{"id":55421,"date":"2014-05-07T12:00:54","date_gmt":"2014-05-07T16:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=55421"},"modified":"2014-05-06T20:42:12","modified_gmt":"2014-05-07T00:42:12","slug":"news-from-representative-richard-hanna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=55421","title":{"rendered":"News from Representative Richard Hanna"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hanna<\/a>Hanna: Repeal the\u00a0Death Tax, it\u2019s\u00a0\u2018Immoral and Wrong\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hanna supports bill to permanently abolish tax on small businesses, family farms<\/p>\n

(Washington – April 30, 2014) U.S. Representative Richard Hanna\u00a0wants to put an end to the federal estate tax, better known as the \u201cdeath tax.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why\u00a0Rep. Hanna\u00a0has cosponsored a bill that would permanently repeal the death tax, which is a punitive tax on family farms and businesses upon the death of an owner.\u00a0The Death Tax Repeal Act of 2013\u00a0would put an end to the government taxing business owners when they die.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see people work their whole lives to grow a business through hard work and saving and then upon death the government feels it\u2019s entitled to a piece of someone\u2019s business? It\u2019s immoral and wrong,\u201d\u00a0Rep. Hanna said. \u201cThis death tax punishes entrepreneurs and farmers. It prevents businesses from being passed on to a second or third generation, and we should repeal it for good.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill is sponsored by\u00a0U.S. Representative Kevin Brady\u00a0(R-Texas) who is chairman of the Joint Economic Committee.\u00a0Rep. Hanna\u00a0serves on the Joint Economic Committee, which estimates that the death tax has caused the economy to lose $1.1 trillion in capital stock. That translates into slower economic growth and lost jobs.<\/p>\n

Several national organizations support the bill, among them:\u00a0the American Farm Bureau Federation, Associated Builders and Contractors, National Association of Manufacturers, National Federation of Independent Business, 60 Plus Association, Americans for Tax Reform, Club for Growth, National Black Chamber of Commerce, International Franchise Association, National Taxpayers Union, American Conservative Union, Family Business Coalition, and many others.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew York Farm Bureau has long advocated for estate tax reform. As farm families look to pass along their legacy to the next generation, the estate tax stands in their way as a costly hurdle to overcome,\u201d\u00a0said Dean Norton, President of New York Farm Bureau. \u201cNo portion of a family farm should ever have to be sold off to pay a death tax. We support Rep. Hanna\u2019s efforts to repeal this needless burden.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRepealing the estate tax remains a major priority for small businesses nationwide, and especially in New York state,\u201d said Matt Turkstra, Manager of Legislative Affairs at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). \u201cNearly half of NFIB\u2019s small business owners have taken or plan to take money out of their business to pay lawyers, accountants, life insurers, and others to deal with the estate tax.\u00a0 While there has been significant progress in recent years to reduce the burden on small businesses, the best policy would be to repeal the estate tax once and for all.\u00a0NFIB applauds Richard Hanna for adding his name to the growing list of Republicans and Democrats calling for the end of the estate tax.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill has widespread, bipartisan support in the House of Representatives with more than 200 cosponsors.<\/p>\n

Hanna Votes for $1.5 Billion Increase for Veterans<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bill ensures veterans receive the care they deserve and need, prohibits BRAC<\/p>\n

(Washington \u2013 May 4, 2014) \u00a0May 4\u00a0U.S. Representative Richard Hanna\u00a0voted for a $1.5 billion increase for veterans\u2019 programs to ensure the Department of Veterans\u2019 Affairs (VA) has the resources it needs to provide medical services, including funding for mental health care, suicide prevention, homeless veteran treatment programs, job training, and rural health initiatives that are important in upstate New York.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2015\u00a0also:<\/p>\n

– Provides funding for military construction projects<\/p>\n

– Provides advance appropriations for VA medical programs and facilities<\/p>\n

– Takes action to reduce the VA\u2019s unacceptable disability claims processing backlog<\/p>\n

– Demands that an interoperable electronic health record system between the VA and the Department of Defense be created and operational as soon as possible<\/p>\n

– Prohibits funds from being used to implement a new Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, protecting facilities in Upstate like Rome Lab and DFAS<\/p>\n

\u201cThe appalling and inexcusable incidents like those recently reported concerning veterans under the care of the Phoenix VA Medical Center should never be allowed to happen,\u201d\u00a0Rep. Hanna said. \u201cI will continue to support legislation to ensure that our VA care facilities have the resources they need to properly treat all those who rely upon the VA for their healthcare needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The VA cares for nearly 50 million veterans, family members, and survivors, and this bill ensures that Congress will care for the VA.\u00a0 By implementing fiscally responsible policies that improve efficiency and cut wasteful spending, this bill would save taxpayer dollars overall while still improving the quality of care and services made available to our troops and increasing spending on veterans\u2019 programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the son of a Marine combat veteran, it is a top priority for me to assist the more than 60,000 veterans, service members, and military families who call New York\u2019s 22nd\u00a0Congressional District home,\u201d\u00a0Rep. Hanna said.\u00a0\u201cI supported this bill in order to continue to provide our veterans with the highest quality care and service that they need and deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hanna To EPA: Ditch Effort to Regulate Upstate Farms, Small Businesses<\/strong><\/p>\n

New regulation could cost farmers thousands in fines for naturally occurring pools of water<\/p>\n

(Verona, NY \u2013 May 2, 2014) U.S. Representative Richard Hanna\u00a0is attempting to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers from expanding federal regulations that would negatively impact local farmers.<\/p>\n

Both agencies are working to expand the already overly broad definition of the term \u2018navigable waters\u2019 in the Clean Water Act.\u00a0Rep. Hanna\u00a0detailed his effort to prevent the rule change at\u00a0Quiet Meadows Farm\u00a0in Verona. The farm is owned by the Regner Family, parents Janet and Delwin Regner, and brothers Howard and Roy Regner.<\/p>\n

The Regner family mostly farms crops such as: corn, soybeans, grains, and sweet corn, but also has some heifers. There are creeks that run through Quiet Meadows where water can pool from time to time especially during a spring melt or heavy rainfall. If the EPA and the Army Corps are successful in changing this rule, temporary puddles could be considered \u2018navigable waters,\u2019 and thereby come under their sweeping regulatory jurisdiction \u00a0which can lead to thousands of dollars in fines for businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeeping a small business like a family farm operating and growing in New York state is hard work,\u201d\u00a0Rep. Richard Hanna said. \u201cThe very last thing Upstate needs is for the EPA to come onto our farms and start regulating common irrigation ditches and puddles. The red tape and fines that come along with the EPA could push farms out of business for no good reason. I will continue working to see that the Administration ditches this misguided rule that would cost us real jobs when we need them the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proposed rule would redefine the scope of federal power under the Clean Water Act, creating jurisdiction over almost all physical areas with a connection to downstream navigable waters. This would put features such as ditches, natural or man-made ponds, flood plains, and prairie potholes, among others, under federal control. Rep. Hanna said the new rule would directly contradict prior U.S. Supreme Court decisions and is based on incomplete scientific and economic analyses.<\/p>\n

Just yesterday,\u00a0Rep. Hanna\u00a0and more than 230 U.S. Representatives sent a letter to\u00a0EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy\u00a0and\u00a0U.S. Army Secretary John M. McHugh\u00a0(who oversees the Army Corps) asking the agencies to walk back their proposed rule.<\/p>\n

Howard Regner of Quiet Meadows Farm\u00a0said the proposed rule lacks common sense and is flawed.<\/p>\n

\u201cFarmers are dedicated stewards of clean land and water because our livelihoods depend on it,\u201d\u00a0Regner said. \u201cThe business climate in New York is already challenging, and the idea that the federal government wants to regulate – and could fine us – for things like pools of water during the spring melt is alarming. I thank Rep. Hanna for his attention to this issue, and coming from a business background himself, I know he will continue to stand up for us when we\u2019ve done nothing wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNew York farmers take the care of our natural resources very seriously, but we cannot understand the reasoning behind the EPA\u2019s push to greatly expand the Clean Water Act,\u201d\u00a0said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau President.\u00a0\u201cThe ambiguities that come with this proposal potentially opens up every ditch and rain puddle on our farms to a host of new regulations. This defies logic because the cost to our farms and to the taxpayers could be enormous.\u00a0New York Farm Bureau thanks Congressman Hanna for his efforts to oppose the overreach of the EPA on this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cortland County Student Takes First Place in Artistic Discovery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Madison County student comes in 2nd, Oneida County student places 3rd<\/p>\n

(Utica, NY – May 5, 2014) U.S. Representative Richard Hanna\u00a0announced Alice Jenkins of Cortland County as the First Place winner of the\u00a02014 Congressional High School Art Competition, \u201cAn Artistic Discovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

High school students from throughout the 22nd Congressional District who placed in their countywide art competition showcased their work\u00a0Saturday\u00a0at\u00a0the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute\u00a0in Utica. A panel of judges selected First, Second and Third place winners.<\/p>\n

Here are the winners from the 22nd Congressional District:<\/p>\n

First Place:\u00a0Alice Jenkins (Underwater Dance, Pastel) of Cortland – Cortland County<\/p>\n

Second Place:\u00a0Hannah Farrell (Self Portrait, Acrylic) of Hamilton – Madison County<\/p>\n

Third Place:\u00a0Shannon Rowlands (Assiram, Graphite) of Marcy – Oneida County<\/p>\n

Jenkins\u2019 artwork will be displayed in the tunnel to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. for the entire year of the exhibition and Jenkins is invited to attend a luncheon with other national winners.<\/p>\n

Farrell\u2019s work and Rowlands\u2019 work will be displayed in Rep. Hanna\u2019s Utica office, which is the district office closest to their respective hometowns.<\/p>\n

Rep. Hanna personally donated a cash prize to the First, Second and Third place winners.<\/p>\n

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Hanna: Repeal the\u00a0Death Tax, it\u2019s\u00a0\u2018Immoral and Wrong\u2019 Hanna supports bill to permanently abolish tax on small businesses, family farms (Washington – April 30, 2014) U.S. Representative Richard Hanna\u00a0wants to put an end to the federal estate tax, better known as the \u201cdeath tax.\u201d That\u2019s why\u00a0Rep. Hanna\u00a0has cosponsored a bill that would permanently repeal the death […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=55421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55421\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=55421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=55421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=55421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}