Economy
I support policies that empower the private sector – especially small businesses – to create jobs and spur economic growth. Small businesses are responsible for 70% of America’s jobs, and when government grows – as it has under President Obama – it crowds out growth in the private sector. We need to cut taxes, reduce government spending, and balance the budget. That will give small business owners the confidence they need to invest, innovate, and expand.
Unfortunately, Congress and the White House have pursued a different agenda. They passed a $787 billion stimulus bill, tripled the federal deficit to $1.4 trillion per year, and increased our debt beyond $15 trillion. Fortunately, thanks to an historic election year in 2010, House Republicans – now in a firm majority – forced the Administration to extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. This prevented the largest tax increase in U.S. history. With millions of Americans still out of work, we need to encourage private sector job growth, rather than raise taxes to dig us out of debt.
I will continue to advocate for policies that unleash the power of free minds and free markets; and I will continue to oppose policies that take money out of the hands of hard-working taxpayers to reward the special interests.
Health Care
One of the first votes taken on the House floor was to repeal Obama’s “health care reform”. This sent a message to the Administration that his health care plan will not work.
I voted to repeal President Obama’s radical health care bill because it increases premiums for working families (10-13% according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office), raises taxes on small businesses, and cuts Medicare for seniors.
The bill was also too expensive ($1.3 trillion), and it will increase the deficit at a time when government spending is already out of control and the national debt is at $15.5 trillion.
This bill will also be a job killer. After the bill passed, America’s major corporations filed statements with the government on how the bill’s tax changes would affect their earnings (as they’re required to do by law). Boeing said it would take a $150 million hit. AT&T said it would have to pay $1 billion. The list goes on. All of these companies will be affected.
The Obama bill will also put tremendous strains on our private health care system. Since the bill requires 16 million more people to enroll in Medicaid - and since Medicaid reimburses only slightly more than half of medical costs - that will obviously have a devastating financial impact on doctors and hospitals.
I want to repeal the health care bill and replace it with a better bill based on common-sense, market-based solutions to increase health care access and lower costs for all Americans.
We should allow businesses to pool together to purchase insurance, permit insurance to be sold across state lines, and limit junk lawsuits.
We should also promote healthier lifestyles, deploy new health technologies, and expand access to care in rural areas. That’s what the American people want and deserve.
Agriculture
I was born to a farming family with deep roots in Eastern Washington. Growing up, I worked on the family orchard side by side with my parents and younger brother. Later on, I helped manage the family business. I know first-hand the challenges facing our family farms and ranches.
As a member of Congress, I’ve brought these experiences to our nation’s capital. I was proud to serve as a conferee on the 2007 Farm Bill, which was enacted into law in 2008, representing the interests of Eastern Washington farmers and ranchers. I continue to support policies that expand markets for our farmers, reduce their energy costs, increase their water supply and assure the future vitality of our land. I remain committed to Eastern Washington’s agricultural community.
Education
As the first person in my family to graduate from college, I understand the importance of education for opportunity and success. And as a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I know we cannot afford to have our children graduating without adequate preparation for the future – or worse, dropping out. By not putting education first , we do a disservice to our youth and hurt our businesses’ ability to compete against an ever more educated global workforce.
There is a growing consensus among parents and teachers that America’s education system is not reaching its potential. I believe the best way to bring our schools into the 21st century is by encouraging high standards and accountability. By measuring results and fostering a climate of excellence, competition, and innovation, we can once again have the best education system in the world - a system that enables all of our suns and daughters to live the American Dream.