The first 100 days of this year’s 109^th Congressional session have been marked by hard work and accomplishment.   Congress has taken action to lower taxes on hardworking Americans, to secure our borders, to stop terrorist travel, and to address our nation’s energy and transportation needs.  Our agenda has been successful, and many of our most important initiatives passed with bipartisan support.  

Our legislative successes in the past 100 days include:

Ø      The Energy Policy Act, which decreases U.S. dependency on foreign oil and promotes the use of environmentally friendly and renewable energies.  Cheaper, cleaner energy will greatly benefit 11^th District residents.

Ø      The Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act, which eliminates the tax on assets like small businesses and family farms that are passed from one generation to the next.  With this legislation, Congress said once and for all that death is not a taxable event.

Ø      The REAL ID Act, which fights terrorism within our borders by implementing much-needed driver’s license reforms, closing asylum loopholes, enhancing border security, and strengthening deportation laws.  The terrorists behind September 11^th exploited our asylum and identification laws, and this legislation will prevent terrorists from ever using these loopholes again.

Ø      The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, which prevents wealthy people from using bankruptcy to hide assets and abuse the system, while still protecting individuals suffering from medical and economic catastrophes.  This legislation ensures bankruptcy remains a last resort, not a financial planning tool.

Ø      The Highway Bill, which funds federal highways and helps increase the quality of our transportation infrastructure. With so many areas of rapid growth in the 11^th District, it’s important we have quality transportation infrastructure in place.

These are important accomplishments. In the next 100 days, Congress must continue to take on issues that will ultimately make life better for Georgians and all Americans. That means saving Social Security for future generations, further lowering taxes on the American people, and providing all Americans with greater access to quality healthcare.

If we work as hard in the next 100 days as we have in the last 100 days, I have no doubt we’ll accomplish these goals.

On May 2, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney joined Congressman Gingrey at Campbell High School in Smyrna to discuss Social Security with 11^th District residents.

“I was impressed with the Vice President’s call to strengthen Social Security for future generations,” Phil said.  “I’m glad our community members had this opportunity to take their questions straight to the White House.  At the many town hall meetings I’ve held around the district, people have shared with me their concerns about the future of Social Security.  The Vice President discussed many of these same concerns.”

Phil thanked Principal Kehl Arnson and the teachers, students, and staff of Campbell High School for hosting the event, as well as the 11th District volunteers and participants.

Calling all veterans! If you are a veteran living in the 11^th District, Phil invites you to share your stories of wartime service with the Veterans History Project, an effort to collect and preserve veteran narratives.  These personal histories will be sent to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. to become part of our nation’s permanent collection on wartime history. The project includes veterans who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.

Interviews will be conducted between now and Memorial Day, 5/30.  The interviews will last less than one hour, and will be held in Phil’s district offices.  Veterans interested in participating should contact:

In the Rome area: Linda Liles at (706) 290-1776

Rome office: 600 East First Street, Suite 301 in Rome

In the Marietta area: Terri Dann at (770) 429-1776

Marietta office: 219 Roswell Street in Marietta.

In the Carrollton area: Jan Wylie at (770) 836-8130

Carrollton office: 207 Newnan Street, Suite A in Carrollton.

For more information about the Veterans History Project, please visit www.loc.gov/vets.

In recognition of Cover the Uninsured Week, Congressman Gingrey and the Republican Healthcare Public Affairs Team praised initiatives to provide all Americans with access to affordable, quality care.  Phil co-chairs the Healthcare Public Affairs Team.

“We are working to relieve the burden of rising healthcare costs on low- and middle-income families,” Phil said.  “More than a million people are reaping the benefits of Health Savings Accounts, which let individuals and families save money – tax free – for their healthcare costs.  We’ve passed Association Health Plan legislation to help small businesses band together to provide healthcare coverage to employees.  And we’ve increased funding for Community Health Center to ensure every community has access to care. Our successful agenda is working, and we’ll continue the fight for affordable healthcare.”

As part of the bipartisan Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, Congress passed a prescription drug benefit to help seniors pay for the rising costs of medicine.  On the House floor last week, Phil shared the story of Mrs. Lizzie Menefee – a senior benefiting from this new program – with his colleagues in Congress. 

Phil told Congress about Mrs. Menefee, who lives in Talbot County and will be 80 years old this month. She’s a strong, spirited woman, but her many medical problems require her to take up to five prescription medications each month, some costing as much as $300 for a 30-day supply.  In fact, Mrs. Menefee often paid up to $500 a month for her medication.

But Mrs. Menefee doesn’t pay that much anymore. Since signing up for the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, her monthly medication costs have been cut to just $7 a month.  Yes, you read that correctly -- $7 a month.

“When our seniors have to choose between buying food or buying medicine, their health suffers,” Phil said.  “Congress undoubtedly did the right thing when we added prescription drug coverage under Medicare.  We’re helping seniors get the medication they need to stay healthy.”