Business and Economy

My top priority right now is growing jobs and improving the economy.  I am well aware of the economic challenges facing families, farmers and small businesses across Eastern Washington.  I believe that we need to take immediate steps to assure that the financial crisis we are experiencing never happens again and the solutions we have proposed to improve the economy are long term solutions.

Solution:  Protecting Jobs and Lowering Taxes

Instead of raising taxes on all Americans in the midst of a recession, Republicans seek to create jobs, unlock private capital, and ensure that no family or small business experiences a tax hike.

Solution:  Limiting the Federal Budget from Growing Faster than Family Budgets

Instead of recklessly borrowing and spending money on wasteful programs under the guise of “stimulus,” Republicans seek to ensure that the federal budget cannot grow faster than American families’ ability to pay the bill.

Solution:  Providing Access to Health Care and Securing Entitlements

Instead of accelerating the demise of our nation’s large entitlement programs and creating new unsustainable entitlements, Republicans seek to provide universal access to affordable health care and to address our entitlements’ trillion dollar unfunded liabilities with common-sense reforms that ensure our children and grandchildren can receive promised benefits.

Solution:  Ending the Bailouts and Reforming our Financial System

Instead of continuing to bail out Wall Street and nationalizing our financial system, Republicans want to protect American taxpayers and provide a transparent recovery process that does not favor those that have made unsound business decisions while ensuring that this financial crisis never occurs again.

Solution:  Keeping Energy and Fuel Costs Low

Instead of taxing all energy users with a new “cap and tax” scheme that will cost an average of up to $3,128 per household, Republicans want energy independence with increased exploration and the development of new and renewable energy sources.

Solution:  Protecting Purchasing Power

Instead of returning to double digit levels of inflation and the failed economic policies of the 1970s, Republicans support long-term price stability after witnessing the booms and busts triggered by loose monetary policies over the last decade.

I am an original co-sponsor of the Tax Code Termination Act (H.R. 982) which would terminate the IRS Code of 1986 after December 31, 2012 and replace it with a simple and fair system that would apply to all Americans.

I believe the key to sustaining our strong economy is allowing families and small businesses to keep more of their money and removing the burdens that limit the ingenuity and entrepreneurial sprit that made America great.

I believe our tax code is too long and complex; it should be rewritten in a form that makes sense to the average American so that filing taxes and claiming the appropriate deductions and tax credits is easier.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Recently, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  See how the funds will be distributed here. 

I believe the $790 billion was too expensive and did too little to create long lasting jobs.  Instead, I believe we must remember the best ‘stimulus’ is the men and women on Main Street earning money, spending and when the opportunity presents itself, investing in savings. This is a far better approach than any government designed stimulus or bailout.

I did support the Economic Recovery and Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2009 (H.R. 470) which would have provided tax relief to families, seniors and small businesses.

Wall Street Bailout (Troubled Asset Relief Program)

I did not support the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424) because committing 700 billion of our tax dollars requires a longer, more thoughtful debate. It requires a greater confidence that the root problems of our current situation are addressed, and will actually help our financial markets and provide future assurances.

Housing Reform

In October 2005, I voted to pass the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act (H.R. 1461).  It sought to reform the regulation of certain housing-related government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) proposed to restructure the GSE supervisor and enhance its regulatory powers by establishing an independent agency to oversee the housing GSEs and the Federal Home Loan Banks. It also sought to enhance the safety and soundness, disclosure, and enforcement tools available to the new regulator; and increase the budget autonomy of the new agency by exempting its assessments from the annual appropriations process.  The bill passed the House, but was defeated in the Senate.

Other Accomplishments

• Favors permanently repealing the death tax (H.R. 205) and repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax on individuals and replacing it with an alternative tax individuals may choose;
• Cosponsored the Seniors' Tax Simplification Act of 2007 (H.R. 432), which allows seniors to file their Federal income tax on a new, simpler form, Form 1040S;
• Introduced the Family Friendly Workplace Act (H.R. 6025) that gives private sector hourly workers the ability to choose comp-time off instead of overtime;
• Fought to extend inclusion of state sales tax deduction on federal taxes (H.R. 16)