Legislative Accomplishments

• In the First 100 Hours
• In the First 100 Days
• Next on the Agenda

IN THE FIRST 100 HOURS

Make Americans safer here at home

• We made our very first vote the implementation of the independent, bipartisan 9/11 Commission national security recommendations.

Make our economy more fair

• We voted to increase the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years—to give American workers an overdue pay raise.

Make college more affordable for every American

• We voted to cut student loan interest rates in half.

Make America more energy independent and help fight global warming

• We voted to roll back multi-billion dollar taxpayer subsidies for Big Oil companies – already enjoying record profits.
• We will reinvest here at home in renewable energy and energy efficiency – spending our energy dollars in the Midwest, not the Middle East.

Make quality heath care avaiable to every American

• Offer hope for new cures to devastating diseases.
• We voted to expand research and help unlock the promise of stem cell therapies to alleviate human suffering and cure diseases.
• Help reduce the cost of drugs for seniors and Americans with disabilities.
• We voted to require Medicare to leverage its substantial bargaining power to buy prescription drugs and pass the savings on to the people.

Bring fiscal responsibilty to Washington

• Clean up Washington and the fiscal mess.
• We put the interests of all Americans ahead of the special interests by passing tough Congressional ethics reform, restoring “pay-as-you-go” budgeting, and restricting spending earmarks.

IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS

Strengthen our National Security and Provide a New Direction in Iraq

• Support the troops and oppose an open-ended commitment to the President’s failed strategy in Iraq—calling for responsible redeployment of most U.S. troops by August 31, 2008.
• Require the President to ensure troops meet Defense Department standards for training, equipment, and length of deployment.
• Hold the Iraqi government accountable to meet the President’s benchmarks for progress.
• Refocus the fight against terror on Afghanistan and al Qaeda.
• Tackle the military and veterans’ disgraceful health care crisis.
  

Restore Fiscal Responsibility and Grow our Economy

• Cut the deficit and balance the budget over five years.
• Create good jobs by investing in renewable energy and new technologies for an energy independent America.
• Guarantee American workers free choice in bargaining with employers.
  

Develop a Budget that Reflects American Values

• Extend health care coverage to millions of uninsured children.
• Protect middle-income families from being hit with an AMT tax increase.
• Restore critical funding to education, law enforcement, medical research, and health care – reversing years of harmful cuts.
• Invest in our national security and provide the largest veterans’ funding increase in U.S. history.
• Open the door to college to millions of students by increasing Pell Grants.
• Provide overdue housing, infrastructure, and education aid for the survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
  

Restore Accountability to Washington

• Clean up government contracting abuses and ‘no bid’ contracts that companies like Halliburton and KBR have made infamous.
• Strengthen protections for government whistleblowers who expose fraud or safety concerns.
• Protect the public’s right to know, strengthening the Freedom of Information Act.
• Restore “checks and balances” oversight by investigating the military health care crisis, Iraq and Hurricane Katrina reconstruction, and the firing of U.S. Attorneys.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Defend our Country

• Fight terrorism with a greater focus on those who attacked us on 9/11, on homeland security, and on keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists.
• Improve our military readiness by rebuilding a 21st century force capable of projecting power and our ideals to protect our country and our interests.
• Demand accountability and end the “rubber stamp” approach to Congressional oversight of the war in Iraq, the fight against terrorism, and homeland security.

Grow our Economy

• Invest in 25,000 new highly-trained science, math, engineering, and technology teachers, and 100,000 students in the fields that fuel the Innovation Economy.
• Double basic R&D; funding and focus funds on high-risk, high-reward early stage research.
• Expand ‘always on’ broadband Internet, targeting rural and underserved regions.
• Pass a strong new agriculture bill for family farmers and ranchers who will lead the way to an energy independent America.
• Help make home ownership affordable and make lending institutions more accountable.
• Promote bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform that secures our border, strengthens our economy, protects American workers and fixes our broken system.
  

Care for our Children and Families

• Dramatically expand access to quality health care for America’s children.
• Expand and improve our most successful pre-school program, Head Start.
• Convene a Children’s Summit, to ensure the best science guides policy on child care, children’s health, and early learning.
• Treat mental health care the same as other medical coverage.
• Expedite FDA approval and enhance the safety of life-saving drugs.
• Provide more support to local police and strengthen oversight of Internet child safety.
  

Protect our Planet

• Reduce our dependence on foreign oil to help combat rising gas prices.
• Increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce emissions, helping to protect future generations from climate change.
• Promote innovation to make America the world leader in clean energy technologies.
  

Restore Accountability

• Break the link between legislation and lobbyists by passing lobby reform.
• Strengthen our democracy and protect the integrity of our elections with paper trail accountability and reforms to prevent voter intimidation.