Hi everyone,
I got an email from our congressman, Putnam, today and I responded to him.....both of which follow.
It seems that Barney Frank blocked any attempt to de-fund them in July and I now am hearing that Pelosi is not allowing the bill to come to the floor of the house for a vote. I guess she thinks much of the public is stupid enough to think because the bill passed the senate it will become law. This is a fight that needs to be amplified, and fairly quickly, because it will be ignored if we do not do so.
regards,
5412
Dear Mr. Miller:
Yesterday, I became an original cosponsor of H.R. 3571, the Defund ACORN Act. This legislation would stop all funding to the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN). In addition, the Senate also voted to deny any funding to ACORN provided under the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Appropriations Act. ACORN would have been eligible for millions of dollars in additional taxpayer funds had the amendment not passed.
As you are well aware, ACORN has a long history of allegations surrounding their abuse of taxpayer funds through inappropriate and illegal political activities. Most recently, disturbing videos emerged showing ACORN employees providing individuals with guidance on how to best hide illegal activities from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and law enforcement.
There is simply no place in our federal budget for funding of political activists and organizations that provide illegal services. ACORN -- and any other organization providing these "services" -- should be denied all federal funding.
While in July 31, 2008, I called on House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) to hold immediate hearings to investigate evidence that ACORN may be using public funds inappropriately, and again in October 2008, requesting that Chairman Frank hold hearings on alleged abuses of taxpayer dollars by ACORN due to the significant funding ACORN and it's affiliates receive from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and HUD, he has yet to hold such a hearing.
Taxpayer funds should only be used for programs that provide important services to beneficiaries, transparency to taxpayers, and the appropriate oversight mechanisms to the public and Congress. We should have no tolerance for spending hard earned taxpayer money on groups and entities like ACORN that promote and carry out illegal activities, while politicizing government programs.
This group should have been defunded long ago and I am hopeful that any access to federal funds will stop immediately through either the passage of H.R. 3571 or direct action by the Administration.
I will continue to keep you updated on the progress of this important issue.
As always, if you are experiencing difficulties with a federal agency, are interested in legislation that is pending before Congress or wish to express your opinions, please visit my website at
www.adamputnam.house.gov. If you would like additional updates on this and other issues please signup for my e-newsletter at
http://adamputnam.house.gov/signup.shtml.
May God Continue to bless America.
Sincerely,
Adam Putnam
Member of Congress
Dear Adam:
I am pleased you have chosen to sponsor the bill that will de-fund acorn. I have several points I would like to make.
1. Acorn will just re-emerge under a different name, need to make sure it includes all acorn related companies, seiu etc.
2. Acorn has abused the privilege and should be no longer entitled to be tax exempt.
3. While sponsoring pending legislation is a step in the right direction, one should not confuse the difference between activity and accomplishment. So far in the house I see activity and Ms. Pelosi is rumored to be blocking any bill regarding acorn from going to the house floor for a vote; therefore it would appear that nothing has been accomplished.
4. Adam, how about getting together with your republican and democrat friends in the house and going public, screaming for something to be done? How about holding Pelosi's feet to the fire in a public format? As Van Jones said, you have to push, and push and push to get things done. Time for the minority party to start doing their job.
best personal regards,
