Tim Griffin for Congress

Tim on the Issues

Accountability

“It’s important that we have this conversation. I want to communicate with you because I want you to walk with me on the issues. I have faith in you folks. We can’t wait to have a conversation about the hard choices the country must make.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 1/31/11

Hosted 24 live town hall meetings and 9 tele-town hall meetings with constituents in the Second District discussing the budget, private sector job creation, overly burdensome regulations and President Obama’s job-killing health care law.

Held 21 “Mobile Office Days” across the district where my office assisted constituents with matters involving the Veterans Administration, Medicare, Social Security and other services involving the federal government.

Job Creation

“Millions of Americans are looking for work and can’t find it. This is unprecedented, unacceptable, and unsustainable.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 3/8/12

Hosted Second District Jobs Conference.

Introduced H.R. 4078, the Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act.

Introduced H.R. 3194, the Job Creation and Regulatory Freeze Act of 2011.

Voted for H.R. 3606, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act.

Voted for H.R. 1070, the Small Company Capital Formation Act.

Voted for H.R. 2940, the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act.

Voted for H.R. 2167, the Private Company Flexibility and Growth Act.

Voted for H.R. 2088, the Capital Expansion Act.

Voted for H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act.

Voted for H.R. 2587, the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act.

Voted for H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act.

Member of the General Aviation Caucus, representing the thousands of Arkansans working in the aviation industry.

Taxes

“Our debt is a staggering $15 trillion because Washington spends too much, not because it taxes too little.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 11/21/11

Voted for H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.

Voted for H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act.

Voted for H.R. 1439, the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act.

Veterans

“As an officer in the Army Reserve, I know firsthand the sacrifices our veterans and current servicemembers – along with their families – have made to protect the liberty we all enjoy.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 11/10/11

16 year U.S. Army Reserve veteran and currently serving as a major.

Iraq War Veteran, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Mosul, Iraq.

Assisted hundreds of veterans with their case work involving benefits they earned, including cases involving the Veterans Administration.

Hosted U.S. House of Representatives Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) on tour of Little Rock Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital and Little Rock National Cemetery.

Leader of bipartisan freshman congressional delegation to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Introduced H.R. 3351, the Franchise Education for Veterans Act, allowing veterans to use their GI Bill benefits for education and training in franchise ownership.

Introduced H.R. 3350, the Veterans Travel Benefits Modernization Act, helping to alleviate the long lines many disabled veterans experience when they apply for their travel waivers.

Formed Second Congressional District Veterans Advisory Committee to advise me on veterans issues.

Seniors

“The biggest threat to ‘Medicare as we know it’ is to maintain the status quo and do nothing. If we do nothing, Medicare goes bankrupt and sooner than we thought.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 5/13/11

Voted for H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which protects seniors on Medicare by making sure they have access to quality health care.

Voted for H.Con.Res. 34, the FY2012 budget resolution that would save Medicare and preserve retirement security as opposed to the status quo, which ends with Medicare going bankrupt.

Federal Regulation

“Arkansas job creators have made it clear that excessive regulation – along with the uncertainty it causes – is one of the biggest obstacles to job creation.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 12/2/11

Voted for H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, protecting Arkansas farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses.

Voted for H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, requiring congressional approval of every new major regulation proposed by the executive branch before it can be imposed on job creators.

Voted for H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act.

Voted for H.R. 3010, the Regulatory Accountability Act.

Voted for H.R. 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act.

Voted for H.R. 2018, the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act.

Voted for H.R. 1315, the Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness Improvement Act of 2011.

Voted for H.R. 2401, the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts (TRAIN) Act.

Voted for H.R. 2681, the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act.

Voted for H.R. 2250, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act.

Congressional Reform

“When I ran for Congress, I pledged that I would not accept a Congressional pension and would reform the pension plan for Members of the House and Senate to save taxpayers millions of dollars each year.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 11/22/11

Refused to take my congressional pension.

Introduced H.R. 3840, the End Pensions in Congress (EPIC) Act.

Voted for S. 2308, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act.

Voted for H.Res. 22, cutting my congressional office budget by 5%.

Budget Reform

“This is not just a fiscal issue, it is a moral issue. The Balanced Budget Amendment deserves bipartisan support.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 11/17/11

Voted for H.Con.Res. 34, the FY2012 budget resolution that trimmed $6.2 trillion in government spending over the next decade.

Voted for H. Res. 38 a resolution reducing non-security spending to fiscal year 2008 levels or less.

Voted for H.J.Res. 2, the Balanced Budget Amendment.

Voted for H.R. 2560, the Cut, Cap and Balance Act.

Voted for H.R. 3521, the Expedited Legislative Line Item Veto and Rescissions Act.

Voted for H.R. 3581, the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act.

Voted for H.R. 3582, the Pro-Growth Budgeting Act.

Voted for H.R. 3578, the Baseline Reform Act.

Military

“As a reservist, I know how important readiness is to our military. Whether having the proper training to fulfill the mission or guaranteeing equipment is properly maintained, I will work vigorously to see our servicemembers have the tools they need.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 1/24/11

Introduced H.R. 2683, the Honoring Ezeagwula and Long (“HEAL”) Act, honoring the victims of the Little Rock Recruiting Station shooting by ensuring that they are treated in the same manner as members of the armed services killed or wounded in other parts of the world

Introduced H.R. 3349, National Guard and Reserve Equality in Education Act (H.R. 3349), leveling the playing field for members of the National Guard and Reserve who are furthering their military education.

Bipartisan leader in the elimination of the wasteful extra engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Succeeded in getting U.S. Air Force to reconsider contract granted to foreign manufacturer instead of American supplier with facility in Little Rock.

Advocate keeping the C-130 AMP program that affects the C-130s based at Little Rock Air force Base.

Member of the Congressional Mobility Air Forces Caucus.

Member of the Congressional Military Family Caucus.

Member of the Air Force Caucus to advocate for Little Rock Air Force Base (LRAFB) and other Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units around the globe.

Member of the Congressional Army Caucus to support the mission of the U.S. Army and Army Reserve.

Member of the National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus.

Co-founder of C-130 Modernization Caucus.

Trade

“Thousands of Arkansans earn their living from the export of Arkansas-made products to other countries. When job creators have access to new markets, they can hire additional employees and expand their businesses here in the United States.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 10/12/11

Voted for H.R. 4105, protecting Arkansas workers by leveling the playing field for global trade of U.S.-made goods.

Voted for passage of the Columbia, South Korea and Panama Free Trade Agreements.

Health Care

“We need health care reform, but the current law has created uncertainty for employers and spends a trillion dollars we can’t afford. We must repeal the law and replace it with one that lowers costs, preserves the doctor-patient relationship, lets Americans keep the coverage they have, allows the private sector to create jobs and follows the Constitution.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 1/7/11

Voted for H.R. 2, the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act.

Voted for H.R. 4, repealing the job killing 1099 mandate found in President Obama’s health care law.

Co-sponsored H.R. 452, repealing the unelected 15-member Independent Payment Advisory Board created by President Obama’s health care law.

Voted for H.R. 1173, the Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act which repeals the wasteful Community Living Assistance Services and Support (CLASS) program created by President Obama’s health care law after the Obama administration called it not “financially viable.”

Voted for H.R. 1213, repealing the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) unlimited Exchange Slush Fund.

Member of the Congressional Health Care Caucus.

Co-Chair of the Community Health Center Caucus.

Education

“Parents should be able to determine how their children are educated and where they attend school. I support school vouchers and other innovative educational options such as magnet and charter schools.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 1/22/12

Support expansion of Charter Schools in Arkansas.

Voted for H.R. 2117, the Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education Act.

Voted for H.R. 2218, the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act.

Energy

“By delaying a decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline permits, the President is putting politics over paychecks. Approval of this truly ‘shovel ready’ private sector stimulus of $7 billion should be a no-brainer for anyone interested in creating jobs.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 11/15/11

Leading voice in support of the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Little Rock-based jobs that were eliminated and threatened by President Obama’s decision to deny it application to be built.

Surveyed Arkansas’s Second Congressional District on their thoughts on the Keystone XL pipeline.

Voted to begin construction on Keystone as part of H.R. 3408, the Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security (PIONEERS) Act.

Voted for H.R. 1231, the Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act.

Voted for H.R. 1230, the Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act.

Voted for H.R. 1229, the Gulf of Mexico back to Work Act.

Voted for H.R. 2021, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act.

Voted for H.R. 1938, the North American-Made Energy Security Act.

Voted for H.R. 2842, the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act.

Voted for H.R. 2273, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act.

Member of the Congressional Natural Gas Caucus on behalf of Arkansas workers who are making our country more energy independent.

Immigration

“If the federal government was truly securing the border, you would not have to deal with a lot of these state laws that are percolating up to address what folks back in the states see as the federal government's failure to do its job.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 10/26/11

Voted in the House Judiciary Committee for H.R. 2885, the Legal Workforce Act that establishes an employment eligibility verification system, patterned after the E-Verify system.

Our borders are not secure because the federal government has failed its responsibilities. Any attempt at immigration reform must start with securing the border. The unsecured U.S. border is first and foremost a national security issue and should be treated that way.

I support a fair and commonsense approach to immigration reform that gives priority to those who have followed the rules and waited their turn to become American citizens. I oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants – we should not reward lawbreakers. Also, I oppose college scholarships for illegal aliens.

Abortion

“I am committed to policies that protect the lives of the unborn.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 1/22/12

Co-sponsored and voted for H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.

Co-sponsored H.R. 1179, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act.

Voted for H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act.

Second Amendment

“We need to protect the rights of people to protect themselves.” – Rep. Tim Griffin, 4/13/11

Introduced H.R. 1181, the Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act.
Endorsed by the NRA in 2010. (2012 endorsements not issued yet.)
Life Member of the National Rifle Association (NRA)
Member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus.