Category: Congresswoman Kristi Noem

Noem Urges Prompt Consideration of TPA by President, following Senate Passage

TPA brings greater accountability and transparency to trade negotiations, says Congresswoman

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today urged President Obama to promptly sign a bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill following the Senate’s final passage of the legislation this afternoon.  Noem helped the U.S. House of Representatives pass this legislation on June 18.

“95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders, so America limits its growth if we can’t reach them on a level playing field,” said Noem.  “When South Dakota has the opportunity to export goods to countries where the U.S. has a trade agreement, we sell approximately 11.5 times more goods than we would to a country where that relationship hasn’t been established. TPA gives our negotiators the tools necessary to reach a fair deal that can produce those kind of results.  I applaud the U.S. Senate for passing this critical bill and I strongly urge the President to move quickly in signing it.”

TPA allows Congress to help set the rules for trade negotiations and lays out congressional objectives of what a good trade deal looks like for America.  This helps ensure greater transparency throughout the negotiating process by empowering Congress to conduct vigorous oversight and hold the administration accountable.  Additionally, with TPA in place, the general public will have online access to the final version of any trade agreement 60 days before that agreement is sent to Congress.   More information on the authorities granted to Congress and the general public by TPA can be found here.

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Good Over Evil
By Rep. Kristi Noem
June 19, 2015

In his speech before Congress last March, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled the Book of Esther, explaining how this ancient queen exposed a plot to destroy the Jewish people and, as a result, ensured good triumphed over evil.

As Netanyahu went on to explain, the Jewish people once again face an adversary who seeks to destroy them – an adversary who is on the brink of developing a nuclear weapon. That matters to us, not only because we ought to stand against this kind of obliterating evil, but because the national security interests of Israel and the United States are closely intertwined.

Israel plays a critical role in our efforts to defeat ISIL, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations in the region. Our countries have collaborated on improving stability in the region, worked together to improve behavioral screening techniques at airports, and teamed up on counterterrorism efforts that make each of us a little safer. We also share a common enemy – Iran, a country whose intentions to destroy does not stop at Israel, but extends to the United States. Undoubtedly, Israel is one of our closest allies in a tumultuous region and so their survival is critical to American national security.

Nonetheless, President Obama is pursuing a deal with Iran. Such a deal would put nuclear restrictions on Iran and in exchange, America would lift some or all economic sanctions on the Iranian people. I, along with many in the national security community, am concerned that the administration is headed down the wrong path with these negotiations.

If we are going to make a deal, it needs to be a good deal. In other words, it must be a deal that ensures Iran has absolutely no path to a nuclear weapon. Even no deal would be better than a bad one, as the President’s administration has admitted.

Many in South Dakota and across the county have embraced five requirements for a “good deal,” as outlined by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee – or AIPAC. I too believe these requirements are a good measurement of what a final deal should include.

First, Iran would need to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure and surrender its uranium stockpiles.

Second, inspectors would need full access to suspicious sites – anywhere, anytime. I for one don’t trust Iran; we must be able to verify that they’re following our rules.

Third, sanctions must stay in place until it is certified that Iran has upheld its end of the deal. If at any point Iran violates our agreement, there needs to be immediate consequences.

Fourth, Iran needs to come clean about its previous nuclear work. This is the first step toward building confidence in the fact that their efforts are sincere. It’s also a way in which we can establish a baseline.

Finally, the agreement must avoid setting an arbitrary timeline for nuclear restrictions to expire. Iran’s nuclear program must be heavily regulated until the country demonstrates it no longer wants a nuclear weapons capability.

The negotiations between Iran, the United States and five American-aligned countries are scheduled to conclude on June 30. At that point, Congress will have at least 30 days to consider the agreement before any congressionally mandated sanctions against Iran would be lifted. Congress will have the ability to vote a bad deal down at that point, but that’s going to be an uphill battle, as we’ll need a number of Democrats to vote against the President’s agenda.

We must not afford Iran the ability to further threaten Middle Eastern stability, jeopardize American interests, or destroy our strongest ally. In fact, we must eliminate every nuclear pathway Iran has access to in order to help ensure – just as Queen Esther did – that good continues to triumph over evil.

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Noem Helps Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Protections for Expectant Mothers

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today joined Rep. Tim Walberg and Sen. Lisa Murkowski in introducing the Pregnancy Discrimination Amendment Act to strengthen protections for expectant mothers in the workplace.  The legislation, which was introduced in both the House and Senate, provides much-needed protections in light of a recent Supreme Court decision, Young v. United Parcel Service, Inc., where the Justices wrote an unclear opinion related to a central provision of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.  Because of this, further clarification of the law is needed.

“Expectant mothers ought to be given some level of flexibility during their pregnancy so they can continue working and supporting their families,” said Noem.  “I’m proud that our legislation takes a balanced approach, protecting mothers and strengthening families without imposing duplicative burdens on their employers.”

The legislation will modernize the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 by clarifying that a pregnant worker should be treated the same as a non-pregnant worker who may have a temporary disability and is therefore unable to perform certain duties.  Click here to read a PDF of the Pregnancy Discrimination Amendment Act.

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Noem Safeguards Accountability and Transparency with Support of Trade Promotion Authority

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today joined colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill, which would set the rules for trade negotiations and lay out congressional objectives as to what a good trade deal looks like for America.

“With Trade Promotion Authority in place, the American people would be guaranteed a seat at the negotiating table,” said Noem, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over such issues.  “95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders, so America limits its growth if we can’t reach those folks on a level playing field.  TPA does not lock us into any trade agreement that gives Americans access to these markets, but it does set the rules as to how the administration can go about such negotiations. At its core, TPA guarantees a more transparent process where the administration can be held accountable to the American people for meeting the trade objectives set by Congress.”

With passage in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Trade Promotion Authority bill will be sent to the U.S. Senate for its approval before hitting the President’s desk.  You can find more information on the authorities granted to Congress and the general public by TPA here.

“With TPA, Congress is telling the administration:  If a trade agreement is to get the privilege of an up-or-down vote in Congress, you must follow our rules and instructions, consult us, and remember that we have the last say,” explained Noem.  “But it’s also important to remember that TPA in no way obligates Congress to approve the Trans Pacific Partnership or any other trade agreement.   If this administration violates the parameters we’ve set, Congress can revoke TPA.  And if he follows the parameters and we still don’t like the agreement, Congress has the power to vote it down.”

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The Kind of Father My Husband Is
By Rep. Kristi Noem
June 12, 2015

Moms tend to notice things that don’t get done. I’ll admit it. I’m guilty. I can drive in the driveway and see that the yard needs to be mowed or the fences painted.  I’ll walk in the house and see the pile of shoes by the door or the laundry that needs to be folded. Moms tend to be multi-taskers; only able to relax when everything is put away, kids are clean, and animals fed. And if we are tired or overwhelmed, you will hear us say “Honey, will you?”

At our house, Bryon completes many of our chores. I am gone most weeks to DC and he is left to handle all things related to work, kids, the ranch, and the house until I come home on the weekend. I know that I am blessed to have a husband who recognizes how wonderful it is for me to come home to a clean house and tended family – and he tries to make that happen.

But what makes me love him more each day is to come home to happy children. You see, I married Bryon because I loved him and wanted to build a life with him, but at the time, I really had no idea what kind of a father he would be. I had a sneaking suspicion he would be a great dad because he has a wonderful father who is a great role model. Bryon loves the Lord and understands the responsibility that God gives to men leading their families. As the years went by and the kids were born, his actions revealed to me how he viewed fatherhood. He served.

He gave Kassidy her first bath. In fact, my mom came to stay with us for a few days after Kassidy was born and soon she came to me and said, “I might as well go home. Bryon won’t let me do anything.”

When Kennedy was a baby, she had reflux so bad, everyone was reluctant to hold her because of the spit up bath she was sure to give them.  But her dad held her constantly and thought it was “cute.”

Booker was such a sick little boy with so many breathing problems that he needed multiple inhalers, medications, and constant trips to the hospital. Bryon prayed over him every night, asking God to heal our little boy.

When you look at our family home videos, you will find they were all taken by Bryon. I’m not sure it ever occurred to me to document those busy years. Yet there are hours and hours of video of the kids playing, talking, and sometimes just watching TV! It is almost as if he knew how special those moments were and wanted to save them for me to enjoy when I decided to slow down enough to appreciate them.

His gifts to our children are not often material. They are not fancy or over the top. But he gives our children so much more. Bryon teaches them the importance of hard work, independence, the value of the dollar and responsibility, while also making sure they know they are special, unique and loved.

When I stop to really think about what his busy weeks must be like when he is running his business, coaching athletic teams, organizing the kids’ schedules, keeping the house running and remembering to buy milk, I remember how blessed I am. And when I get home and hear the stories of the week and listen to my children’s laughter in the retelling, I thank God for the father He gave to Kassidy, Kennedy and Booker.

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from Congresswoman Kristi Noem:

Setting the Record Straight on TPA

 

First and foremost, Washington uses far too many abbreviations and they can get misconstrued, so let’s start with some definitions…

 

TPA = Trade Promotion Authority.  This is what the U.S. House is expected to vote on this Friday.  It defines congressional objectives and priorities for the administration to follow when negotiating trade agreements (more on this below).  TPA is not a new power being sought by the President. In fact, nearly every president since FDR has had TPA.  The legislative text for TPA is available here.

 

TPP = Trans Pacific Partnership.  This is the name of a trade agreement that the U.S. is negotiating with 11 other countries. The U.S. has been negotiating this since the Bush administration. There is no vote scheduled on TPP and there won’t be until all of the countries involved finalize negotiations and the public has been able to review it for at least 60 days (assuming TPA passes, that is).

  

 

There is a lot of misinformation floating around about what the U.S. House of Representatives is voting on this week.  Let’s set the record straight…

 

Myth:  Congress is voting this week on a trade agreement.

Fact:  This week, Congress is expected to vote on TPA – a bill that would set congressional parameters on any ongoing trade negotiations, including TPP. 

TPA is in no way a trade agreement.  Instead, TPA allows Congress to help set the rules for trade negotiations and lays out objectives of what a good trade deal looks like for America.  This helps ensure greater transparency throughout the negotiating process by empowering Congress to conduct vigorous oversight and hold the administration accountable.

 

Myth:  Congress will have to pass TPA to see what is in it.

Fact:  TPA’s legislative language has been publicly available for nearly two months.  You can find a copy of the bill Congress will be voting on here.

We know exactly what TPA will do and we have for quite some time.  As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Noem helped edit the TPA bill that the House is expected to vote on this week.  On April 23 in a public hearing, she joined members of that Committee in clearing the legislative language for consideration by the full House.

 

Myth: TPP is being negotiated with a dangerous and unprecedented level of secrecy (and TPA lets that happen).

Fact:  While TPP negotiating documents are available to Members of Congress, they are not fully available to the general public right now because there is no finalized agreement to review.  This is common during negotiations like this.  That being said, the final text would be available online for 60 days before it’s even sent to Congress for its consideration, assuming TPA is in place. This 60-day review period is mandated by the pending TPA legislation.

It is false to say that TPP negotiations have been secretive.  The USTR and Congress have met nearly 1,700 times in the last five years to discuss TPP negotiations.  Key congressional committees – including the House Ways and Means Committee of which Rep. Noem is a member – have also received previews of various TPP proposals before the U.S. Trade Representative took them to our trading partners. 

 

With TPA in place, the general public will have online access to the final version of any trade agreement, including TPP, 60 days before that agreement is sent to Congress.  Earlier drafts are not made public in this way, because revealing draft proposals before a deal is struck emboldens our opposition, undermines our negotiating positions, and exposes negotiators to public scrutiny over provisions that might not even be in a final deal.  We need to keep the upper hand to get the best deal for America. 

 

Myth: TPA gives the President new and unlimited powers.

Fact: TPA gives Congress greater powers, while putting dozens of strict negotiating parameters on the President.

The President already has the authority to negotiate a trade agreement under the Constitution, but TPA enables Congress to be part of the process.  If TPA is established, Congress is telling the administration:  If a trade agreement is to get the privilege of an up-or-down vote in Congress, you must follow our rules and instructions, keep us in the loop, and remember that we have the last say.  As a result, Congress maintains total control over the international trade authority granted to it by Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. 

 

Additionally, TPA in no way obligates Congress to approve TPP or any other trade agreement.   If this administration violates the parameters we’ve set, Congress can revoke TPA.  And if he follows the parameters and we still don’t like the agreement, Congress has the power to vote it down. 

 

Myth: TPP is a secret backdoor to achieve the President’s political agenda.

Fact:  The TPA bill specifically bars the President from enacting any changes to U.S. law.

Many have tried to claim that TPA will allow the President to bypass Congress and use the TPP as a backdoor to lawlessly expand immigration, curtail gun rights, or restrict Internet freedom, among other things. That is false.  The Constitution is clear: only Congress can change U.S. law.  TPA further reinforces that with additional restraints on the President. 

 

MYTH: Trade agreements destroy U.S. jobs.

FACT: Expanding markets for American exports will fuel stronger economic growth and create jobs.

95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders.  Our growth is limited if our products can’t reach those consumers on a level playing field. Trade supports 124,000 jobs in South Dakota.  It enables South Dakota to export $3.7 billion in goods and $1.3 billion in services annually through more than 970 exporters.  It has a huge impact on our economy, and with lower trade barriers, those opportunities only grow. If we don’t expand our opportunities through trade agreements, other countries (like China) will fill the void.

 

 

Still looking for more information?  Here are some helpful links.

Summary of Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015
Overview of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015
Frequently Asked Questions
Updates to TPA in 2015
Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015
Conservative Support for TPA
Section-by-Section Summary
Report

Where the Billions Go
By Rep. Kristi Noem
June 5, 2015

Month after month, nearly every American worker makes payments to the federal government. And year after year, our concerns increase about the lack of genuine accountability over how those hard-earned dollars are spent. I believe it’s reached a tipping point.

As an example, in FY2014, the Unemployment Insurance program made $5.6 billion worth of improper payments. That means about 12 percent of their overall payments went to the wrong recipient, were made out for the wrong dollar amount, were offered without proper documentation, or were given to a recipient who used those taxpayer funds improperly.

The same was true for the Supplemental Security Income program, which is intended to help give a hand up to disabled Americans who have limited income and resources. This program made $5.1 billion in improper payments in FY2014, totaling about 9.2 percent of the program’s overall expenditures. We can do better.

Earlier this month, I joined House Republicans in introducing a series of bills intended to strengthen the integrity of these programs.

I led on a bill, for instance, that aims to prevent wanted felons from receiving taxpayer-funded benefits. It’s almost unbelievable that this is a problem – that a felon can evade prosecution for months or years, but somehow still receive checks from the government every 30 days or so. It has to stop and my bill, the CUFF Act, helps accomplish that.

More specifically, the CUFF Act ensures anyone who is violating a condition of their probation or parole or running from a felony charge – in other words, a crime carrying a minimum term of one or more years of prison – will not be able to receive Social Security benefits. It’s that simple. If passed, the legislation would save hardworking taxpayers as much as $4.8 billion over the next decade, according to preliminary Congressional Budget Office estimates. To me, it seems like an obvious correction to make.

Another bill introduced – the PERP Act – states that you can’t receive unemployment benefits if you’re in prison. Technically, those in jail or prison aren’t supposed to be receiving benefits, but they do because of unclear legal language.

In Illinois, for instance, more than $2 million in unemployment benefits went to inmates, according to a 2012 report. In New Jersey, a 2013 audit showed 20,000 inmates were paid nearly $24 million in state and federal benefits. In Pennsylvania, more than 1,000 inmates were collecting about $334 every week, according to another 2013 report. The PERP Act would close the loopholes and ensure your money stays out of the hands of prisoners.

Without question, more must be done to respect your hard-earned tax dollars. Our confidence in the federal government’s ability to spend our money responsibly has been broken – and for good reason. The package of bills I helped introduce earlier this month would allow us to save billions of dollars, but we still have a lot more to do.

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Noem’s Anti-Trafficking Provisions Become Law

Washington, D.C. – Representative Kristi Noem today commended President Barack Obama on his signing of sweeping anti-trafficking legislation, including provisions authored by Noem that aim to help prevent trafficking and allocate additional resources to assist victims in recovery.

“We have a fundamental responsibility to protect the thousands of at-risk youth in America from ever seeing the horrors of trafficking,” said Noem.  “And when preventions efforts fail, we have no choice but to help lift survivors to safety, through recovery and toward a better life.  It is my hope the newly enacted Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act offers advocates access to meaningful resources, equips law enforcement with the tools they need to go after those who buy and sell our kids, and gives survivors some element of hope.”

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (S.178) represents one of the largest anti-trafficking measures passed through Congress in a decade.  After broad bipartisan support in the House and Senate, President Obama signed the legislation on May 29.

Rep. Noem’s language that was included in S.178 was first introduced as the Human Trafficking, Prevention, Intervention and Recovery Act in 2014.  The language passed the U.S. House of Representatives in both 2014 and 2015 and the U.S. Senate in 2015. The Congresswoman’s legislation takes a three-pronged approach in combatting human trafficking:

• Improves existing Department of Justice grants, ensuring the grants support shelters for survivors.  Currently, there are only about 200 beds available in the United States for underage victims.
• Launches a review by the Interagency Task-Force to Monitor and Combat Traffickingthat will look into federal and state trafficking prevention activities.  The review will be done in consultation with nongovernmental organizations and will work to identify and develop best practices to prevent trafficking.
• Requires an inventory of existing federal anti-trafficking efforts by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office to make sure all federal agencies and programs work together and that federal resources are being targeted where needed.

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