Letter to Community Leader

Letter

Letter from Congressman Calvert

During the August District Work Period, I visited with many of you and listened to your concern about jobs, spending, illegal immigration and the looming tax hikes. One message came across load and clear: Washington has not been listening. I agree. For too long there has not been a system of checks and balances on the Obama Administration. Regular process and representative government have been abandoned for back- room deals and rushed legislation in which Member do not have time to read the bill prior to voting. And now, for only the fourth time in 35 years, we have not passed a budget!

It is because of the failure in Washington that my House Republican colleagues and I crafted a new agenda to set us on the right path forward. This new governing agenda, a Pledge to America, includes a set of first priorities that , if implemented, would yield a smaller, less costly government and help restore trust between the American people and their representatives in Washington, D.C.

Rest assured, I stand with my reformist colleagues. Together we are committed to the principles of a smaller, more accountable government; economic freedom; lower taxes; fiscal responsibility; job creating; and strong national security. Our new agenda offers way to restore individual freedoms, build a healthy economy and keep government out of our daily lives.

I encourage you to read more about the Pledge and the latest on immigration in this issue of the Calvert Leaders Letter. And as a leader in the community, I hope you will continue to contact me regarding issues of importance to you.

Sincerely,
Ken Calvert
Member of Congress

Our Pledge To You, Our Pledge To America

Over the last 18 months, the American people ahve been more engaged in politics than at any time in recent memory. Yet while Americans hve been speaking out, those running Congress have often ignored our voices, pushing forward with an out-of-touch agenda that contradicts the priorities of the American people. In response to the frustration back home, two initiatives were launched to take into account your specific concerns - YouCut and America Speaking Out.

YouCut is a program which allows you to choose from a list of government programs and recommend which one should be cut form the budget, through online voting and text messaging. Five new programs are listed each week at http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut. The American people have one week to choose which proposal they would like Congress to vote on. With the support of the YouCut voters, the House GOP has offered more than $150 billion in spending cuts on the House Floor adn I have proudly voted for every cut.

The second initiative, AmericaSpeakingOut.com, allows all Americans to submit solutions, register their opinions, debate priorities, and join their friends and neighbors in contributing to a historic dialogue of ideas. Through these initiatives, House Republicans have opened the doors to the backrooms of Congress.

The Pledge to America was built upon input from the American people through these two initiatives and countless town halls, phone calls and letters. The ideas reflect the priorities of the American people- priorities that hve been neglected and flatly rejected by the Pelosi Majority.

Right now, Americans want Congress to be focused on jobs, out-of-control spending and government reform- and the Pledge addresses those issues head on. I fact, this agenda could be implemented right now if Speaker Pelosi, Harry Reid and President Obama would allow it- Republicans stand ready to work with them to implement it today.

At the core of the Pledge is the recognition that we must stimulate the economy through job creation, end the job-killing economic uncertainty afflicting small businesses, eliminate the "stimulus" spending spree in Washington, and reform how Congress does business.

One of the top priorities of the Pledge is ensuring that all the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 are permanently enacted. Without an extension,e very American taxpayer will face higher rates in January 2011: the marriage penalty will return; the child tax credit will be halved: the Death Tax will soar to 55 percent; the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) will ensnare more than 25 million taxpayers; and higher taxes will be levied on investments,. Retirees will be hit with capital gains taxes, devastating their already diminished earnings. The last things our economy
needs is crushing tax increases, adn I assure you that I am working to stop tax hikes being imposed.

The Pledge also calls on Congress to cancel all unspent stimulus funds immediately. Deficit spending is not creating wealth or employment in the private sector and it is this kind of reckless spending that has run up our federal debt, putting future generations on the hook for a seas of red ink.

As your representative in Washington, I look forward to implementing these crucial changes and delivering on our promise to get the economy back on promise to get the economy back on track. I encourage you read the Pledge at http://pledge.gop.gov and continue participating in YouCut and America Speaking Out and let us know what you want from Congress- because we are listening.

Local Impacts Of Illegal Immigration

One of the top issues right now is the potential of amnesty legislation after November. I remain wholeheartedly against amnesty and will continue to fight an attempt to provide legal studies to people who are here illegally. I also continue to push for mandatory employment verification through the use of E-Verify, a program I created in 1996 that is free to employers, web-based and 99.6 percent accurate.

One of the many ways that illegal immigration impacts local communities is through increased costs of public safety. Many local police and police departments bear the cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants. That is why the federal government established the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) which reimburses local governments for costs which are the responsibility of the federal government.

The House has yet to pass the funding bill that includes SCAAP but the Senate bill, which has passed the committee; includes $300 million. Unfortunately, $300 million is not nearly enough to cover the full costs of incarcerating illegal immigration around the country, and particularly in southern California. A recent report found that Congress has only reimbursed about 20 percent of local expenditures over the years leaving local police departments and counties to pay the difference.

Illegal immigration is clearly the responsibility of the federal government. I support a full reimbursement to local governments that if offset within the budget.

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