Dear Friends,
The Second Session of the 115th Congress is underway. The political drama in the media coverage overshadowed some of the substantial accomplishments in 2017.
Overall, the House passed 477 bills in 2017, more than during a similar period for the last several presidents. Most of them are still awaiting action in the Senate, but a number of important things were achieved.
Tax Bill: Federal incomes taxes were cut for virtually all Americans who pay them. The tax bill will give our economy the boost it needs and will help make America more competitive against foreign competitors. The bill will bring jobs back to Americans and will allow families to keep more of their hard-earned money.
Repeal Individual Mandate of Obamacare: Many provisions of Obamacare are controversial, but the most disputed mandate is the requirement that every man, woman, and child in the U.S. must purchase health insurance as defined by the federal government or be punished by the IRS. That individual mandate was repealed, effective in January 2019.
Regulations: Congress and the President took good steps in rolling back many of the burdensome Obama-era regulations. That effort continues in Congress and in the agencies, and it touches every one of us in some way. We are already starting to see the benefits of fewer regulations and a freer economy.
Defense: President Trump signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2018 (NDAA) that starts to rebuild and repair our military. Among other things, the bill strengthens our defenses against missile attacks and provides the largest pay raise for our troops in eight years.
Of course, there is much more to be done.
I would like to know what issues are most important to you and your family this year. Please fill out the survey below to keep me updated on what matters most to you.
Survey
As always, I appreciate hearing from you.
Sincerely,