I view the 110th Congress as an opportunity for much needed change and progress on key issues nationally and on important projects back here in Delaware. I am hopeful we can put the partisan attacks of the 2006 Elections behind us and get back to governing in a civil and responsible manner.
I will personally continue my leadership style of bipartisan legislating, negotiating and prioritizing. We must bring people across the political spectrum to really tackle the tough issues this nation and state faces. It is the only way to get things done.
My top priority is the passage of real lobbying and ethics reform legislation that has teeth. Specifically, I will push Leadership to consider my legislation, The Accountability and Transparency in Ethics Act, which would enact ethics and lobbying reform that mandates licensure of lobbyists, requires ethics training for members and staff and institutes an outside, independent Commission on Investigations to review suggested unethical or illegal activities in Congress. I believe passage of this legislation would set the right tone for future legislative activity.
As a leader in authoring No Child Left Behind, I will also play a key role in its reauthorization. This is important because for the first time we will truly be examining what works and what might need tweaking as we strive to educate all children. My goals are to ensure that adequate funding is in place, that we have a changing growth model by which Adequate Yearly Progress is measured and that we increase the flexibility of the program. Not all children learn the same or at the same rate, and this law needs to reflect that basic premise.
I hope to build on the success I have had in reigning in wasteful bonuses which are awarded to defense contractors regardless of performance. Some top priorities will include targeting no-bid contracts and ensuring sunshine and transparency in all federal grants, contracts and awards.
It is crucial that we continue our push to empower American scientists to join the race for the cure for devastating diseases, and that is why I will continue my leadership on the issue of stem cell research. I am not downtrodden because President Bush vetoed H.R. 810, rather I am energized because I know we have educated the American people and the U.S. Congress about the importance of this research. I will continue to push new legislation to expand the current policy. This issue is too important to set aside until the next President and I certainly won’t be deterred in my quest to see ethical federal oversight of embryonic stem cell research.
As I work to ensure more funding comes to Delaware for energy efficiency research, I will also push legislation to reduce dependence on foreign oil, jumpstart research and development into alternative sources including solar and hydrogen, focusing on conservation and increased CAFE standards, so cars will go further on a tank of gas.
And I will continue my fight for a comprehensive approach to homeland security, by addressing soft targets like rail and port security which are currently underfunded. We need to learn from attacks around the world on public transportation and put in place the necessary precautions. In addition to rail security funding, I will help lead the fight in the House of Representatives to secure federal dollars for the stabilization of Amtrak and fight off efforts to cut funding and privatize the national passenger railroad.
As I have done for many years now, I will continue to work hand in hand with local and state government back here in Delaware on issues such as beach replenishment, water and infrastructure development and funding for key health centers. I hope my push to create a recreational area along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal will truly take off in the coming years, and that the recreational trail will be completed so families throughout the Mid-Atlantic region will be drawn to Delaware for increased recreational opportunity.
Finally, I will continue my work with Delaware’s Congressional Delegation to ensure the Dover Air Force Base remains the premier air mobility command base in the nation. A particular focus will be paid to the C-17 bed down and the modernization and re-engineering of the C-5s and completing construction projects such as the air traffic control tower and the air freight terminal.
This is not a short list of goals — nor is it exhaustive — but each and every one of these initiatives is a priority for me. I am proud to serve as Delaware’s Congressman and will use my position and leadership in Washington for the next two years to fight for reasonable solutions to the issues facing this state and nation.