Rick Santorum

==Background==
* R, US Senator
* Re-election is in November 2006 and will run against Bob Casey and Tom Martin.
==Links==
thumb|300px|right|Rick Santorum spreads FUD like few others.
===Media===
* http://www.slate.com/id/2293133/ News in Slate in May, 2011
===Blogs===
* Jon Delano on May 26, 2006, Covering Bob Casey and Rick Santorum's race and the Penn Hills residence
* Outside Santorum's Sanctum - October 10, 2006 - The New York Sun by Jerry Bowyer ... Anyone who actually lives here knows what the real problem is — Rick Santorum. Two years ago Arlen Specter, the centrist Republican and senator from Pennsylvania, was in a tough primary battle with a conservative House member named Pat Toomey. Mr. Santorum is famous for his pro-life positions. But this time he supported Mr. Specter. I was hosting a radio talk show in Mr. Santorum's home town at the time, and I too supported Mr. Specter. The anger among the pro-life base of the Republican Party was palpable. One of the interesting things about hosting a call-in show is that it's basically like spending 15 hours per week in a focus group. You get a good sense of how people feel about an issue or a person. Day after day, rage and a sense of betrayal came surging through our phone banks for months. When something like this happens a leader has two choices — blow it off, or smooth it over. I chose the latter, explaining my reasons for supporting Mr. Specter (reasons which I still hold today). Mr. Santorum chose the former. 'He just didn't want to listen to anyone, he didn't feel like he needed to explain anything either' one supporter of Mr. Toomey told me. That supporter was not just a party activist nor some block captain or precinct worker. He is a senior statesman and a very well known conservative opinion leader. In other words he's the kind of guy you are supposed to listen to if you're a Republican senator. But Rick didn't.
* /Dan_S
==Insights (harvested in November, 2006)==
Rick Santorum knows the great privilege it is to represent the citizens of Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate and works every day to maintain their trust and confidence. He visits each of Pennsylvania's counties every year to stay in close touch with his constituents - a pledge he made when he was first elected to the Senate in 1994.
Rick is a strong voice for Pennsylvania, and he believes that you, his constituents, should always know where he stands. He is a steadfast leader, confronting the tough issues facing our Commonwealth and our nation. As Rick campaigns for your vote, he's committed to ensuring this campaign is one of substance. Pennsylvanians deserve to make an informed choice about who can best represent them in the U.S. Senate.
==Issues==
===Agriculture===
Agriculture is the Commonwealth's largest industry, but for nearly 90 years, Pennsylvania did not have a voice on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Since Rick became a member of the Committee, he has worked for Pennsylvania and made a difference for our farmers.
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Agriculture is Pennsylvania's largest industry, and Rick Santorum, as the first Keystone State Senator to be a member of the Agriculture Committee since 1904, is consistently working to ensure that Pennsylvania's agriculture interests are represented in the United States Senate.
Rick is committed to working on issues that are important to Pennsylvania's rural communities - such as ensuring strong markets and fair prices for farmers, working to eliminate the death tax, and family access to quality health care.
He has played an instrumental role in passing legislation that positively impacts Pennsylvania's farmers.
Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program
Rick Santorum supports a market-based approach to the dairy industry, while recognizing that small farmers are often not able to withstand drastic milk price fluctuations. To that end, he was one of the lead architects of the MILC program created in 2002. The MILC program provides farmers with a payment whenever the minimum market price for milk falls below the trigger price that has been established.
Research and Development
Rick has also wielded his influence to ensure that important research and development projects in Pennsylvania's agricultural communities are funded. In 2005 alone, Rick Santorum was instrumental in securing over $28 million for agriculture initiatives that benefit Pennsylvania's farmers. Rick's priorities for agriculture appropriations are centered on research and conservation. He has secured funding for research for the dairy industry, Pennsylvania's largest industry sector within agriculture, conservation practices, and disease control research. He has also sought and obtained funding for conservation projects related to organic farming, the fastest growing agriculture sector, and for research to develop sustainable agriculture methods. Research is critical to ensuring the future success and viability of our nation's farmers, as well as to prevent and respond to emergency outbreaks and potential biological threats.
Farmland Preservation Program
Rick Santorum played a pivotal role in creating the Farmland Preservation Program that was included in the 1996 Farm Bill, which provides federal funding to assist state and local farmland preservation efforts. Over 13,000 acres of Pennsylvania farmland are part of this program, which preserves and protects this precious land across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania has already seen more than $12 million in assistance for this program and more than 2,500 farms have been revitalized and preserved as a result of this program. Samuel E. Hayes, former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, commended Senator Santorum for his efforts on the Farmland Protection Program. During a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Hayes said, "The Federal Farmland Protection Program authorized by the 1996 Farm Bill was a milestone in the effort to permanently preserve farmland - it provided the first appropriation of Federal dollars to assist state and local farmland preservation programs. I wish to acknowledge the leadership of Senator Rick Santorum in securing approval of this program in the Farm Bill."
Commitment to Agriculture
Organizations in the industry have recognized Rick Santorum's contributions to agriculture. He has received the 'Friend of the Farm Bureau' award from the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau on several occasions. This award was presented to Rick for his leadership on and support of Pennsylvania agriculture. Further, this award recognizes members of Congress who support the policies that help farmers obtain profitability with less regulatory interference, and increase demand for U.S. farm products through new uses and enhanced trade opportunities. He has also received the Thomas Jefferson Award from the Food Marketing Institute and International Foodservice Distributors Association.
Rick has acknowledged that for many decades agriculture interests in Pennsylvania have not been fairly represented in the Congress. He has made it a priority to correct those inequities and continues to focus on policies that are regionally balanced and fair to our farmers. As a member of the Senate Agricultural Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Research, Nutrition, and General Legislation, Rick is uniquely positioned to further Pennsylvania's agriculture priorities in the United States Senate.
Seeing Pennsylvania's Agriculture Community Up-close
Rick is committed to seeing the impact of Pennsylvania's agricultural community firsthand and regularly visits small and large farms across the Commonwealth. In addition, he has held office hours every year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show since 1996 where constituents can learn about programs that are available to assist Pennsylvania farmers and the agriculture industry.
Rick has used the hands-on information he's gained from his visits with farmers and others in the agricultural community and put that into action in Washington. For example, on the issue of mandatory country-of-origin labeling, Rick learned that many have been adversely impacted by this program as it puts burdensome red tape on many in the industry. Rick introduced legislation that replaces the expensive mandatory labeling program with a more efficient, less expensive voluntary system for beef, veal, lamb, pork, fish, and produce. Instead of a national country of origin system, products would be labeled along the supply chain wherever it is most efficient to do so. Rick's legislation promotes U.S. products, while also creating the best of all worlds for producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers.
Trade Benefits Pennsylvania's Agriculture
Rick believes that the development of free trade is vital to our nation's continued prosperity. As our nation faces greater competition from other countries, Rick believes that the United States must adapt to give our industries every opportunity to succeed.
To that end, he supported the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). This trade agreement will have a tremendous positive impact on two crucial Pennsylvania industries—agriculture and sugar manufacturing. Rick is a strong supporter of free trade and believes that in order for us to compete on an international level, our farmers in Pennsylvania must have access to the markets in which these consumers reside. The CAFTA-DR agreement grants American farmers access to markets in six additional countries and nearly 44 million new consumers.
Pennsylvania will reap the benefits of new trade relationships that should develop following the implementation of this agreement. In 2004, Pennsylvania exported $353 million to the CAFTA-DR nations, making it the Commonwealth's 12th largest export market.
===Compassion===
For years, our nation has searched for policy options to successfully battle one of the greatest problems facing us today--poverty. The hopelessness of families and neighborhoods marked by a long history of poverty is devastating to the future of PA and the U.S. 
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Committed to developing a new, forward-thinking approach to helping those in need, Rick Santorum spearheaded the creation of the Senate Anti-Poverty Agenda. Rick was the primary architect of the landmark welfare reform bill, which has enabled over seven million Americans to exchange a welfare check for a paycheck. He authored the CARE Act, which will strengthen the community and faith-based organizations that provide services so vital to lifting our citizens out of poverty, as well as encourage asset building for low-income Americans through the creation of Individual Development Accounts. He has fought to spare vital hunger prevention programs, like food stamps, from budget cuts, and introduced a number of programs designed to promote healthy families and responsible fatherhood.
Rick Santorum recognizes that we have a responsibility to help our fellow citizens in need. Every American deserves the opportunity to improve their lot in life, and Rick is committed to implementing programs that attack the destitution and hardship that far too many Americans endure.
Welfare Reform
Rick Santorum was an author of major welfare reform legislation, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996. This legislation encouraged greater opportunities for employment while maintaining flexibility for states. The historic Welfare-to-Work provisions included in the welfare reform legislation have helped thousands of Pennsylvanians move from welfare to meaningful work. Rick believes that this legislation laid the groundwork for low-income Americans to move away from welfare and towards self-sufficiency. Welfare reform, however, is only a part of Rick’s broader vision to end urban and rural poverty by strengthening families, communities, and the local organizations that sustain them.
The CARE Act
Rick Santorum has been leader in the fight to revive America's communities and empower citizens to enjoy better lives. He is the chief sponsor of the Charity, Aid, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act. Based on three concepts -- giving, saving, and fairness -- the CARE Act provides incentives for charitable giving, opportunities for low-income families to build their individual assets, and equity between faith-based and secular organizations as they provide charitable social services. Rick Santorum recognizes that if you provide local communities with the tools to promote job growth, economic development, affordable housing, higher education, and long-term financial stability, the results can be astounding.
In the 2005 edition of Giving USA, the Annual Report on Philanthropy, the Giving USA Foundation reported that remarkably, Americans had donated nearly $250 billion to charitable organizations in the previous year. The enormity of these gifts confirms that the American people share Rick’s belief that the non-profit community is critical to the future of society. Rick’s legislation works to create an environment where charitable giving is encouraged, not penalized.
The CARE Act works to expand the base of private and governmental resources available by assisting charitable organizations in overcoming many of the major challenges they are currently facing. Further, this legislation offers the nearly 86 million Americans, or two out of every three American taxpayers, who do not itemize on their taxes the opportunity to deduct a portion of their charitable contributions. By giving these citizens the chance to receive the same tax breaks that corporations and millions of other Americans enjoy, the CARE Act will promote further giving while at the same time justly rewarding the generosity of those already committed to donating their resources.
The CARE Act also offers incentives for individuals to give tax-free contributions from their Individual Retirement Accounts for charitable purposes, helping a large number of non-profit organizations, especially educational institutions.
Eradicating AIDS/HIV
There has been no other member of the Senate has been more committed to eradicating global AIDS than Rick Santorum. Rick believes that combating HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and the U.S. has a responsibility to play a leadership role in this effort.
HIV/AIDS continues to destroy individuals, families, and communities, and Rick is committed to supporting this effort to address this pandemic on the other side of the globe. More than half of the world’s HIV/AIDS-infected population lives within the borders of just 14 African and Caribbean nations. According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, since the beginning of the epidemic two decades ago, more than 20 million people have died of AIDS, 15 million in Africa alone. Over 70 percent of those currently living with HIV, 28.5 million out of 40 million, live in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries bear the incredibly disproportionate burden of grief and social deterioration that the widespread illness brings.
Rick also supports funding the Millennium Challenge Account, which provides grants, above and beyond existing aid, to poor countries that adopt sound economic policies. Countries are able to receive grants by showing their commitment to good governance, the rule of law, human rights protection, and a transparent economic system.
Fighting Poverty
Rick has been a leader in the Senate on its Anti-Poverty Agenda. This effort establishes a vision for alleviating poverty and aims to find legislative solutions for the problem.
Rick believes that the best solution to addressing poverty in America is to strengthen community and faith-based organizations while allowing the government to assist in this effort without broad, bureaucratic social programs. Rick Santorum believes that community organizations and local churches all throughout the United States can fight poverty more effectively than Washington.
There are many regulatory barriers that make it challenging for charities and volunteer groups to truly work to transform impoverished communities in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. Rick believes that faith-based organizations must be able to compete on a level playing field for federal grants. Faith-based organizations are many times the best-equipped institution in their community to improve the lives of those in need. The Charity Aid, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act addresses these concerns.
Rick also believes that Congress must restore the shattered economies of the poor and improve living standards of inner-city neighborhoods and poor rural communities. Work is a positive way to move the nearly two million families currently on welfare out of poverty. To that end, Rick sponsored the Marriage, Opportunity, Relief, and Empowerment (MORE) Act. This legislation provides meaningful welfare reform, which strengthens work requirements for those on welfare, and promotes the importance of marriage and fatherhood in reducing poverty and improving the well-being of children. Also included in the MORE Act is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which helps welfare recipients find jobs that help in the transition from dependence to self-sufficiency.
Committed to provide housing opportunities in many of Pennsylvania’s low-and moderate-income neighborhoods, Rick has proposed the Community Development Homeownership Tax Credit. This legislative measure will bridge the gap between development costs and market value to enable the development of new or refurbished homes in several Pennsylvania cities and towns.
Rick has long been a champion of Individuals Development Accounts (IDAs). The Senate’s Anti-Poverty Agenda seeks to expand ownership in our society by allowing individuals to make their own decisions and improve their lives and their communities. Rick believes that arming low-income families with the tools to save and acquire assets is an important key to reducing poverty.
Operation Good Neighbor
Rick Santorum is the founder of the Operation Good Neighbor Foundation. Operation Good Neighbor brings businesses and individuals together to work directly with grassroots organizations to address the special needs of our most underprivileged and vulnerable citizens. By providing grants or delivering materials through in-kind contributions, Operation Good Neighbor is dedicated to strengthening the ability of organizations and communities to address poverty, substance abuse, youth violence, and illiteracy.
===Conservation===
A great challenge facing us in Pennsylvania is the balance between encouraging economic growth while preserving the open space that is so much a part of our heritage. As your Senator, Rick has been an advocate for protecting farmland from suburban sprawl and development.
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One of the greatest challenges facing us in Pennsylvania is striking a balance between encouraging economic growth while preserving the open space that is so much a part of our heritage. Since becoming your United States Senator, Rick Santorum has been an active advocate for protecting farmland from suburban sprawl and development.
Rick was the architect of landmark legislation that created the Farmland Protection Program, which has since become one of the most successful conservation programs in American history. He played a significant role in passing the Highlands Protection Act, which will help ensure that Pennsylvania's Highlands remain the vibrant national treasure it is today. More recently, Rick has fought to preserve tax incentives for those who choose to donate their land to open space conservation initiatives.
While development is important to the future of Pennsylvania, it cannot become more than just one part of that future. Open space provides countless benefits to the residents of our state, and Rick Santorum, who co-founded the bipartisan Congressional Open Space Caucus, intends to ensure that it will continue to do so for generations of Pennsylvanians to come.
Highlands Conservation Act
Rick Santorum was successful in passing the Highlands Conservation Act, which authorizes $100 million over 10 years for land conservation projects located within the Highlands region. The Highlands region is an environmentally unique area that stretches over 2 million acres from eastern Pennsylvania through New Jersey, New York and northwestern Connecticut. The legislation allows the federal government to work with Highlands states, local communities, local organizations, and willing land sellers to preserve and protect high priority conservation lands in the Highlands region.
Rick recognizes the importance of preserving these rich areas of the Pennsylvania landscape, and this legislation provides our local communities with the flexibility to do just that. The Highlands Conservation Act encourages sustainable economic growth and development in a fiscally and environmentally sound manner.
Farmland Preservation Program
Rick Santorum played a pivotal role in creating the Farmland Preservation Program that was included in the 1996 Farm Bill, which provides federal funding to assist state and local farmland preservation efforts. Over 13,000 acres of Pennsylvania farmland are part of this program, which preserves and protects this precious land across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania has already seen more than $12 million in assistance for this program, and more than 2,500 farms have been revitalized and preserved as a result of this program.
Brownfield Redevelopment
Rick has been a champion in the United States Senate for brownfield redevelopment. Brownfield sites, or deserted warehouses, manufacturing facilities or closed gas stations, are common across the country and Pennsylvania is no different. In an effort to help rehabilitate the more than 10,000 brownfields across the Commonwealth, Rick Santorum is working to amend the U.S. Tax Code with an incentive that encourages cleanup of brownfield sites. Specifically, Rick's legislation adjusts the tax code to allow cleanup costs to be expensed in the year they were incurred. This helps redevelopers manage the cost of rehabilitating existing properties, which is typically much more expensive than developing new sites.
Rick recognizes the great economic impact from redeveloping brownfield sites. As these areas, which were likely considered eyesores at one time, are slowly being transformed into parks, facilities, or other community priorities, residents witness a creative solution to a once hazardous and unsightly part of town. The redevelopment of existing brownfield sites has the potential to generate about $2 billion in annual tax revenues, as well as create good-paying jobs and affordable housing for Pennsylvanians.
Abandoned Mine Lands
Rick is working to address the issue of abandoned mine reclamation. Abandoned Mine Lands (AMLs) cover more than 189,000 acres of land and 3,100 miles of streams in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has been a leader in the reclamation of AMLs, and Rick Santorum is working to reauthorize federal funding for the Abandoned Mine Land fund. Rick believes this is an important step towards ensuring that Pennsylvania's natural resources are clean in the wake of mining. Reauthorizing the AML fund will improve the quality of our environment and ensure that these areas are safe for our communities and our families.
Protecting the Chesapeake Bay
Rick has also been an ardent supporter of efforts to clean and preserve the Chesapeake Bay. He has worked to increase funding for the Chesapeake Bay, while also supporting a number of projects and programs that will protect this national treasure. He has supported an environmental education program focusing on watershed and ecosystem health; a sewage treatment plant upgrade program to enhance nutrient removal technologies; a portal and gateway program that links access areas and seaports; and a USDA pilot program to reduce agricultural nutrient pollution from farm fields. Rick also worked to secure $20 million to initiate a Chesapeake Bay Working Lands Nutrient Reduction Pilot Program to test innovative techniques for reducing agricultural nutrient and sediment pollution in the Bay watershed.
===Education===
We must ensure our next generation is equipped with the skills to become leaders in their communities. Providing children access to high quality education develops eager and creative thinkers who will be responsible for the welfare of our state and nation in the 21st century.
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Rick Santorum believes that a quality education is the key to any child's success, and he supports equipping youth, parents, teachers, and schools with the tools to make that success achievable. Rick believes that these tools should be flexible because every school district across Pennsylvania has different needs, and no bureaucracy in Washington can fully understand the priorities of an elementary school in DuBois or a high school in Quakertown.
No Child Left Behind Act
Rick Santorum supported the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, which has been the most historic legislative initiative enhancing education opportunities to pass Congress in decades. This legislation sets important standards for our schools, our teachers and our children. By setting high accountability standards, NCLB encourages teachers and schools to excel while also providing the tools to improve performance if changes are needed. Further, NCLB gives teachers and school administrators' flexibility by decreasing bureaucratic red tape that hinders access to grant programs, which allows states and localities to redirect resources directly to the classroom.
Commitment to Higher Education
In addition to Rick's support of ensuring that primary and secondary schools in Pennsylvania are equipped for success, he is equally committed to ensuring the every Pennsylvanian has access to higher education. Rick Santorum has supported legislative solutions that provide loans, grants, and tax incentives to make higher education more accessible and affordable.
Rick Santorum supports increased funding for Pell Grants, and since 2001 funding for the Pell Grant program has increased by 47 percent. Pennsylvania students have benefited tremendously from Pell Grants; providing a college education for our state's youth who otherwise might not be able to afford one.
In addition, Rick has worked to strengthen the many higher education institutions across Pennsylvania from community colleges to four-year universities. Through grants and policy initiatives, Rick Santorum is proud to further the priorities of Pennsylvania's colleges and universities. Further, he has sought to address the technology gap that exists at many Minority Serving Institutions by establishing a new grant program providing up to $250 million to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) bridge the digital divide.
Rick Santorum has worked closely with HBCUs throughout his tenure in the United States Senate, including Cheyney University and Lincoln University. He has chaired the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Congressional Forum on Capitol Hill, which helps HBCUs gain information about opportunities available from the federal government regarding research, and academic and faculty development needs.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Rick has been a champion for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA, which Congress passed in 2004, provides much-needed tools for parents, teachers and schools to provide the highest quality education for students with disabilities. There are nearly 7 million youth in the country with disabilities, and IDEA is a critical component towards ensuring that all children receive the education they deserve. Rick Santorum authored an amendment to IDEA that reduces the paperwork burden on special education teachers. This measure authorizes the Secretary of Education to grant waivers of IDEA requirements in up to 15 states to reduce excessive paperwork and non-instructional time burdens, without inhibiting the right of a child with a disability to receive free public education.
Kids' Accounts
Rick Santorum has been extremely innovative in looking for ways to help children succeed. An original sponsor of the America Saving for Personal Investment, Retirement, and Education (ASPIRE) Act of 2005; Rick supports providing every newborn with a savings account called a KIDS Account.
This legislation would provide every child born after December 31, 2006 with a one-time $500 contribution into their KIDS Account. For households who earn below the national median income level, they would be eligible for a supplemental contribution of up to $500. The accounts will be supported by incentives designed to encourage savings, promote financial literacy, and expand asset-building opportunities.
Once a KIDS Account is established, families and others will be allowed to contribute additional resources into these accounts, up to $1,000 a year. As accountholders turn 18 they will be able to keep their accounts with this fund or transfer them to a private sector Roth IRA provider or a Section 529 plan for higher education.
Education Savings Accounts
Rick Santorum supports expanding Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to make it easier for parents to invest in their children's education. ESAs, which are similar to Roth IRAs, currently allow parents and others to place up to $500 per year, per child, in a tax-free savings account for higher education expenses. The current limit on ESAs is $500, and Rick Santorum believes that limit should be increased to $5,000. He also supports expanding ESAs to include expenses associated with elementary and secondary schools. Rick believes that we all must invest in our children's education, and ESAs will lead to billions of new dollars in private funding specifically for education expenses. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, 70% of the families who benefit from ESAs make less than $75,000. They also found that 75% of the parents who will use the accounts will be public school parents. Public education is expensive for many families, who often spend thousands of dollars on education-related expenses to ensure a quality education for their children. Rick Santorum believes this legislation will enable parents to save for college as well as provide for primary and secondary education needs such as tutoring or even a home computer.
As a United States Senator, Rick will continue to support legislative initiatives that allow children to earn the best education possible.
===Energy===
To take advantage of the 250 years worth of coal reserves right here in Pennsylvania, Rick has used his leadership position to help fund PA institutions that work to develop new clean coal technologies, and Rick voted to implement the landmark Clean Coal Power Initiative. 
By supporting policies that promote the development of alternative energy sources and energy conservation, Rick Santorum has taken an aggressive, common sense approach to securing Pennsylvania's, and America's, energy future.
For the past 50 years, energy demand in our country has exceeded domestic supply, forcing our nation to become increasingly dependent on foreign sources of energy. This dependency has a significant impact on so many aspects of our lives, in part responsible for rising gas and heating costs, increasing economic pressure on our manufacturers, and weakening our national security.
As your Senator, Rick Santorum has been a leader in the push to diversify our energy supply. America cannot be energy independent if we continue to rely so heavily on foreign oil and fail to develop the technology necessary to utilize our own natural resources.
Energy Policy Act
Rick has long been a vocal advocate of the need for a national energy policy and supported passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Energy Policy Act serves as a comprehensive national energy plan that balances domestic energy production with conservation and efficiency efforts to enhance the security of the United States and decrease its dependence on foreign sources of oil. The bill contains numerous production incentives for oil and gas exploration and establishes programs to maintain the nation's coal production capacity.
Clean Coal Power Initiatives
Rick believes that the U.S. must work to reduce our long-term reliance on foreign oil by encouraging exploration and production of oil here at home. Rick has been a leader for initiatives that capitalize on our domestic resources such as the Clean Coal Power Initiative and the clean coal-to-liquid fuel technology.
Rick was pleased that the Energy Policy Act authorized the Clean Coal Power Initiative, providing $200 million each year for clean coal research. Pennsylvania has a rich coal heritage and continues to play an instrumental role in supplying our nation with its greatest source of domestic fuel. Rick believes there is great promise in clean coal technologies to help our nation break from our dependence on foreign sources of energy.
Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Technology
Included in the Energy Bill was a provision that Rick fought to include – the first clean coal-to-liquid fuel plant in the country. This facility will greatly increase our nation's energy supply in an environmentally friendly way. Because of Rick Santorum's leadership, the Department of Energy awarded funds for this project to a coal and energy company based in Schuylkill County. It is projected that 1,600 jobs will be created at the Schuylkill County plant alone. This technology has tremendous promise for our nation, and Rick Santorum was pleased to play a lead role in making it a reality.
Electricity Standards
Also included in the Energy Policy Act are greater reliability standards for electricity customers who live in one of the nation's busiest electrical grids. Following the blackout in the Northeast region of the country in 2003, Rick worked with his colleagues in the Senate to ensure these important standards were included in the Energy Policy Act.
Reducing Gasoline Prices
Following Hurricane Katrina, which caused tremendous damage to our oil supply, some advantageous gasoline retailers increased their pump prices significantly. This practice, known as price gouging, is despicable and can cause tremendous damage to our economy and each citizen's wallet. There are no federal laws in place that protect Americans from this destructive and immoral practice, and Rick is working to change that.
Rick introduced the Gasoline Affordability and Security (GAS) Act of 2005, which would put in place regulations against price gouging to stop fuel companies from taking advantage of customers. This would be the first law of its kind and would provide Pennsylvanians with protection against unfair price hikes at the pump. This bill would also create a Federal Trade Commission task force charged with assisting state attorneys general in investigating price gouging and developing state price gouging laws.
In addition to protecting consumers from unnecessarily high gas prices, Rick included provisions within the GAS Act that focus on diversifying our nation's energy supply. Pennsylvania alone has coal reserves that will last us over 250 years, and finding new and cleaner ways to use coal is critical for our economy and our environment. The GAS Act will advance promising, environmentally friendly coal-to-liquid fuel technologies, helping to reduce America's dangerous and costly dependence on foreign sources of energy.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Since being elected to Congress in 1990, Rick has been an ardent supporter of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This program assists countless low-income and senior citizens to meet their home energy needs. Rick has worked to send millions of dollars back to Pennsylvania through this program.
Abandoned Mine Lands
In addition, Abandoned Mine Lands (AMLs) cover more than 189,000 acres of land and 3,100 miles of streams in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has been a leader in the reclamation of AMLs, and Rick Santorum is working to reauthorize federal funding for the Abandoned Mine Land fund. Rick believes this is an important step towards ensuring that Pennsylvania's natural resources are clean in the wake of mining. Reauthorizing the AML fund will improve the quality of our environment and ensure that these areas are safe for our communities and our families.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has the potential to play a significant role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and Rick supports exploring this area in a safe and environmentally sound way.
===Family===
A father of six, Rick knows the importance of protecting and providing for one's family, and he's worked in the Senate to further measures that strengthen our families. He believes in a culture of life; every human life is sacred and must be guarded by the law, science, and society.
Rick believes strong families are the foundation of society, and he has worked to strengthen families through legislation and other policy initiatives.
Ban on Partial Birth Abortion
In 2003, Rick championed legislation to ban the gruesome procedure known as partial birth abortion. The Partial-Birth Abortion (PBA) Ban Act of 2003 passed both Houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Bush on November 5, 2003. This historic legislation banning partial-birth abortion was approved three times during the Clinton administration, but the bill hit several obstacles, including a veto by President Clinton.
Partial birth abortion involves the partial delivery of a live boy or girl and a sudden, violent end of that life. Rick believes strongly in the evidence supporting this legislation that this procedure is never necessary to protect the life or health of the mother. Further, the practice is widely regarded within the medical profession as unnecessary, not only cruel to the child, but harmful to the mother, and a violation of medical ethics. Rick believes that banning this gruesome procedure is simply reaffirming a basic standard of humanity.
When the President signed this bill into law, Rick Santorum remarked: "Today, we have reached a significant milestone as we continue to build a more compassionate society and a culture that values every human life. Our efforts to be more compassionate through education, partnership and most importantly faith have helped lead our society to recognize the value of life and the importance of protecting infants at their most vulnerable stages."
Furthering Stem Cell Research
Rick Santorum supports stem cell research, when it does not involve the destruction of human embryos or that is based on the prior destruction of human life. He believes the government should encourage life-saving research, but should focus on science that both works and is ethical.
Rick is a strong supporter of cord blood stem cell research, which serves as an ethical and viable means to treat patients and cure disease. In addition to umbilical cord blood, other adult stem cell research has shown tremendous promise in helping to cure people. These alternative cell therapies are already being used to treat cartilage defects in children, systemic lupus, and spinal cord injuries, and are helping to restore vision to patients who were legally blind.
Unborn Victims of Violence Act
Rick has also been an ardent supporter of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. This bill, known as "Laci and Conner's Law," makes it a federal crime to harm an unborn child during an assault on a pregnant woman. This law allows federal prosecutors, for the first time in history, to seek justice for the unborn victim. Rick believes that this law reflects what most Americans believe; that when a pregnant woman and her unborn child are attacked, there are two victims. When a perpetrator kills both mother and unborn child, he or she will be tried for two crimes.
Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002
Rick led the fight to pass the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002, which ensures that once a baby is completely born, independent of the mother, he or she deserves the full protection and dignity afforded to all citizens. This bill states that federal laws and regulations referring to a "person," "human being," "child," and "individual" should include every infant who is born alive regardless of their stage of development. Rick believes that this legislation is a solid affirmation of human life, affording infants who are born alive nothing less than legal personhood, regardless of their stage of development.
Children and Families
Rick has worked closely with organizations, such as the Children's Home of Easton, to provide federal funding for programs that combat juvenile delinquency and help youth and adults transition out of Children's Home and back into society. The Children's Home of Easton is a great example of a faith and community-based organization, and Rick Santorum has helped to secure over $2.5 million for their programs.
Rick Santorum has been a vocal advocate about the importance of family, and has championed the priorities of the National Fatherhood Initiative in Congress. Rick believes that healthy, stable families are essential to overcoming poverty and ending the cycle of welfare dependency. To that end, he has been a strong supporter of the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI), which works to improve the well-being of children by increasing the number of children growing up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers.
A leader on the issue of traditional marriage, Rick supports a constitutional amendment protecting marriage as that of a union between a man and woman. Activist judges in some areas of the United States have taken this matter into their own hands, and Rick believes that a constitutional amendment is necessary to preserve this important foundation of our society.
Rick Santorum, and his fellow Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, honored Mr. Fred Rogers, host of the public television show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" with a resolution from the U.S. Senate upon his passing at age 74. They paid tribute to the many contributions that Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood had given our country and tremendous compassion he demonstrated throughout his career. From 1968 to 2000, Rogers produced the show "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" at Pittsburgh public television station WQED.
Rick introduced the Working Families Act of 2005, which would expand Individual Development Accounts (IDA) for low-income families. IDAs provide low-income, working Americans the opportunity to build assets through matched savings accounts. Savings can then be used for the purchase of a home, to develop small businesses, or to pursue a post-secondary education. The bill, which Rick introduced with Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, expands IDAs by creating 900,000 additional Individual Development Accounts for low-income families.
===Health Care===
Decisions made regarding patient care must always be based on what is best for the patient--not for insurance companies, employers or even doctors. This basic principle has driven Rick Santorum's health care priorities since he first came to Congress.
Being married to a registered nurse, and growing up having a mother as one, Rick is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of long-term care in Pennsylvania and has traveled across the state to increase awareness of this issue and work with families and providers towards a viable policy solution. He has fought for the health care needs of the uninsured, working to provide them with tax relief for their medical costs, pushing for the development of Association Health Plans, and playing an instrumental role in the creation of Health Savings Accounts. Additionally, Rick has consistently pressured Congress to pass meaningful medical liability reform, which will keep experienced physicians practicing in Pennsylvania and focus our health care resources on patients, not lawyer fees.
When we, or those we love, experience health problems, everything else becomes a secondary concern. To make these difficult times as painless--physically, emotionally and financially--as possible, providing Pennsylvanians with access to quality, affordable health care will remain one of Rick Santorum's highest priorities.
Long-Term Care
As a senator representing a state with the second highest number of senior citizens in the country, Rick Santorum has been a leader in working to find ways to help Pennsylvania's growing aging population. Rick has traveled the Commonwealth far and wide to meet with seniors and learn about their long-term care needs. Long-term care needs can involve basic activities in the home, assistance with activities of daily living in an assisted living facility, or highly skilled care in a nursing facility. As our nation's population continues to live longer, Rick is leading the way in the Senate to ensure that all Americans age with comfort and dignity.
The number of Pennsylvanians aged 85 and older is projected to increase by thirty-eight percent between 2000 and 2015. As Americans live longer, healthier lives, they need more long-term care options than ever before. Rick believes that seniors should be able to stay at home for as long as possible or have access to a good skilled nursing facility. Rick is working to further policy initiatives that can help to make quality long-term care more affordable and more accessible.
Medicare
Rick Santorum was a strong supporter of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. This law, for the first time ever, provides Medicare beneficiaries with a prescription drug benefit and expanded health plan options to help them meet their specific medical needs. In addition, the measure takes important steps to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for all consumers through new trade negotiation channels; it also takes the initial steps toward cost containment to help preserve the program for future generations. It includes provisions to expand "health savings accounts," which will allow people to set up tax-deferred savings accounts and take more responsibility and control over their health care expenditures.
Because the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act is a new law and contains many new, complicated provisions, Rick Santorum is working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that seniors are able to take full advantage of the benefits of this program.
Health Savings Accounts
Rick has long been a supporter of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and introduced legislation in the United States Senate that will help make health insurance more affordable by creating refundable tax credits that can be used to purchase traditional insurance or HSAs. Specifically, the legislation that Rick is fighting for would eliminate the unfair tax bias against individuals who purchase their own health care coverage. This legislation also makes HSAs more affordable by providing a tax credit to small businesses who contribute money to an employee's HSA. Moreover, a person's money is not taxed as it goes into an HSA; it is not taxed as it grows in the account; and it is not taxed when it is withdrawn from the account, as long as it is used for medical or health expenses.
HSAs provide tremendous flexibility for those who use them, while minimizing unnecessary overhead. Rick believes Congress must make access to HSAs simpler and provide incentives for companies who encourage their employees to use them. HSAs empower individuals in their health care decisions and give them an asset that they own, control and can use for their health care as they grow older. Rick believes that all Pennsylvanians and all Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care, and HSAs can help many individuals obtain it.
Association Health Plans
Rick Santorum also supports the establishment of Association Health Plans (AHPs) and is a cosponsor of the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005. AHPs allow small business employers to join together to obtain better insurance rates for their employees. When organizations made up of more people seek health insurance, they are generally quoted better rates than single individuals or businesses made up of just a few people. AHPs offer associations the same benefits that larger employers and unions enjoy – greater bargaining power to obtain lower premiums and less administrative costs.
Medical Liability Reform
Rick is committed to addressing the need for medical liability reform. The American Medical Association (AMA) identifies Pennsylvania as one of 21 states where the malpractice climate has reached "crisis proportions." In addition, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that in 2004 alone, over 110 experienced PA obstetricians either stopped practicing obstetrics or left the state.
Rick is working with his colleagues in the U.S. Senate to find a balanced approach to litigation reform that results in speedier resolution of medical lawsuits for the truly injured; provides appropriate financial relief to the injured; improves access to quality health care; and lowers premiums and reduces health costs.
He has cosponsored medical liability reform legislation and has supported caps on non-economic damages. Rick continues to work to enact legislation that can help alleviate the burden on well-qualified physicians delivering needed medical services to Pennsylvanians and millions of other Americans.
Funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Rick is concerned about the numerous debilitating diseases that affect millions of Americans each year and cost our country dearly in the way of human suffering. Rick believes that biomedical research is our strongest tool in the prevention and treatment of serious diseases, and he recognizes the vital role that NIH plays in supporting biomedical research and development at leading research institutions nationwide. This public/private research partnership has allowed the United States to maintain its position as the world leader in medical technology.
Rick is a strong supporter of federal funding for basic, clinical, and translational research within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and he has supported legislation to provide substantial funding increases for the NIH. Most notably, he supported a budget resolution in 1998 which called for doubling the NIH budget over a period of five years. Rick supported subsequent resolutions that totaled the NIH funding for biomedical research from $13.7 billion in fiscal year 1998 to $27.2 billion in fiscal year 2003.
===Immigration===
As son of an immigrant, Rick understands the powerful draw of America for those seeking better lives. He also recognizes we live in different times than a few years ago and is committed to strong immigration reform so our children can grow up in a safe, diverse nation.
Rick Santorum recognizes that we need a solution to the divisive and contentious issue of immigration reform. Rick believes that the current Senate proposal, which offers a broad amnesty program, increased financial burdens on honest tax-paying American citizens, and incentives for illegal immigrants to raid the Social Security system and lie about their work history, should be rejected.
Rick Santorum supports reforming our immigration system with the following solutions:
Border Security
Rick Santorum believes that border security must be addressed first and foremost. He supports building a wall along a portion of our southern border, temporarily increasing the presence of our National Guard at the border, and substantially increasing the number of border patrol agents. Rick believes that an immigration policy that does not better control who is entering our nation is not an immigration policy at all.
No Amnesty
Giving blanket amnesty, approving guest worker programs masked as amnesty, or charging nominal fines to become an American citizen mocks and demeans the sacrifices of legal immigrants. Illegally crossing our border and breaking our immigration laws must carry real and serious consequences. Rick Santorum will not vote for any immigration bill that includes amnesty.
Deport Criminals and Other Dangerous Persons
Felons, serial lawbreakers, persons subject to final removals orders, or anyone considered a danger to the United States must be deported immediately. An estimated 29% of prisoners in our jails are illegal immigrants.
Eliminate Benefits for Illegal Immigrants
Millions of illegal immigrants cannot be rewarded with Social Security payments based on forged identification documents and stolen or fraudulent Social Security numbers. The Heritage Foundation estimates that the flawed Senate bill that Rick opposes would increase welfare costs by $11.4 BILLION per year. [Robert Rector, "Amnesty and Continued Low Skill Immigration Will Substantially Raise Welfare Costs and Poverty," Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org, Accessed May 25, 2006]
Reform the System and Defend American Culture
Rick Santorum supports an improved worker verification program to protect American taxpayers from fraudulent benefit payouts. He is pushing to make temporary workers just that -- temporary, not citizens. Rick also supported an amendment calling for English to be the official national language.
As the son of an Italian immigrant, Rick Santorum understands the powerful draw of America for those seeking a better life. The foundation of the American Dream is that individuals from any background can come to this nation and -- with honest, hard work -- make a better life for themselves and their families. This simple, yet unique, truth about America has played an integral role in making our country the greatest nation in the world. He will continue to make America a secure and lawful country that protects America as a nation of legal immigrants.
===Jobs & Economy===
To most Pennsylvanians, and most Americans, there are few things more important than feeling secure in their economic situation. Without question, the key component to economic security is having a job, and Rick Santorum has fought to protect the jobs of Pennsylvanians.
Rick has used his leadership position to secure federal funding for community and economic development organizations across the Commonwealth that create jobs to grow the economy at the local level. He has supported trade agreements that emphasize fair trade and grant Pennsylvania's farming and manufacturing sectors access to millions of new consumers. Rick has worked to keep taxes on small businesses and corporations low, allowing them to stay competitive while doing business right here in Pennsylvania--where they belong--not outsourced across the ocean. And he has fought to protect industries vital both to Pennsylvania's economy and our heritage, like steel and agriculture.
Pennsylvania is a unique state in that we have such diversity in the sectors that drive our economy. Rick Santorum has worked towards an economic climate in which each of these sectors is afforded the opportunity to flourish. He will continue to strive for growth and prosperity for our economy, as every citizen of Pennsylvania deserves to enjoy the security that comes with stable, productive, and financially rewarding employment.
Small Businesses Impact Pennsylvania
Rick Santorum has long recognized that if the federal government provides the tools for our communities to spur economic growth, then our communities can create jobs and economic stability. One of the ways that Rick has done that is through supporting policies that help small businesses. In Pennsylvania, more than 90 percent of the businesses are small businesses.
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Rick understands the impact small businesses have on America's economy. These companies are an incredible source of new products and technological innovations, and they embody the promise of the American dream: an opportunity for the hard-working individual to turn his or her ideas into a successful, profitable enterprise.
Rick recognizes the tremendous impact that small business tax incentives have on economic growth. He has supported measures in the Senate that simplify the tax code and lower the tax burden, while also increasing tax incentives for research and development.
Repealing the Death Tax
Rick Santorum is a cosponsor of S. 7, legislation that would permanently eliminate the Death Tax. Right now the federal government levies a hefty tax, know as the Death Tax, on family run businesses or farms when the individual running the business passes on. This tax can be so steep that it often times forces families to sell the family business rather than transferring ownership to the next generation. Repeal of this burdensome tax would make a real difference for Pennsylvanians who wish to pass along their family business to the next generation.
Small Business Development Centers
Rick has supported important programs such as Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). SBDCs provide useful tools for entrepreneurs to build and grow their company. He has supported federal funds for SBDCs, which have had a direct impact on job growth in Pennsylvania and across the country.
Pension Protection
In 2005, the Senate passed S. 1783, the Pension Security and Transparency Act of 2005, which strengthens pensions to better protect the retirement security of hard-working Americans. Within this bill are provisions that Rick authored including an early warning system for multi-employer plans that are in financial difficulty. Rick worked closely with numerous employers, unions, and associations to determine a solution that is agreeable to both management and labor and will ensure the long-term viability and security of multi-employer plans. Rick is committed to ensuring that when employees move into retirement they receive their promised benefits.
Increasing the Minimum Wage
Senator Santorum has also supported responsibly increasing the minimum wage. Rick believes that it is time for the federal government to increase the minimum wage while also reducing some of the regulatory burdens that impact our small businesses which further impacts companies' ability to pay their employees more.
Working from Home
Rick has supported measures that make it easier for individuals to work at home. He has sponsored the Telework Tax Incentive Act to provide incentives to businesses and employees to telecommute. Telecommuting provides additional job opportunities for companies while avoiding costly overhead.
Tax Relief
Rick Santorum has been a vocal advocate for the tax relief packages that have passed in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Each of these tax packages provides substantial incentives for economic growth and job creation across the country.
Senator Santorum introduced the Biotechnology Future Investment Expansion (BIOFIX) Act, which encourages growth in the biotech sector of our economy, which is important to Pennsylvania. The legislation updates our tax laws to recognize the unique nature of the biotechnology industry.
Free and Fair Trade
Rick believes that the development of free and fair trade is vital to our nation's continued prosperity. As our nation faces greater competition from other countries, Rick believes that the United States must adapt to give our industries every opportunity to succeed.
To that end, he supported the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). This trade agreement will have a tremendous positive impact on two crucial Pennsylvania industries—agriculture and sugar manufacturing. Rick is a strong supporter of free trade and believes that in order for us to compete on an international level, our farmers in Pennsylvania must have access to the markets in which these consumers reside. The CAFTA-DR agreement grants American farmers access to markets in six additional countries and nearly 44 million new consumers.
Pennsylvania will reap the benefits of new trade relationships that should develop following the implementation of this agreement. In 2004, Pennsylvania exported $353 million to the CAFTA-DR nations, making it the Commonwealth's 12th largest export market.
Legal Reform
Rick has been a strong supporter of legal reform to curb abuses in our courts that have driven up costs to consumers. Over the past decade, class action lawsuits have grown over 1,000 percent nationwide, leading to increasingly unjust settlements that enrich a select few trial lawyers, while hurting plaintiffs and businesses in virtually every sector of America's economy. The Class Action Fairness Act, which was signed into law in 2005, addresses these abuses by moving certain large, interstate class actions from state courts into federal courts and creates a consumer bill of rights to ensure that the class-action legal process protects the rights of plaintiffs.
Expanding Pennsylvania's Companies
Rick Santorum worked tirelessly over the last four years to temporarily suspend duties imposed on imports of certain television assemblies and components, as well as improve the ability of the Sony manufacturing facility in Mount Pleasant to remain globally competitive. Currently, key components that are used to manufacture these televisions in the U.S. face a tariff when imported into America. This adds to the price of the product and places it at a competitive disadvantage versus foreign manufactured TVs.
Rick Santorum brought Treasury Secretary John Snow to the Sony Technology Center to join several Sony officials for a roundtable discussion on the economy and job growth. Rick used this opportunity to show Secretary Snow first-hand the importance of providing temporary duty relief for the importation specifically of television assemblies and components. Rick Santorum is committed to protecting this industry from premature collapse, and protecting these television components from high tariffs provides a sustaining incentive to maintain and grow domestic production.
Infrastructure Growth
Rick supported the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act, which authorizes $286.5 billion in funding for highways, transit programs, and motor carriers safety programs for five years. This legislation provides financing for vital highway construction and repair projects, and provides states with the financing certainty necessary for longer-term infrastructure investment. Based on employment estimates produced by the Department of Transportation, this bill will support more than 13 million American jobs. This legislation will provide $8.24 billion for Pennsylvania, which will be used to rejuvenate our infrastructure and strengthen Pennsylvania's economy. Rick's position in leadership is a direct reason that Pennsylvania receives $1.13 for every $1 that we contribute to the Highway Trust Fund.
Year after year, Rick has secured federal funding for road projects and economic development initiatives that create job opportunities in communities across Pennsylvania. 
===Safety & Security===
The events of Sept. 11, 2001 hammered home an uncomfortable truth -- this is a different world than ever before, a world in which attacks on American soil are a harsh reality. To combat this new threat, we need strong, steadfast leaders like Rick Santorum.
We need leaders that, like Rick, refuse to back down from those who wish to destroy America and everything we represent. We need leaders that, like Rick, unconditionally support our sons and daughters in uniform -- from Pennsylvania and across the United States -- who risk their lives in defense of our great nation.
Rick Santorum understands that protecting Americans is among the most important responsibilities of any elected official. He is committed to strengthening our borders and keeping America's enemies from operating within our nation. He has fought to save Pennsylvania military bases that play a vital role in securing our homeland, and worked to strengthen and reform our intelligence community.
Rick Santorum has proven that he will confront the challenges of our generation head-on and do everything in his power to ensure the protection of our citizens.
Protecting Pennsylvania's Defense Assets
Pennsylvania's military base communities play a critical role in ensuring our national security, and Rick Santorum worked to present a strong case to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission regarding the military value of each of our state's bases.
Rick Santorum fought to save Pennsylvania's military bases in the 2005 BRAC process, including the 911th Airlift Wing in Pittsburgh and the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks. He also played an instrumental role in bringing nearly 300 jobs to the Naval Defense Supply Depot on Robbins Avenue in Philadelphia, nearly 200 new jobs to the Letterkenny Army Deport and more than 150 jobs to Tobyhanna Army Depot.
Rick continues to work closely with Governor Ed Rendell and Senator Arlen Specter to protect Willow Grove Naval Air Station from losing its strategic mission. Together, they are filing suit against the Department of Defense for its decision to deactivate the base.
Supporting the Troops
Rick Santorum is an advocate for our Armed Forces and National Guard, believing it is vital that Congress provide our nation's military with the most up-to-date equipment and resources necessary, including higher pay and better benefits, to support the ongoing transformation of America's Armed Forces and our fight in the War on Islamic Fascism. Rick has consistently supported providing additional funding for our troops and has voted in favor of emergency supplemental funding for our military.
At a time when many of the men and women in our armed forces are deployed overseas, Rick is a cosponsor of the Supporting Our Patriotic Businesses Act of 2005, which would provide additional relief for small business owners ordered to active duty as members of reserve components of the Armed Forces.
Intelligence Reform
The September 11, 2001 attacks served as a stark wake-up call to our nation that our intelligence-gathering and intelligence-sharing capabilities needed reform. Following the attacks, Rick Santorum advocated for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The establishment of this new agency combined 22 different departments into one, increasing communication and coordination among the many parts of the federal government that function to protect our homeland.
In late 2004, Congress passed and the President signed into law, with Rick Santorum's strong support, the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. This comprehensive legislation contains many of the recommendations outlined by the 9/11 Commission, including the establishment of a National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and creation of a Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NCTC plays a critical role in our country's ability to effectively collect and analyze intelligence. This capability is allowing our intelligence community develop joint counterterrorism plans and work together effectively and efficiently to fight terrorism.
Former Ambassador to Iraq John Negreponte was nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the DNI. The DNI manages the entire intelligence community and serves as the President's principal intelligence advisor. Rick Santorum believes this position is crucial to break down the barriers between the many entities within our nation's intelligence community.
Homeland Security
Rick Santorum understands that homeland security begins with our first responders. He supported over $600 million in the 2005 federal appropriations process for local fire departments across the country. Millions of those dollars have gone directly back to Pennsylvania fire departments in both urban and rural areas. These grants have allowed fire departments to purchase new firefighting vehicles, participate in training exercises and upgrade their facilities. These grants are making a difference in communities across Pennsylvania.
Port Security
When Senator Santorum learned of the acquisition of port services at six major eastern ports, including Philadelphia, by Dubai Ports (DP) World, he sent a letter to President Bush expressing his concerns regarding the transfer of the port management to Dubai. In his letter Senator Santorum requested that the Administration prevent the sale to DP World and the outsourcing of port functions and security.
As a result of pressure from members of Congress and other officials, DP World announced their decision to transfer the U.S. port terminals to a separate U.S. buyer. The Senator believes however, that we cannot neglect the vulnerability and security of our ports. Rick Santorum supports a thorough review of the activities and processes of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
Iraq
Rick Santorum has long been skeptical of Saddam Hussein's Iraq and challenged this tyrannical government since his first term in the United States Senate. Senator Santorum, just like millions of Americans, recognized that Saddam Hussein's brutal regime posed a grave and gathering danger to the Middle East and the world.
In October 2002, Senator Santorum voted in favor of giving President Bush the authority to take military action against Iraq following years of Saddam Hussein's failure to comply with United Nations resolutions. At the time, Senator Santorum stated that, "It is important for the security of the United States to provide the President with the strongest position possible prior to U.N. Security Council debate on a new resolution. I believe that the President is acting in a way that promotes the best interest of the U.S. and democracy. The status quo with regard to Iraq is not acceptable. It is time that the world holds Saddam Hussein accountable for his intransigence." Democrats and Republicans alike shared these concerns based on the intelligence available at the time.
Following President Bush's announcement in March 2003 that military operations were underway, Senator Santorum expressed his support for the effort. Upon Saddam Hussein's capture in December 2003, Senator Santorum recognized the significance of that day. Iraqis would never have to live in fear again of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime.
Rick Santorum has been an outspoken advocate in the months after the fall of Baghdad voicing his support for the Iraqi people as they begin to rebuild their lives in a nation formerly filled with fear. In June of 2004, Senator Santorum met with several Iraqi businessmen who had their hands cut off during Saddam Hussein's brutal regime. Santorum stated, "These men are [here] today to share their personal experiences as a testament to the merciless and cruel treatment by the Hussein regime." This meeting strengthened Rick's commitment to bringing stability to this nation.
A Fresh Look
On January 5, 2006 Senator Santorum wrote to President Bush calling for a fresh look at the future of Iraq. The Senator supports a panel to objectively and critically analyze past and current U.S. activities in Iraq and make recommendations on how best to proceed in the future. Senator Santorum believes that the American people deserve to know through an unbiased source how to achieve success in Iraq and ensure the new Iraqi government is self-sustaining.
On March 15, 2006 Senator Santorum expressed support for President Bush’s announcement that he would cooperate with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), an independent group, to conduct an independent and objective assessment of Iraq, and the impact it has on the United States. The Iraq Study Group is organized by the USIP, with support from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Center for the Study of the Presidency (CSP), and the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.
Certainly, Rick Santorum recognizes that there is still much to be done to stabilize Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. However, he strongly believes that the Bush Administration's decision to topple this brutal dictator was and continues to be the right plan for our nation's security.
Pre-War Iraqi Documents (Project HARMONY)
In an effort to continue to assess and learn about events leading up to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Senator Santorum introduced Project HARMONY (S.2408) a bill to require the Director of National Intelligence to release documents captured in Afghanistan or Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, or Operation Iraqi Freedom. The legislation calls for these documents to be made available to the public via the Internet. Senator Santorum believes that by making these documents available to the public, Americans can gain a better understanding of the relationship between Saddam Hussein’s regime and Islamic terrorists.
Iran
Since being elected to the United States Senate, Rick Santorum has taken the issue of national security seriously. Various events leading up to and following September 11, 2001 have led the Senator to examine terrorist networks that exist in the Middle East and the countries that sponsor them. One country that has grown of particular interest and concern is Iran; recent actions by Iran’s government have shown that the country is becoming an increasing threat to the United States and our interests. Senator Santorum introduced legislation to advocate democracy in Iran. The Iran Freedom and Support Act (S.333) has earned bipartisan support in the Senate and seeks to restrict funding to a government that has provided a safe haven for groups like Lebanese Hizballah, HAMAS, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Rick Santorum supports controls and regulations against Iran that make it more difficult for the Iranian government to use foreign investments to support Islamic terrorism. Instead, Senator Santorum advocates funding for pro-democracy groups who oppose a totalitarian regime and support the advancement of democratic ideals and principles in Iran.
North Korea
In early October 2006, North Korea engaged in a nuclear weapon test, showing that they are preparing for the potential use of a nuclear bomb.
Senator Santorum is extremely concerned by North Korea's threatening behavior, and believes that if North Korea is successful in obtaining a nuclear weapon, they are a grave threat to the United States and our allies. Not only will this rogue nation have access to this these deadly weapons, but they may transfer that technology to Iran and possibly Syria.
Senator Santorum understands the very dangerous threat that this poses to the United States, and he believes that the U.S. must remain united with our international allies and condemn the actions of North Korea and respond in an appropriate manner.
===Social Security===
Rick Santorum has never been afraid to confront the issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians, and the future of Social Security is no exception. Rick is committed to finding a long-term, viable solution to strengthen retirement security for future generations.
Social Security is a promise from the federal government, a promise that if Americans work hard and pay into the Social Security system throughout their working lives, they will reap the benefits during their retirement years. In the time since he was first elected over fifteen years ago, no one has worked harder than Rick Santorum to ensure that the government comes through on this promise for every American generation. Whether by introducing bills like the Social Security Guarantee Act, which guarantees that every American born before 1950 will receive his or her promised benefits, or traveling across Pennsylvania discussing the future of Social Security with the residents of our state, Rick has been a leader in the fight to protect and strengthen the retirement security of all Americans.
Social Security Guarantee Act
Rick Santorum recognizes how important it is for seniors across Pennsylvania and the nation, who depend on Social Security, to know that it will be there for them. Pennsylvania has one of the highest populations of senior citizens in the nation, second only to Florida. That is why Rick authored the Social Security Guarantee Act.
The Social Security Guarantee Act provides a guarantee to all individuals born before 1950 that they will receive their full Social Security benefits as promised to them. This bill requires the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a guarantee to each Social Security recipient, stating their monthly benefit along with a guaranteed annual cost-of-living increase, to any individual born before 1950. This guarantee would provide the much-needed security that many seniors want while the discussion of Social Security reform continues. It is Rick Santorum's priority to protect seniors and ensure that they receive the benefits that they worked so hard for and to which they are entitled.
Future of Retirement Security
Rick is also very committed to broader reform of Social Security, and guaranteeing the benefits for our nation's seniors is a necessary first step in this process. Rick has been a leader on this issue because he believes that legislators should tackle difficult issues, not play politics with the retirement security of our children and grandchildren.
Right now, Social Security is delivering on its promise. Beneficiaries who are entitled to receive Social Security are seeing those benefits without any problem, because the amount of money coming into the system is exceeding the amount that's being paid out. However, in time, those numbers will begin to change. In 2016, the Social Security trust fund is expected to start paying out more in annual benefits than the system collects in payroll and income taxes. Just like anyone's checkbook, if you start spending more than what you are bringing into your bank account, you are going to have a problem.
Part of this impending problem can be attributed to the fact that there are fewer workers per retiree. In 1950, 16 workers supported each Social Security recipient, and now it's barely three workers per recipient. By 2030, it is expected that only two workers per beneficiary will be paying into the system.
The bottom line is that Rick Santorum realizes that we must look at solving this problem sooner than later. In order to avoid raising taxes or cutting benefits, Senator Santorum believes that younger workers should have the choice to put a portion of their payroll taxes into diversified investments. Further, for those who are most in need, Rick Santorum believes that the government should provide a Social Security safety net to make certain that everyone is protected in their retirement years.
However, none of these reforms can begin to take shape unless we recognize that there is a problem. Rick Santorum is a leader who will continue to focus on Social Security reform to ensure that our children and our grandchildren will have a stronger and brighter retirement.
Working with both the Bush and Clinton administrations to address this matter, Rick has been discussing ways to preserve and protect Social Security since he first came to Congress. In 1998, Rick Santorum was selected by the Senate Majority Leader to represent the Senate at the White House Summit on Social Security. Rick understands that real reform must happen with Republicans and Democrats working together, and he will continue his efforts in the years to come.
===Tax Reform===
The burden imposed by taxes should never be greater than it has to be; After all, who knows how to spend your money better than you do? In the nearly twelve years Rick has represented PA in the U.S. Senate, he has been a leader in the ongoing struggle to keep our taxes low.
Lower taxes means more money in the pockets of hardworking Pennsylvanians who earned it. Lower taxes mean more money for parents to spend on their families' priorities. Lower taxes give small-businesses the ability to expand, create more jobs in our local communities and spur economic growth.
In the nearly twelve years since Rick Santorum has represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate, he has been a leader in the ongoing struggle to keep our taxes low - working to reduce the tax burden on working families, supporting the increase of the per-child tax credit, and leading the fight to provide relief from the marriage penalty. He has supported a number of tax initiatives that will spur economic growth, including the landmark JOBS Act. He has also fought to prevent high corporate taxes from forcing companies to outsource to other countries, which would undoubtedly mean the loss of Pennsylvania jobs.
Tax Relief
Rick Santorum firmly believes in the benefits that lower taxes have on every sector of our society. He is committed to a tax system that will encourage entrepreneurship, promote home ownership, increase job opportunities for all Americans, and allow Pennsylvanians to keep more of your hard-earned money.
Rick knows that lowering the tax burden is important to Pennsylvania families. He believes that you, the one who earned your paycheck, can spend your money better than bureaucrats in Washington, DC. To that end, he voted for the tax relief that passed in 2001, 2003, and 2004 and strongly supported the measure that made these tax cuts permanent. These historic tax cuts included increasing the per-child tax credit and eliminating the marriage tax penalty. Together, these tax cuts have made a difference in the lives of all Pennsylvanians.
Marriage Tax Penalty Repeal
Rick was a vocal advocate for the repeal of the marriage tax penalty. This unfair law penalizes couples who marry by requiring them to pay the federal government more, sometimes over $100 a month more in taxes, than they would be taxed if they remain single. Rick believes that Congress must act to make these tax cuts permanent to ensure that married couples won't be faced with this unfair tax in the near future.
Child Tax Credit
Another key provision included in the tax relief that Rick helped pass is the increase of the child tax credit. Families are now eligible to receive a $1000 per child tax credit each year. This tax credit can help families pay for their child's education, childcare, or anything else they feel is a priority for their family.
Repealing the Death Tax
Rick Santorum is a cosponsor of S. 7, legislation that would permanently eliminate the Death Tax. Right now the federal government levies a hefty tax, know as the Death Tax, on family run businesses or farms when the individual running the business passes on. This tax can be so steep that it often times forces families to sell the family business rather than transferring ownership to the next generation.
Innovative Tax Relief Initiatives
A supporter of tax incentives for those who choose to work at home, Rick introduced the Telework Tax Incentive Act. This legislation provides incentives for employers who allow their employees to telecommute. Telecommuting is beneficial for employers, employees, the environment, and families.
Further, Rick supports reducing the tax on one of Pennsylvania's signature industries - beer. Over 40,000 jobs in Pennsylvania have been created because of the number of breweries in our state, and this industry - brewing, wholesaling, and retail - make significant contributions to Pennsylvania's economy. In 1990, Congress doubled the federal excise tax on beer causing the loss of nearly 60,000 jobs in the industry. Rick believes that it is time to reduce this undue burden on an industry that has a major presence in Pennsylvania. That is why Rick Santorum authored legislation that would reduce the tax on beer to its pre-1991 level.
Rick Santorum has advocated for the repeal of the telephone excise tax. This tax, which was originally implemented in 1898, the "Spanish-American War Tax," is an unnecessary 3 percent excise tax on all telecommunications services. Rick believes that affordable communications services are a necessity for everyone, and this tax places an additional premium on these important services, unnecessarily raising the cost for consumers. The telephone tax is a regressive, inequitable, inefficient and unnecessary tax that serves no rational policy purpose, which is why Rick Santorum is working to repeal this tax.
A creative legislator, Rick Santorum has supported innovative ways to reduce the tax burden on Pennsylvania families like the "Sales Tax Holiday." This initiative would eliminate the sales tax paid on retail items purchased during a ten-day period following the Thanksgiving holiday. This measure would accelerate spending during the holiday season as consumers would not be burdened by sales tax on their holiday purchases.
Rick is a champion for lowering taxes for Pennsylvania families, and he has been recognized for his efforts. He has received the "Hero of the Taxpayer" award from Americans for Tax Reform, and the National Taxpayers Union have awarded him with the "National Taxpayers' Friend Award."
Finally, as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, the committee with jurisdiction over tax issues in the United States Senate, Rick Santorum will continue to work on legislative measures that will lower the tax burden on Pennsylvania families.
===Veterans===
Whether by playing a leadership role in restoring $1.5 billion to the budget of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, working to protect PA's military bases or shepherding important legislation through the Senate, Rick is strongly committed to veterans across PA and the nation. 
The men and women who serve this nation in the Armed Forces are protecting and preserving the freedoms that we enjoy. Rick Santorum is grateful for the sacrifices that these individuals have made and believes that the federal government must honor the commitments made to them.
Since first coming to Congress 15 years ago, Rick Santorum has worked to honor those commitments. Having had first-hand experience with parents who where both employed by the Veterans' Administration (VA), Rick is committed to ensuring that those who serve this country have the resources they need and the benefits they deserve now and in the future.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Rick played an instrumental role in adding $1.5 billion in emergency funding to address the financial needs in the Department of Veterans Affairs budget. This funding is critical to ensuring that our servicemen and women receive the quality care that they deserve when they return home.
Rick is a cosponsor of the Veterans Benefits Outreach Act of 2005, which requires an annual plan on outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is also a supporter of the Blinded Veterans Continuum of Care Act, which places Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialists at 35 VA medical centers. He supports an increase in funding for the VA's Medical and Prosthetic Research Program to address the rehabilitation and research programs needed to care for injured service members returning from overseas deployments.
Protecting Pennsylvania's Defense Assets
Pennsylvania's military base communities play a critical role in ensuring our national security, and Rick Santorum presented a strong case to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission regarding the military value of each of our state's bases. Many of our bases provide critical services to Pennsylvania's veterans, and Rick fought to keep many of our bases open and operational.
Increasing Benefits for Servicemembers' Families
Rick Santorum worked in the Senate to increase death benefits to $500,000 for service members' families. He believes that the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice should be financially secure.
Rick also supported passage of an amendment that will increase money available for veterans' benefits and services by $410 million, bringing a total increase of $1.2 billion in funding for the VA for fiscal year 2006. Rick Santorum also fought against a proposal to increase veteran prescription co-pays to $15, keeping the payments at $7. Thousands of veterans voiced concerns about this potential increase in premiums, and Rick worked to ensure that it did not pass.
Rick has also worked tirelessly for many important local veterans' projects and initiatives. He fought for the establishment of a national cemetery for veterans in southeastern Pennsylvania, and he secured funding for job training programs for veterans.
Santorum
Category:candidate 2012
Category:candidate 2006