The First 100 Days
Today, April 29, 2009, marks the 100th day of the Barack Obama
Presidency, as well as the 114th day of the 111th Congress. This
is the first time since the mid 1990's that Democrats have
controlled the White House and both Houses of Congress. I know
that the President isn't focused on the occasion of 100th day,
which is a completely artificial mark on the calendar. Rather, the
President and I are totally focused on the important work that
remains to be done to turn our country around. Nevertheless, it is
fair for Americans to ask what their government has done in the
first 3 ½ months of our tenure. So, I wanted to make sure that my
constituents have a report card on just what we've done.
There can be no doubt that the partnership we've developed with
the President has resulted in an aggressive agenda to bring the
change Americans want to our economy, our government and to
our relationship with the rest of the world.
In his first 100 days, the President has:
Passed the most ambitious economic recovery package in
history, providing immediate relief for Americans who have lost
their jobs and saving or creating, over the next two years, millions
of private sector jobs that will put Americans to work doing the
work America needs done. The recovery package is already
pumping as much as $1 billion dollars a day into communities all
across America. Our area alone has received $5.6 million for
the critically needed repairs at Independence National
Historical Park, a national treasure; $5 million for runway
repairs at Philadelphia International Airport; $90.5 million
for the Philadelphia Housing Authority for capital
improvement projects and $13.5 million for Philadelphia law
enforcement and criminal justice assistance.
Crafted a recovery plan and budget that lay the groundwork for
long-term prosperity by dealing with our most pressing needs: the
development of alternative energy and the jobs and security a
clean energy economy will bring; health care reform to reduce
costs and assure quality, affordable health care for all Americans;
and unprecedented education investments and reforms aimed at
ensuring that, in this global economy, our children are once again
the best-educated in the world.
Followed through on his commitments to the middle class,
enacting tax breaks for 95 percent of working Americans and
measures to make college more affordable; extending health care
coverage to millions more uninsured children of working families
and signing the Lily Ledbetter law to guarantee equal pay for equal
work for America's working women.
Taken action to deal with the crisis in our credit markets with
programs to get credit flowing again to small businesses,
homeowners and students. And he has set in motion a process to
address the legacy of the reckless speculation on Wall Street that
has crippled lending, including badly needed financial regulatory
reforms.
Put us on a course to cut the deficit in half in four years,
understanding that America's economic future requires a return to
fiscal discipline.
Provided health care coverage for 11 million children by finally
providing cost-effective health coverage for 4 million more children
whose parents earn too little to provide their own insurance, but
too much to qualify for Medicaid, and preserving coverage for 7
million children already enrolled.
Followed through on his commitment to seek a better plan
abroad, repair our frayed alliances and build coalitions to deal with
global threats.
Rallied the world at the G-20 behind concrete steps to deal with
the global financial crisis and won the unanimous support of the
UN Security Council, including China and Russia, for enhanced
economic sanctions in response to North Korea's provocative
missile launch.
Launched a multi-pronged initiative effort to reverse the tide of
nuclear proliferation, reinvigorated our international effort on Iran's
illicit nuclear program and revived critical arms control talks with
the Russians.
Begun the process of responsibly ending the war in Iraq and
united our NATO allies and other partners behind a focused, new
strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Kept his commitment to upholding America's values, banning the
use of torture and ordering the closure of the Guantanamo Bay
detention facility.
Opened the door to a promising new era in our own hemisphere,
breaking down old barriers and challenging failed policies.
Kept faith with the American people by working to deliver a
government that is open and transparent, responsive and
accountable to the American people.
Instituted the toughest ethics rules on record and curbed the
influence of special interests and lobbyists in the federal
government's decision-making.
Launched Recovery.Gov to chart the expenditure of recovery
funds so that the American people know where their tax dollars are
being spent and conducted the first virtual town hall so that
Americans can have access to their President.
Fulfilled his pledge to restore science to its rightful place and sent
a clear signal that evidence and fact will no longer be trumped by
ideology.
In addition to this impressive record, the House of
Representatives, under the leadership of the Speaker, has
passed the following historic legislation:
Over the objections of Republican leaders, the House passed the
COPS Improvements Act which will put 50,000 additional police
officers on America's streets over the next 5 years.
We're working to launch clean water projects across America by
enacting the Water Quality Investment Act. The Act creates an
estimated 680,000 jobs over the next five years.
Building on the President's efforts, the House passed the Helping
Families Save Their Homes Act. This bill provides significant
incentives to lenders, servicers, and homeowners to work together
to modify loans and to avoid foreclosurescosting families their
homes every 13 seconds in America; and in some cases, allowing
bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of loans for families with
existing mortgages.
The House is working to bring accountability to Wall Street by
passing the TARP Accountability And Pay For Performance Act, to
strengthen accountability of the financial rescue effort launched by
President Bush; support President Obama refocusing of efforts to
get credit flowing to businesses and families and provide new tools
to fix the housing foreclosure crisis; to set up an Inspector General
to monitor TARP spending; and ban unreasonable compensation to
top employees at participating institutions.
The House granted the Food and Drug Administration authority
to regulate the advertising, marketing, and manufacturing of
tobacco products, which are currently the number-one cause of
preventable death in America responsible for about 1 in 5 deaths
each year, $193 billion annually in health care costs and lost
productivity, and 1,000 children each day becoming new, regular
smokers.
Thank you for taking the time to read this e-newsletter. As
always, please contact any of my offices below with any questions
or concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Brady
Member of Congress
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