"All Americans deserve a chance to live the American dream – honest pay for an honest day’s work, decent health care, a solid education, and security in retirement. I will continue to stand up for the hard-working people of Northeastern Pennsylvania who play by the rules and expect nothing more than fairness."
Rising costs and stagnant wages have created tremendous pressures on middle class families. Global competition has sent many American jobs overseas, and many more workers feel that their jobs are threatened.
Paul has been a champion for increasing the minimum wage and strengthening the ability of unions to fight for workers. He opposed unfair trade deals like NAFTA which disadvantaged American workers. He has worked to improve federal programs to retrain workers who have lost their jobs because of foreign competition.
Paul believes in investing in American workers and American technologies, two keys to long-term economic security for our country.<<back
Making Health Care Affordable for Everyone
Every American should have access to affordable, quality health care. Paul supports a universal health care system that would not only improve the quality of life for our citizens but would also improve American competitiveness in the global economy by reducing costs to employers.
Paul believes that a universal system can streamline the delivery of health care, so that more dollars go to the benefit of patients. He supports increased preventive care services, such as screening programs and vaccinations. He also has supported increased federal investment in health research. Research into treatments for and cures of diseases will help to produce long-term savings in health care expenditures.
Paul has been a strong defender of the current federal health care programs which protect our most vulnerable citizens: children and seniors. He supported expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and fought cuts to Medicare. <<back
Ending the War in Iraq and Fighting Terrorism
More than 4,000 American service members have lost their lives in Iraq, and nearly 30,000 have been injured. The U.S. military is stretched to the breaking point as our volunteer troops continue to endure multiple tours of duty in a war zone. The war is costing American taxpayers approximately $8 billion per month, and some estimates indicate that the total cost of the war will exceed $2 trillion.
It is time for the Iraqis to take care of Iraq. Paul believes that America has fulfilled its commitment to help the Iraqi people form a new government and that we should begin the process of removing our troops from Iraq. He has supported legislation to require the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq and voted to override the President’s veto on one of these measures. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority of votes to overcome the President’s veto.
As long as the Iraqis fail to reconcile, our military presence is merely deferring, not resolving their long-standing conflicts. Moreover, our involvement in Iraq is distracting our attention from fighting the terrorists who continue to threaten America. Read more about Paul’s views in an opinion piece he issued in September of 2007. <<back
Keeping Our Commitments to Veterans
A test of a nation is how we treat our veterans upon their return to civilian life. Paul supported the new G.I. Bill of Rights to expand education benefits for veterans who have served on active duty that passed the House in mid-May. He supports lower cost mortgages to veterans and has been a long-time champion for high quality health care through the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department.
Paul is a cosponsor of legislation to shift VA medical care from its current designation as a discretionary funding program to a mandatory one. He was proud to vote for the largest increase in federal funding for veterans’ health care in the VA’s 77-year history. He also strongly supported the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act to improve the transition from the military to the VA.
Paul led the effort to bring $50 million to renovate and expand the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center. When the VA sought to close VA facilities around the country, he mobilized a committee of veterans who obtained 30,000 signatures on petitions to save the center from closure, which Paul personally delivered to the VA Secretary. <<back
Protecting Social Security
Nearly 50 million Americans depend on Social Security, and Paul is committed to ensuring that they and future generations can continue to depend on it. Social Security is the foundation of our nation’s retirement system because it offers retirees a guaranteed, predictable income source for as long as they live.
Paul strongly opposes any effort to privatize Social Security, and he led the fight to stop President Bush’s effort to establish personal accounts.
Paul is a cosponsor of legislation that would determine annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security according to a price index that takes into account the higher rate of inflation that senior citizens experience. Compared to the non-elderly, older Americans spend a disproportionate share of their income on out-of-pocket medical costs, and Social Security COLAs should be set to reflect those higher costs.<<back
Cornerstone
Bringing high quality jobs to Northeastern Pennsylvania has always been a high priority for me, and I am always searching for technologies especially appropriate to our region. I was excited to learn that there was a technology that could pulverize coal and replace the use of foreign oil, and for decades I followed the development of water jet technology.
I tried to interest various public and private, for profit and non-profit entities to develop this technology to take advantage of our remaining coal resources in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Over time, I supported appropriations to fund further research and development of water jet technology. Upon approval of the budget, the Defense Department issued a request for proposals for which Cornerstone successfully competed. Over the next several years Cornerstone conducted research under the guidance of the Office of Naval Research. At its peak Cornerstone employed more than twenty individuals, including several PhDs and other scientists, and also subcontracted research with several universities. Cornerstone designed a variety of water jet machines, conducted experiments on various materials using the machines, and attempted to market the machines and the pulverized products to commercial companies. All of the work met the stringent requirements of the Defense Department and was fully audited.
Unfortunately, Cornerstone did not succeed in developing a profitable product and was forced to declare bankruptcy in late 2006. A business dispute among the founders contributed to the company’s failure. There was no wrongdoing. When allegations arose in the context of my re-election campaign six years ago, they were fully examined and dismissed.
At no time did I ever have a financial interest in Cornerstone, any related companies, or any entity with an interest in water jet technology.
Several members of my family earned market rate salaries from Cornerstone, but no one in my family made any profit from their involvement with this company. In fact, they invested several hundred thousand dollars to try to keep the company in operation.
It is always disappointing to see a company with a promising technology fail. Had oil been selling for more than $130 per barrel five years ago as it is now, this technology may well have succeeded and may yet succeed in the future. However, I remain committed to continuing to help new and existing companies develop technologies that can employ the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania and improve the lives of all Americans.
Achieving Energy Independence
With petroleum at record high prices, it has never been more imperative to decrease our dependence on foreign sources of oil, increase energy efficiency, and lower energy prices. In the short term, Paul has introduced legislation to tax the windfall profits of oil companies so they have an incentive to keep prices as low as possible for consumers. He joined a majority of his colleagues in stopping the President from purchasing oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, thereby increasing supply and reducing the cost of oil.
Until alternatives to fossil fuels are cost-effective and readily available, Paul believes that the United States must fully utilize its existing supply of oil, natural gas, and coal. He also supports the careful expansion of nuclear energy.
Paul supported legislation that passed the House in December to authorize billions of dollars for research into sustainable energy sources such as wind energy, biofuels, and solar energy. <<back
Curbing Illegal Immigration
Paul believes that we need secure borders and strong enforcement of laws already on the books to prevent illegal immigration. He opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants, and is a cosponsor of the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act. This bill would combat illegal immigration through stronger worksite enforcement, increased border security, and improved interior enforcement.
Paul has long been a supporter of making English the official language of the United States government because the use of English as a common language remains vital to our nation’s prosperity.
As a land of immigrants, America has prospered by attracting talented and ambitious people from around the world. Paul supports streamlining the process by which those who aspire to become Americans can immigrate to our country legally. <<back
Preserving Our Second Amendment Rights
Paul is committed to preserving our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms and recently submitted a brief urging the Supreme Court to affirm this right. He opposes efforts to restrict the rights of law-abiding Americans to own guns. <<back
Improving Our Schools
The most important investment we can make is in our children. Paul believes in the importance of holding our educators accountable but recognizes that there are deep flaws in the No Child Left Behind Act which must be fixed. Learning should be about more than “teaching to the test.” A strong supporter of Head Start, Paul understands that reaching children at a young age can change the course of their lives forever.
Earning a college degree is a major component of achieving the American dream for many Americans, and Paul has been at the forefront of ensuring continued access to student loans during this difficult economic period. <<back
Conserving Our Area’s Natural Beauty
Pennsylvania is blessed to have some of the most beautiful forests and open spaces in the country, and Paul is committed to preserving this land for future generations. He succeeded in enacting legislation to study the creation of a National Wildlife Refuge in Cherry Valley, a 30,000-acre area in the Poconos threatened by development.
Northeastern Pennsylvania also has some environmental challenges caused by past coal mining. Paul helped to lead the effort to increase the amount of federal funds coming to Pennsylvania to repair land and waterways damaged by irresponsible mining practices decades ago. He created the non-profit organization, the Earth Conservancy, to purchase more than 16,000 acres of land from a bankrupt coal company. Fifteen years later, the organization has reclaimed more than 1000 acres, preserved as green/recreational space more than 10,000 acres, and donated more than 100 acres to municipalities and other local entities. <<back
Promoting a Culture of Life
Protecting human life should be the guiding tenet of any civilization. Paul opposes abortion on demand and voted to ban partial birth abortion and human cloning. <<back
Preserving Homeownership
Owning a home is an important part of the American dream for many families. As the Chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the two government sponsored enterprises – Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – that are the nation’s largest housing finance institutions, Paul has long been a leader in efforts to reduce the costs of financing home mortgages.
Paul understands the complexities of the current turmoil in the mortgage marketplace and has been intimately involved in Congressional efforts to stabilize the housing market and the broader economy. <<back
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