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House
Passes Ban on Partial Birth Abortion
Legislation Would Prohibit Late Term
Abortions
Last week I joined
my colleagues in banning the procedure of partial birth abortions.
The Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act overwhelmingly passed by a vote
of 287 to 141.
The procedure,
which partially delivers an unborn fetus feet first, then kills the
fetus while the fetus is partially outside the body of the mother,
is performed several thousand times per year in
the United States; primarily in the fifth and
sixth month of pregnancy -- although sometimes even
later.
The Partial-Birth
Abortion Ban Act of 2000 (H.R. 3660) prohibits partial-birth
abortion unless it is necessary to save the life of the mother. The
Act imposes a maximum of two years imprisonment and/or a fine on
whoever performs a partial-birth abortion.
The Partial Birth
Abortion Ban Act has been sent to the Senate and is awaiting a
vote.
Question of the
Week: Do you think the
procedure of partial birth abortion should be illegal? Let me
know on my Electronic
Town Hall.
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HILL &
DISTRICT TALK
News
About Congress and the Third District
Government Reform Subcommittee to
Hold Hearing on Hutchinson Privacy Protection
Commission
The Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Management,
Information and Technology will hold hearings on legislation I
introduced to create a Privacy Protection Commission. The hearing
will be Wednesday, April 12th at 10:00 a.m. in Washington, D.C.
The bipartisan commission would be unique in Congress because of
its comprehensive approach to dealing with the growing concern
Americans have regarding the protection of their personal privacy —
whether that be identity theft, online privacy or the protection of
health, medical, financial and governmental records.
Witnesses at the hearing will include:
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Sally Twentymen, a victim of identity theft who will
testify to the damage -- psychological as well as financial --
identity theft inflicts
-
Robert Douglas, a private investigator who will
reveal how simple it is to steal an individual’s personal
information, particularly in light of recent technological
advances
-
Robert Appelbaum, Director of the Law and Psychiatry
program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, who
will discuss the doctor-patient trust and the numerous threats to
protecting personal medical records
-
consumer representatives Travis Plunkett of the
Consumer Federation of America and Ari Schwartz of the Center for
Democracy and Technology, who will discuss the need to protect
consumer information
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Sandra Parker, director of government affairs for
the Maine Hospital Association, who will discuss the need for a
coordinated approach to privacy regulation and how lack of such an
approach resulted in the passage of privacy legislation in Maine
that had to be repealed almost immediately.
Crime Subcommittee Holds Hearings to Make our
Neighborhoods and Schools Free from Gun Violence
Last week, the House Subcommittee on Crime, of which I am a
member, held a hearing on H.R. 4051, “Project Exile: The Safe
Streets and Neighborhoods Act of 2000.”
In states and cities around the country where aggressive
prosecution of gun crimes has been coupled with tough prison
sentences, violent crime has gone down. Getting criminals who use
guns off the streets leads to a dramatic reduction in crime, and
sends an unmistakable deterrent message - we will not tolerate gun
crimes.
Project Exile will provide block grants totaling $100 million
over 5 years to those states that agree to ensure a mandatory
minimum five-year prison sentence - without parole - for anyone who
uses or carries a firearm in any violent crime or serious drug
trafficking crime, or for a violent convict who is caught possessing
gun.
The success of Project Exile in Virginia has been remarkable.
Prior to Project Exile’s implementation, Richmond, Virginia, had one
of the highest murder rates in the world. Since 1997, when Project
Exile was implemented in Richmond, homicides have dropped 46 percent
(the lowest level since 1987), crimes involving guns have dropped by
65 percent, aggravated assaults have dropped by 39 percent; and the
overall number of violent crimes have dropped by 35 percent.
Bounty Hunter Hearing Testimony
Recently, the Constitution Subcommittee held hearings
on the Bounty Hunter Responsibility Act which I introduced. The bill
would reign in rogue bounty hunters who harm and terrorize innocent
citizens.
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LAST WEEK'S ACTION
Highlights on Legislation Addressed by Congress Last
Week
Last week the House and select committees voted and
debated on the organ transplant legislation, partial birth abortion
ban, methane hydrate research, home buyer legislation, taxpayer
privacy, and the Congressional Gold Medal for Ronald and Nancy
Regan, among other bills.
Learn more about these and other bills address last
week in the House, click
here.
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ON
THE FLOOR THIS WEEK
Legislation Scheduled for Action
This Week
This week the House will debate and vote on the
Project Exile: The Safe Streets and Neighborhood Act of 2000, Civil
Asset Forfeiture Reform Act, Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act,
Business Checking Modernization Act, and the Radio Broadcast
Preservation Act, among other bills.
View the full House
schedule for this week.
View the current House
floor proceedings.
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CONSTITUENT CORNER
A Monthly Feature
on Congressional Services for Constituents
It's Tax Time! Important Information for Filing
Taxes
Tax day is
approaching, and I am often contacted by taxpayers who have concerns
or questions regarding their taxes and the IRS. Here are answers to
some frequently asked questions:
Delayed
Refund: You can expect to wait at least six weeks after filing
your return to receive your refund. To check the status of your
refund, you can call the IRS Automated Refund Status line at (800)
829-4477. You must have the following information ready to enter
when you call: your Social Security number, filing status and amount
of refund. If your refund check has been lost or delayed more than 2
months, I will be glad to make an inquiry to the IRS on your behalf.
Please fill out an privacy
release form and send it, along with an explanation of the
problem, to my Harrison office.
Getting tax
forms and instructions: You will find tax forms at your local
post office, along with instructions for filing. You can also
download federal tax forms and instructions from the IRS website and Arkansas tax
forms and instructions from the Arkansas Department of Finance
and Administration website.
Filing your
tax returns electronically: You may file your federal tax return
electronically at the IRS
website and your Arkansas tax return at Arkansas DFA
website.
Notice of
Levy/10 Day Notice: A taxpayer or business in the late stages of
a dispute with the IRS may receive this warning. The most important
thing to do at this point is to contact the IRS before the 10 days
expire. At this point, I can contact the IRS on your behalf, and my
inquiry will serve as your reply to the notice. To make an inquiry
on your behalf, I will need you to fill out a privacy
release form. The privacy release form must be filled out
completely and can be mailed or faxed to my Harrison office before
the 10 day deadline is over.
Problems
with state or local taxes: As your federal representative in
Washington, I have no jurisdiction over state or local taxes. For
questions or help in resolving questions in state tax matters, you
may contact your state senator or representative. For questions or
help in resolving county tax matters, you may contact your county
clerk.
Previous Constituent Corners:
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DID YOU KNOW...?
History and Background about the U.S.
Congress
The National Portrait Gallery
 The National Portrait Gallery,
located in Washington D.C., houses hundreds of paintings depicting
the history of our country. By combining history with art, the
Portrait Gallery highlights people, places, and events that have
created and transformed our nation. Housed in the Old Patent Office
Building, just blocks from the Capitol, the National Portrait
Gallery is a popular stop for people visiting Washington,
D.C.
On January 10, 2000, a major three-year renovation of
the Patent Office Building, which houses the National Portrait
Gallery, began. The museum will be closed to the  public until the renovation is
complete in approximately 2003. Fortunately, many of the gallery's
portraits and exhibits are well displayed on their website and can
be viewed without leaving your computer!
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Question of the
Week: Let me know on
my Electronic
Town Hall.
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