Inside Washington

In March, NUCA’s Former Chairman, Ron Nunes, testified before the House Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

There’s no shortage of things to complain about when it comes to the federal government. The dysfunction and partisanship are not the least of the concerns. Polls routinely and consistently indicate a deep seeded disapproval and mistrust of the federal government.

In a slight divergence from my normal Inside Washington column, I’d like to take this month’s column to highlight what I believe is our greatest challenge.

The Budget Control Act in 2012, which created the automatic spending cuts called “sequestration,” the government shutdown in October 2013 and the Ryan-Murray Budget in December 2013, have all been the result of the partisan divide that exists in Congress surrounding federal discretionary spending levels.

In less than a year, Americans will head to the polls to elect all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 33 members of the Senate. How do you feel about your representation in Congress? If you’re like an overwhelming majority of the public, you’re probably incredibly dissatisfied with Congress and its productivity this year.

The government shutdown lasted just over two weeks. After continuous name calling, blaming and political insults, the House and Senate finally agreed on a deal that would essentially almost ensure another fiscal showdown at the beginning of 2014, a midterm election year.

After several months of planning and patience, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) has introduced the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (H.R. 3090).