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It's a privilege to serve you |
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December 16, 2016 |
By U.S. Congressman Raul Labrador
As 2016 draws to a close, I want to thank you
for the privilege of serving the First
Congressional District of Idaho. Constituents
inspire me every day with their commitment to
hard work, family and community.
Without their support, I would never have the
opportunity to fight on behalf of the Idaho
values we cherish.
This was one of my most successful years in
Congress, both on the legislative front and with
the constituent service that I consider a top
priority.
One constituent case involved a Marine from
Meridian. The Veterans Administration lowered
this Gulf War Era veteran’s disability pay for
service-connected injuries that affected her
ability to work. We helped her navigate the
appeals process.
After four years of advocacy, she received a
reclassification and $107,000 in retroactive
disability pay.
Another involved a family in Emmett due a $2,763
tax return. After seven months of being told the
return was being processed, the family contacted
my office. We soon learned that the IRS had
accidentally deleted the return. The family
quickly got their check.
In total, we helped nearly 1,000 Idahoans and
recovered $1.6 million. I am proud to say that
no matter the size of the problem, my
caseworkers are determined to ensure
constituents get a fair deal.
On the legislative side, I played a key role in
one of the most significant laws of 2016, the
Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic
Stability Act, or PROMESA.
A debt crisis in the U.S. territory threatened
to destabilize bond markets across the country,
raising borrowing costs for the state of Idaho
and hundreds of local governments. Those costs
would have been passed on to Idaho taxpayers.
I secured important conservative changes in the
bill, preventing a taxpayer bailout and forcing
Puerto Rico to spend responsibly. The law now
requires fiscal reforms without spending a
single U.S. taxpayer dollar.
This year my office held 1,800 face-to-face
meetings with Idahoans and others about the many
issues before Congress. I authored seven bills
in the 114th Congress and cosponsored another
125 pieces of legislation.
We made significant progress on several bills
this Congress. Among these are my bills on
criminal justice reform, religious freedom,
forest management and a measure to ensure
refugees entering the U.S. are not a threat to
our national security.
We got the ball rolling, conducting hearings and
winning committee approval on several bills.
I’m excited to hit the ground running in
partnership with President-elect Trump in 2017.
I believe we will accomplish great things.
As I reflect on a remarkable year, I am deeply
grateful for the opportunity to serve and look
forward to changing America for the better. |
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