***[THE AMERICAN FAMILIES AGENDA:]{.underline}***

***[ASSURING THE AMERICAN DREAM]{.underline}***

May 14, 2008

Today's families face challenges that yesterday's laws don't address.
Sixty percent of mothers with children under age six are now working
outside the home. The majority of families have not one parent working,
but both parents working.

There are 13.6 million single parents in the U.S. today raising 21
million children. Many grandparents are raising their grandchildren and
many of our service members are away from families for longer periods of
time.

We need to update our laws so that they provide America's families with
more freedom in their jobs; greater healthcare and retirement security;
safer communities; access to quality, affordable education; and the
ability for future generations to compete in the global economy. We must
also do more to take care of our military families.

This agenda is a reflection of House Republicans' commitment to
providing American families with the change they deserve: common-sense
solutions to the challenges they face in their daily lives.

***HERE IS WHAT YOUR REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE DOING TO HELP
FAMILIES TODAY....***

***[THE AMERICAN FAMILIES AGENDA:]{.underline}***

***[ASSURING THE AMERICAN DREAM]{.underline}***

**[[Solution #1: Assuring More Time & Money For America's
Families]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

One of the biggest struggles families face is how to balance work and
family. Caring for a sick child or elderly parent can make the
traditional 40-hour work week a challenge. What parents need more than
anything is more flexibility and time with their family. Moreover, the
government must reduce the burden on America's family-owned small
businesses so they can grow and compete in the global economy. Our
current economic downturn makes this ability to compete more important
than ever. Across the board, it is costing families more and more just
to put food on the table or drive to work. In many cases, it costs them
more per month to fill their gas tank than it does to make their car
payment. We must:

1)  **[Lower gas prices and energy costs]{.underline}**

    -   **[No More Excuses Energy Act, H.R. 3089 - Rep.
        Thornberry]{.underline}**

        -   High energy prices are placing a real burden on family
            budgets and making it harder to provide for basic needs like
            food and shelter. This bill will increase energy production
            at home, and encourage conservation and alternative energy
            production from wind, nuclear, natural gas, and other
            alternative forms of energy.

2)  **[Provide for a family friendly-work week]{.underline}**

    -   **[Family-Friendly Workplace Act, H.R. 6025 -- Rep. McMorris
        Rodgers]{.underline}**

        -   Comp time makes it easier for workers - especially parents
            with young children and caregivers for elderly parents - to
            choose alternatives to the traditional 40-hour work week.
            This bill allows private sector employees to choose to
            receive paid time off instead of wages for overtime. 

3)  **[Grow our small businesses]{.underline}**

    -   **[Small Business Expensing Temporary Expansion Act, H.R. 5085
        -Rep. Herger]{.underline}**

        -   This bill increases the expensing allowance for small
            business depreciable assets to \$500,000 between 2008 and
            2011; increases the threshold for reductions in the
            expensing allowance to \$2 million between 2008 and 2011;
            and adjusts higher expensing amounts for inflation between
            2008 and 2011.

    -   **[Savings for Working Families Act, H.R. 892 -- Rep.
        Pitts]{.underline}**

        -   This bill allows certain low-income individuals between age
            18 and 61 to establish tax-exempt individual development
            accounts (IDAs) to pay for certain qualified expenses,
            including education expenses, first-time homebuyer costs,
            and business capitalization or expansion costs.

-   **[Middle Class Jobs Protection Act, H.R. 4995 - Rep.
    Cantor]{.underline}**

    -   This bill eases the tax burden on small businesses, provides
        incentives for businesses to purchase equipment and grow, and
        helps businesses to invest and create new jobs.

-   **[The SBA Women's Business Programs Act, H.R. 2397 -- Rep.
    Fallin]{.underline}**

    -   Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men. Women's
        Business Centers give underprivileged women a leg-up by offering
        them business advice and training. This bill sets new benchmarks
        for accountability and ensures that Women's Business Centers
        that receive funds are meeting performance requirements.  

**[[Solution #2: Assuring Health Care and Retirement Security for
America's Families]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

> Americans change jobs numerous times during their lifetimes. To
> respond to these transitions, we need to make our benefits -- from
> health care to retirement -- more portable. We also need to increase
> access to health insurance for those who currently can't afford
> coverage and provide more effective care and choice for seniors. Our
> system should provide families with more options and comfort so that
> they or their loved ones will have the best care possible in their
> golden years. Prevention must also become a national priority. The CDC
> says that 75 percent of all U.S. health spending goes to treat chronic
> conditions like heart disease and diabetes -- diseases that are
> influenced by lifestyle. We must:

1)  **[Allow workers to take their benefits with them when they change
    jobs]{.underline}**

    -   **[Health Insurance Portability Act, H.R. 2047 -- Rep.
        Dent]{.underline}**

        -   Americans move from job to job in our labor markets more
            frequently than at any time in history. This bill gives
            workers portable benefits by removing the 18-month
            limitation on COBRA coverage so that they and their families
            can enjoy the same quality of care they have been accustomed
            to during a prolonged job search.

2)  **[Take care of our parents and grandparents]{.underline}**

    -   **[Care Choices For Seniors Act, H.R 749 -- Rep.
        Blackburn]{.underline}**

        -   Splits the connection between Social Security and Medicare,
            provides a voucher for those who opt-out of Medicare in
            return for their years of paying Medicare payroll taxes, and
            allows individuals to continue tax-free contributions to
            their HSA. Additionally, the bill would delay enrollment
            penalties until age 70 to allow seniors more flexibility to
            keep their HSA after age 65.

    -   **[The Long term Care Retirement and Security Act, H.R. 5559 --
        Rep. Putnam]{.underline}**

        -   Allows a deduction for eligible long-term care insurance
            premiums for a taxpayer and the taxpayer\'s spouse and
            dependents, and a credit for eligible caregivers caring for
            certain individuals with long-term care needs.

    -   **[The Senior Safety and Dignity Act, H.R. 1476 -- Rep. Ginny
        Brown-Waite]{.underline}**

        -   Updates the Nursing Home Bill of Rights to require
            background checks for elder care job applicants and
            effective evacuation plans in case of hurricane or other
            disaster.

3)  **[Assure health care for all]{.underline}**

    -   **[Affordable Health Care Expansion Act, H.R. 5784 -- Rep.
        Granger]{.underline}**

        -   The goal is health care for all, but not one-size-fits-all
            health care run by the government. Every American should
            have health coverage and the freedom to choose their own
            plan. This bill provides tax credits to buy health insurance
            for families and individuals.

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    -   **[Small Business Health Fairness Act, H.R. 241 -- Rep. Sam
        Johnson]{.underline}**

        -   Small Business Health Plans (SBHPs) will make health care
            more affordable and accessible for small businesses by
            allowing them to band together across state lines in economy
            of scale to purchase health insurance. 

    -   **[HSA Improvement and Expansion Act, H.R. 3234 -- Rep.
        Cantor]{.underline}**

        -   Current law restricts how much and how often a person can
            contribute to their own health savings account.  It also
            makes it difficult for veterans and retirees to build their
            health savings.  And, one restriction prevents individuals
            from using their HSA money to purchase additional coverage,
            such as dental or vision coverage, or long term care.  The
            HSA Improvement and Expansion Act addresses these issues to
            increase the flexibility and effectiveness of Health Savings
            Accounts.

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    -   **[Health Care Choice Act (CHOICE Act), H.R. 4460 -- Rep.
        Shadegg]{.underline}**

        -   Today, with our employer-based health care system, the
            government, employers, and insurance companies have become
            wedged between patients and the doctors who serve them.  The
            CHOICE Act empowers consumers by giving them the ability to
            purchase an affordable health insurance policy with a range
            of options. 

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    -   **[Health Care Freedom of Choice Act, H.R. 636 -- Rep.
        Bachmann]{.underline}**

        -   This bill provides full tax deductibility for individual
            medical expenses including medical, dental, long-term care,
            and health insurance premiums.

4)  **[Make prevention a national priority]{.underline}**

    -   **[Wellness and Prevention Act of 2007, H.R. 853 -- Rep.
        Knollenberg]{.underline}**

        -   This bill provides a tax credit to employers for every
            employee who participates in a workplace wellness program.
            The participating employee would also receive a tax credit
            for participating. The wellness program includes screenings
            for chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes and
            seminars on healthy living. The bill also provides \$20,000
            of loan forgiveness for students who graduate with a degree
            in preventive medicine.

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    -   **[The IMPACT Act, H.R. 2677 -- Rep. Mary Bono
        Mack]{.underline}**

        -   Obesity has become an epidemic and is the root cause of many
            health problems. This bill expands an existing grant program
            for training for health profession students to include the
            treatment of individuals who are overweight, obese, or have
            eating disorders.  It also provides grants for training of
            primary care physicians and other health professions on how
            to identify, treat, and prevent obesity.

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    -   **[Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment
        Act, H.R. 1738 -- Rep. Granger]{.underline}**

        -   Early detection is often the key to beating cancer. This
            bill establishes a program at the CDC to provide screenings
            and treatment for colorectal cancer. This bill could save
            Medicare billions of dollars. Every 10 years, a colorectal
            screening program is expected to save 1.5 years' worth of
            Medicare expenditures.

    -   **[Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, H.R. 1553 -- Rep.
        Pryce]{.underline}**

        -   This bill establishes a fellowship program through the NIH
            to help train and develop a new generation of clinical
            investigators focused on pediatric cancer research. This
            bill will also help evaluate trends and educate families
            impacted by childhood cancer. 

**[[Solution #3: Protecting America's Kids]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

Parents are very concerned about their children's security at school and
at home. We must do more to protect our kids from predators online and
in our neighborhoods. We must also crack down on gangs in our cities and
suburbs. We also need to provide health care to our neediest children.
We must:

1)  **[Crack down on child predators and gangs]{.underline}**

    -   **[The Student and Teacher Safety Act, H.R. 3291 -- Rep.
        Kirk]{.underline}**

        -   This bill allows states and school districts to conduct
            reasonable searches to ensure that schools remain free of
            all weapons, dangerous materials, and illegal drugs.

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    -   **[The Deleting Online Predators Act, H.R. 1120 -- Rep.
        Kirk]{.underline}**

        -   This bill requires schools and libraries to protect children
            against predators using social networking sites.

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    -   **[Online Sex Offender Internet Prohibition Act of 2007, H.R.
        3114 -- Rep. McMorris Rodgers]{.underline}**

        -   This bill increases penalties for sex offenders who access
            social networks on the Internet.

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    -   **[Student Protection Act, H.R. 1829 -- Rep.
        Putnam]{.underline}**

        -   This bill protects children from sexual abuse at the hands
            of school teachers, administrators, and staff by
            implementing a national system of standards for
            transparency, oversight, reporting, and investigation of
            sexual misconduct in America's schools.

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    -   **[Inform and Deter (ID) Spam Act, H.R. 5717 -- Rep.
        McCotter]{.underline}**

        -   This bill protects kids by creating a fund to reward
            individuals who provide information about those who send
            pornographic and other bad email spam.  This information
            will make it easier to prosecute the perpetrators and keep
            them from sending inappropriate spam to our kids.

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    -   **[Gang Elimination Act, H.R. 367 -- Rep.
        Reichert]{.underline}**

        -   We need to do more to rid our neighborhoods of gangs and
            protect our kids. This bill calls on the Attorney General to
            identify and outline a strategy to combat the three top
            national gangs.

2)  **[Provide health care for our neediest children]{.underline}**

    -   [**Kids First Act**, **H.R.3864** - **Rep. Camp **]{.underline}

        -   This bill expands the SCHIP program by 60% and provides \$14
            billion in new SCHIP allotments over the next 5 years. It
            caps eligibility at 200% of Federal Poverty Level (\$41,300)
            or 50 percentage points above states' Medicaid eligibility
            levels in 1997 and phases out coverage for adults. The
            bill's costs are fully offset without raising taxes.

**[[Solution #4: Assuring Education Access for America's
Families]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

A good education is the doorway to success and a critical part of making
our country more competitive in a global economy.  Unfortunately, our
school system is falling short.  Not only do we need to make it easier
for young adults to get a college education, we have to do a better job
of providing the basic fundamentals for all children. College tuition is
on the rise, historically at about twice the rate of inflation.
Furthermore, according to the National Center for Educational
Statistics, 38 percent of fourth graders could not read at a basic level
in 2002 \-- that is, they could not read and understand a short
paragraph that one would find in a simple children's book. Tragically,
reading failure disproportionately affects children who live in poverty.
We must:

1)  **[Reduce the costs and burden of college tuition]{.underline}**

    -   **[The 401 (Kids) Family Savings Accounts Act, H.R. 87 -- Rep.
        Biggert]{.underline}**

        -   This bill permanently extends Family Savings Accounts that
            allow families to save for their children's college
            education.

    -   **[Comprehensive Coverdell Modernization Act, H.R. 2588 -- Rep.
        Drake]{.underline}**

        -   Increases from \$2,000 to \$4,000 the annual contribution
            limit to Coverdell education savings accounts, and adjusts
            the contribution limit annually for inflation after 2008
            which will allow families to save money on a tax-deferred
            basis for future college education expenses.

    -   **[Help Kids Save for College Act, H.R. 5591 -- Rep.
        Pitts]{.underline}**

        -   This bill enhances popular 529 college savings plans by
            allowing employers to make tax-free matching contributions
            to an employee's 529 account of up to \$500 a year. Named
            after their section in the tax code, 529 accounts allow
            individuals to save for higher education costs by earning
            tax-free interest.

2)  **[Ensure every child in America can read and write]{.underline}**

    -   **[Reading First Improvement Act, H.R. 1939 -- Rep.
        McKeon]{.underline}**

        -   This bill improves the Department of Education's management
            of the Reading First program and guards against potential
            conflicts of interest. By solidifying effective management
            structures within the program, this bill ensures that the
            program continues to make a difference in children's lives
            by ensuring effective reading instruction.

    -   **[The Student Enhancement Act, H.R. 5996 -- Rep.
        McCotter ]{.underline}**

        -   Amends the tax code to allow a deduction for tutoring
            expenses for elementary and secondary school students,
            including the costs of books and supplies related to the
            tutoring.

3)  **[Increase local control]{.underline}**

    -   **[State and Local Flexibility Improvement Act, H.R. 2577 --
        Rep. McKeon ]{.underline}**

        -   States and local governments need more control over
            educating our children. This bill give states and local
            school districts the freedom to target federal resources to
            best serve the needs of their students while maintaining
            strong accountability standards.

4)  **[Ensure our schools perform for our children]{.underline}**

    -   **[Teacher Incentive Fund Act, H.R. 1761 -- Rep. Tom
        Price]{.underline}**

        -   Competition always fosters better results. This bill
            provides funds to states and local school districts to help
            them develop performance-based compensation systems that
            offer teachers and principals performance pay for increasing
            student achievement in classrooms.  The standards by which a
            school district evaluates its teachers would remain in the
            hands of local education leaders.

**[[Solution #5: Supporting America's Military Families and Keeping Our
Country Safe]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

Our nation's most solemn duties are to take care of our troops,
veterans, and their families and to keep families safe. It is critical
that we continue to fight and win the war on terror, and that we support
our men and women who serve in our Armed Forces and their families.
Finally, we have to secure our borders. We must:

1)  **[Take care of our troops, veterans, and their
    families]{.underline}**

    -   **[Armed Forces Tax Relief Act, H.R. 1085 -- Rep.
        Garrett]{.underline}**

        -   While our Armed Forces serving in a combat zone are
            compensated without paying the income tax, they are still
            subjected to the costly payroll taxes such as Social
            Security and Medicare.  This legislation would allow our
            military to truly keep their earnings "tax free" by
            eliminating payroll taxes on the Armed Forces serving in a
            combat zone.

    -   **[Traumatic Brain Injury Support for Rural Veterans, H.R. 3458
        -- Rep. Moore Capito]{.underline}**

        -   Establishes a pilot partnership between the Department of
            Veterans Affairs and local healthcare professionals to
            expand treatment options for rural veterans suffering from
            traumatic brain injuries sustained in combat.  These
            expanded treatment options would provide significant
            financial and personal relief to veterans and their
            families.  There are currently only four treatment
            facilities that conduct traumatic brain injuries treatment,
            forcing many rural veterans to travel long distances for
            care, or leading many to forego care all together.

    -   **[Strengthening America's Military Act, H.R. 1086 -- Rep.
        Garrett]{.underline}**

        -   When a member of the Armed Forces is called to serve in a
            combat zone, and leaves a spouse and a family in the U.S.,
            the last thing they should have to worry about is their
            financial security.  This legislation would allow the
            spouses of active military serving in a combat zone to claim
            the same exemption of income taxation that their husband or
            wife does.  This exemption is capped at the same level of
            commissioned officers (\$75,790 per year in FY05).

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    -   **[Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment
        Through Education Act, H.R. 5944 -- Rep. Putnam]{.underline}**

        -   This bill significantly improves education benefits for
            service members and veterans and helps career military
            personnel provide for the education of their spouses or
            children. It will significantly help recruitment and
            retention. It is the companion bill to S. 2938

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    -   **[The Montgomery G.I. Bill Enhancement Act, H.R. 4130 -- Rep.
        Walberg]{.underline}**

        -   This bill closes a loophole allowing those service members
            who first joined the military before July 1, 1985 to enroll
            in the Montgomery GI Bill. This bill would provide a
            one-year window for those 20,000 to enroll in the Montgomery
            G.I. Bill. 

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    -   **[Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, H.R. 1589 -- Rep.
        Henry Brown]{.underline}**

        -   Currently, many surviving spouses of veterans who die of a
            service-connected disability have their benefits offset if
            they are eligible for two competing benefit plans --
            Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and the Survivor
            Benefit Plan. This bill removes that offset to allow
            surviving spouses to receive increased benefits.

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    -   **[Bartlett Montgomery G.I. Bill Act, H.R. 81 -- Rep.
        Bartlett]{.underline}**

        -   The bill allows service members to transfer education
            benefits to their dependents. In the event that benefits are
            transferred to a dependent, it extends the benefit
            entitlement period from 10 to 15 years. It also updates the
            formulas that govern eligibility and benefit level.

    -   **[The Military Spouses Employment Act, H.R. 2682 -- Rep.
        Carter]{.underline}**

        -   This bill expands the Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit to
            include military spouses, thus encouraging employers to hire
            military spouses and to open facilities in areas with a
            higher concentration of military spouses.

    -   **[Military Spouses Residency Relief Act - Rep.
        Carter]{.underline}**

        -   Service members can claim a home of domicile and maintain
            that home regardless of where military orders may send
            them.  This saves them from the headache of doing things
            like updating their drivers' licenses and vehicle
            registration every time they move.  This bill would give
            military spouses the same ability.

    -   **[Rural Veterans Access to Care Act, H.R. 1527 - Rep.
        Moran]{.underline}**

        -   About 40 percent of veterans enrolled in VA health care live
            in rural areas. Time and distance are a challenge for many
            rural veterans to obtain specialty and mental health care
            within a VA facility. This bill allows veterans who are
            enrolled in VA but live too far away from a VA facility to
            choose to receive health services from a non-VA health care
            provider.

2)  **[Win the war on terror]{.underline}**

    -   **[Terrorism Prevention and Deterrence Act of 2007, H. R. 2376
        -- Rep. Franks]{.underline}**

        -   Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to 25 years (or a
            life term if a death results) for providing, attempting, or
            conspiring to provide material support of international
            terrorism. Also increases penalties for providing military
            training to terrorists and for terrorist murders or
            manslaughters outside the U.S. Finally, provides for
            criminal penalties for kidnappings and sexual abuse of U.S
            nationals outside the U.S.

3)  **[Secure our borders]{.underline}**

    -   **[H.Res. 499 -- Rep. Lamar Smith]{.underline}**

        -   Expresses the sense of the House that the Administration
            should rigorously enforce the laws of the United States to
            substantially reduce illegal immigration and greatly improve
            border security.

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    -   **[The Charlie Norwood CLEAR Act of 2007, H.R. 3494 -- Rep.
        Blackburn]{.underline}**

        -   Enhances Federal, State, and local assistance in the
            enforcement of the immigration laws, prevents sanctuary
            cities from receiving federal funds, and improves the State
            Criminal Alien Assistance Program.

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    -   **[The Secure Photo Identifications Act, H.R. 1314 -- Rep.
        Blackburn]{.underline}**

        -   Ensures that financial institutions and the Federal
            government only accept secure forms of identification.