Improving
the Health Care System for All
HELP SAFEGUARD FAMILIES AGAINST CATASTROPHIC HEALTH COSTS: Team
up in the Senate Finance Committee to find ways to broaden the risk-sharing
of catastrophic costs beyond an individual, a single company or
insurer to prevent health-related bankruptcies and keep premiums
lower for everyone.
DEFEND OREGON’S MEDICAID
FUNDING AND IMPROVE THE PROGRAM NATIONWIDE: Oppose drastic cuts
in Medicaid funding while creating a Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid
and the Medically Underserved and supporting the efforts of the
Wyden-Hatch Citizens Health Care Working Group to find ways to make
Medicaid work better.
ASSURE EQUITY FOR OREGON’S
MEDICARE PROVIDERS: Create equity for Oregon’s Medicare providers
with legislative proposals to reverse the inequities that now penalize
Oregon providers for giving higher-quality, more efficient care.
Ensuring Economic Stability and Growth
DEFEND OREGON PRODUCERS FROM UNFAIR TIMBER TRADE: Protect Oregon
lumber producers from unfair trade practices, while pressing the
U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Department to reinvigorate
negotiations on a new softwood lumber trade agreement between the
U.S. and Canada.
PROMOTE GREEN ENERGY: Further
Oregon’s status as the premier state for the development of
renewable resources through tax and energy legislation that reauthorizes
the renewable energy production incentives program (REPI) for consumer-owned
utilities, extends production tax credits for the generation of
electricity from renewables, and spurs biomass development in Oregon
to provide more and cheaper fuel for biomass facilities in accordance
with work being done under the Healthy Forests Act. Promote efforts
to bring green energy technology and companies to Oregon.
SUPPORT VIBRANT PORTS: Fight to
maintain funding for Oregon’s smaller ports and work to ensure
Port of Portland’s competitiveness by dredging the Columbia
River Channel to 43 feet.
PROTECT COUNTY PAYMENTS: Work
to reauthorize the law that ensures continued stable funding that
provides over $57 million for Oregon schools and over $200 million
to Oregon counties annually.
KEEP POWER RATES AFFORDABLE FOR
OREGON USERS: Continue to fight any legislative or administrative
attempts to force the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to sell
its power at market-based rates, or to restrict BPA’s access
to capital for infrastructure investments.
Tapping the Power of
Technology
ACCELERATE TECHNOLOGY DEPRECIATION: Boost the Oregon tech sector
and the Silicon Forest by seeking to accelerate the depreciation
schedules for information technology equipment, ending the tax penalties
businesses often pay when they try to employ newer technologies.
MAKE OREGON A NANOTECH LEADER:
Work to make Oregon the home of one of the regional nanotechnology
research centers established by the National Nanotechnology Program
while securing more Federal grants and appropriations to upgrade
and expand Oregon’s nanotechnology efforts.
KEEP THE INTERNET FREE FROM DISCRIMINATORY
TAXES: Work to make the internet tax moratorium permanent, protecting
e-commerce and Internet users alike from discriminatory and multiple
taxes on online purchases and double taxation of Internet access.
BUILD OUT BROADBAND: Work to make
sure every Oregonian – urban and rural – has high speed
Internet access with tax incentives to help bring broadband to currently
unserved areas of the state.
Supporting Communities, Families and Children
CONFRONT OREGON’S METHAMPHETAMINE EPIDEMIC: Fight a multi-front
war against methamphetamine by passing the Combat Meth Act, fully
funding the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA),
making Methamphetamine a Schedule I drug, and clamping down on foreign-made
precursors through ephedrine import quotas.
KEEP 529 HIGHER EDUCATION SAVINGS
TAX-FREE : Extend the tax-free status of 529 education plans that
keep savings for university, professional and vocational education
free from Federal and Oregon taxes when used for tuition, fees,
books, room and board.
SERVE OREGON’S HUNGRY: Work
to find new ways to alleviate hunger and the causes of hunger for
Oregon’s economically vulnerable.
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