Education

Our children deserve the brightest future we can give them. Given a good education, there is no limit to what American students will be able to achieve. Since his election to the House of Representatives, Congressman Kennedy has been a strong advocate for education.

Fully Funding the No Child Left Behind Act
Because of his belief in the power of education to propel America to new heights, Congressman Kennedy remains concerned that the Administration has refused to fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act. In fact, President Bush has underfunded No Child Left Behind by over $40 billion dollars since it was signed into law. From his seat on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Kennedy continues to fight for full funding of this program. The federal government has asked our teachers and administrators to give us their best. They deserve nothing less than the full support of the federal government in return.

Expanding Access to Higher Education
Congressman Kennedy is committed to ensuring college access for all Americans. He supports cutting student loan interest rates, expanding Pell grants, and making college tuition tax-deductible. He has fought the Bush Administration’s efforts to cut funding for student loans and squeeze students and parents by raising student loan interest rates. The American postsecondary system has long been the envy of the world, and Congressman Kennedy continues working to ensure that all Americans have access to this unparalleled resource.

Strengthening Early Education
Congressman Kennedy also believes in properly preparing our children for school. He supports Head Start and Even Start programs which help to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to begin school at the same level as every other student. Furthermore, he authored and shepherded the Foundations for Learning Act into law. Congressman Kennedy’s legislation provides grants to organizations establishing partnerships between child care providers and health specialists. These grants help families tend to the emotional and social development of their young children before they get to school, allowing them to begin school ready to learn. The law also sets goals for improving teacher quality by investing in professional development and mentoring, and expands after-school programs that provide safe places for children to learn and interact when parental supervision might not otherwise be available.

Providing Quality After-School Alternatives
After-school programs provide constructive and educational opportunities for children during the most critical time of day, those hours after school has ended but before a parent arrives home. Programs like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rhode Island have had incredible success year after year. Congressman Kennedy strongly supports these programs, and secured $400,000 in federal appropriations for the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket and $200,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Woonsocket.

Providing for our Military Families
As the brave men and women of our armed forces fight overseas, Congressman Kennedy remains committed to ensuring that their children receive the best education possible here at home. The Impact Aid program steers resources to school districts that contain large numbers of military families. Congressman Kennedy has fought Administration attempts to freeze this funding. Freezing this important funding would jeopardize valuable programs and services for children of military families.

 

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Public Safety and Law Enforcement

Assisting Law Enforcement Officials
Congressman Kennedy has co-sponsored legislation which renews and strengthens the federal support for community policing efforts. He has worked directly with local police departments to help them obtain funds for additional officers and improved resources. Additionally, he has obtained funding for several local police departments and the Rhode Island State Police for more modern crime-fighting equipment, including Automatic External Defibrillators, laptop computers, and other technologies. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Kennedy was able to help local Rhode Island police departments upgrade their 1970’s-era communications equipment to meet interoperability standards and expand coverage areas. Congressman Kennedy has also been a strong supported of the Bulletproof Vest Grant Partnership Program, which has provided funding to Rhode Island law enforcement agencies to purchase protective equipment.

Honoring our Fallen Public Safety Officers
Understanding the critical role law enforcement and public safety officers play in our community, Congressman Kennedy successfully secured an increase in the Public Safety Officer Benefit (PSOB) in October 2001. The PSOB is granted to the families of law enforcement and public safety officers who die or are disabled in the line of duty. Until Congressman Kennedy’s proposal passed, this benefit had not been raised in several years to adjust for inflation. Through his efforts, Congress passed a provision that raised the base benefit to $250,000.

Pursuing Sensible Gun Laws
Guns kept in the home are 43 times more likely to kill a family member or friend than to kill in self-defense. The presence of a gun in the home triples the risk of homicide in that home, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Since his election to Congress, Congressman Kennedy has been a strong supporter of sensible gun laws. He has supported efforts to ban dangerous weapons and ammunition, expand awareness of gun safety issues, and improve tracking of gun-related crimes so that criminally negligent gun dealers are no longer able to supply their weapons to criminals.

Assault Weapons Ban
In 1994, our country was moved in tragedy to pass a sensible ban on military-style assault weapons. Congressman Kennedy helped lead the charge in passing the first assault weapons ban. Because the Republican leadership in Congress and President Bush did nothing to extend this ban, it expired on September 13, 2004. Police chiefs from across the country banded together to try to convince Republicans that this ban has been a key tool in helping them keep dangerous weapons off the streets. Despite their protests and the statistics that back up the benefits of this ban, the Republicans allowed this law to die on the floor of Congress. Congressman Kennedy continues to fight for a new assault weapons ban and hopes the American people will send the Republicans a message and tell them that they want this common sense law back on the books.

Campaign for Child Safety Locks
Firearms are the second-leading cause of death for people aged 19 and under in the United States. Congressman Kennedy has strongly supported efforts to mandate and promote child safety locks for firearms. His efforts include supporting legislation that would mandate child safety locks on all firearms, as well as arranging public awareness campaigns in Rhode Island to promote child safety locks.

 

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Environment

During the past six years, the environment has been under constant attack by the Bush Administration. They have moved away from science and common sense, and continue to support their industry friends, rather than enforcing regulations that are in place to protect our natural resources. This has been easily illustrated by the skyrocketing cost of gasoline while the oil industry continues to enjoy record-breaking profits.  Congressman Kennedy has been a leader in fighting against the Bush rollbacks and for strong environmental policy that protects our ecosystem.

Global warming is an issue that continues to be on everyone's mind.  As a representative of the Ocean State, Congressman Kennedy understands how important it is to protect and preserve our ecosystem.  Beyond the beauty that is afforded to our state, we rely on the oceans for commerce through fishing and recreation. Through his seat on the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Kennedy has committed to fighting for full funding of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As a member of the House Oceans and House Coastal Caucuses, Congressman Kennedy is actively involved in implementing the recommendations of the U.S. Ocean Commission and the Pew Commission reports on the state of our nation's oceans. These reports have have identified several key changes that must be addressed in order to not only protect our oceans, but the entire ecosystem that relies on the health of our oceans. Congressman Kennedy is a cosponsor H.R. 2939, the Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act (OCEANS-21.)  This legislation will change the way our nation thinks of the oceans, and works to preserve this resource for generations to come and Congressman Kennedy is working to bring OCEANS-21 to the floor for consideration.

Congressman Kennedy has been a strong supporter of Brownfields legislation and funding. These critical funds provide resources from the federal government to assist communities to clean up Brownfields, polluted former industrial sites that hinder economic growth and hold back valuable tax dollars for the communities in which they are located.  Not only are we cleaning up hazardous sites, we are also creating opportunities for new local, public-private partnerships to support new innovations and businesses. Congressman Kennedy supported several grant applications, as well as legislation to ensure that this critical funding continues to flow to these important Rhode Island projects.

Congressman Kennedy has been a staunch supporter of the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. He is pleased that a bill reauthorizing the Corridor recently passed the Congress with overwhelming support, once again establishing the Corridor as a national priority.  Through his seat on the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Kennedy has used his position to bring home a significant amount of funding to Rhode Island that improves environmental measures. Congressman Kennedy has secured nearly $5 Million from the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) for the Narragansett Bay Commission in Rhode Island for continued development of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) improvements. He has also secured funding for Save the Bay's Explore the Bay educational initiative to teach Rhode Island students about the challenges facing the Narragansett Bay's future.

Several years ago, residents of Northern Rhode Island experienced the devastation of losing clean, safe drinking water because of MTBE. Congressman Kennedy fought to insert language in the Agriculture Appropriations Act directing the federal government to assist the homeowners of the Pascoag Utility District to clean up this contamination. He also opposed the President's energy bill because of the Administration's attempts to ensure that the needs of the MTBE industry are met before those of the people who suffered from its effects. After witnessing the damage inflicted on the lives of Pascoag's residents, Congressman Kennedy remains committed to opposing any legislation that protects industry over people.

Congressman Kennedy secured $500,000 for the Town of Warren to repair and replace its aging sewer system, which was badly in need of attention. He also secured $485,000 for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements in Cumberland.

Congressman Kennedy continues to oppose the large cuts in the Army Corps of Engineers' budget proposed by the President. Some of the Army Corps' most valuable work--beach nourishment that would help restore areas in Rhode Island--was cut 45 percent. In spite of these cuts, Congressman Kennedy was able to secure nearly $1 million for the restoration of Boyd's Marsh in Portsmouth and over $700,000 for the restoration of Allin's Cove in Barrington.

Congressman Kennedy is a leader in supporting efforts to provide opportunities to preserve green space through the Forest Legacy Program, Forest Stewardship Program, Urban and Community Forestry, and Forest Health Protection. These programs assist states and private landowners in preserving and conserving their land and forests. Unfortunately, the Administration has slashed funding for these vital programs as well, and continues to push for forest policy that chips away at the natural resources we have worked so hard to protect during the past century.

 

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Health Care

Spiraling health care costs are squeezing everyone, from working families to small businesses.  At the same time new breakthrough cures offer hope and possibility, high costs are making accessing care tough.  That's why Congressman Kennedy has been an outspoken advocate in both Rhode Island and Washington for universal coverage in a 21st century health system, so that every Rhode Islander gets the best care, affordably, whenever they need it.  He also believes that every American is entitled to comprehensive health care coverage regardless of their diagnosis.  Individuals who suffer from mental illness deserve the same health care coverage as individuals with asthma, diabetes, or any other physical illness.  As the lead sponsor of legislation to enact mental health parity, Congressman Kennedy is working to remove barriers to treatment and end discrimination within in our health care system. 

Using Technology to Control Costs and Improve Care
Congressman Kennedy is leading efforts in the Congress to transform our health care system with information technology.  Rising costs have left 46 million Americans without insurance and given President Bush an excuse to threaten valuable programs like Medicare and Medicaid.  Unless we can get health care costs under control, the system will eventually fall apart under its own weight.

The good news is there's enormous opportunity to change the cost trends by improving the value we get for our health care dollar.   Thirty cents of every health care dollar is wasted on administration, like repeatedly filling out the same clipboard in the doctor's office.  Because doctors and nurses don't know what other providers have done, we waste money duplicating tests and procedures.  Moreover, research shows that we spend 60% more for some patients than others in exactly the same situation, with no better results.  By using computing power to catch adverse drug interactions, remind us about needed preventative care, strengthen privacy protections, and to create disease registries, health IT can help us streamline the administration of health care for doctors, hospitals, health plans, and, best of all, patients.  I.T. has transformed every other sector of our economy and it's time to bring that power to health care.

Kennedy has introduced H.R. 2234, the 21st Century Health Information Act and is the acknowledged leader in this field among his colleagues.  Every American who wants one should have an electronic medical record and receive the safest, most effective, and most efficient care available.

Helping Small Businesses Afford to Cover Their Employees
Small business owners and employees have been particularly affected by this crisis. Often, small business owners prefer to close their business, rather than to force their employees to work without health insurance coverage. President Bush has introduced plans to help the few workers who are both young and healthy, but has yet to provide a real solution to this problem. As a cosponsor of the Small Employers Health Benefit Program Act, Congressman Kennedy is promoting a common-sense solution to this problem that will not leave those who may be chronically ill or elderly without affordable health insurance options. This legislation would create a national pool for small businesses, allowing them to negotiate with private health insurance for a greater discount. It also provides a tax credit for small business employers that pay part of their employee's insurance premium.

Boosting the Health Care Industry in Rhode Island
As health services is Rhode Island’s largest industry, Congressman Kennedy remains a friend of health care organizations in the state. He has worked with leaders at Landmark Medical Center, Lahey Clinic, and Beth Israel Deaconess to provide cardiac care and cancer treatment services in Woonsocket. Through his position on the House Appropriations Committee, he has secured funding for several health care projects such as Thundermist Health Centers, a minority health care professionals training project run through Salve Regina, the critical care unit at Rhode Island Hospital, pediatric imaging at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the emergency room at Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket.

Fighting for Stem Cell Research and Breakthrough Cures
While NIH and CDC provide our nation with incredible advances in medical research and health treatments, Congressman Kennedy also remain committed to federal support of another promising tool, embryonic stem cell research.  He finds it absolutely disgraceful that President Bush would use his first and only veto to eliminate hope for millions of Americans who needlessly suffer.  There is not one family in America who remains untouched by a disease or medical condition that could not be helped by enactment of the H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.  Congressman Kennedy will continue to stand with the majority of Americans who support this policy, and will continue to fight for its passage.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Kennedy has also advocated for other forms of increased and improved medical research. He has been a strong proponent of the doubling of the National Institutes of Health budget, and continues to support increased funding. For the first time in over 30 years, President Bush and the Republican leaders in the House are trying to cut funding for critical research projects at the NIH, including funding for cancer centers around the country.  Congressman Kennedy has fought these shortsighted efforts that undermine our future health.  He has also advocated for increased cancer research and cosponsored legislation that will increase funding for education, prevention, treatments or medical research for conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, birth defects, ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), lymphoma, osteoporosis, heart disease, and stroke.

Battling for Public Health
Congressman Kennedy has used his position on the subcommittee that funds the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure that our nation is adequately prepared for a possible avian flu pandemic.  Last winter, Congressman Kennedy was the first Member of Congress to host state health care leaders at the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for a day-long conference on how our state can prepare a health emergency.

Living with asthma, Congressman Kennedy has also been a leader on research funding for this ailment that impacts millions. Congressman Kennedy introduced the Asthmatic Schoolchildren's Treatment and Health Management Act to allow students to self-administer medication to treat asthma. This bill overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate and was signed by the President into public law.  Congressman Kennedy has worked to raise awareness about asthma, including bringing Jackie Joyner-Kersee, an Olympic track champion and asthma sufferer, to Rhode Island to speak to students about overcoming the effects of the illness.

As Rhode Island has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the nation, Congressman Kennedy continues to work with his colleagues in the House of Representatives to increase research and surveillance activities with the CDC.  He has recently signed on as a member of the Lyme Disease Caucus, and is a cosponsor of three bills, H.R. 2526, H.R. 2877, and H.R. 3427, that would establish a Tick-Borne Disorders Advisory Committee, as well increase the research and public awareness of Lyme disease. 

Congressman Kennedy has also introduced the Prevention, Awareness, and Research of Autoimmune Diseases (PARAiD) Act. Fourteen to 22 million Americans, mostly women, have an autoimmune disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Type I Diabetes, or Multiple Sclerosis. This legislation will provide loan-repayment for physicians who research autoimmune diseases, as well as funding for awareness campaigns. Congressman Kennedy is also supportive of the NIH Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan that will help to identify genetic, environmental, and infectious causes of autoimmune diseases.

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Native Americans

Continuing the legacy of his late uncles, President John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, Congressman Kennedy is a staunch ally of Native Americans, whose voices have been silenced for centuries by our nation.  He is the Co-founder and Vice-Chair of the Native Americans Caucus, the largest caucus in the House of Representatives, designed to improve communications between Congress and Indian Country.

Health Care
Native American standards of living in terms of health care, life expectancy, housing, education, unemployment and poverty are behind that of the population nationwide.

As a whole, the United States has approximately 245 doctors to every 100,000 Americans. In Indian Country, that ratio drops to 75 for the same number of Native citizens. Native Americans also suffer a death rate from certain diseases at a much higher rate, such as alcoholism, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and diabetes, which causes death a rate of 420 percent higher than all other races in the United States.

Congressman Kennedy responded as a cosponsor of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments. This bill would increase the number and availability of Indian health care professionals, empowers the tribes to contract health services programs, and develops research and provides the means to address unmet needs of health care facilities.

Education
Congressman Kennedy has been a staunch supporter of quality education in Indian Country. He has worked hard as a member of the House Appropriations Committee to restore the dangerous cuts proposed by President Bush to education funding for Native American children. 

Congressman Kennedy is also fighting to help preserve Native languages, which are quickly disappearing in Native American communities.  He was honored to recently meet with several Native American Code Talkers who served our nation in World War II.  The code developed in their native languages was never broken by the enemy.  Preserving native languages will not only honor those Native Code Talkers who sacrificed their lives for our nation, but will also allow all Native Americans, especially our youngest generation, to exercise their right to maintain a distinct cultural identity.

Housing
More than half of all Native Americans residing on reservations live in poverty, which is four times the national average, and nearly 90,000 Native Americans are homeless or under-housed.  Congressman Kennedy believes it is every person's right to have access to affordable, quality housing.  He is working in the Congress to ensure that affordable housing remains a top priority for those in our nation, especially our Native Americans, whose average per capital income is less than $8,000 per year.

As with other issues, such as education and health care, Native Americans continue to suffer the effects of decades of discriminatory laws by out nation.  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Kennedy is working to restore the inequities created by our nation so that all Americans can grow up in a safe and secure environment.

 

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Energy

Congressman Kennedy believes that our nation must begin to immediately implement a national energy policy that moves our nation away from its dependence on foreign oil.  He voted against the Republicans dangerous Energy Policy Act of 2005, which does nothing to end what the President has referred to as an “addiction to foreign oil,” but went even further to encourage this dependency by providing billion dollar subsidies to the oil and gas industry.  Congressman Kennedy has also been a strong advocate for increased investment in renewable energy sources during his twelve years in Congress.  Technology to advance the efficiency of renewable energy resources, such as solar and wind, continue to improve and Congressman Kennedy is dedicated to increasing federal support of these critical initiatives. 

Gas Prices
In recent months, all Americans have felt the pain of pulling up to the gas station to fill up the car on the way to work in the morning, only to learn that gas prices have increased dramatically since the week before.  And while Americans continue to pull more and more money away from their family budget to fill up their tanks, they are listening to reports of record earnings by the oil industry.  Congressman Kennedy believes that enough is enough, and immediate action must be taken to relieve the consumers, small businesses, and charities that are suffering from these price increases.  While recognizing that lowering the cost of gasoline must begin with a comprehensive energy policy on reducing our nation's demand for foreign oil, Congressman Kennedy has also sent letters to President Bush, the Attorney General, and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives requesting immediate investigations into the possibility of price gouging.  He has also asked the President to release gasoline from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

In the long-term, Congressman Kennedy supports increased research and development of renewable energy resources.  He opposed the Republican's Energy Policy Act of 2005, because it provided billions in federal subsidies to the oil industry, while providing little funding for investment into clean coal and biofuels.  Congressman Kennedy is also a cosponsor of H.R. 3762, legislation to increase vehicle fuel efficiency standards.  He continues to work with in the Congress to ensure that America is moving in the right direction towards energy independence and has opposed any attempt by the Bush Administration to reduce critical energy efficiency and environmental protection measures.  As all Americans know, the current state of our energy consumption is unsustainable.  Congressman Kennedy believes we must act now to reduce the pain at the pump, and to ensure that our nation is no longer dependent on foreign oil.

Liquefied Natural Gas
Congressman Kennedy is opposed to both the Weaver's Cove and KeySpan LNG projects in Fall River and Providence.  The safety of the citizens of Rhode Island and Massachusetts must be the top priority in any decision to move forward with either project.  Numerous reports and examinations by national security experts continue to confirm the serious threat to public safety by LNG tanker ships navigating through Rhode Island's narrow waters.  This is not a so-called "not in my backyard" or NIMBY issue.  This is about putting the safety and security of the citizens of Rhode Island ahead of interests of big industry.

Congressman Kennedy helped to persuade the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to host a meeting with local and federal officials from Rhode Island to educate the FERC Commissioners on the unique geography of Rhode Island and how our state would be affected by large tanker traffic.  While the Providence project was rejected due to safety concerns, the state must continue to work with our friends in Massachusetts to oppose any project where LNG tanker ships have to travel through Rhode Island waters.  

Thankfully, federal legislation preserving the old Brightman Street Bridge was passed into law last year, delaying the Weaver's Cove project from moving forward.  Unfortunately, the developers have responded by countering with a dangerous proposal of using smaller ships, while increasing the number of deliveries.  Congressman Kennedy is communicating with the U.S. Coast Guard on the danger posed to the local communities if there are multiple bridge closings during the week.  He has specifically highlighted the risk of eliminating crucial routes to local hospitals during emergencies.  The economic costs relating to Rhode Island’s second largest industry, tourism, must also be taken into consideration.  The loss of revenue could hurt the state tremendously, placing jobs in jeopardy.

Congressman Kennedy has continually supported and encouraged FERC and the Department of Energy to take a regional approach to siting LNG facilities.  Some experts have already estimated that two new facilities currently under construction in Canada will provide more than adequate supplies of natural gas to New England over the next several decades.  There are currently several proposals pending in New England to increase the supply of LNG.  These proposals have clearly demonstrated that there are many other safer alternatives than the KeySpan and Weaver's Cove projects.  Some of these projects are offshore, others are in more remote locations, and unlike the KeySpan and Weaver's Cove, many of these proposals have the full support of the local community.  

Congressman Kennedy has met with state, local, and federal officials on this issue, as well as members of the community.  He will continue to be their voice in Washington in opposition to this facility, and to stand against any industry that puts its bottom line before the safety and security of Rhode Islanders.   

 

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Mental Health

Calling the disparities in mental healthcare and substance abuse treatment an issue of civil rights, Congressman Kennedy has led the charge in the United State Congress to establish equality in coverage between mental and physical healthcare. He is an original co-sponsor of the Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act, which has earned the bipartisan support and co-sponsorship of 228 of his colleagues. 

Congressman Kennedy recognizes that despite decreases in stigma, advances in treatment, and a developing understanding of the biological basis of these illnesses, there are still barriers to care. That is why he is working to increase access and funding for research and services.  In an effort to fill a needed gap in the system and encourage more medical professionals to practice in the fields of child and adolescent mental health, Kenned, and his colleague from Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R), fought tirelessly to pass an amendment to the Higher Education Act that would provide loan forgiveness to child and adolescent mental health professionals. 

Kennedy also introduced legislation that would increase mental health services for seniors and he also led the effort in Congress to ensure our veterans and military personnel have access to the mental health services they need.  He has introduced legislation that would promote and fund research on effective prevention and early intervention strategies to better understand the impact of PTSD and ensure that our soldiers receive cutting edge care for their minds as well as their bodies. 

As the preeminent leader in Congress on mental health issues Congressman Kennedy has earned numerous national accolades of consumers and providers alike.  In April of this year, Congressman Kennedy was awarded the National Mental Health Leadership Award from The Campaign for Mental Health Care Reform in recognition of tireless advocacy for equality and access to the millions of Americans living with mental illness.  

 

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Stem Cell Research

Congressman Kennedy was outraged by President Bush's veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.  As the first and only veto of his administration, President Bush has shattered the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans and their families who are affected by medical conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and paralysis.  Unfortunately, this action was just one of many attacks on medical research by the Republican Party.  For the first time in over 30 years, President Bush and the Republicans in Congress are trying to push through a budget that cuts funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Kennedy continues to speak out against these cuts, and will work to restore them before the final NIH budget is passed by the Congress. 

Congressman Kennedy, who is an original cosponsor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, believes that the federal government must play a role in supporting safe and responsible embryonic stem cell research.  There is not one family in America who has not been touched by illness.  We owe it to not only the individuals whose lives could be saved by this research, but to their families to change the current federal policy.  The majority of Americans have spoken out in support of this life-saving research, and its time to put responsible science at the forefront of this debate.  This fight is far from over, and Congressman Kennedy will continue to be a leader on this issue until the federal policy on embryonic stem cell research supports the will of the people over the political interests of the President.    

 

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Taxes and the Budget

Under the Bush Administration, America has seen a budget surplus that was carefully built up over the years of the Clinton Administration recklessly squandered.  To finance the cost of fiscally irresponsible tax cuts, the country's financial burden has been increasingly shifted to working Americans, middle-income families, and future generations of Americans that will be responsible for paying for the deficit-spending decisions of today.   

Congressman Kennedy is committed to reversing this trend through responsible and fair budget and tax policies.  In Congress, he has supported bringing back PAY-AS-YOU-GO budget rules that stipulate new tax cuts and new government must be paid for.  He has opposed efforts to finance tax cuts packages upon the backs of working American families, our nation's veterans, college students, the poor, and the disabled.  Tax cuts have a cost, and unfortunately, the high cost of the Bush tax cuts have often resulted in cuts to government-supported health insurance, education funding, and law enforcement spending.  From his position on the House Appropriations Committee, Kennedy has worked hard to protect Rhode Island priorities from these devastating spending cuts.  

Tax Cuts
With our country's military fighting overseas and our nation's domestic needs continuing to go unmet, Congressman Kennedy has opposed the Bush tax cuts of 2001, 2003, and 2005, which were targeted to the wealthiest Americans.  These tax cuts would have reduced the nation's ability to meets its needs today, while forcing upon future generations of Americans the burden of today's tax and spending decisions. 
For instance, in 2005, extending the capital gains and dividend tax cuts passed in 2003 would have come at the cost of draconian cuts in the Medicaid health insurance program for the poor and disabled, in addition to significant cuts in college student loan programs.  In his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, Kennedy has often noted that these expensive tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthiest Americans are being paid for out of the Social Security Trust Fund.
Instead of supporting tax cut packages that harm already vulnerable Americans and reduce opportunities for young Americans working hard to achieve the American Dream, Kennedy has supported more equitable and affordable tax cut packages that primarily benefit working-class and middle-income Americans.  With rising interest rates, the rising costs of gas prices, and a college education getting more expensive each year, Kennedy has strongly supported a fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax, which traps more and more middle-income families every year.  Kennedy has also supported proposals that would end the marriage penalty, increase the child tax credit, and ended the estate tax for virtually all Rhode Islanders.  Congressman Kennedy will continue to support tax cuts that help working families.

Tax Credits
Congressman Kennedy has been a strong supporter of the effort to make the Research and Development Tax Credit permanent.  He has seen how the R&D tax credit has helped spur job growth, and how it helps keep America the world leader in innovation and technology.  In the past, Kennedy has also supported a healthcare insurance deduction for the self-employed and the business meal tax exemption that is of particular interest to small business owners who travel.

Recently, Kennedy introduced the GROW (Generating Reinvestment Opportunities With) America's Small Businesses Act.  Capital is the oxygen of small business.  Unfortunately, many small business owners make it through the harried start-up stage only to find that the capital needed to continue growing is scarce.  Kennedy’s legislation would allow business owners to defer their business income tax, reinvesting that money to grow their small businesses.  Our country’s entrepreneurs have long made America’s economy the most adaptable in the world, and they should be given every opportunity to expand their businesses and contribute their new and exciting ideas to our marketplace.

 

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Defense, Terrorism, and Homeland Security

In order to preserve the security of our nation, Congressman Kennedy has been a strong supporter of bolstering the Department of Defense and providing the resources the men and women of our Armed Forces require. Congressman Kennedy served as a member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) from 1995 to 2000. Having developed years of experience in defense policy through his tenure on this key committee, Congressman Kennedy now makes key decisions on funding for the Department of Defense via his seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Congressman Kennedy understands that we owe a debt to our soldiers in the field, and has committed his career in Congress toward ensuring we live up to that debt.

Iraq
Kennedy has been an outspoken critic of this Administration's handling of the war in Iraq.  Our brave soldiers, Marines, sailors, and airmen serving bravely today in Iraq deserve leadership worthy of the sacrifice they and their families are making.  They certainly deserve better than the course the Bush Administration has charted.   The Administration's open-ended commitment to Iraq is not sustainable and has caused great suffering to our military families and great damage to our military's strategic capabilities and readiness levels.

Kennedy supports a responsible and phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq, and believes 2006 should be a year of significant transition in which the U.S. mission transitions away from combat to training and support, while keeping a strong counter-terrorism capability.  The best chance for success in Iraq depends on Iraqis and the best way to empower the new Iraqi government is to give them more responsibility for their country's future.

Support for Our Troops
Congressman Kennedy voted in favor of H.R. 5122, the Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization Act, which provides the Department of Defense with the crucial resources it needs to support and protect our troops in the field. The FY2007 Defense Authorization will help improve the quality of life for our military and their families, as well as invest in the future capabilities and strategic depth of our military.   Kennedy fought to increase funding for more up-armored HUMVEES and enhanced body armor for our troops.  He has supported critical improvements in benefits for current servicemembers, including raises in imminent danger and combat duty pay.

Reservists, Military Personnel
Many Americans have had to put their lives on hold in order to serve our country. Some have deferred their educations, others their careers, and all have left behind loved ones. Congressman Kennedy has supported numerous efforts to aid our men and women in uniform: increasing pay and survivors benefits, reducing their tax burden, enhancing military G.I. bill education benefits, and covering the travel costs of returning servicemembers. He has also strongly backed efforts to expand TRICARE health insurance coverage for the families of activated reservists and National Guard members.

Strong Advocate for the Defense Industry in Rhode Island
Each year, Congressman Kennedy fights for funding in the defense budget for Naval Station Newport and related defense contractors on Aquidneck Island and throughout Rhode Island. This year, Congressman Kennedy helped secure $58 million for programs in Rhode Island. With Congressman Kennedy's leadership in securing federal support, Raytheon has been able to bolster and expand its workforce to meet the evolving demands of our national security. With about 1,800 employees, Raytheon is the largest private employer on Aquidneck Island and the largest high-tech company in Rhode Island.

Key supporter of Electric Boat
Over a century ago, Naval War College Professor Alfred Thayer Mahan articulated that the security of a country and the strength of a military depend on a robust naval fleet. Naval power is crucial to force protection, whether it is on the high seas, in coastal areas, or deep within hostile territory. Rhode Island has long played a leading role in maintaining our naval power.  Congressman Kennedy understands this and supports a 375-ship Navy that meets the demands our national security.  In Congress and on the House Appropriations Committee, Kennedy has supported such critical building programs as the next-generation DDX destroyer program, and the Littoral Combat Ship.  Maintaining and expanding these programs brings jobs to Rhode Island and injects millions of dollars into our state economy.

Kennedy has also been a longtime advocate of Electric Boat because he realizes the crucial and flexible role submarines play in ongoing military operations.  For example, Kennedy has long fought to increase the Pentagon's Virginia-class submarine procurement rate to two submarines a year, citing the needs of combatant commanders and the increasing naval threats America faces.

America's competitors and adversaries have seen the critical role submarines play and have aggressively moved to increase the submarine production programs.  America must maintain its naval strategic depth, and Kennedy has strongly backed the Virginia-class submarine program and continues his support of the Trident submarine conversion effort. Due to Congressman Kennedy's efforts and the work of others, the FY2006 Defense Appropriations contained funding for these crucial programs.

Post-September 11, 2001
Following the tragedies of September 11, 2001, Congressman Kennedy joined with his colleagues in committing resources to improving our national security and to ensuring that our Armed Services are stronger and more effective than ever. Congressman Kennedy has long supported efforts to strengthen our military, to improve U.S. military readiness to a higher sustainable level of response, to maintain our nation's strategic depth, and to modernize our military through the use of the newest and most advanced technologies and capabilities.

 

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Defense and Mental Health

As one of the acknowledged thought leaders on mental health issues in the nation, Congressman Kennedy also introduced legislation that would help bolster our nation's psychological resiliency against terrorist attacks.

Our country has always been committed to sending our troops into battle with the best equipment possible.  And our country has worked and invested to ensure our military receives the best possible training.  But Kennedy believes we need to take further steps to better protect their minds and mental well-being of our troops against the shattering experience of war.  As a result, Kennedy has drawn upon his years of experience and expertise in the area of mental health to introduce the "Psychological Kevlar Act of 2006", legislation that acknowledges and addresses the psychological effects that the stresses of war can have on our troops.

Veterans
Our nation’s veterans deserve our utmost respect and support.  Congressman Kennedy has long fought to appropriately honor those men and women who have served their country bravely over the years.

He is a strong supporter of legislation to ensure that adequate funding is available for veteran’s health care, and has fought in the Appropriations Committee to increase this funding on a yearly basis.  He also supports legislation that would end the unfair practice of reducing a veteran’s military retired pay if they also receive disability benefits.  Kennedy has championed improvements in the Survivor’s Benefit Plan. 

Furthermore, operations in Iraq and Afghanistan will create new demands on our veterans’ care system.  Kennedy has supported increased funding to provide for soldiers returning from operations overseas. He has particularly worked on improving the mental health resources available to veterans. In Washington, Congressman Kennedy will continue fighting to protect the needs of our nation’s veterans.

 

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Small Business & Economic Development

Congressman Kennedy has worked with top Rhode Island business leaders to continue to build on the economic growth and progress we have made in the past few years. Economic growth will not only ensure a higher quality of life for Rhode Islanders, but it is also a draw for other businesses to move into our state. Congressman Kennedy's legislative record on economic policy shows support for free and fair trade, targeted tax relief for working families, and tax relief for small businesses and farmers.
Small Business

Congressman Kennedy is an ardent supporter of small business and has worked diligently to expand access to capital and government contracts for entrepreneurs. Small businesses are the backbone of our state's economy, generating new jobs and comprising 96 percent of the businesses in our state. Through his position on the Appropriations Committee (with oversight of the Small Business Administration), Kennedy has spoken out in favor of protecting the 7(a) loan guarantee program, and against increasing fees for small businesses that need 7(a) loans. Congressman Kennedy is also a strong supporter of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and has worked to invigorate this crucial program which helps manufacturers create and retain jobs, increase sales, and invest in modernization and employee training.  And from his position on the House Appropriations Committee, Kennedy has sought to leverage investments of federal dollars with the creativity and innovation of private industry to spur job growth and expand business opportunities in Rhode Island.  Kennedy also recently  introduced the  GROW (Generating Reinvestment Opportunities  With) America's Small Businesses Act of 2006.  This legislation would allow small business owners to defer their business income taxes for two years, freeing up that money to be used as capital to grow and expand their businesses.

Federal Contracts and the Small Business Administration
Knowing how complex the maze can be towards getting a fair shot at contracts with the federal government, Congressman Kennedy worked with Senator Jack Reed in 2003 and 2004 to help local Rhode Island companies gain insight and familiarity with the Department of Homeland Security's contracting process.

Congressman Kennedy has also worked to reduce federal contract bundling and increase the number of contracts going to small business.  In Congress, Kennedy has long supported "Buy America" and "Berry Amendment" provisions that protect American jobs and American businesses by requiring that federal procurement items have a certain percent of U.S.-made domestic content.

Congressman Kennedy is also working with his colleagues to ensure full funding for the Microloan program, SBA Office of Compliance, Small Business Development Centers, and the Women's Business Development Centers, as well as technical and vocational education. He has been a proud participant in the annual SBA Minority Enterprise Development Week forums held across the state and has always supported minority development programs run through the SBA.

Protecting Local Jobs
Kennedy is a lead supporter of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. The TAA assists workers who lose their jobs as a result of international trade agreements such as NAFTA. It is an essential complement to trade policy. Recognizing that in the information age, good jobs require good skills, Congressman Kennedy has been a staunch proponent of job training and adult education programs. He has worked with Rhode Island's Department of Labor and Training to promote integrated workforce development efforts. And he has been a leader in Congress and on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee in resisting funding cuts to programs that help upgrade the job skills of laid-off workers and other job seekers.

Congressman Kennedy has been one of the lead Congressional opponents of programs such as Federal Prison Industries. These government intrusions into the private marketplace take jobs away from private businesses and lead to increased unemployment. Congressman Kennedy worked with Republicans and Democrats alike to secure support for our small businesses in this area and testified before a House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on this issue.

Realizing the critical role Rhode Island small business play in the state's defense industry, Kennedy was a leading force in protecting Rhode Island's defense installations from being unfairly targeted by the Base Realignment and Closure Process of 2005.  Rhode Island did not suffer any losses and potentially made gains in the 2005 BRAC Process, and Kennedy continues his efforts to strengthen the role of Rhode Island's defense-oriented small businesses.      

Unemployment
To ease the effects of the economic downturn and to speed recovery, Congressman Kennedy has often supported extending unemployment benefits for laid-off workers. He also urged passage of efforts to relieve the burden on small businesses, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, provide tax rebates to low-income Americans, and make critical public investments such as school construction.

Following the September 11th attacks, Kennedy was concerned about the adverse effects the economic slowdown would have on our state's vibrant tourism and travel industry. Congressman Kennedy was the main sponsor of the TRAVEL Act, a comprehensive bill to provide assistance to businesses and employees in the travel and tourism industries.  Additionally, following the devastating floods in early 2006, Kennedy fought for a federal disaster designation that would provide small businesses and homeowners with low-interest loans to help them recover. 

 

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