 221 W. 6th St., Ste. 1530; Austin, TX 78701; Phone: (512) 469-6034; Fax: (512) 469-6020
U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry (R-13th District): Web Site: www.house.gov/thornberry; Washington Office: 2457 Rayburn House Office Building; Washington, D.C. 20515-4313; Phone: (202) 225-3706; Fax: (202) 225-3486
Main District Office: 905 S. Fillmore St., Ste. 520; Amarillo, TX 79101; Phone: (806) 371-8844; Fax: (806) 371-7044
Governor Rick Perry: Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 12428, Austin, Texas 78711, Phone: (512) 463-2000, Fax: (512) 463-1849; Citizen's Assistance Hotline: 1-800-843-5789 | Citizen's Opinion Hotline: 1-800-252-9600
| Lt. Governor David Deweherst: Box 12068, Austin, TX 78711, (512-463-1000)
Speaker of the House Tom Craddick: Box 2910, Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78769;
Midland Office: 500 W. Texas, Suite 880, Midland, TX 79701 (915) 682-3000)
Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples: Box 12847, Austin, TX 78711, (512-463-7476), Nationwide Toll Free Phone: (800) TELL-TDA (835-5832), Fax: (888) 223-8861; District Office: 7122 Interstate 40, Amarillo, TX 79106, (806-358-7285)
Attorney General Gregg Abbott: Box 12548, Austin, TX 78711-2548, (512-463-2100)
Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs: LBJ State Office Building,
111 East 17th Street, Austin, Texas 78774; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Post Office Box 13528, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas 78711-3528, (800-252-5555)
State Board of Education Bob Craig (District 15): PO Box 1979, Lubbock, TX 79408, (806-744-3232),
806 744-2211 (FAX), sboesupport@tea.state.tx.us
State Respresentative Warren Chisum : Capitol Office: CAP GW.15; PO Box 2910, Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78769, (512-463-0736 or 800-692-1389); Pampa Office: PO Box 2061, Pampa, TX 79066, (806-665-3553), warren.chisum@house.state.tx.us
State Senator Kel Seliger (District 31): Capitol Address: P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas 78711, (512) 463-0131; Amarillo District Address: 410 S. Taylor, Amarillo, TX 79101, (806) 374-8994, (806) 374-4607 fax; Mailing Address: P.O. Box 9155, Amarillo, TX 79105
|
|
