John Tierney’s Accomplishments…111th Congress
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The 111th Congress has made progress for the American people on some of the toughest challenges we face in generations—we’ve worked together to bring about a plan to revive our economy, strengthen education, defend our country and preserve our planet.
Below is a list of some of Congressman Tierney’s and the Democratic Congress’ accomplishments in the 111th Congress:
Consumer Protection
Defending Consumers against the Predatory Lending Practices
ü Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA) spoke in defense of sixth district consumers on floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights (H.R. 627). This bill takes key steps to protect consumers by restoring fairness to an industry known to use due-date gimmicks, misleading terms, unfair “subprime fees” and arbitrary interest rate increases.
ü He also pushed for even further industry regulation, introducing the common-sense solution to help protect consumers such as you in these challenging economic times by introducing the Renewing America’s Commitment to Consumers Act – legislation that would cap credit card interest rates at 16% and limit excessive fees. The bill also includes a provision prohibiting those carriers who might not yet be at 16% from ratcheting their rates up in anticipation of the passage of this legislation.
“I applaud the work that has been done and hope in the future we can take further steps to restore America’s commitment to usury law and capping all interest rates. A usury rate is needed now more than ever, as credit card companies continue to force Americans to dip into their savings while they buoy their own excessive profit,” said the Congressman.
Economy
Revitalizing the Local Economy with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
ü Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which Congressman Tierney supported, it is estimated that over 1 million jobs have been retained or saved. In the Commonwealth alone and it is estimated 53,000 jobs were saved or retained during 2009. In addition, under the Recovery Act, Massachusetts received $62.2 million in job training and employment services.
ü Further, according to estimates, over $90 million in ARRA funding has been awarded to projects/entities in the 6th Congressional District in Massachusetts.
• Over $37.5 million has gone directly to local school districts for K-12 and special education (one significant reason classroom sizes didn’t escalate toward 50 children per class, or local taxes climb even higher to maintain them at smaller sizes);
• $24 million for transportation, water, energy and infrastructure projects (because many of the so-called “shovel-ready” projects actually were not, for various reasons, much of this funding is just now being committed to be spent imminently);
• $19.6 million for weatherization and clean energy programs (benefitting the homeowners with more manageable heating bills and creating jobs at the agencies running the programs as well as the private contractors hired to do the work);
• $10 million for public housing;
• $3.7 million for public health and community health centers;
• $1.75 million for staffing of municipal police and fire departments (in some instances actually making the difference between closing a station or keeping it open), among other sectors;
• And, additionally, small businesses in the 6th CD also have received over 250 loans totaling $41.5 million in access to new credit (some of the grants for private enterprise – such as firms working on much needed national security threat detection equipment allowed the core firm to hire and retain its workforce and allowed their suppliers to stay in business and increase workforces).
“We have chosen responsible action over inaction. We have chosen to cut taxes for 95% of American workers as well as provide relief to small businesses. We have chosen to help create or save millions of jobs in the next two years. We have chosen to help states and communities from having to lay off thousands of police, firefighters, and health care professionals. This measure is a pivotal step toward taking our country in a new direction,” said Congressman John Tierney.
Education
Making College More Affordable with the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009
ü Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA) announced that the House Education and Labor Committee, on which he serves, passed historic legislation he cosponsored that will make college dramatically more affordable and accessible for college students and their families. This was done by cutting $90 billion in wasteful taxpayer subsidies to private lenders and using the savings to invest in additional student aid by increasing Pell Grants, tripling the number of students receiving Perkins loans and reducing federal student loan interest rates, at no cost to taxpayers – providing relief during a time when our struggling economy requires a stronger foundation that is supported by sound education, health and energy policies such as the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009.
ü In March, 2010, Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA) was honored by the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) with the Governor Walter R. Peterson Award for Leadership. The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) launched the New England Higher Education Excellence Awards in 2003 to recognize individuals and institutions that have made substantive contributions to improving higher education opportunities for New England students. Former recipients of the leadership award include the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy in 2003 and Jeanne Shaheen in 2004.
“As a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, I have consistently worked to ensure that every qualified student has the opportunity to achieve his or her higher education goals. Nothing could be more important than investing in our future and providing our students with an affordable, quality education,” stated the Congressman.
Energy Security
Expanding the Green Economy and Securing Our Resources
ü Congressman Tierney supported, and President Obama signed into law legislation which will create an estimated 500,000 jobs, accelerate deployment of smart grid technology, provide energy efficiency funds for our schools and public buildings, and offer support for our local communities to tackle their energy challenges. The legislation also creates a new loan guarantee program to keep our transition to renewable energy on track during the economic crisis by boosting public sector investments.
ü Congressman Tierney fought to include in this legislation, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, an estimated $860 million allocation of funding over the next two years for the Green Jobs Act. The Green Jobs Act, which the Congressman introduced with now Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, was the first coherent strategy in the United States to address the growing labor demand in the clean energy sector. The Green Jobs Act creates partnerships and leverages private sector investments to train workers, particularly those from disadvantaged communities, for jobs in the clean energy economy.
“Green-collar jobs can provide living wages and upward mobility. For some, they will create a way out of poverty, even as they help improve our environment and buttress our national security by lessoning reliance on foreign oil,” stated Congressman Tierney.
Healthcare
Reforming Our Nation’s Health Care System
ü As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee, which has partial jurisdiction over health care reform legislation, Congressman Tierney is working with his colleagues to promote policies that will ensure quality, affordable health care for all Americans and continues to have an active, strong voice in the Committee.
ü Congressman Tierney was an original co-sponsor of the The Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, which passed in the House and awaits action in the Senate. This bill, seeks to ensure that American consumers get a real choice and a fair deal when purchasing health insurance. It seeks to amend the McCarran-Ferguson Act by repealing the blanket antitrust exemption afforded to health insurance companies. Under the bill, health insurers will no longer be shielded from legal accountability for: price fixing, dividing up territories among themselves, sabotaging their competitors in order to gain monopoly power, and other such anti-competitive practices.
ü Congressman Tierney lead the effort on a provision in the House-passed health insurance reform legislation which mandates all health insurance plans to meet a medical loss ratio – or a minimum percentage of premium dollars that must be spent on direct medical care rather than on administrative costs, marketing, or profit – of at least 85%. Without this regulation, insurance companies can charge very high premiums to individuals and spend a startlingly low proportion of these premium dollars on health care services. This requirement helps to holds insurance companies accountable.
ü Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA) again took bold action to preserve retiree health care benefits. Tierney reintroduced the Emergency Retiree Health Benefits Protection Act (H.R. 1322), which would prohibit employers from making post-retirement cancellations or reductions of health benefits that retirees rightfully earned.
ü He also fought to include some of the protections sought in H.R. 1322 in the health insurance reform legislation considered in November 2009. Congressman Tierney worked to include a provision in the health reform legislation, which passed the House, which would prohibit group health plans from reducing or eliminating health benefits after the date on which any participant retires.
ü Congressman Tierney is proud to support the Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2009, to give the federal government tools to lower prescription drug prices for millions of seniors and individuals with disabilities. This bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of those who are enrolled in Medicare prescription drug plans.
ü John F. Tierney (D-MA) reintroduced The States’ Right to Innovate in Health Care Act of 2009 which would seek to foster a creative environment in which states can have the flexibility to propose innovative solutions to ailing health care systems U.S. Congressman.
“More must be done to improve our nation’s health care system and to lower the skyrocketing costs of medical care. We must curtail the rise in premiums, allow people to have the freedom to choose providers, and ensure everyone gets proper treatment that they can afford,” said Congressman Tierney.
Local Industry
Supporting our fishermen and their families
ü Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA) participated in an oversight field hearing on the fisheries enforcement programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at Gloucester City Hall. Upon his urging, Oversight and Government Reform Domestic Policy Subcommittee Chairman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) agreed to hold the hearing in Gloucester, America’s oldest seaport. The hearing, which was the first congressional hearing of this kind, explored the findings and recommendations of the Department of Commerce Inspector General report entitled “Review of NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Programs and Operations.”
ü He also joined like-minded colleagues in signing numerous letters to NOAA and other related agencies, on a variety of pertinent issue impacting the fishing community, including days-at-sea reductions and egregious enforcement practices.
ü Tierney also believes that the Magnuson-Stevens Act should be amended to provide more flexibility, and as mentioned in his speech at the “United We Fish” rally in Washington D.C., he has co-sponsored Representative Frank Pallone’s legislation addressing this matter, and will keep pressing for action on this important bill.
“Be assured that I will continue to work to communicate with administration officials, among others, about your needs, the needs of your industry and the needs of your family. We all have a stake in demanding that the appropriate steps are taken to ensure that this critical part of the economy is allowed to continue and prosper,” said Congressman Tierney.
National Security
Strengthening our National Security
ü Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA), supported the passage of the Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009 (the PEACE Act of 2009) (H.R. 1886), which included language proposed by Congressman Tierney providing for improved congressional oversight of U.S.-Pakistan cooperation in addressing their mutual security interests. The measure passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 234 to 185.
ü The Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, which the Congressman chairs, continued its extensive oversight of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan by conducting a hearing to examine the Administration’s new Afghanistan / Pakistan strategy calling for a “civilian surge.” This hearing featured high-ranking government officials from the Department of State, Agency for International Development (USAID), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Defense (DOD).
ü Congressman Tierney also sought the passage of the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act which adds aide to the U.S. democratic, economic and humanitarian assistance to Pakistan to $1.5 billion a year through 2014. In addition, it provides for significant additional military aid only if the President certifies that Pakistan is cooperating in mutually beneficial counter-terrorist efforts.
“I support conditioning future military aid on cooperation in areas of critical mutual Pakistan-U.S. national security interests. The conditions are remarkably modest: in order to release funds for a particular fiscal year, the President must submit to Congress a determination that Pakistan is cooperating with U.S. efforts to dismantle nuclear supplier networks, and is cooperating in ceasing support for extremist or terrorist groups, closing terrorist camps, and taking efforts to prevent cross-border attacks against neighboring countries,” said Congressman Tierney.
Veterans
Honoring Our Veterans
ü The National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, which Congressman Tierney chairs, helped draw attention to the long-neglected facilities in which our military and their families were living at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In part, due to the Subcommittee’s investigation, it was found that some of the military’s facilities are no longer suited to meet current medical standards and practices.
ü The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), made key investments for our veterans and their families, by providing incentives for businesses to hire recently discharged unemployed veterans and expands housing assistance for disabled veterans.
ü The ARRA also includes provisions to help military families by improving their overall quality of life such as: assistance to military homeowners, including wounded warriors and surviving spouses, who have been impacted by the housing crisis; new child development centers on military bases across the country to help military spouses hold down jobs and provide employment opportunities for caregivers; warrior transition complexes to provide services to wounded warriors returning from combat and their families; new construction of operations and training facilities to support National Guard units across the country; funding to address the large backlog in processing veterans’ claims and to improve the automation of the processing of veterans’ benefits; state grants for the construction of additional extended care facilities for veterans; qualifying disabled veterans will receive a one-time payment of $250 to offer further tax relief
“I firmly believe our government has an obligation to honor the commitment made to our soldiers long after their term of active duty expires. We must sustain and enhance the system of support on which our veterans depend. Further, in difficult economic times such as these, Congress must go beyond its normal ‘call of duty’ and look for opportunities to prioritize veterans in other ways” said Congressman Tierney.
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