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Ending year successfully
Last week also served as a reminder to the majority party that legislating is not a one-party mission. The White House and congressional Republicans worked to achieve bipartisan solutions to the priorities of the American people - priorities that heretofore had been unresolved by this Congress. Consider a few examples: Iraq - Throughout this past year, the Democratic Party has attempted to tie needed funding for our military men and women to arbitrary deadlines undercutting the ability of our troops to accomplish their mission. As part of the omnibus spending bill passed last week, Congress included $70 billion in funding without strings for Iraq and Afghanistan. S-CHIP - Congress voted to put politics aside this week and extend the popular State Children's Health Insurance Plan (S-CHIP) until March of 2009. Approved with a strong bipartisan mandate, the extension ensures full funding of S-CHIP through the coming year, and places it safely out of range of the 2008 elections - contrary to the majority's initial plan which would have prompted another reauthorization mere months before a politically charged national election. The bill passed last week is a step in the right direction, continuing to provide health insurance for poor American children and not adults and illegal immigrants. Medicare Cuts - Physicians, who care for Medicare patients throughout our country, were facing a stiff reimbursement cut in the New Year. The cut, which would have reduced Medicare payments to doctors by 10 percent, is based on a Medicare cost containment formula called the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). Though we must keep health care costs under control, implementing the SGR's drastic cuts would have jeopardized many doctors' ability to serve Medicare patients, especially doctors throughout south Alabama. The six month delay, though helpful, is not a permanent solution, and I have signed a letter urging Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Ranking Member Jim McCrery (RLA) to find a sustainable solution that works for both doctors and for Medicare. Our medical community deserves nothing less. AMT - Last week, Congress also passed a one-year patch for the alternative minimum tax (AMT), which will protect 23 million middle income American workers from a tax increase. Unfortunately, after months of delaying this bill, it will now force the IRS to reprogram their computers and reprint essential collection forms - slowing the process of sending out individual refund checks. Energy - The president last week signed an energy bill passed by Congress that will improve vehicle fuel economy and help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. This legislation sets a national fuel economy standard of 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020, which will increase fuel economy standards by 40 percent and save billions of gallons of fuel. It also sets a mandatory Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requiring fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuel in 2022, in addition to provisions aimed at improving energy efficiency in lighting and appliances. The frenzied end to this session of Congress was by no means pretty. Much of the legislation passed in the final week was crafted at the last minute. In fact, the omnibus spending bill came in at over 3,500 pages, and many in Congress had less than 24 hours to read this massive bill. Overall, I am pleased we were able to complete many of these priorities on behalf of the American people; however, there is still much work to be done. American families are feeling the pinch of higher costs of living - record high gas prices, heating costs, health care costs, and education expenses. I am hopeful we will be able to carry this momentum and spirit of bipartisanship into the New Year for the good our country. My staff and I work for you. If we can ever be of service, do not hesitate to call my office toll free at 1- 800-288-8721 or visit my website at http://bonner.house.gov.
Congressman Jo Bonner, RMobile, represents the First Congressional District, which includes a portion of Clarke County.
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