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Rep.
Jeff Miller Newsletter - October 6, 2008
I recently
voted against the second Wall Street bailout bill. House and Senate
Democrats responded to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s request for
unlimited control of 700 billion dollars of your money by adding nearly
200 billion dollars in “sweeteners” in order to get more votes for the
bailout the second time around.
My vote is not for sale,
and although the updated bill was better than the original bill I voted
against, it didn’t get me to change my original vote against it. Raising
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) limit for bank-insured
deposits from 100,000 dollars to 250,000 dollars and improving mark-to-market
accounting standards is a good start but does not go far enough.
The bill could have done
more to stabilize the markets by requiring the Treasury Department to
guarantee up to 100% of losses resulting from the failure of timely
payment and interest from mortgage-backed securities (MBS) that originated
prior to the bill's enactment. Such insurance would provide immediate
value to the MBS and a foundation by which they could then be sold.
In order to finance this
insurance, the Treasury Department could also assess a premium on outstanding
MBS. Participation in the program would be mandatory for all holders
of such MBS in order to guard against adverse selection where only the
holders of troubled assets participate. A risk-based premium would be
assessed on those with troubled MBS. The premium would expire when the
Treasury Secretary determines the fund has sufficient resources to meet
any projected losses.
Another needed action is
an injection of private capital into the market, and this would be more
likely to happen with a temporary elimination of capital gains taxes.
That action, along with a reduction in our corporate income tax rates,
would provide stability through investment and business growth. However,
this legislation fundamentally changes the relationship between the
government and the free market and burdens the taxpayer with a $700
billion price tag. Although I opposed this bill on a philosophical and
principled level, I do hope our financial system improves and does so
quickly.
Again, thank you for contacting
me about this important issue. If you would like to receive further
information on issues of importance to you, please log on to my website
at http://jeffmiller.house.gov/. As always, please feel free to contact
my office if you have any further concerns.
Rep.
Jeff Miller Newsletter- September 29, 2008
Almost two weeks ago the Secretary
of the Treasury, Henry Paulson, sent a three page request to the Congress
asking for 700 billion dollars of your money for his friends and former
colleagues on Wall Street. The former Chairman of the investment
bank, Goldman Sachs, also asked the Congress to pass a law ensuring
his actions “are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion,
and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.”
The Founders of this country
set up an ingenious system of government to ensure power was not disproportionately
given to one individual. The goal was to avoid tyranny at all
costs. Secretary Paulson most likely skipped that class in college
and was hoping you had as well. Many wonder how such a poorly
structured piece of legislation could even come about in the first place.
I wonder how the President approved this as well.
By demanding this bailout money,
the Administration attempted to circumvent the legislative process.
Moreover, the Administration continues to insist that their way is the
only way to avoid an imminent crisis.
Perhaps most stunning, is that the
Administration officials responsible for protecting American taxpayers
and our free market system were asleep at the switch. Securities
and Exchange Commission Chairman Chris Cox recently admitted his culpability
in this matter and amazingly, the Secretary of the Treasury recently
admitted he had seen this crisis coming for nearly a year and just now
came to the Congress.
Such large-scale government interference
in our markets ensures the correction process will take much longer
than it would have otherwise. What would help toward long-term
stability is an injection of private capital into economy. We
need to establish and maintain low tax rates on capital gains and corporate
income, allowing people to invest more of their money and relieving
American companies from one of the highest corporate tax rates in the
world.
The Democrats did not
care to address the corporate tax rate issue and in fact, their response
to the Administration’s bailout plan was just as bad, if not worse.
They attempted to allow unions to take over corporate boards of failed
companies, let judges rewrite the terms of your mortgage and even set
up a slush fund for housing groups that among other things, register
Democratic voters. Nowhere did they address one of the fundamental
issues that got us into this mess, the implicit government backing of
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac need to
be changed into purely private companies, not government sponsored enterprises
with special privileges. They need to pay taxes like everyone
else and until they are purely private, they must be prohibited from
spending taxpayer money on lobbying the government to ensure their continued
existence, despite their failed management and banking practices.
An overwhelming majority of constituents
have called, emailed, and written into my office stating their outright
opposition to any sort of bailout for corporations that were reckless
and irresponsible with their management. Moreover, responsible
people who live within their means should not be bearing the burden
of bailing out corporations. The American taxpayer deserves better.
We must not sacrifice long term freedom for short term financial gain.
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Rep.
Jeff Miller Message - September 19, 2008
On
September 17th, my colleague Representative Jim Moran and
I introduced bipartisan House Resolution 6930, the “Military Family
Autism Equality Act” to the 110th Congress. This bill
provides retired military families with autistic children the same health
care benefit afforded families of active duty service members.
TRICARE medical coverage for autistic children of military retirees
is long overdue and I’m pleased Congressman Moran and I were able to
address this issue together. Autism is an insidious disorder inflicted
upon our children and we should live up to our obligation to serve the
children of those who have served our nation.
This
truly is an example of how one concerned citizen can in fact make a
difference. A constituent from the 1st District called
my office and let us know that, in 2007, her 2-year-old son was diagnosed
with severe autism. Only months earlier, her husband retired as
a Master Sergeant from the Air Force. Due to her husband’s change
of status from active duty to retired, her family was no longer eligible
for Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) coverage under the Extended Care
Health Option (ECHO) program. Active duty service members with
an autistic child have access to this benefit through TRICARE and it
provides up to $2,500 per month for ABA
therapy, a proven and medically necessary treatment for the symptoms
of autism.
When
my constituent’s concern was brought to my attention, I was deeply disappointed
to find that retirees with autistic dependents were not getting coverage
they deserved. It is not right for a military family member to
be covered under the ECHO program one day, then be dropped the next,
simply because a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine retired from active
service.
The
Department of Defense estimates there are nearly 8,800 retirees with
dependents diagnosed with autism or a related disorder. This legislation
will help these families and we will not stop there. We will continue
to make sure that these families get the help and assistance they need.
We also have more work to do for active duty personnel and their families.
I
was elected to represent the citizens of Northwest Florida and do everything
I can to ensure their voices are heard in Washington.
This is a great example of one of those citizens cutting through the
red tape and giving me advice on how to make the federal bureaucracy
work
I
would like to thank the many advocacy groups who have already provided
their support to our bill, namely Autism Speaks, the Autism Society
of America, the Military Officers Association of America, and Talk About
Curing Autism. I look forward to getting the Military Family Autism
Equality Act passed so that our military retirees battling autism will
not have to bear the significant financial burden that comes with their
continued fight. They have already paid a significant price with
honorable service and sacrifice to their country and this is a major
thank you note from a grateful nation to these families.
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Rep.
Jeff Miller Press Release - September 18, 2008
MILLER OFFERS BILL
TO PREVENT MILITARY FAMILIES FROM LOSING HEALTH CARE BENEFITS FOR AUTISTIC
CHILDREN AT RETIREMENT
Washington, DC (September 18, 2008) - Washington, D.C.,–
Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) and Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL) introduced
legislation today, the “Military Family Autism Equality Act,” which
provides retired military families with autistic children the same health
care benefit as families of active duty service members with children
suffering from autism.
“This bipartisan bill to extend needed medical coverage for children
of military retirees with autism is long overdue, and I’m pleased Congressman
Moran and I were able to address this issue together,” stated Rep. Jeff
Miller. Autism is an insidious disorder inflicted upon our children,
and we should live up to our obligation to serve the children of those
who have served our nation.”
“Caring for an autistic child is expensive,” said Rep. Jim Moran. Military
families already stretched thin by the high costs associated with the
disease and long deployments overseas are often left with a choice no
parent wants to face: provide expensive treatments for their child or
keep their family clothed and fed. The ‘Military Family Autism Equality
Act’ would eliminate that painful decision, making autism care available
for all military families, active or retired.”
Active duty service members with an autistic child have access to a
benefit through TRICARE that provides $2500 a month (a max of $30,000/year)
for Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), a proven treatment for the symptoms
of Autism. Unfortunately, the day an active duty soldier retires from
the military, their dependents lose access to the ABA health benefit. This
occurs whether the retirement is voluntary
or a forced retirement at the end of their career obligations.
The Moran-Miller bipartisan “Military Family Autism Equality Act” would
extend this autism benefit to all military families, whether active
or retired.
With the Department of Defense estimating 8,784 retirees with dependents
diagnosed with autism or an autism spectral disorder (ASD), its clear
this is a serious issue facing a growing number of our veterans and
their families.
According to a February 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, one in 150 children under the age of eight have autism
or an ASD such as Asperger syndrome, Rett
syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental
disorder not otherwise specified.
“All those affected by autism should be able to receive appropriate,
medically necessary care,” said Lee Grossman, ASA President and CEO.
“The Autism Society of America strongly supports this legislation, which
would provide quality care to families that have made tremendous sacrifices
for our country.”
The cost savings from autism treatment are clear. A Harvard School of
Public Health report found that without effective intervention, approximately
90% of individuals with ASD require lifelong care costing an estimated
$3.2 million over a child’s lifetime. ABA
therapy has been shown to be effective in reducing this figure to less
than 50% and reducing the costs of lifelong care by two-thirds.
*********************
Rep.
Jeff Miller Newsletter - September 15, 2008
On July 11 of this year, a barrel of crude oil was
being traded for an all-time record high of $147. 27. On July
25th, Nancy Pelosi of San
Francisco kicked off her book tour. On
August 1st the Democratic majority skipped town to peddle
their tax and spend, “do nothing” agenda throughout the United
States. As Speaker Pelosi officially
jet setted across the country, closely monitoring her book sales, Republicans
were back in Washington
closely monitoring the price of gas and we are happy to report that
at press time today, a barrel of crude oil is $97, a seven month low.
With just two weeks left until congress adjourns, last
week’s floor schedule was packed with non-binding resolutions and other
non-essential bills. At a time when Americans desperately need relief
from the high price of gasoline, we should be deliberating energy policy,
not passing resolutions recognizing a world hunger problem or spending
nearly four hours debating the importance of a stream in Vermont.
As the110th Congress draws to a close, the majority has passed
only one appropriations bill and put forth no meaningful energy legislation.
My Republican colleagues and I have meaningful
energy legislation that is ready now. The solution to America’s
energy problems is House Resolution 6566, the American Energy Act. This
“all of the above” energy bill would increase domestic energy supplies,
advance efficiency as well as renewable and alternative energy, and
promote conservation. The bill would create an innovative environment
that promotes new energy technology. Additionally, the bill addresses
Americans’ demands to explore American natural resources.
The American people know the Democrats control Congress
and they know Democrats are doing nothing about our energy problems.
It’s time to hold the leadership of this Congress accountable and demand
they bring our “all of the above” bill to the floor for a vote.
Any bills that include hidden tax increases and wasteful spending in
the form of subsidies for liberal special interests should be voted
against.
The time for politics is over my friends- we must act
now! Please call Nancy Pelosi at 202-225-4965 and demand a
vote on HR 6566!
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