This past week, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a legislative hearing on my bill, H.R. 2371, the Western Area Power Administration Transparency Act.

H.R. 2371 will increase transparency and oversight of the Western Area Power Administration’s (WAPA’s) costs and rates.

ABC15 recently reported that WAPA has been wasting millions of dollars on questionable and fraudulent expenses. Specifically, “In a two-year period from 2012 to 2014, auditors discovered 11,600 questionable purchases totaling $6.8 million that required further review.”

My bill aims to curb this abuse as well as rein in rampant waste and fraud that have become synonymous with the agency.

Patrick Ledger, Senior Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer of Arizona’s G&T Cooperatives, testified at the hearing in support of the legislation. I was pleased the Subcommittee was able to hear the perspective of a fellow Arizonan.

Click HERE to learn more about this bill and the hearing. 

On March 16, 2017, I, along with Reps. Beyer (VA-08), Comstock (VA-10), McSally (AZ-02), Schneider (IL-10), and Suozzi (NY-03), introduced H.R. 1560, the Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger Act also known as the Parental Bereavement Act of 2017.  This bipartisan piece of legislation would add the “death of a child” as a life event that would qualify for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), allowing a grieving parent up to 12 weeks to deal with the trauma before returning to work. Since that time, we have added five other cosponsors: Reps. DeLauro (CT-03), Sessions (TX-32), Noem (SD-AL), Webster (FL-11), and Cook (CA-08).

Additionally, the bill has been endorsed by 26 organizations and foundations including the following: American Academy of Grief Counseling, American Counseling Association, American Institute for Health Care Professionals, Blue Star Families, Children’s Bereavement Center, Children’s Bereavement Center of Miami, Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, Children’s Hospital Association, Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, Elisabeth-Kubler Ross Foundation, Employee Assistance Professionals Association, First Candle / S.H.A.R.E., Gold Star Mothers and Fathers, Grief Recovery Institute Education Foundation, Jed Foundation, MarineParents.com, Mothers against Drunk Driving, National Alliance for Grieving Children, National Association of Social Workers, National Military Family Foundation, National Students of AMF, Parents of Murdered Children, Polly Klaas Foundation, Red Means Stop Traffic Safety Alliance, Sarah Grace Foundation for Children with Cancer, and The Miss Foundation.

Losing a child is unimaginable. My bill would allow parents grieving the death of their child to receive up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. 

HEARD ON THE HILL: GOSAR STAFFER'S BABY MAKES CONGRESSIONAL DEBUT

I had a very special visitor stop by the office this past week!

Kadence Small paid a visit to lobby for more milk and fewer naps. Kadence is the daughter of my Senior Advisor, Jeff Small, and his wife Kristie.

She's welcome back any time! Click HERE to read more.