April 28th, 2000
Surfside, TX – On Friday, Congressman Ron Paul speaks about Social Security reform, his top priority for this Congress. Paul will speak to the Port Lavaca Rotary Club to discuss his legislation that is designed to protect the trust fund and the retirement of America’s seniors. Paul’s “Social Security Preservation Act” (HR 219) will prohibit the use of trust fund monies for anything other than paying pensions to beneficiaries.
Paul said, “No funds should be spent out of the Social Security trust fund except to pay pensions to beneficiaries. My number one priority is to protect our senior’s retirements. That is why the first bill I introduced this term was HR 219, the Social Security Preservation Act. This bill will make it illegal for politicians and bureaucrats in Washington to continue dipping into the trust funds.”
The “Social Security Preservation Act” states that all monies raised by the social security trust fund will be spent in payments to beneficiaries. Any excess funds will be invested in interest bearing certificates of deposit in order to help keep the trust fund from being used for other purposes. This will allow the fund to grow by providing for its investment in interest-bearing instruments.
Recently, the independent, nonpartisan National Taxpayers Union reported that Paul was one of only seven members of the House of Representatives who voted not to spend one penny of the Social Security trust fund for other programs last year. Paul cited the study to emphasize the need for the “Social Security Preservation Act.”
Paul said, “When only seven members of Congress have the fortitude to keep their fingers off our senior’s retirement money, it’s quite clear that a mechanism must be put in place to protect the trust fund. This bill has already received extensive bipartisan support. I hope more members will join me in taking a stand for America’s seniors.”
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April 27th, 2000
Surfside, TX – On Thursday, Congressman Ron Paul continues to push forward with his agenda of education-related tax relief in a speech to students at the University of Texas law school. Paul said the “Make College Affordable Act” (HR 2750) will allow working families and students to deduct college expenses from their income taxes every year.
“One of my top goals this Congress is to reduce the tax burden on parents who are trying to send their children to college, as well as students who are trying to put themselves through school,” Paul said. “Everyone should have the opportunity to go to college, but unless we act soon, that will not be a reality for many in my district and in many other communities around the country. The ‘Make College Affordable Act’ will reduce the burden of higher-education costs that continue to go up at an alarming rate.”
Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee, originally sponsored the “Make College Affordable Act”. Paul is the lead Republican cosponsor of the bill. Once passed, it will amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow families to deduct up to $20,000 in higher-education expenses every year.
Paul said, “The ‘Make College Affordable Act’ is the way to correct a tax system that punishes people for being thrifty and planning for future educational costs. Many working families plan and save well in advance of their children attending college. But when increased taxation erodes these families’ savings, many are forced to go into debt to pay for a child’s education, or the child simply does not go to college at all. It is a crime to have a tax system that forces people to choose between educating their children and paying their government.”
“I am working to give control of the education dollar back to parents and hardworking students,” said Paul. “Legislation like the ‘Make College Affordable Act’ will take control out of the hands of unaccountable bureaucrats, and it will empower parents to take charge of their children’s education. It will also lower the burden on students who are working their way through college. I am proud to take a leading role on this important issue, and to work to advance this legislation which has broad bipartisan support.”
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April 25th, 2000
San Marcos, TX – On Thursday evening, Congressman Ron Paul will host his annual student art contest for the 14th District. The event will be held at the Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos at 6 p.m. Paul said he is excited about seeing what this year’s students have prepared.
“I always look forward to spending time with young people here in Texas,” Paul said. “Being around them puts public service into perspective, because what we do now will really impact these kids when they are grown.”
The art contest is an annual event held in the district in which students from high schools in all 22 counties submit original artwork that will be judged by a panel of celebrity and professional art experts. The winning student’s work will be displayed at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. This year’s judges will be Hays County Judge Jim Powers, as well as Southwest Texas State University art professors Brian Row and Carole Greer.
Paul said, “We are expecting about 50 pieces of art to be submitted this year for judging. That is the most participation we have ever had for the art contest. If the past is any indication, I expect to see the best and the brightest from the district on Thursday evening in San Marcos.”
The art contest is open to the public. For more details, please contact Amy Havel in Congressman Paul’s San Marcos office at 512-396-1400.
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April 21st, 2000
Surfside, TX – On Thursday, Congressman Ron Paul spent the day with students in Lee County, acting as “government teacher for a day.” Paul spoke with students at Giddings High School, as well as a group of home-schoolers in the area, about his education agenda and legislation he has introduced that will give more control over the education dollar to parents.
Paul said, “As a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, I have had the opportunity to consider ways to improve American education. My work in education policy has convinced me the key to education reform lies in giving the American people greater control over the education system by allowing them to devote more of their own resources toward their children’s education. That is why I have introduced the ‘Family Education Freedom Act’ (HR 935). It gives parents the ability to ensure their children receive a top rate education.”
The “Family Education Freedom Act” would give parents a $3,000 per year tax credit for each child’s education related expenses. It would allow parents the maximum amount of freedom in determining how to educate their children. It would also be free of guidelines and restrictions that only dilute the actual number of dollars spent directly on a child.
Paul finished his comments by thanking the parents and teachers for all of their hard work to make sure their children get the best education possible. He lamented that the federal bureaucracy continues to strip away their authority, and he vowed to continue fighting in Congress for parents, teachers, and local school districts.
Paul said, “Thirty years of centralized education have produced nothing but failure and frustrated parents. Should bureaucrats control the education dollar, or should parents, whose sole concern is the education of their child? I will stand with the parents. In shrinking the power that politicians and bureaucrats have over education, we are undertaking the most important policy initiatives we can put forward for future generations.”
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April 15th, 2000
Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressman Ron Paul wrote to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert urging him to reschedule a vote on the “Education Savings and School Excellence Act” (HR 7) that was pulled from the calendar last week only a few hours before the scheduled vote. A key aspect to the bill is that it expands the annual contribution limit to education savings accounts from $500 to $2,000. It also allows the funds to be used for education related expenses for all grade levels. Currently, the accounts are limited to higher education expenses only.
Paul said, “Under HR 7, a parent who puts aside $2,000 a year would have more than $14,000 to devote to their child’s education by the time the child is ready for first grade. Mr. Speaker, imagine how much stronger American education would be if parents had thousands of dollars to spend on their children’s elementary education.”
“Few proposals considered by this Congress will do as much to benefit American children as Education Savings Accounts for all levels of schooling,” said Paul. “HR 7 will help awaken the generosity of the American people by giving them an increased opportunity to invest in K-12 education. HR 7 will also begin to provide more equitable opportunities for children to receive the best possible education.”
Paul said he believes the key to education reform lies in giving the American people greater control over the education system by allowing them to devote more of their own resources toward their children’s education. He called on the Speaker to request a roll call vote, so that each member of the House will be forced to make a choice between standing up for America’s children or standing up for the status-quo in Washington.
“Surely, Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve to know which members of Congress favor cutting taxes to give them greater control over education and which ones prefer to maintain Washington’s control over the education dollar,” said Paul. “I therefore respectfully urge you to bring HR 7 to the floor for a roll-call vote, and I call on my colleagues to join me in helping millions of children obtain a quality education by voting for the ‘Education Savings and School Excellence Act.’”
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April 14th, 2000
Washington, DC – Congressman Ron Paul has introduced sweeping legislation aimed at assisting the terminally ill, and those stricken with cancer, to meet the financial burdens of health care costs resulting from their illnesses.
Paul’s bill, “The Cancer and Terminal Illness Patient Health Care Act” (HR 4265), would exempt all persons diagnosed with cancer or another terminal illness from the employee portion of payroll taxes, for as long as they continue to suffer from the illness or have significant costs resulting there from.
“When employees are stricken with a grave illness, they need the love and support of their family and friends as well as the best health care they can get. As a doctor who has specialized in women’s health issues for decades, and as a member of Congress, I decided to introduce this legislation to make sure that cancer patients as well as those who suffer from terminal illnesses, will have the resources available to them to combat these illnesses.”
Paul said his bill would allow such individuals to keep their resources for those purposes without adversely affecting their ability to collect benefits. “Rather than forcing people who are in such dire situations to continue paying taxes for a retirement they may never live to see we need to free up resources for them now, without any penalty accruing to them if they can beat these terrible diseases. I have spoken with patients who have suffered from these illnesses, which put such a terrible strain on them and their loved ones. Even when they have health care coverage (and many do not), they still incur all kinds of costs ranging from transportation to and from care centers and certain prescription drugs which may not be fully covered, to hiring sitters to watch their children while they receive treatment. The list is nearly endless.”
Paul said that if the disease goes into remission and all related costs are paid, the employee would again resume paying the payroll tax. “This is a conservative program designed to reduce the tax burden of those fighting these dreaded illnesses. We need to offer compassion to those who suffer, but we also owe it to them to stop taking away the resources which can help people beat breast cancer, AIDS or other terrible health problems.”
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April 13th, 2000
Washington, D.C. – Late last week, President Clinton signed into law the bill which repeals the Social Security earnings limitation on seniors. Congressman Ron Paul was an original cosponsor of the legislation. While Paul was pleased with the progress to reform the system, he urged his colleagues to continue working to protect seniors’ retirements by protecting the trust fund.
“I am proud of our success in repealing the earnings limitation,” said Paul. “My top priority for this Congress is to pass legislation that will truly reform the Social Security system, and this is a great first step. However, we must now move forward and protect the trust fund from politicians and bureaucrats, so that we can guarantee our senior citizens retirements will be waiting for them when they retire.”
Paul introduced the bipartisan “Social Security Preservation Act” (HR 219) that will make it illegal for the trust fund to be used for anything other than paying pensions to seniors. The bill states that all monies raised by the trust fund will be spent in payments to beneficiaries. Any excess funds will be invested in interest bearing certificates of deposit in order to help keep the trust fund from being used for other purposes.
Paul said, “The central issue to our Social Security crisis is the problem of dipping into the trust fund to pay for the pork barrel projects that come through Congress every year. If we were to stop this practice and quit allowing Washington politicians to steal from our seniors, there would be no Social Security crisis.”
“The ‘Social Security Preservation Act’ will restore America’s faith in their retirement,” said Paul. “This bill has already received extensive bipartisan support. I call on every member of Congress to join me in taking a stand for America’s seniors and protecting the Social Security trust fund.”
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April 12th, 2000
Surfside, Texas – On Monday, Congressman Ron Paul recognized the citizens of Brazoria County for their contributions to the “Local Legacies” program, a cornerstone of the 200th anniversary celebration of the Library of Congress. The Library is hosting a reception on May 23rd in Washington, D.C. honoring the citizens who participated in the program.
Said Paul, “As a resident of Brazoria County, I’m very proud to see all of this historical documentation that will be on display permanently for all to see. The history of this county and Texas is a lesson in freedom and liberty that should be an example for people all over the world.”
The Library of Congress selected more than 1,000 “Local Legacies” projects that are representative of local communities in the United States. The collection of visual, audio and written information will be permanently preserved at the Library for future generations illustrating what America was like at the end of the 20th century.
Four different projects were submitted from Brazoria County. Freeport Museum Director Derrick Wesley submitted numerous photos of historical facilities such as the original post office and jail. Emma-Jean Tanner coordinated the rededication ceremony of Stephen F. Austin’s death site in Brazoria and submitted a video. Beth Griggs submitted brochures, historical scrapbooks and photos entitled “West Columbia: First Capital of the Republic of Texas.” Also, “Bells Across America,” a program from West Columbia that celebrates the Constitution, was submitted.
Paul said, “I’m honored to live in a State that is so rich in history and was so influential in the creation of our Republic. I commend all of the citizens of Brazoria County who participated in the ‘Local Legacies’ program for their efforts to preserve and display our heritage.”
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April 7th, 2000
Washington, DC – Late last month, Congressman Ron Paul introduced H.R.4084, the Church Protection Act. This legislation was designed to stop federal funds under the Community Development Block Grant program from being used in church condemnation proceedings. This week, Paul engaged in a strategic legislative maneuver and had the bill enacted by the House of Representatives. In order to get rapid consideration for the bill, Paul reintroduced it as an amendment to HR 1776, The American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000.
Paul first succeeded in having the amendment made in order by the Rules Committee. Then, to ensure final passage, Paul worked to get bipartisan support for the legislation by enlisting the assistance of Carolyn Kilpatrick who cosponsored the amendment.
This week HR 4084 was attached, as an amendment, to HR 1776 prior to final passage of that bill. The Paul Amendment was adopted by the full House of Representatives on voice vote.
“I am happy that my legislation was included in this bill adopted by the full House and will now make its way to the Senate and hopefully to be signed into law by the President. The federal government should never be in the business of funding activities that negatively impact the rights of individuals to worship. This is a major step in addressing the recent imbalance in federal activities tending to infringe upon constitutionally-guaranteed free exercise rights,” Paul said.
Paul stated that the problem had first come to his attention as the result of reports regarding St. Luke’s Pentecostal Church, an inner-city congregation in New Cassel, New York. “The legislation I crafted was not just designed to address one certain instance. If any church can be destroyed or displaced with federal funds, then all churches are subject to such difficulties. Our founding fathers well recognized that this sort of thing should not go on, and that is why they gave us the first and fifth amendments,” concluded Paul.
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April 6th, 2000
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, Dr. Robert Gratz, acting President of Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, testified before the Labor, HHS and Education Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee about the college’s commitment to improving education through the National Center for School Improvement. Paul praised Gratz and the college for their hard work and innovative ideas to help improve K-12 education in Texas and all across the country.
“Southwest Texas State is one of the premier teacher training schools in the country,” said Paul. “Educators in Texas have proven time and time again they can train and produce a much more effective teacher than bureaucrats in the Department of Education in Washington. The National Center for School Improvement is just another example of local initiatives designed to produce the best possible education for our children. I commend Dr. Gratz and his colleagues for all of their hard work on this project.”
The National Center for School Improvement is a proposed partnership between SWT, George Mason University, and San Francisco State University. The center would serve three basic functions for students and teachers all over the country. It would work to increase success rates of K-12 students in the areas of reading, math, and science, establish a clearinghouse of “best teacher practices” for teaching and training techniques, and establish “rapid response action teams” to help struggling schools that have requested aid with specific problems in their classrooms.
Said Gratz, “…Southwest Texas State and its partners will bring real, action-oriented student and teacher achievement solutions to troubled school districts in Texas, our partner states, and others, through the Nation Center for School Improvement.”
Paul believes these types of programs will be of great benefit to students and teachers but warned that the universities must be allowed to work independent of federal bureaucrats for it to be effective. “Unfortunately, Congress and the federal bureaucracy continue to strip authority away from local educators. It is time for Washington to return control of the nation’s school system to the people who best know the needs of the children — local educators and parents. The plan being proposed today by Dr. Gratz is a great example of what our educators in Texas can do when they are allowed to work out from under the microscope of Washington. This teaching center will benefit every school district in Texas with high-level teacher training that will work toward the goal of giving all of our children the best education possible.”
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