Dave Reichert on Government Reform

	Dave Reichert on Government Reform Republican Representative (WA-8)

Lower taxes and reduce regulations to grow economy

Creating jobs and growing the economy is a must for our State to thrive and prosper. That requires policies that lower your taxes, reduce regulations, and that help small businesses grow and create good-paying jobs. Source: 2024 Washington ReichertForGovernor.com campaign website , Dec 1, 2023

Make state government open, responsive, and inclusive

Government is there to serve, and listen to, the people. Yet our state government today only seems interested in serving themselves and listening to no one but themselves. I'm running to make state government what it should be -- open, responsive, and inclusive -- where the power is wielded by you, the citizens. Source: 2024 Washington ReichertForGovernor.com campaign website , Dec 1, 2023

Rid frivolous malpractice lawsuits for affordable healthcare

Every American should have access to quality, affordable health care. To do this, we must control health care costs. The first step is to eliminate frivolous malpractice lawsuits, which drive up costs and drive doctors out of their practice. We must also expand availability of tax-free Medical Savings Accounts for individuals. Finally, I support Association Health Plans which allow small businesses to pool their bargaining power when obtaining health care for their employees. Source: 2004 House campaign Website, DaveReichertforCongress.com , Nov 2, 2004

Require Internet disclosure of all earmarks.

Reichert signed H.R.5258& S.3335

Establishes a free public searchable website, listing all requests by Members of Congress for congressionally directed spending items (congressional earmarks).
Requires each congressional committee, within five calendar days of receipt of a request for a congressional earmark from a Member of Congress, to provide the initial information regarding that request that is required to be placed on the website.
Makes it out of order to consider any legislation unless it meets the requirements of this Act.

The fiscal year in which the item would be funded.
The number of the bill or joint resolution for which the request is made, if available.
The amount of the initial request made by the Member of Congress.
The amount approved by the committee of jurisdiction.
The amount carried in the bill or joint resolution (or accompanying report) as passed.
The name of the department or agency, and the account or program, through which the item will be funded.
The name and the State or district of the Member of Congress who made the request.
The name and address of the intended recipient.
The type of organization (public, private nonprofit, or private for profit entity) of the intended recipient.
The project name, description, and estimated completion date.
A justification of the benefit to taxpayers.
Whether the request is for a continuing project and if so, when funds were first appropriated for such project.
A description, if applicable, of all non-Federal sources of funding.
Its current status in the legislative process

Source: Earmark Transparency Act 10-HR5258 on May 11, 2010

Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge.

Reichert co-sponsored STOCK Act

Congressional Summary:Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (STOCK Act): Amends the Securities Exchange Act and the Commodity Exchange Act to prohibit purchase or sale of either securities or commodities by a person in possession of material nonpublic information regarding pending or prospective legislative action.

Amends the Ethics in Government Act to require formal disclosure of certain securities and commodities futures transactions.
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act to subject to its registration, reporting, and disclosure requirements all political intelligence activities, contacts, firms, and consultants.

Bill explanation (ProCon.org, `Insider Trading by Congress`, Feb. 3, 2012):

On Mar. 17, 2011, Tim Walz (D-MN) introduced the STOCK Act where it gained nine co-sponsors by Nov. 4, 2011.
On Nov. 13, 2011, the TV show `60 Minutes` reported that several members of Congress allegedly used insider information for personal gain. The STOCK Act received 84 additional House co-sponsors in the five days following the report, and Scott Brown (R-MA) filed the STOCK Act in the Senate on Nov. 15, 2011. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) also filed a variation of the STOCK Act in the Senate on Nov. 17, 2011.
On Jan. 24, 2012, in his State of the Union Address, President Obama said `Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow.`
Immediately after the speech, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told reporters, `I think people should have enough sense not to do it [insider trading] without legislation, but I will support legislation.`
On Feb. 2, 2012, a revised version of the STOCK Act passed in the Senate by a vote of 96-3 with Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Tom Coburn (R-OK), and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) dissenting.

Source: H1148/S1871 11-S1871 on Nov 15, 2011

No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote.

Reichert signed Voting Rights Amendment Act

Congressional Summary:Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with respect to the requirement that a federal court retain jurisdiction for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Expands the types of violations triggering the authority of a court to retain such jurisdiction to include certain violations of the Act as well as violations of any federal voting rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group. [This bill would ban requiring photo IDs in order to vote].

Opponents recommend voting NO because:Sen. Bob Dole (on related bill from 2007, whether to add an amendment allowing photo ID): I am proposing a commonsense measure to uphold the integrity of Federal elections. My amendment to require voters to show photo identification at the polls would go a long way in minimizing potential for voter fraud. When a fraudulent vote is cast and counted, the vote of a legitimate voter is cancelled. This is wrong, and my amendment would help ensure that one of the hallmarks of our democracy, our free and fair elections, is protected. Opinion polls repeatedly confirm that Americans overwhelmingly support this initiative.

Proponents support voting YES because:Sen. Dianne Feinstein (on related bill from 2007): If one would want to suppress the vote in the 2008 election, one would vote [for Dole`s amendment] this because this measure goes into effect January 1, 2008. It provides that everybody who votes essentially would have to have a photo ID. If you want to suppress the minority vote, the elderly vote, the poor vote, this is exactly the way to do it. Many of these people do not have driver`s licenses. This amendment would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to actually carry out. It goes into effect--surprise--January 1, 2008 [to affect the presidential election].

Source: H.R.3899/S.1945 14_H3899 on Jan 16, 2014

Prohibit IRS audits targeting Tea Party political groups.

Reichert co-sponsored Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act

Congressional summary:: Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act: Requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standards and definitions in effect on January 1, 2010, for determining whether an organization qualifies for tax-exempt status as an organization operated exclusively for social welfare to apply to such determinations after enactment of this Act. Prohibits any regulation, or other ruling, not limited to a particular taxpayer relating to such standards and definitions.

Proponent`s argument in favor (Heritage Action, Feb. 26, 2014): H.R. 3865 comes in the wake of an attack on the Tea Party and other conservative organizations. The current IRS regulation is so broad and ill-defined that the IRS applies a `facts and circumstances` test to determine what constitutes `political activity` by an organization. This test can vary greatly depending on the subjective views of the particular IRS bureaucrat applying the test. IRS employees took advantage of this vague and subjective standard to unfairly delay granting tax-exempt status to Tea Party organizations and subject them to unreasonable scrutiny.

Text of sample IRS letter to Tea Party organizations:We need more information before we can complete our consideration of your application for exemption. Please provide the information requested on the enclosed Information Request by the response due date. Your response must be signed by an authorized person or officer whose name is listed on your application.

Have you conducted or will you conduct candidate forums or other events at which candidates running for public offices are invited to speak?
Have you attempted or will you attempt to influence the outcome of specific legislation?
Do you directly or indirectly communicate with members of legislative bodies?
Do you have a close relationship with any candidate for public office or political party?

Source: H.R.3865 & S.2011 14-H3865 on Jan 14, 2014

Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform. Click here for a summary of all issue stances of Dave Reichert. Click here for a Wikipedia profile of Dave Reichert. Click here for a Ballotpedia profile of Dave Reichert. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Dave Reichert. Click here for issue positions of other WA politicians. Click here for WA primary archives. Click here for WA secondary archives.
*Other governors on Government Reform:*			*Dave Reichert on other issues:*
[Title7]	*Gubernatorial Debates 2023:* KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D) vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R) vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R) vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R) LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited) vs.Jeff Landry(R) vs.Shawn Wilson(D) vs.John Schroder(R) vs.Sharon Hewitt(R) MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R) vs.Bill Waller(R,withdrew) vs.Brandon Presley(D) *Gubernatorial Debates 2024:* DE: Gov. John Carney (D, term-limited); Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long (D) vs. Matt Meyer (D) IN: Gov. Eric Holcomb (R, term-limited); Sen. Mike Braun (R) vs. Suzanne Crouch (R) vs. Jennifer McCormick (D) MO: Gov. Mike Parson (R, term-limited): Jay Ashcroft (R) vs. Bill Eigel (R) vs. Mike Kehoe (R) vs. Crystal Quade (D) MT: Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) vs. Tanner Smith (R) vs. Ryan Busse (D)	*Gubernatorial Debates 2024 (continued):* NC: Gov. Roy Cooper (D, term-limited); Dale Folwell (R) vs. Michael Morgan (D) vs. Mark Robinson (R) vs. Josh Stein (D) vs. Andy Wells (R) ND: Gov. Doug Burgum (R) vs. State Rep. Rick Becker (R) NH: Gov. Chris Sununu (R, retiring) vs. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) vs. Joyce Craig (D) vs. Chuck Morse (R) vs. Cinde Warmington (D) UT: Gov. Spencer Cox (R) vs. State Rep. Phil Lyman (R) VT: Gov. Phil Scott (R) unopposed WA: Gov. Jay Inslee (D, retiring); Hilary Franz (D, withdrew) vs. State Sen. Mark Mullet (D) vs. County Chair Semi Bird (R) vs. WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) WV: Gov. Jim Justice (R, term-limited); vs. WV State Auditor JB McCuskey (R, withdrew) vs. WV Secretary of State Mac Warner (R) vs. State Del. Moore Capito (R) vs. WV Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) vs. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams (D)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]