Click here for the status of the following bills

H.R. 896: Expansion of Domestic Oil Refining Capacity

There has not been a new oil refinery built in the United States in more than 30 years. As a result, our ability to refine oil and supply gas and diesel to consumers has not kept pace with the growth in demand. No matter how much crude oil is made available, the United States simply does not have the capacity to refine it. This bill takes a step toward changing that by providing the one thing government can offer immediately: land. 

The bill calls for the Administration to identify three military bases slated for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission that would be suitable for locating new oil refineries. Experts say that expanding our refining capability could significantly decrease the volatility currently seen in domestic gas prices.

H.R. 1234: Savings for Working Families Act

The Savings for Working Families Act of 2009 provides a tax credit to financial institutions that match the savings of the working poor through individual development accounts (IDAs).  IDAs can be used for, 1) buying a first home; 2) receiving a post-secondary education; and, 3) starting or expanding a small business.

Individual savings in IDAs are matched on a one-to-one basis, up to $500 per person per year.  IDAs are operated through a partnership between financial institutions and local non-profit organizations.  Financial institutions offering IDAs will be reimbursed through a federal tax credit for all matching funds, up to $500 per year.  Those who save in IDAs receive financial planning education through these unique partnerships.

H.R. 1350: Research for Post-Abortion Depression

The Post Abortion Depression Research and Care Act, would direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the emotional impact of abortion on women and set up treatment programs to help these women. Women deserve to know the long-term effects of abortion on their mental and emotional well-being, and women who have had an abortion deserve to have mental health professionals who acknowledge the emotional impact of abortion and have the tools to treat it. 

A study conducted by a prominent researcher in New Zealand, David Fergusson, has found that women who have abortions have higher rates of depression than those who do not. According to his research, 78.6 percent of 15 to 18 year old girls who have abortions display symptoms of major depression, compared to only 31.2 percent of their peers who do not have abortions; and 27 percent of 21 to 25 year old women who have abortions have suicidal idealation, compared to only 8 percent of their peers who do not have abortions. Increased research on post-abortion and postpartum depression will lead to greater awareness of this issue and the development of compassionate outreach and counseling programs to help post-abortive women.

H.R. 1447: Family Farm Preservation Act

The Family Farm Preservation Act would provide an incentive for preserving open space by preventing farmers from having to pay capital gains taxes when they sell the development rights to their land to a qualified private or governmental land-conservation entity.

The 16th District of Pennsylvania has long been renowned for its beautiful landscapes and rich farmland. These cherished open spaces are disappearing as the pressure for new development grows. Since 1960, approximately 1.5 million acres of American farmland have been converted to non-agricultural uses each year. Land development and urbanization are leading to fragmentation of agricultural and forest land and loss of prime farmland and wildlife habitat. Additionally, many farmers facing sprawling development are also facing an increasing tax burden due to escalating land values and increasing costs for community services.

Under the Family Farm Preservation Act, provided that the farmland is located in a county with a population of 100 persons or more per square mile, a farmer will be able to sell the development rights to his land to a qualified organization committed to land conservation and receive a lump sum payment up front that is not subject to capital gains. This legislation gives these farmers the opportunity to keep their family farms and thereby preserve the open spaces of our beautiful nation.

H.R. 1960: Permanent Repeal of the Death Tax

The Permanent Repeal of the Death Tax Act of 2009 would permanently repeal the death tax, also known as the estate tax.  Death should not be a taxable event. It is family-owned farms and small businesses who suffer the most from this unjust tax because these people pass down the business or the farm in the family. But the death tax can force farms and small businesses to sell assets just to satisfy the tax authorities.  H.R. 1960 would simply repeal the death tax for good so that farmers and small business owners can pass along their operation to their children without the risk of having to dismantle the business and sell off assets in order to placate the tax man.

Legislation passed in 2001 phased out the death tax over a number of years until it will eventually be eliminated for fiscal year 2010. However, under current law, those tax cuts will sunset and the tax will snap back to its original levels for 2011, with individuals in the highest bracket being assessed a tax of 55 percent. This bill would permanently eliminate the tax by getting rid of the sunset clause in the 2001 legislation.

H.R. 2500: Help Kids Save for College Act

The Help Kids Save for College Act would enhance popular 529 college savings plans by allowing employers to make tax free matching contributions to an employee’s 529 account, up to $1000 a year. Named after their section in the tax code, 529 accounts allow individuals to save for higher education costs by earning tax-free interest.

Families are concerned about their financial security, including the rising cost of higher education. This bill will provide employers with the incentive to help families save more for college. Employers will like this bill because it will allow them an opportunity to offer another tax-free benefit to their employees. It’s a simple piece of legislation that could have a big impact on American families.

H.R. 2814: Reinvest in America's Retirement Act

Starting in 2010, limits prohibiting some individuals from converting IRAs will be lifted.  This bill would move up that date to allow conversions immediately, in order to allow individuals to pay the conversion taxes in a year when the value of retirement accounts is low because of the current economic recession. 

Roth IRAs are funded with income that has already been taxed, but the interest in the funds grows tax-free.

H.R. 3448: SAFE Nuclear Act

The Streamline America's Future Energy (SAFE) Nuclear Act fast tracks the regulatory process for approval of new nuclear reactors on or adjacent to a site where reactors are already operating, reducing the time needed for approval to two years for reactors that meet certain criteria.

The bill makes public safety a top priority in any approval of new reactors.  It will also task the NRC with developing regulations that will allow new reactor designs to compete in the marketplace.