Protecting the homeland a key focus for Congressman Ratcliffe in second term

(ROCKWALL, TX — May 3, 2016) In wake of his recent landslide re-election victory in the Texas Primary Election 2016, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) looks to continue focusing on three important initiatives in his second term: supporting local law enforcement, reining in federal government and strengthening national security.

With several tragic events having taken place in recent months – the bombings in Brussels, the attacks in Paris last November and even here at home with the mass shooting in San Bernardino, CA in December – Ratcliffe has been diligent in his efforts to address the grave concern of citizens over national security in Congress. He voted for the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act (H.R. 4314), which passed the House 371-2, and requires U.S. department and agencies—for the first time ever—to put together a joint plan to stop terrorist travel. Ratcliffe also recently voted to approve legislation in the Homeland Security Committee aimed at strengthening America’s counterterrorism defenses:

• The Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security Act of 2016 (H.R. 4698), which requires enhanced security assessments at Last Points of Departure (LPD) airports. LPDs are airports overseas from which passengers can fly directly into the United States
• The Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act of 2016 (H.R. 4820), which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to utilize testimonials from former extremists and defectors to counter-message the Hollywood-style propaganda and recruitment efforts of terrorist groups like ISIS

Ratcliffe said with his background as a former terrorist prosecutor and U.S. attorney, he stands in prime position to be a leading voice on the issues concerning the protection of the homeland, and that he will always continue to focus on homeland security throughout his time in Congress.

“As a former law enforcement official myself, I understand the need to make sure that our police departments and our sheriffs’ departments here in Rockwall County and in the 18 other counties I represent have the resources, the tools, the training and the funding they need to be able to protect us at home.”

Ratcliffe also understands the importance of bolstering security locally, having recently introduced the Protecting Lives Using Surplus (PLUS) Equipment Act of 2016 (H.R. 4088) which aims to stop the president’s unilateral changes to a key program that provides defense equipment to state and local law enforcement. With the PLUS Act, instead of sending the equipment that the Department of Defense can no longer use or is being phased out and replaced with new equipment to the scrapyard, that equipment will now able to be used by state and local government and law enforcement to help with response in emergency situations such as natural disasters or civil unrest. The program, according to Ratcliffe, has been tremendously successful across the country, especially for some of the counties within the Texas 4th Congressional District which Ratcliffe represents that don’t have the funding to get the equipment they need to protect citizens.

In a recent visit to the Rockwall Sheriff’s department, Ratcliffe saw firsthand some of the equipment – things like tactical gear and Riot shields – they were able to acquire thanks to the program.

“To be able to use federal equipment that doesn’t cost anything and to have requisition through the program is something that Rockwall County and most of the other 18 counties I represent have benefitted from,” Ratcliffe said.

Ratcliffe also introduced the Separation of Powers Restoration Act (SOPRA) which seeks to reduce the accumulation of power attained by regulatory agencies by restoring the power of the courts to interpret the law, instead of deferring to the interpretation of federal administrative agencies. Ratcliffe explained how he had a local community banker voice to him his concern about how community banks are suffering from excess regulation, an issue which stems from this type of executive overreach through unelected bureaucrats.

“Part of the problem there is you have agencies that have unaccountable, unelected bureaucrats making decisions and making it hard for banks to stay in business,” Ratcliffe said. “My bill would undo that, and essentially prevent those bureaucrats from having that authority to basically make laws. The vision of our founding fathers was for Congress to be the only legislative-making body with respect to federal laws, not bureaucrats at federal agencies. So this is an important step for Congress standing up for its constitutional rights under Article 1.”

Ratcliffe said the amount of support he received from voters during the Primaries underscores the urgency of what he’s doing for them in Congress, and will serve as a great motivator going forward into his second term representing Rockwall and the other 18 counties in the Texas 4th Congressional District.

“It’s the best endorsement you can get,” Ratcliffe said. “To have three out of every four people that go in to vote in Rockwall County vote for us is humbling. It tells me that we’re doing the right things and that we’re representing the people well.”

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News editor.

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