Georgia Mountain Beacon

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) released the following statement after voting in favor of HR 4480, the Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012, which provides a plan to increase oil and gas exploration, development, and production. “Energy prices in America are still too high, and they’re holding back the U.S. economy.  Instead of putting up needless roadblocks to domestic... Read more

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) issued the following statement after voting to repeal a tax created by President Obama’s health care law.   Rep. Graves is a co-sponsor of H.R. 436, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012, which repeals the 2.3% excise tax implemented by Obamacare on medical devices.  The tax is scheduled to go into effect... Read more

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) released the following statement, after voting for HR 4133, the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012.  HR 4133 reaffirms the stalwart historic relationship between the two countries and strengthens security cooperation between the United States and Israel. The bill also reaffirms America’s commitment to Israel’s security and supports Israel’s right to... Read more

Washington,D.C. - U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-9) has announced the 2012 spring/summer dates for his 9th Congressional District County Connection Program.  A Constituent Services Representative from Congressman Graves’ office will be available to meet with constituents on the following dates and locations. The program, which started in February 2011, positions members of Rep. Graves’ staff in counties across the 9th district on... Read more

Urges House to Take Action  Washington, D.C. - Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) released the following statement in response to the Senate’s vote on Amendment 1756, the Transportation Empowerment Act.  The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), would lower the federal gas tax and devolve the power of the Federal Highway Trust Fund back to the states.  Rep. Graves introduced the House’s... Read more

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 3606, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act).  This legislation will increase capital formation, spur the growth of startups and small businesses, and pave the way for more businesses to go public and create more jobs. “What the American economy needs most is... Read more

Washington, D.C. – During a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Tom Graves (GA-09) questioned Attorney General Eric Holder about the Obama Administration’s controversial contraception mandate.  The Attorney General told Rep. Graves the Department of Justice would defend the mandate, even after testifying that a government agency shouldn’t be promulgating rules and regulations that violate the First Amendment.  This disclosure came after Mr.... Read more

Washington, D.C. – Let’s take a moment and go back in time. The year: 1956. The location: the storied halls of Congress. The House Ways and Means Committee was debating what was considered to be a new and innovative project — the construction of a nationwide interstate system. The plan before Congress was simple: Build six interstate highways. Three highways... Read more

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) issued the following statement in response to the release of President Obama’s FY 2013 Budget: “The President’s latest budget sounds like the same old tune, stuck on repeat. More taxes, more spending, more debt.  This budget proves yet again that Washington isn’t listening to the American people’s call for the government to fit back... Read more

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) announced he will introduce legislation to cancel a Department of Transportation (DOT) rule that hides government taxes and fees in airline ticket pricing.  The Travel Transparency Act states passengers have the right to a clear, separate disclosure of the fees and taxes they pay on each airline ticket. “The federal government should not be inserting itself... Read more

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) issued the following statement in response to a report by a government watchdog group that found that companies still owe U.S. taxpayers $132.9 billion from the financial bailout.  The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) is a $700 billion project launched in September 2008 to bailout private financial companies.  The report also found that some of... Read more

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) released the following statement after voting against authorizing the use of United States Armed Forces in the NATO mission in Libya [H.J. Res. 68], and against authorizing use of funds to support the NATO effort [H.R. 2278]: “Despite numerous requests from Congress over the last three months, ... Read more

Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2012 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill was passed out of subcommittee with funding cut by $2 billion from the 2011 level.  The bill also included language prohibiting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from using funding to implement “net neutrality.” U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09), a member of the subcommittee who... Read more