House GOP Revels The American Families Agenda

Solution #1: Assuring More Time & Money For America’s Families
One of the biggest struggles families face is how to balance work and family. Caring for a sick child or elderly parent can make the traditional 40-hour work week a challenge. What parents need more than anything is more flexibility and time with their family. Moreover, the government must reduce the burden on America’s family-owned small businesses so they can grow and compete in the global economy. Across the board, it is costing families more and more just to put food on the table or drive to work. In many cases, it costs them more per month to fill their gas tank than it does to make their car payment. We must:

* Lower gas prices and energy costs

* Provide for a family-friendly work week

* Grow our small businesses

Solution #2: Assuring Health Care And Retirement Security For America’s FamiliesAmericans change jobs numerous times during their lifetimes. To respond to these transitions, we need to make our benefits – from health care to retirement – more portable. We also need to increase access to health insurance for those who currently can’t afford coverage and provide more effective care and choice for seniors. Prevention must also become a national priority. The CDC says that 75 percent of all U.S. health spending goes to treat chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes – diseases that are influenced by lifestyle. We must:

* Allow workers to take their benefits with them when they change jobs

* Take care of our parents and grandparents

* Assure health care for all

* Make prevention a national priority

Solution #3: Protecting America’s Kids
Parents are very concerned about their children’s security at school and at home. We must do more to protect our kids from predators online and in our neighborhoods. We must also crack down on gangs in our cities and suburbs. We also need to provide health care to our neediest children. We must:

* Crackdown on child predators and gangs

* Provide health care for our neediest children

Solution #4: Assuring Education Access For America’s Families
A good education is the doorway to success and a critical part of making our country more competitive in a global economy. Unfortunately, our school system is falling short. Not only do we need to make it easier for young adults to get a college education, we have to do a better job of providing the basic fundamentals for all children. College tuition is on the rise, historically at about twice the rate of inflation. Furthermore, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 38 percent of fourth graders could not read at a basic level in 2002 -- that is, they could not read and understand a short paragraph that one would find in a simple children’s book. We must:

* Reduce the costs and burden of college tuition

* Ensure every child in America can read and write

* Increase local control

* Ensure our schools perform for our children

Solution # 5: Supporting America’s Military Families And Keeping Our Country Safe
Our nation’s most solemn duties are to take care of our troops, veterans, and their families and to keep families safe. It is critical that we continue to fight and win the war on terror, and that we support our men and women who serve in our Armed Forces and their families. Finally, we have to secure our borders. We must:

* Take care of our troops, veterans and their families

* Win the war on terror

* Secure our borders