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Too Much Partisanship, Too Little Progress: Republican Failures During the 109th Congress


February 6, 2006
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So far in the 109th Congress, the Senate Republican Leadership has failed to represent the values of mainstream Americans and has instead pushed an agenda that reflects the desires of special interests.  As a result, record federal deficits continued in 2005 and, without real reform, will continue for years to come.  Meanwhile, our nation’s most critical priorities – including emergency preparedness, economic security, access to affordable health care, quality education, and energy independence – have become an afterthought in the midst of the current Republican culture of corruption.  In contrast to a Republican Party that increasingly serves special interests, Democrats offer positive ideas for change that will benefit middle-class Americans and those who aspire to enter the middle-class.

 

Economic Security

 

  • Deficit Reduction: Republicans have run up historic budget deficits and refused to put us back on a course of budget discipline.  Last year, the deficit reached $319 billion, higher than in any year before President Bush took office;
  • Overtime Protections: Republicans have failed to support a measure to prohibit the Bush Administration from taking overtime pay away from an estimated six million workers.  During the Bush Administration, wages have stagnated or declined, even as the cost of health care, child care, and other essential expenses has continued to climb.  The Bush overtime regulations will mean millions in lost wages at a time when workers can least afford it;
  • Minimum Wage Increase: For the eighth year in a row, Republicans have failed to raise the minimum wage.  Minimum wage employees working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, earn $10,700 a year, $5,000 below the poverty line for a family of three.  The current minimum wage fails to provide enough income to enable minimum wage workers to afford adequate housing in any area of the country; and
  • Tax Credits For Employers of Reservists: Republicans have failed to provide adequate support to employers hard hit by the activation of military reservists to serve in Iraq.  For the second year in a row, Congressional Republicans blocked a bill that would have rewarded businesses that continue to pay salaries to their employees serving oversees.  This provision would provide a tax credit to employers continuing to pay activated National Guard and Reserve employees and provide an additional tax credit to small businesses to help them cover the cost of temporarily replacing an employee who has been activated.

Health Care

  • Health Care Costs: Republicans have failed to pass legislation to hold down the unprecedented increases in health care premiums for American families.  Employer-sponsored health insurance increased by 9.2 percent in 2005 – more than three times the growth in wages and more than twice the rate of overall inflation.  Premiums for family health coverage are now $10,880, up from $6,348 in 2000.  These premium hikes are straining family finances, forcing businesses to drop coverage, and driving up the number of uninsured Americans;
  • Covering the Uninsured: Republicans have failed to enact legislation to reduce the growing number of uninsured Americans, which now stands at 45.8 million.  The number of uninsured Americans has increased by 6 million since 2000.  People without health insurance have less access to health care, are in poorer health, and are at greater risk of premature death;
  • Stem Cell Research: The Republican leadership has failed to bring to the floor a stand-alone bill to expand federal support for embryonic stem cell research.  Current funding restrictions, imposed by President Bush, are impeding promising research by preventing the use of federal funds on the best available stem cell lines;
  • Prescription Drug Importation: Republicans have failed to enact drug importation legislation, which would give American consumers access to lower-priced drugs from abroad.  The price of commonly prescribed brand name drugs has been increasing in the United States by more than twice the rate of inflation, creating a barrier to accessing needed medications;
  • Medicare Drug Coverage: Republicans failed to support Democratic efforts to address anticipated problems implementing the new Medicare drug benefit, such as transitioning some beneficiaries’ drug coverage from Medicaid to Medicare.  Also, Republican leaders continue to oppose legislation that would allow Medicare to use its purchasing power to lower drug prices;
  • Medicare Premium Increases: Republicans have not responded to recent increases in Medicare Part B premiums.  Monthly Part B premiums have almost doubled since 2000 – from $45.50 in 2000 to $88.50 in 2006;
  • Mental Health Parity: Republicans have failed to pass bipartisan legislation to end discriminatory health insurance coverage for those who require mental health services.  This could have serious financial implications for the one in five Americans who suffer from a mental disorder in any given year;
  • Patients’ Bill of Rights: Republicans have failed to enact a Patients’ Bill of Rights, which would protect patients from inappropriate denials of care and allow them to hold health plans accountable.  Senate Democrats were able to pass a comprehensive bill of rights in 2001, but it was never enacted into law.  The Republican leadership has not been interested in returning to this legislation;
  • Immigrant Children’s Health Care: Republicans have failed to enact the Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act (ICHIA), which would allow states to cover legal immigrant children and pregnant women under Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).  The current prohibition on covering these people unfairly singles them out for restricted access to public health coverage programs;
  • Minority Health Disparities: Republicans have failed to pass legislation to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.  Minority populations disproportionately suffer from many diseases, are less likely to have health insurance, and encounter other obstacles to receiving appropriate health care services; and
  • Indian Health: Republicans have failed to reauthorize the long-overdue Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), which provides the crucial framework for fulfilling the federal government’s trust responsibility to deliver health care to Native Americans.  Passage of this bill, which was supposed to be reauthorized at the end of Fiscal Year 2001, would be an important step toward improving the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives, who have a lower life expectancy than other Americans and suffer from higher rates of many serious medical problems.

Education

  • No Child Left Behind Funding: Republicans have failed to fully fund No Child Left Behind (NCLB) education reforms.  Even though school districts are facing increasingly rigorous academic standards and new requirements for highly qualified teachers, Republicans actually reduced funding for NCLB in Fiscal Year 2006.  Funding for NCLB is about $13 billion below the authorized level;
  • Strengthen Head Start: Republicans have failed to provide the resources needed to keep Head Start strong.  Even though less than half of eligible 3 and 4 year olds are enrolled in Head Start, Republicans continue to provide funding increases to expand enrollment.  Head Start provide important child development, education, health, nutrition, and other services to prepare low-income children to enter kindergarten ready to learn;
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was reauthorized at the end of 2004, but Republicans underfunded the program by $4 billion in Fiscal Year 2006 below the authorized level.  For the first time in a decade, the federal government has scaled back its share of special education funding;
  • Higher Education Act: Republicans partially reauthorized the Higher Education Act as part of budget reconciliation.  While the bill included some additional financial aid for students eligible for Pell Grants, the new aid fails to prioritize the neediest students and imposes new hurdles.  Republicans passed up on an enormous opportunity to make college more affordable, instead using saving from greater efficiency in the student loan program to partially offset the cost of tax cuts;
  • Native American School Construction Funding: Republicans have failed to address the almost $1 billion backlog in repairs for schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).  Funding was actually cut for Fiscal Year 2006.  This failure means American Indian and Alaskan Native students will continue to attend classes in dilapidated and unsafe schools, limiting their opportunities to effectively learn subjects and develop skills critical to success in today’s competitive economy; and
  • Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Dream Act: Republicans have failed to pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Dream (DREAM) Act, which would allow states to offer in-state tuition to immigrant students and also allow long-time immigrants who grow up in the United States, graduate from high school, and demonstrate strong moral character, the opportunity to adjust their immigrant status.  Although the DREAM Act enjoys broad bipartisan support, the Republican leadership has failed to bring the bill to the Senate floor.

Homeland Security

  • Assault Weapons Ban: For the second year in a row, Republicans have failed to extend the ban on purchasing assault weapons.  In 2005, Senate Democrats attempted to pass legislation that would have reauthorized the ban; however, the Republican-controlled Senate refused to allow the measure to come to the floor for a vote;
  • COPS Funding: Republicans have failed to stand up to the Bush Administration’s proposed eighty-six percent cut for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.  Since the Republicans assumed the majority, funding for COPS has decreased by nearly $300 million.  This may be the worst time to cut the number of police officers on the street.  With increased homeland security needs, local officers have had to leave their traditional policing duties to cover tasks such as guarding airports, borders, transportation infrastructure, utilities, and special events.  In addition, many of our police officers are overseas serving as reservists.  Now, more than ever, our local law enforcement agencies need the COPS program;
  • National Guard Funding: Republicans have failed to act on bipartisan legislation to provide much-needed grants to state governments to fund homeland security activities of state National Guard units.  The National Guard have seen their role dramatically increase since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and now play key roles in homeland security efforts in addition to their state and U.S. military responsibilities.  Among several key duties, they fly combat air patrols, guard ports and waterways, and respond to chemical, biological, and nuclear incidents;
  • Support for First Responders:  Republicans have failed restore full funding to a number of local law enforcement programs that President Bush’s budget has cut, including the Byrne Memorial Grant Program, the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) Program, the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants, and the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act.  First responders are the first line of defense against terrorist attacks, and the first on the scene after an incident.  The failure to restore full funding for these programs means that first responders remain understaffed, under-equipped, and under-trained for their terrorism prevention and response roles;
  • Chemical Security:  Republicans have failed to pass legislation on chemical security that would enhance our nation’s security against terrorist attacks on plants and factories using or storing hazardous chemicals.  More than 100 chemical plants in the United States could be attacked, killing or injuring more than one million people;
  • Nuclear Security: Republicans have failed to pass legislation that would increase training and security to protect against terrorist attacks at the nation's nuclear power plants.  The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently found that 65 nuclear plants are not adequately protected from terrorists attacks;
  • Border Security: Republicans have failed to move ahead with bipartisan legislation to address the remaining vulnerabilities in security at our nation’s borders.  Major holes remain along United States borders.  For example, along our northern border, there is a border agent posted only once every 5.5 miles;
  • Transportation Security:  Republicans have failed to pass bipartisan legislation to provide adequate funding for public transit agencies to enhance the security of transit facilities against chemical, biological and other terrorist attacks.  Over one-third of all worldwide terrorist attacks target transportation systems, with public transit the most frequently targeted transportation mode.  The tragic attacks in London, which killed 52 people and injured 700 others, are only the most recent example of attacks against transit and rail systems:  there were reportedly 195 terrorist attacks against rail and transit systems from 1997 to 2000; and
  • Full Funding for Interoperable Communications: Republicans have failed to make critical investments in interoperable communications for first responders, despite the fact that the 9/11 Commission identified communications interoperability as a key priority for homeland security, noting that “the inability to communicate was a critical element at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania, crash sites, where multiple agencies and multiple jurisdictions responded.  The occurrence of this problem at three very different sites, is strong evidence that compatible and adequate communications among public safety organizations at the local, state, and federal levels remains an important problem.”

Civil Rights

  • Hate Crimes: Republican Leadership failed to bring hate crimes legislation that passed the House in September 2005 to the floor.  According to surveys conducted by the Department of Justice, 85 percent of law enforcement officials believe hate-motivated violent crimes are more serious than similar crimes not motivated by bias.  Hate crimes are twice as likely as other crimes to involve injury to the victim and four times as likely to require hospitalization; and
  • Immigration Reform: Republicans have failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform, despite widespread acknowledgement that our nation’s immigration system in broken.

Energy and Environment

  • Environmental Protection: Republicans failed to stop Bush Administration efforts to continue weakening current environmental laws and have failed to provide critical funding for environmental protection and natural resources programs, including clean air, clean water, enforcement, land acquisition, and urban parks;
  • Environmental Law Enforcement: Republicans have refused to conduct constructive oversight of the severely weakened environmental enforcement programs at the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  During the Bush Administration, the EPA has issued 60 percent fewer violation notices and 28 percent fewer fines, and Department of Justice prosecutions for environmental law violations have declined by 23 percent;

  • Roadless Areas:  Republicans failed to protect 58.5 million acres of roadless areas to logging and road building by supporting the Bush Administration’s repeal of the Roadless Rule.  The Administration’s proposal replaces the widely popular and scientifically supported rule proposed by the Clinton Administration to protect remaining roadless areas that drew a record 2.5 million public comments in its favor;

 

  • Energy Exploration in Sensitive Areas: While failing to protect federal lands set aside as wildlife refuges, Republicans have opened more of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to exploration for oil and natural gas.  The areas opened for exploration in January 2006 were restricted under the Reagan and Clinton Administrations and are considered critical for local wildlife;

  • Wildfires: Republicans have failed to pass legislation to prevent catastrophic wildfires.  Instead, they passed legislation that allows timber companies to log in some old-growth forests rather than maintaining environmental standards and protecting residents in fire-prone areas while clearing the dry brush that spreads forest fires;

  • National Parks Funding: Republicans have failed to eliminate the National Park Service’s $4.9 billion maintenance backlog.  Hundreds of parks have had to face personnel shortages, delay maintenance projects, shut down facilities and close trails due to lack of funding while political appointees rewrite management policies to undermine the conservation mission of the National Park Service;

  • Clean Water: Republicans have failed to invest the essential funding needed to maintain our drinking water and sewage treatment systems at a time when more than 40 percent of our lakes, rivers, and streams are too polluted for fishing or swimming;

  • Clean Air: Republicans supported the Administration’s efforts to weaken and delay legal requirements to control mercury emissions from power plants by more than 10 years, while one in six American women of childbearing age has levels of mercury in her blood that are unsafe for fetuses.  In addition, they sat idly by while the Bush Administration ignored the public health advice of its official scientific advisors and failed to set more protective air quality standards for fine particulate matter;

  • Toxic Waste Cleanup and Pollution: Republicans have failed to provide necessary funding to clean up toxic waste sites.  One in four Americans lives within four miles of a toxic waste site.  Republicans have looked the other way as the Administration has reduced or eliminated toxic emissions reporting requirements and limited the public’s access to information on toxics risks;

  • Science: Republicans and the Bush Administration have consistently manipulated and suppressed scientific analysis to support their ideological goals.  Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Inhofe called a fiction author as a witness on the issue of climate change in October 2005;

  • Climate Change: Republicans have failed to act to reduce greenhouse emissions.  The National Academy of Sciences states that that greenhouse gases emission have increased over the last 50 years and over the course of this century the Earth is expected to warm an additional 2.5 -10.5 degrees, which could cause serious economic and public health impacts;

  • LIHEAP Funding: Republicans have failed to provide the funding necessary for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to keep up with rising energy costs.  The cost of heating a home in winter has increased by 78 percent since President Bush took office; and

  • Sustainable and Secure Energy: Republicans have failed to pass legislation to bring down gasoline, diesel, or natural gas prices in the short term.  They have opposed a renewable portfolio standard and any legislation to save substantial amounts of imported oil.  Republicans have failed to ensure that energy speculators are not manipulating prices and that consumers are not being gouged at the pump.