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By Rep. Pete Olson

U.S. Rep. Pete Olson

Our Texas State Legislature has spent a considerable amount of time this year debating a bill about school bathroom access.

Why has the State of Texas felt the need to address this issue? Because the Obama Administration chose to bypass Congress to set social policy, by specifically changing the definition of sex in federal civil rights law to include gender identity. By doing so, President Obama unilaterally rewrote a law without an act of Congress, which violates the Constitution.

This unlawful action allowed Obamas Departments of Education and Justice, to jointly declare that they would treat a students gender identity as the students sex when enforcing Title IX. The guidance directed schools receiving federal funds to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and team facilities that correspond with their self-declared gender identity, rather than their biological sex defined on their birth certificate. Hence the reason that Texas and other states were forced to deal with this issue.

First and foremost, the 10th Amendment is very clear issues such as these should be left to states and localities to make. Washington bureaucrats have no business forcing their views on individual communities. What works for one state or county may not work for another. A one-size-fits-all approach was rejected by our founding fathers. It is always the wrong approach.

However, changing this definition in federal law rightly requires congressional action, not unilateral executive action. President Trump has taken needed steps to reverse this overreach by rescinding the Obama directive, as well as many other unconstitutional actions taken by the previous administration. Despite this, it is possible for a future president to try and reverse it. Thats why I introduced H.R. 2796, the Civil Rights Uniformity Act. This bill will ensure that gender identity is not treated as a protected class in federal law or policy without congressional approval. This legislation will restore the rule of law, the proper separation of power and federalism as designed by our Constitution.

As our state legislators continue to wrestle with a divisive issue that was forced on them by the Obama Administration, Im working to ensure that the federal government empowers states and localities instead of handing down heavy-handed mandates. The founding fathers never intended unelected bureaucrats in federal agencies to make sweeping changes without the approval of Congress. We must restore the voice of the people given to them by our Constitution and put an end to this dangerous precedent of removing Congress power to make laws.

(Editors Note: Rep. Pete Olson is a Republican Congressman representing the 22nd District of Texas.)

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Bathroom bill necessary thanks to Obama overreach - Fortbendstar.com

President Trumps approval rating this week has dipped below the lowest numbers of former President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaObama team pushing Deval Patrick presidential run North Korea targeted emails of Clinton advisers: report Putin tests Trump with counterpunch on sanctions MORE, according to a Republican-leaning polling firms regular tracking.

The Rasmussen Reportstracking poll for Wednesday says 38 percent of likely voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 62 percent disapprove.

A quarter of those polled said they strongly approve of how Trump is performing in the White House, while 50 percent strongly disapprove.

The presidents approval ratings in the conservative-leaning Rasmussen poll generally have been higherthan in other polls.

Rasmussen Reports completes its daily tracking poll by surveying 500 likely voters each night over the phone. It reports the results on a rolling basis every three days.

The sample of 1,500 individuals has a margin of error of2.5 percentage points.

See more here:
Trump approval in GOP-leaning poll drops below Obama's lowest - The Hill

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews remains a proudsupporter of theObama administration.

In fact, the 27-year old receiver was so moved by the duo that he recently got former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama tattooed on his leg.

He explained, per The Tennessean's Logan Murdock,

"The first president I voted for, first black president, first black first lady," said Matthews, 27. "Myself being African American, they're obviously great role models and they let the black community and minorities, in general, know that the sky is the limit if you put your mind to it."

The tattoo is locatedon his right leg, adjacent to a tattoo of his kids, Zayden and Penelope, who are depicted as Greek Gods with the words "The World Is Yours" sitting on top of their heads.

Matthews says his new ink not only commemorates the two prominent figuresin black history, but also reminds his kids of what they can be.

"Something that symbolizes that the world is theirs," Matthews said, per The Tennessean. "You can do anything you put your mind to.

"My kids are minorities and we need more minority role models in the upper areas in this nation and world in general, and what greater role models than the Obamas?"

Check out the tat below.

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Tennessee Titans WR Shows Off Barack And Michelle Obama Tattoo - HotNewHipHop

Donald Trumps EPA will have to enforce a key environmental rule.

Nathalie BaptisteAug. 1, 2017 4:23 PM

A federal court just dealt a blow to the Trump administrations ongoing efforts to roll back environmental regulations. On Monday, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency must enforce an Obama-era rule which sets pollution limits for the oil and gas industry and requires companies to identify and fix methane leaks.

Methane is an extremely potent gas that contributes to global warming. While the gas can come from natural sources, the oil and gas industrycontribute the greatest amount ofindustrial emissions. According to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), methane is84 times more potent than carbon dioxidefor the first 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere. The Obama administration implemented the rule in 2016 and said it would slash methane emissions 40 to 45 percent by 2025.

In April, EPA head Scott Pruitt announced that the agency would reconsider the methane rule. In a letter to the oil and gas industry, Pruitt said that the EPA is continuing to follow through with President Trumps energy independence executive order and that American businesses should have the opportunity to review new requirements, assess economic impacts and report back, before those new requirements are finalized.

In June, Pruitt issued a notice that wouldset a two-year pause on the rule which would give companies time to review the rule and accept public comment. Several environmental groups including the EDF, the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuitthe same day asking a federal appeals court to reserve the decision. The groups alleged that the EPA did not follow the procedures laid out in the Clean Air Act when it announced the freeze on the rule.Earlierin July, the DC Circuit blocked Pruitts attempt to halt the regulation saying the agency lacked authority.Mondays decision went a step further, mandating that the EPA actually carry out the rule.

Environmentalists are considering the latest court ruling a victory. Peter Zalzal, EDFs lead attorney said it protects families and communities across America under clean air safeguards that EPA Administrator sought to unlawfully tear down.

Mother Jones is a nonprofit, and stories like this are made possible by readers like you. Donate or subscribe to help fund independent journalism.

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A Federal Court Just Preserved a Vitally Important Bit of Obama's Legacy - Mother Jones

Rand Paul at the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce | Photo by Mary Alford/The News-Enterprise

By Mary Alford | The News-Enterprise

Despite failed Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act last week, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul says its not over.

Continuing his search for the best health care options, Paul met Monday morning with community leaders in Elizabethtown to hear their stories and concerns with health care and to make a push for his association health care plan, which would allow Americans to join large groups across state lines for less expensive health insurance.

In addition to local government and community leaders, the crowd at the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce building included several small-business owners. Mondays meeting is one of many recent visits Paul has made to the area to discuss the Senate health care bill with Kentuckians.

I dont think it is, Paul said about the Senates efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. I am talking to several people who voted no, to see if there is any way they can get to yes. Well see, maybe there is some way.

Paul, who has been advocating for the repeal of the ACA, also known as Obamacare, across Kentucky, was denied by three Republicans last week in the GOPs effort to pass a skinny repeal of the act.

At least three Republicans senators John McCain of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted against the bill, which needed a simple majority to pass.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky described Fridays vote as a disappointing moment.

We have to get behind the situation differently if we are going to get everybody on board. I dont think its over, Paul said. Part of the problem was Obamacare was all Democrats and no Republicans. Same could be said for the repeal, its all Republicans and no Democrats.

Paul said if he was going to assign blame on the repeal not passing, he would direct the blame on those who said they would vote to repeal and then didnt.

My disappointment is mostly with those who promised to vote for repeal and then didnt vote for repeal, he said.

Paul also said he is looking to use executive orders from Republican President Donald Trump to push his idea of association health care forward in the wake of the GOP failure.

I would like to see more coming out of the executive branch, he said. He has the power to legalize nationwide insurance. Im going to talk to him about it again this week.

Paul said the hope is Trump will use the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, a law from the 1970s that governs how private companies provide benefits, to push his national insurance plan forward.

Overall, Paul said he received good feedback at the small gathering.

Every time I come to these meetings, I hear good ideas, he said, noting they talked about how legislation could expand the Kentucky Health Association through something called self insurance.

Self insurance is an innovation that has kept prices down for people, Paul said. I learn something every time. I sense frustration with the current system and I also sense they want us to get it right.

The rest is here:
Rand Paul: Health care battle not over - Insider Louisville