Issues
Healthcare
Economy, Taxes and the Role of Government
National Defense, the Military and Veterans
Work Place Freedom
Environment
Conservation & Energy
Healthcare
America has the greatest health care system in the world. However, like any complex and vital service, it has its gaps and weaknesses. Our healthcare system needs reform. Costs are rising and some individuals are without affordable healthcare options. The solution is not government control that will limit care, coverage, and the choices that we as a free people have worked hard to maintain. I will promote policies that provide opportunity for accessible and affordable health care. Among the solutions I will support:
- Putting control of our health care decisions in the hands of individual consumers by making health insurance tax deductible and providing tax credits for individuals as well as employers.
- Encouraging use of consumer driven health plans such as Health Savings Accounts
- Require transparency in pricing of medical services so consumers can make informed health purchasing decisions
- Allowing small businesses to band together to purchase health insurance as a group
- Require insurers to spread the risk of small business insurance across their entire small business insureds as opposed to so called “demographic rating” which only evaluates the risk of each individual business.
- Allow individuals to carry their health insurance from job to job or state to state when they relocate
- Boosting competition in the health insurance market by allowing individuals and companies to purchase health insurance from any state in the nation. Continue to provide a safety net system for low income individuals and families who through no fault of their own cannot afford health coverage
- Medical Malpractice Reform. Our current litigious climate has caused malpractice insurance premiums to skyrocket. Defensive medicine causes utilization to soar and everyone agrees that utilization is one of the biggest drivers in health care cost. I introduced legislation to reform our system in Pennsylvania and was willing to fight my own party at times to support reform.
In the General Assembly I have been a leader in the fight to lower healthcare costs and, as your Congressman, I will continue to champion common-sense, market driven solutions to make healthcare less expensive and more accessible.
Economy, Taxes and the Role of Government
Our economic engine works best when taxes are low and individuals are allowed to keep more of the money they earn. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and employ half of all Americans. In order to allow businesses to expand and keep unemployment low, we cannot, as a country, impose burdensome taxes and bureaucratic red on the most important sector of our economy.
To keep the tax burden on the American family as low as possible, our government must meet its constitutionally obligated responsibilities first. Politicians must resist the urge to expand the role of government into areas best left to the will and imagination of a free people. Bailouts, borrowing, pork barrel “stimulus,” ownership of businesses (auto companies, banks, AIG) and expensive government programs will only lead to greater government control, erosion of our liberties, higher taxes, crippling debt. Our federal government is writing checks from our checking accounts and eventually the bill will come due to our children and grandchildren.
Restoring our economy does not require more government ownership and unsustainable government spending, it requires Americans to save and invest in our economy again. I have a record of supporting pro-growth policies in the Pennsylvania Assembly and I will take this experience to the United States Congress.
Congress must balance the budget like all 50 states are required to do. The tax burden on all Americans must be lowered to free up the capital needed to stimulate economic growth. Borrowing must stop, deficits must end and the national debt must be reduced.
National Defense, the Military and Veterans
Our families sleep better at night knowing that we are protected by the finest armed forces in the world. We owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who volunteer to keep our nation safe and free. I have stood tall for our troops, their mission and their needs.
In this dangerous time, we cannot afford to forget the lessons of 911. We cannot become complacent and careless in our approach to foreign affairs and the needs of our armed forces. The lessons of history must guide our foreign policy and those lessons prove that only a strong military and a strong resolve will keep the peace. We must plan strategically for the conflicts of the future while keeping our guard up against traditional threats.
Our armed forces are battling terrorist elements in two wars. As a nation we owe them the very best in equipment and to supply the tools they need to complete their mission and return safely home to their loved ones. Upon their return, it is our duty as a nation to see that they receive the services needed to care for their health needs and re-adjust to civilian life. Veterans can count on me to do everything possible to keep America’s promise to them for their service
Work Place Freedom
The secret ballot is a fundamental freedom in the United States. Voting without fear of intimidation is a principle dating back to the founding of our nation. The badly misnamed Employee Free Choice Act (“card check”) threatens these values. I have led the fight in the General Assembly against “Card Check” by introducing a resolution opposing this legislation. . In Congress, I will continue to oppose “Card Check” and any policy that takes away the rights of individual workers.
I will support policies that allow employees to determine for themselves if they want to join a collective bargaining unit. No one in a free society should be forced to join an organization they are not comfortable with for the sake of maintaining their job. Likewise, no employee should be forced to provide dues for political candidates or causes they disagree with. That is why I also support “Paycheck Protection” legislation to ensure that each employee maintains the freedom to decide whether and how much to contribute to candidates and causes.
Economic development means encouraging private sector growth in our communities. Encouraging growth means allowing workers the right to privately make their own decisions on unionizing and providing a favorable climate for job creation.
Environment
Our natural resources not only lend to the beauty of Pennsylvania but also to our economic attractiveness and quality of life. These are resources worth protecting and I have a strong record of protecting our natural resources from outside threats to the community. Beginning early in my tenure as a member of the state House, I worked with citizens to stop the Perrier deep well proposal in South Coventry Township. I worked with the community to stop the proposal to extract 1 Million gallons a day from the Brandywine for an unnecessary proposal to divert water when plenty was available from other nearby sources. More recently I led the effort to save the Shryock property from development. This property will now become part of Marsh Creek State Park and part of the county park and trail system. I will continue to strongly protect our quality of life as your Congressman.
In the General Assembly I have been a strong advocate and protector of our watersheds. I have worked with watershed organizations to increase protections for our streams and to raise the level of protection afforded our streams when it comes to permitting projects within high quality or exceptional value watersheds.
When homeowners and local watersheds were threatened by the impact of installing a new natural gas pipeline, I stepped to the plate to help residents and protect the environment. Working with citizens, local organizations and other political leaders, we were able to stop a potentially harmful method of pipeline stream crossing that threatened the Brandywine.
Conservation & Energy
I believe we need to look to the future for the answers to our energy needs. New technologies exist that will provide clean, renewable energy. This improves our environment and lessens our dependence on Middle Eastern sources of oil.
We need to find ways to reduce the cost of these emerging alternative energy methods so that they are competitive with more traditional energy sources. Policies like “Cap and Trade” take the opposite approach. They raise the price of traditional sources in order for the alternative sources to be artificially more competitive. This approach is wrong and will only serve to burden the consumer, businesses and the American economy. Pennsylvania has been a leader in reducing the cost of alternative energy and providing opportunity for its use and development by establishing requirements that a minimum portion of an energy provider’s portfolio contain alternative energy sources. I support these efforts and will work toward smart ways to promote clean energy alternatives in Congress.
