H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen's Heritage Act

Summary: The bill would clarify federal authorities and policies for the management of hunting and fishing on public lands.  H.R. 4089 would provide additional protections for continued public access to public land for the purpose of recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting sports on U.S. Forest Service (FS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands and would allow the importation of certain trophies that were legally obtained. The bill would also protect the use of traditional ammunition and fishing tackle from new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation

Rep. Farenthold Votes: YES
Passed in the House by a vote of 274-146

Cost: Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $12 million over the 2013-2017 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.

H.R. 4348, the Surface Transportation Extension Act

Summary: The bill would extend the authority to appropriate funds from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for federal highway and surface transportation programs for the duration of FY 2012. Under current law, surface transportation spending authority is set to expire on June 30, 2012. The bill would provide authority to operate federal highway programs and collect the federal gas tax through September 30, 2012. The current highway program, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act—A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), expired at the end of FY 2009 and has since been authorized by a series of short-term extensions. The most recent extension (H.R. 4281) was approved in the House by a vote of266-158 on March 29, 2012. In addition, the bill would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue a permit for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline within 30 days of receiving an application. If FERC has not acted on an application for a permit within 30 days after receiving such application, the bill would deem the permit to have been issued.

Rep. Farenthold Votes: YES
Passed in the House by a vote of 293-127

H.R. 9, the Small Business Tax Cut Act

Summary: The bill would allow small businesses with less than 500 employees to take a tax deduction equal to 20% of their active business income. The bill would allow the deduction for 20% of qualified domestic business income of the taxpayer for the taxable year, or taxable income for the taxable year, whichever is less. The deduction would be limited to 50% of a qualified business' total W-2 wages. Under the bill, the deduction would apply to all qualifying small businesses for the current tax year, regardless of how they are organized, including "C" corporations and other entities taxed at the individual tax rate. The deduction would only apply with respect to the first taxable year of the taxpayer beginning after December 31, 2011.

Rep. Farenthold Votes: YES
Passed in the House by a vote of 235-173 

Cost:  According to the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), H.R. 9 would reduce taxes on small businesses by $45.9 billion over ten years.