August 31st, 2000
San Marcos, TX – Representative Ron Paul spoke to local business leaders in Bastrop Wednesday morning, outlining his efforts to increase employment in the mostly rural 14th congressional district of Texas. Paul noted that he has held several job fairs throughout the district that have been successful in matching employers with qualified applicants.
“The problem often is not that jobs are unavailable, but rather that employers and applicants have a difficult time locating each other,” Paul stated. “The job fairs I have sponsored have been very successful in bridging this gap and bringing employers and employees together in a an efficient venue for hiring. This is especially critical in a largely rural district, where there are many smaller employers rather than a few large employers.”
Paul has held several job fairs since taking office in 1997, including an event last summer in Luling in which attracted more than 300 local residents. The job fairs have averaged approximately 50 employers. Paul said his job fairs encourage employment and economic development in the district without looking to the government for a solution.
“The answer to further job creation is not more federal spending on government programs,” said Paul. “No government program will help communities expand their job base in the long run. The key to ongoing economic development is fostering private sector investment in our communities. As a member of Congress, I feel an obligation to use my office in a way that will encourage long-term job growth. I plan to continue sponsoring job fairs in the 14th district to encourage employers to hire our hardworking citizens and to assist my constituents who are seeking a new job.”
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 30th, 2000
San Marcos, TX – On Tuesday, Representative Ron Paul addressed two senior government classes at Taylor High School. Paul spoke to students about his daily activities in Washington D.C., but also discussed constituent services in his congressional district, especially his innovative “mobile office.” Noting that the 14th district of Texas is larger than the state of Vermont, Paul said it was important for him to reach out to constituents in rural areas to get their insight on important local issues, as well as help them deal with various federal government agencies.
Paul said, “Representing your constituents in a district as large and diverse as mine is very difficult to do that without visiting each community. The mobile office has allowed me to collect opinions and information from every corner of the district, which helps me know what my constituents want to see happening with their government. It also gives citizens the opportunity to seek assistance from my office if they are having difficulty dealing with federal agencies like the Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs or the IRS.”
The mobile office occupies a white minivan that travels the district stopping at designated locations in each county on a scheduled monthly basis. A staff member is always available to take comments from constituents, as well as provide contacts and referrals to those having problems with federal agencies. The schedule is published in advance to enable local newspapers and radio stations to announce the dates and times of stops in the area. The schedule also can be found on Paul’s website at www.house.gov/paul .
“The mobile office is an innovative program that I implemented when I took office in 1997,” said Paul. “It has been critical to my effective representation of the district in Washington. One thing has become crystal clear from the comments received by my staff in the mobile office: the people of rural Texas are tired of a centralized federal government, and they want control of their resources returned to them.”
“My constituents tell me they are tired of the federal government making decisions about how they should educate their children,” Paul concluded. “They tell me they want control over their health care and prescription drug needs, and they tell me they want to see real social security reform so that our seniors’ retirements will be secure. Most of all, they tell me they no longer want to send the federal government such a large part of their paycheck. I have introduced legislation to address all of these issues, and I am proud to be a spokesman for the people of rural Texas in Congress.”
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 24th, 2000
Victoria, TX – Representative Ron Paul visited Wednesday with senior citizens during two stops in Rockport, discussing his efforts in Washington and Texas to make prescription drugs more affordable. Paul met with seniors at the Rockport Coastal Care Center and the Oak Crest Nursing Home, both in Aransas County. Dr. Paul has introduced the “Pharmaceutical Freedom Act” (HR 3636) and begun a new district service, “The Free or Low-Cost Prescription Drug Program”, both of which are designed to address the problem of skyrocketing prescription drug costs.
“The ‘Pharmaceutical Freedom Act’ will ensure that millions of American seniors have access to affordable pharmaceutical products,” Paul stated. “My bill makes pharmaceuticals more affordable to seniors by providing them with a tax credit for money spent on prescription drugs. It also removes needless government barriers to importing pharmaceuticals and protects Internet pharmacies from being strangled by federal regulation. These measures will increase competition and make prescription drugs more affordable for millions of Americans.”
Paul also discussed the “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drug” program, a district effort he introduced two weeks ago. The program is designed to make seniors aware of programs offered by many drug companies that supply prescription drugs at little or no charge to individuals who cannot afford them, and to help them fill out the necessary paperwork to apply for the programs. Dr. Paul’s staff has held workshops in several district locations and already has helped more than 200 seniors in their search for more affordable prescription drugs.
“We tested this program and had several success stories where seniors received free prescriptions,” Paul continued. “After seeing positive results, I decided to make this a district-wide effort to provide immediate help to our seniors. However, the best approach to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs in the long run is to eliminate government subsidies of insurance and pharmaceutical companies, while preventing government rationing and price-fixing. We need to create a true free market for prescription drugs.”
“The ‘Pharmaceutical Freedom Act’ will give senior citizens more options and will dramatically reduce the cost of their drug bills,” Paul concluded. “In the meantime, the “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drug” program will give seniors in my district needed short-term relief until Congress joins me in fighting for a real, practical solution to this national problem.”
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 23rd, 2000
Washington D.C.- Congressman Ron Paul expressed guarded optimism over the fate of legislation which would have forced banks to grant federal regulators broad access to the private financial records of their customers. H.R. 3886, known as the “International Counter-Money Laundering Act of 2000,” was declared virtually dead this week by House Banking Committee Chairman James Leach, despite support for the measure by the administration. Paul, along with Texas Senator Phil Gramm, has been an outspoken critic of the legislation.
“I am glad that the bill appears headed for defeat,” Paul stated. “My office opposed the earlier version of this very dangerous legislation, and we will once again generate massive public opposition to any further attempts by the federal government to invade private banking records. Fortunately, there seems to be insufficient support in Congress to pass the bill this year. However, I suspect similar bills will surface in the next Congress.”
Paul, a member of the Banking committee, is known for vigorously leading the successful opposition to so-called “Know Your Customer” regulations proposed in 1998 by federal banking regulators. Know Your Customer regulations would have required U.S. banks to profile their customers, monitor transactions, and report “suspicious” activity to Treasury Department criminal investigators. Paul was outspoken in his opposition to the proposals, which ultimately were abandoned by the administration after the Senate voted unanimously to reject them. Financial regulators received over 300,000 angry comments as a result of the opposition generated by Paul and other privacy advocates.
“Small banks and constituents in my district already have been adversely affected by banking regulations,” Paul continued. “Even though the Know Your Customer regulations were defeated, federal regulators have tried to impose similar requirements without legislative authority. These requirements have not been enforced uniformly, often to the detriment of smaller banks like those in my district, who lose customers when they are forced to ask intrusive questions. It is essential that these banks and my constituents are not burdened by further invasive federal regulations.”
H.R. 3886 essentially proposed an international version of Know Your Customer. Paul opposed the bill in the Banking committee, and was successful (along with Representatives Barr, Campbell, and Metcalf) in amending the bill to add a nongovernmental privacy advocate to the Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group. However, Paul wanted the Know Your Customer regulations eliminated completely: “This bill would further erode protections for consumer financial privacy. Know Your Customer met with overwhelming public opposition, but now regulators want to establish the same rules for international transactions. Once such regulations are in place, they could be broadened and applied to American citizens domestically.”
Civil libertarians and privacy advocates from both parties in Congress have voiced opposition to H.R. 3886. “People are becoming aware of this systematic attack on our privacy,” Paul concluded. “I am grateful that Senator Gramm and others in Congress have joined me in opposing the dangerous trend toward expanding federal intrusion into private banking matters. I plan to continue the fight for financial privacy in the Banking committee.”
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 22nd, 2000
Victoria, TX – On Monday afternoon, Congressman Ron Paul spoke to the Victoria Lion’s Club about his current legislation designed to help working families afford health care for their children. Paul said his “Family Health Tax Cut Act” (HR 4799) will especially help lower-income families whose employers do not provide them with health insurance.
“Many working families must struggle to pay for their medical bills when their employers do not provide them with insurance,” said Paul. “This burden is especially heavy on parents whose children suffer with a serious medical condition, such as cancer or a physical disability, which requires specialized health care. The ‘Family Health Tax Cut Act’ will go a long way toward helping those families provide adequate care for their children.”
The “Family Health Tax Cut Act” provides parents with a tax credit of up to $500 annually for the health care expenses of dependent children. If a child has a disability, terminal disease, cancer, or any other condition requiring long-term or specialized care, parents would receive a tax credit of up to $3,000 a year. According to research on the effects of the “Family Health Tax Cut Act”, the tax credit would affect joint filers with incomes slightly above $18,000 a year and single income filers with incomes slightly above $15,000 per year.
“Under my bill, a struggling single mother with an asthmatic child would at last be able to provide for her child’s needs, while a working family will not have to worry about how they will pay the bills if one of their children requires lengthy hospitalization,” said Paul. “It would also relieve our nation’s already overcrowded emergency room facilities, which currently have to provide routine care for people who otherwise cannot afford any other alternative.”
“Many hard-working Americans cannot provide health care for their children because Congress won’t give individuals the same deduction for health care costs that it grants to businesses,” Paul concluded. “The ‘Family Health Tax Cut Act’ is designed to address this inequity. This is a common sense way to provide low-income parents tax relief in order to help them better meet their children’s medical expenses.”
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 10th, 2000
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, Representative Ron Paul wrote his colleagues in Congress asking them to cosponsor his “Pharmaceutical Freedom Act” (HR 3636), a bill aimed at making prescription drugs more affordable for all Americans, including senior citizens. A key element of the bill is that it exempts Internet pharmacies that are in compliance with state regulations from the burden of additional federal regulations.
“Many consumers have been able to use the Internet to lower their prescription drug costs,” stated Paul. “One senior citizen in my district lowered his drug costs from $700 to $100 a month by using an Internet pharmacy. The ‘Pharmaceutical Freedom Act’ ensures that other seniors and all Americans seeking to reduce their costs through Internet pharmacies will not be denied affordable drugs because of costly and burdensome federal regulations.”
Other provisions of the “Pharmaceutical Freedom Act” provide seniors a tax credit equal to 80% of their prescription drug costs, and reduce barriers to importing FDA-approved prescription drugs. Paul said the bill is designed to give seniors greater access to affordable pharmaceuticals by promoting price competition and a true free market for drugs.
“All of the plans coming out of Washington to reduce the cost of medications lack one key element- consumer choice,” said Paul. “Too many politicians want to bring about lower prices through price fixing or subsidies to insurance or pharmaceutical companies. The answer to the problem of high drug costs will not be found in a new federal program. The key is ensuring that seniors have resources to make their own health care decisions.”
“The ‘Pharmaceutical Freedom Act’ will provide millions of Americans with access to affordable prescription drugs,” Paul concluded. “I am proud to lead the effort in Congress to help seniors pay for their medications, and I urge my colleagues to join me in making the well-being of America’s senior citizens a top priority.”
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 9th, 2000
Victoria, TX – On Monday, Representative Ron Paul launched his new district-wide “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drug” program at the Port Lavaca Senior Citizen’s Center. More than 30 seniors attended the workshop to explore options to reduce their monthly prescription drug bills, or, in some cases, eliminate them altogether. Paul said the large turnout leaves him encouraged about future workshops across the district.
“This program is designed to provide immediate assistance to seniors who are struggling to pay for the medications they require,” Paul said. “After seeing the positive results from our first visit to a senior citizen’s center, I am very excited about continuing the program throughout the district and providing assistance to those in need.”
The “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drug” program is Paul’s new district effort designed to make eligible seniors aware that many drug companies have programs offering prescription drugs at little or no charge to individuals who cannot afford them. Representatives of Congressman Paul will assist seniors in filling out the paperwork necessary to participate. After conducting the workshop in Port Lavaca, a representative met personally with each senior in attendance to address specific cases. A bilingual translator was available to assist Spanish-speaking seniors.
Paul said last week that the “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drug” program was created to supplement his “Pharmaceutical Freedom Act” (HR 3636), which is sweeping legislation aimed at permanently lowering prescription drug costs by promoting a true free market for pharmaceuticals. The Act provides a tax credit for prescription drug costs, removes barriers to importing pharmaceuticals, and protects Internet pharmacies from costly federal regulations.
“The ‘Pharmaceutical Freedom Act’ ensures that millions of American seniors have access to affordable pharmaceutical products,” Paul stated. “Furthermore, from the initial response to the ‘Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drug’ program in Port Lavaca, I am confident that by the end of the summer we will help hundreds of seniors in the 14th district find immediate relief from the skyrocketing cost of medications.”
The “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drug” program continues on Wednesday, August 9th at 11 a.m. at the Seadrift Senior Citizen’s Center. Questions concerning the program should be directed to Jackie Gloor at 361-576-1231.
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 8th, 2000
Washington D.C. – The Reserve Officers Association of the United States (ROA) recently honored Congressman Ron Paul for cosponsoring H.R. 3915, the “Reserve Employer Tax Credit Act of 2000.” The Act provides a tax credit for employers with workers who participate in the military reserves, and allows reservists to deduct travel-related expenses incurred as a result of their reserve obligations.
Rear Adm. Steve Yusem, National President of ROA, stated, “About half of our total military are National Guard and Reserve Forces. Global deployment of these men and women…means they spend more time away from their civilian jobs, and employer support is critical.” The Act provides a tax credit for an employer of up to $2,000 when its reservist-employees are called to active duty.
Yusem also noted that under current law, individual Reserve and National Guard members incur non-reimbursed expenses when fulfilling their monthly reserve obligations. “Many of our reservists spend their own money to attend military training and mandatory reserve drills. They pay for cross-country travel and other expenses out of their own pockets.” The Act addresses this problem by permitting reservists to deduct such travel-related expenses on their individual income taxes without meeting limitations that normally apply to itemized deductions.
“I strongly support tax relief for military-reservist families,” Paul said. “Reserve members face monthly duty weekends away from their families, as well as the constant possibility of being called into active duty anywhere on the globe. They certainly deserve a tax deduction for expenses incurred traveling to their required training.”
“Employers who hire reservists also need tax relief when their employees are called into military service,” Paul continued. “They often need to hire temporary help or otherwise attempt to get by without critical employees. The tax credit contained in this legislation is needed to ensure that employers will feel confident hiring reservists.”
“Congressman Paul’s endorsement of this important legislation demonstrates his commitment to our nation’s citizen-soldiers, and his support for a strong national defense,” Yusem concluded. “ROA is pleased that he has cosponsored H.R. 3915.”
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 5th, 2000
Victoria, TX – In an effort to provide immediate help to seniors struggling to pay for their prescription drugs, Representative Ron Paul today announced a district program called “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drugs.” Paul said this program compliments his “Pharmaceutical Freedom Act” (HR 3636), which is designed to provide long-term financial relief to seniors struggling with drug bills.
Paul said, “The ‘Pharmaceutical Freedom Act’ ensures that millions of American seniors have access to affordable pharmaceutical products. My legislation is the best way to help seniors in the long run, while my new ‘Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drugs’ program will give many in my district immediate relief from the skyrocketing cost of medications.”
Although it is not widely known, drug companies have programs that offer prescription drugs free of charge to individuals who cannot afford them. The “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drugs” program is designed to make eligible seniors aware of the programs and help them with the required paperwork necessary to participate. Jackie Gloor, an aide to Rep. Paul, will be coordinating the Congressman’s efforts. She said she would be conducting workshops at area senior centers in an attempt to help as many seniors as possible. The workshops also will have a bilingual translator to assist any Spanish-speaking seniors who wish to participate in the program.
Gloor said, “My role is to show the program to seniors and assist in the written paperwork, which can become very labor-intensive. I will be doing this through workshops at senior centers all over the district. I am also working to bring medical professionals into the picture, and so far they have been very supportive.”
Paul stated, “I am proud to lead the effort to help seniors find affordable medicine with the ‘Pharmaceutical Freedom Act’ and the ‘Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drugs’ program. We have had several success stories where people have received their prescriptions free through this program. After such positive results, I decided to make this a district-wide effort to provide immediate help to our seniors.”
Local media outlets will receive notification of a “Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drugs” workshop in their area prior to the scheduled date. Questions about the program should be directed to Jackie Gloor at 361-576-1231.
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts:
August 4th, 2000
Washington, D.C.- Congressman Ron Paul was named a “Taxpayer Hero” this week by Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS), a national organization which monitors wasteful government spending. Dr. Paul had one of the best voting records in Congress over the past year on matters relating to fiscal responsibility.
“Representative Paul is a Taxpayer Hero who voted to treat taxpayer money like his own last year,” said TCS president Ralph DeGennaro. “He had the courage during 1999 to cast tough votes against wasteful spending and for fiscal responsibility and reducing the national debt. As a taxpayer, I feel good about putting my money in the hands of Representative Paul.”
With projected surpluses in Washington, wasteful pork barrel spending appeals to many members of Congress seeking to appropriate money for fiscally reckless programs in their districts. TCS seeks to honor those members who resist temptation and vote for spending and debt reduction. The organization scrutinized 53 key House votes from the first session of the 106th Congress, creating a rating scorecard for each member. The scorecard tallies votes in categories including agriculture, budget, corporate welfare, emergency spending, international affairs, military, public lands, public works, and social programs. The TCS scorecard rating can be viewed at www.taxpayer.net.
“TCS commends all the Taxpayer Heroes, and urges folks to get on the Internet and judge the votes for themselves,” DeGennaro said. “Members of both parties and with widely varying ideological philosophies scored well. This shows that the reforms scored by TCS can happen with bipartisan cooperation and support.”
Dr. Paul is widely known throughout the 14th District of Texas and across the country as an outspoken critic and consistent opponent of federal tax and spending increases. He is a strong advocate for reducing the federal government to its proper constitutional role, regularly voting against spending measures not expressly authorized by the constitution. He has received numerous taxpayer awards in the past from TCS, as well as from the National Taxpayers Union, Citizens against Government Waste, and many other watchdog organizations.
Posted in Press Releases | Comments Off
Similar posts: