DEMOCRATS’ PROMISES: FAMILIES, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION & RETIREMENT SECURITY

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #3: Make Children’s Health Care a Priority
Promise: “In the next Congress, Democrats will take America in a New Direction, making health care for our children a real priority.” – Speaker-Elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Release, December 9, 2006

Broken Promise: “The [State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP] coverage program expires Sept. 30, but [Democratic Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman John] Dingell offered no specific timetable for marking up reauthorization legislation.” – “Dingell Plays Down Tobacco Tax as SCHIP Funding Source,” Congressional Quarterly Health Beat, March 29, 2007. This legislation had still not been moved by Democrats as of June 26, 2007.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #4: Universal Children’s Health Care
Promise: “Universal Children’s Health Care. . .[We should] make sure all parents in America have the responsibility and the means to obtain health insurance for their children.” – The Plan, Rahm Emanuel & Bruce Reed, Page 55

Broken Promise: During the first six months of the Democratic Congress, no legislation has been passed to provide universal children’s health care.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #5: Improve Health Information Technology
Promise: “We need to cut the cost of health care so that. . .every child in America at last can get it. We can save hundreds of billions by adopting electronic medical records [and implementing other reforms]. . .” – The Plan, Rahm Emanuel & Bruce Reed, Page 55

Broken Promise: Democrats have passed no legislation to improve health information technology since taking power in Congress. In 2006, the Republican-led House passed such legislation with bipartisan support (the Better Health Information System Act, H.R. 4157 – passed July 27, 2006 by a vote of 270-148) – but then-Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Emanuel voted “no.”

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #6: Expand Small Business Health Care
Promise: “Instead of leaving small businesses to fend for themselves [on health care], we should give them the opportunity to pool their purchasing power.” –The Plan, Rahm Emanuel & Bruce Reed, Page 113

Promise: “We need to cut the cost of health care so that every business can afford it. . .As we [achieve savings through health care reform], we should use them to give small businesses access to the same health care plans as members of Congress. . .” – The Plan, Rahm Emanuel & Bruce Reed, Page 55

Broken Promise: House Democrats, including now-Democratic Caucus Chairman Emanuel, unanimously opposed a House Republican proposal to enable small businesses to pool their purchasing power and offer their employees the same health care benefits large corporations and unions can offer – even though 36 House Democrats supported this plan in the last Congress. The GOP proposal opposed by Chairman Emanuel would have significantly expanded access to health coverage for uninsured families across the country by giving small businesses the opportunity to pool their purchasing power and purchase health coverage for their workers on par with the plans used by larger businesses and the federal government. – Roll Call Vote #17, January 10, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #7: Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable
Promise: “We will begin by making prescription drugs more affordable for our seniors by allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices.” – Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Release, August 16, 2006

Broken Promise: Six months after Democrats took power in Congress, their “Six for ‘06” Medicare price control legislation remains stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate, and no such legislation has been sent to the President.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #8: Lower Drug Prices For ALL Americans
Promise: “This crucial legislation requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices on behalf of the more than 22 million Americans in Medicare prescription drug plans…This is just the beginning of Democratic efforts to ensure that quality health care is accessible and affordable for the American people.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Release, January 12, 2007

Broken Promise: “The [nonpartisan] Congressional Research Service said that if the government negotiated lower drug prices for Medicare, pharmaceutical companies might respond by increasing prices for other buyers.” – “Bush Threatens Veto of Medicare Drug Bill, But a Senator is Seeking Middle Ground,” New York Times, January 12, 2007. After six full months, not a single bill to make more accessible and affordable for the American people has been sent to President Bush by the Democrat-controlled Congress.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #9: Cut Loan Interest Rates in Half for Parents
Promise: “Our new direction plan will slash interest rates on college loans in half to … 4.25% for parents.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) “A New Direction for America,” Page 17

Broken Promise: “Although Kennedy’s proposal would reduce rates on parent-borrowed PLUS loans to 4.25 percent from 8.5, the House bill offers no break.” – “Bills to Ease Student Loan Rates on Hill,” Chicago Tribune, February 4, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #10: Cut Loan Interest Rates in Half for Students
Promise: “Our New Direction plan will slash interest rates on college loans in half to 3.4% for students …” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) “A New Direction for America,” Page 17

Broken Promise: Democrats drastically scaled back their plans for a student loan interest rate cut shortly after taking power in Congress. And six months after Democrats took power, no legislation to cut student loan interest rates – temporarily or otherwise – has been sent to the President. “The much-touted House Democratic measure to slash in half student loan interest rates over five years has been drafted to offer only temporary relief.” – “House Dems Offer Only Temporary Student Loan Rate Cut,” CongressDaily AM, January 16, 2007.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #11: Improve College Access for All
Promise: “A college education is as important today as high school was a generation ago – and Democrats intend to make attending college just as affordable and available to all.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) “A New Direction for America,” Page 17

Broken Promise: “‘It’s a great sound bite – cutting rates in half,’ says Mark Kantrowitz, the publisher of FinAid.org, which gives information about ways to pay for college. ‘But it’s an incredibly expensive proposal with very little student aid benefit. The benefit … comes after students have graduated, which makes it unlikely to get more low-income students to enroll in college, especially since they tend to fear debt more.’” – “Congress Moves to Cut College Loan Costs,” Christian Science Monitor, January 16, 2007. Six months after Democrats took power in Congress, no legislation to make college more affordable or accessible has been sent to the President. In June, House Education & Labor Committee Democrats also voted en masse against a GOP alternative proposal that would have used savings from higher education programs to increase funding for the Pell Grant college access program by $12 billion over the next five years, instead voting for a Democratic measure that puts the bulk of that money into benefits for individuals who have already graduated from college and earned a degree.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #12: Reward Teachers for Performance
Promise: “It’s time to revive the standards movement [by] attracting top-flight teachers by rewarding them for performance, not just credentials …” –The Plan, Rahm Emanuel & Bruce Reed, Page 77

Broken Promise: As Democratic Caucus Chairman, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) is co-sponsor of a bill that fails to fulfill his promise – the Teacher Excellence for All Children Act (H.R. 2204), legislation authored by Education and Labor Committee Democrats that places a premium on teacher credentials and tenure, rather than on classroom performance. Republicans, however, have stepped forward with legislation to reward good teachers for good performance. Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) has introduced the Teacher Incentive Fund Act (H.R. 1761), a Republican alternative to provide grants to local school districts to design and implement their own performance pay systems to reward teachers for closing the achievement gap inside the classroom.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #13: Universal Retirement Savings
Promise: “From now on, every job ought to come with a 401(k). . .Employers should be required to offer 401(k)s, and workers will be enrolled unless they choose otherwise.” – The Plan, Rahm Emanuel & Bruce Reed, Page 55

Promise: “[W]e should require all employers to offer workers a pension or 401(k) ….” – The Plan, Rahm Emanuel & Bruce Reed, Page 91

Broken Promise: As of June 27, 2007, no legislation to encourage universal retirement savings has been passed by the Democratic Congress. In fact, last year the majority of House Democrats (including now-Speaker Nancy Pelosi) voted against the Pension Protection Act, the most comprehensive reforms of the worker pension system in more than a generation. Of note, the Pension Protection Act included measures to automatically enroll employees into worker 401(k) savings plans. – Roll Call Vote #422, July 28, 2006

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #14: No More Borrowing from Social Security
Promise: “We will not borrow the money from the Social Security trust fund and from other creditors around the world.” – Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), House Floor Remarks, March 28, 2007

Broken Promise: 215 Democrats, including Democratic Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), voted “NO” on a Republican proposal to prohibit increases in authorization spending levels if the Social Security surplus has been spent the previous year. – Roll Call Vote #300, May 3, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #15: Protect Social Security
Promise: “And we will ensure retirement security every day by protecting Social Security, protecting pensions and making savings easier for retirement for our seniors.” – Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) “Press Conference,” July 28, 2006

Broken Promise: “[The Democrats’] spending plan does nothing at all to address the problems facing the Social Security and Medicare systems, which are growing ever closer to spending more than they take in as the gigantic baby boom generation ages and retires.” – “A New Budget Proposal in No Way Unassuming,” The Republican (Springfield, MA) Editorial, May 17, 2007

Broken Promise: House Democrats voted en masse against a House Republican substitute budget that would have achieved balance by 2012 while ending the raid on Social Security, voting instead for a Democratic budget that allows the raid to continue.