| JIM GIBBONS ON THE ISSUES
Like most Nevadans, Jim is concerned about
the welfare of our state, its residents and the security
of our nation. In Washington, he will continue to focus on
these issues:
Putting education first
Protecting and improving Medicare for
Nevada’s seniors
Returning Nevada’s lands to Nevadans
Working for meaningful tax relief
Protecting Americans at home
Protecting America and our service men and women
Putting education first
Jim firmly believes that no child should be left behind when comes to obtaining a quality education. He is dedicated to:
- Increasing our nation's investment in education by sending more dollars directly to the classroom
- Increasing local control of education
- Supporting and enhancing the "No Child Left Behind" education reform bill
- Improving student safety on campus and eliminating school violence
- Providing needed assistance to local schools.
In 2002, Jim championed legislation in Congress
which provided land from the U.S. Forest Service for the construction
of a new elementary school at Incline Village. This past summer,
Jim Gibbons applauded the launch of the Education First
Initiative in Nevada. The Education First Initiative
guarantees that the first order of business for state
legislative funding is our students' education. In November
2003, Jim hosted an Education Summit aimed at helping Nevada
achieve the goals of the "No Child Left Behind" Act.
Protecting and improving Medicare for
Nevada's seniors
Jim has earned the support of seniors through his vigorous
advocacy of senior rights and benefits.
All seniors should have access to affordable
modern health plans that cover prescription drugs and other
important benefits.
To keep our commitment to poor seniors, Medicare must cover
the entire cost of a health plan, including prescription
drug expenses.
Jim supported the Medicare Prescription Drug
and Modernization Act of 2003, which
- Lowers prescription drug costs by almost 25 percent
- Includes catastrophic protection (100 percent
coverage) after $3,500 out of pocket expenses for those
incomes below $60,000
- Covers initial physicals, cholesterol screening,
and disease management
- Provides for pharmacy therapy and chronic care
management.
The bill also includes a critical rural relief package
for underpaid rural hospitals, physicians and
home health care.
Returning Nevada’s lands to Nevadans
As Vice-Chairman of the House Resources
Committee, Jim brings common sense into our public lands management
policies. His
work in Congress is directed to returning Nevada’s
lands to Nevada’s control.
- “As a state, we constantly battle
unnecessary federal regulations promulgated by East Coast
legislators who
think they know best how to protect the West.”
- “I have seen the federal government
try time and again to close off our public lands to the
public. As a Congressman,
as a Nevadan, and as a lifelong sportsman, I oppose these
efforts.”
- “Throughout Nevada, federal control
of close to 90 percent of our land prevents economic development.”
- “We all want to protect our environmentally sensitive
lands. However, Nevadans are in a better position to determine
how Nevada’s land should be managed, developed, and
enjoyed.”
Working for meaningful tax relief
Jim has been a staunch advocate of tax relief
and a leader limiting the federal government’s ability
to raise taxes.
- Received “Taxpayer Hero Award” from
Americans for Tax Reform for his work to let Americans
families keep
more
of their own money.
- Helped promote an amendment to the United
States Constitution requiring a two-thirds majority vote
of the House and Senate
for passage of any legislation which would result in a
tax increase.
- Made eliminating the onerous "Death
Tax," the "Marriage
Penalty Tax" and the "meals tax" just
a few of his main objectives in Congress.
Protecting Americans at home
As Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence
and Counterterrorism, Jim Gibbons is at the forefront of
our efforts to hunt down terrorists, both here at home and
abroad.
- On October 4, 2001, less than one month
after the horrific terrorist attacks on our country,
Congressman Gibbons introduced
legislation to establish a Department on Homeland Security.
- Jim Gibbons firmly believes that the key
to homeland security lies in strong collaboration between
national and local law
enforcement, the private sector, and state government entities.
“
The work that thousands of Americans do each day, on the front
lines of homeland defense, is critical to our personal well-being,
and it is critical to our economic well-being. Every day, one
million people arrive at our nation’s airports and seaports.
One and a half million people fly domestically every day. Customs
and border protection inspects more than 57,000 trucks and
containers, almost 600 vessels, 2,500 aircraft, 323,000 vehicles
every single day. To protect America, we must support those
at the front lines of our homeland security efforts.”
Protecting America and our service men and women
Jim’s service in Vietnam and in the
Gulf War gives him an understanding of our military that is
essential to our national
defense efforts and the protection of our service men and women.
His stature and committee assignments
give him the ability to keep a watchful and proactive eye
in areas of vital national
importance, including investigations into the intelligence
actions before and since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Nevada’s Second Congressional District
encompasses several vital military facilities, including
Hawthorne Army Depot,
Nellis Air Force Base and Fallon Naval Air Station. Overall,
the Department of Defense will bring more than $1.2 billion
into Nevada through wages, contracts, and grants.
Jim Gibbons also is a strong advocate on
behalf of workers injured during nuclear testing at the Nevada
Test Site. |
