Blog: Congress' 2010 Agenda

Statement

Dear Friend:

Our country's 111th two-year Congress has just commenced its second year. President Obama speaks to Congress and his fellow citizens tomorrow night in his second State of the Union address.

Of course, we all move into this year in especially challenging times. And rarely have we had such need for inclusive, effective and honest leadership in Washington, D.C.

Our national agenda is being driven by four main factors. The first is the international recession and its continued effect on our economy and jobs. The second is the buildup of unresolved domestic issues. The third is continued uncertainty and change beyond our borders including the ongoing threat of international terrorism. The fourth is unsustainable escalation in our federal deficits and debt.

Our national leadership must prioritize many pressing issues in this context. It must do so in a highly partisan election year atmosphere while also carrying out basic responsibilities such as the annual appropriations process.

These are just ten of the key issues facing Congress this year:

1. Federal budget. Our federal finances have deteriorated rapidly in the last decade. When I was first elected to Congress in November 2002, total federal debt was about $6 trillion. It had risen to over $10 trillion by the end of President Bush's administration and is now over $12 trillion, driven out of balance by the combination of revenue reductions from tax cuts and economic recession and spending increases from wars and both discretionary and nondiscretionary spending escalation. Clearly, hard decisions are required to stop the bleeding and reverse direction.

2. Economy/jobs. Our economic recovery from our worst recession in seventy years remains very fragile, and national unemployment is stuck at 10%. Federal stimulus monies have approached $2 trillion with mixed results. The clear policy decision is whether economic recovery and jobs creation requires further federal action and, if so, exactly what action and at what consequence. This is in addition to increasing efforts to improve our general business climate.

3. Financial reform. The recession was caused largely by a breakdown in the self-policing mechanisms of the financial sector and the regulatory mechanisms of the federal government. Left unaddressed, there's no reason why we shouldn't expect a repeat at some point. The key policy decision is to find the right balance of reform between that which does not solve the problem and that which shuts down private enterprise.

4. Health care reform. Health care costs for us all continue to escalate at around 10% annually, and basic affordable coverage remains largely unavailable to tens of million of Americans. The question remains not whether reform is needed but exactly what reform and at what price. Amidst deep disagreement, Congress needs to make the best decision for the broader good and move on to other issues.

5. Afghanistan. President Obama's decision appears to be generally supported in Congress and the public. But the situation in Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East remains highly fluid and we cannot afford any lapse in focus.

6. Terrorism. As recent events have painfully reminded us, terrorism remains a stark reality in our world. We similarly cannot afford to relax our efforts abroad to prevent its rise and spread nor to let down our guard at home.

7. Education reform. Although most efforts needed to improve Hawai'i's education system lie at the state and local level, our federal government can help or hurt. No Child Left Behind, the most significant federal education effort in decades, has had mixed results. It is overdue for reauthorization this year, and if and exactly how it is modified will have a major impact on public education nationally and here at home.

8. Immigration reform. Illegal immigration remains at unacceptably high levels. Every year that goes by without related reform not only worsens the situation but narrows and toughens the practical solutions.

9. Energy/environment. Less than two years after oil approached $150/bbl, today's $75 (and rising) has again lulled us into complacency on investing nationally in affordable and sustainable energy. This is one of those issues where yielding to the temptation to put off real decisions when not in crisis mode makes it all the harder for the next generation of decisionmakers. The same is true of the accelerating deterioration of too much of our environment, especially our oceans and air.

10. Veterans. Both the numbers and needs of our veterans continue to outpace the ability of our institutions to provide what was promised them. Still again, action delayed worsens both the problem and range of reasonable and doable solutions.

Obviously our national leaders have an overflowing plate of immediate and longterm needs. What do you think? Our continued engagement is crucial to our collective success in meeting our challenges. As always, I welcome your questions and suggestions. Click here to email me.

With Warm Aloha,

Ed Case

U.S. Congressman (2002 - 2007)

Source