News from California's Border Congressman

Economy


Headlines

 

March 9, 2011  

Congressman Filner Joins Congressional Caucus on Beef

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner announced today that he has joined the Congressional Caucus on Beef.

"I am pleased to continue my membership on the Congressional Caucus on Beef," said Congressman Filner. "The beef industry has a long, rich history in the Imperial Valley and I intend to protect this important part of our community's economic and social fabric."

The House Beef Caucus is a forum for members of Congress to build consensus around legislation, regulations and other factors that impact the beef and cattle industry.

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February 7, 2011  

Congressman Filner Joins Dairy Farmers Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner recently joined the Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus.

"I look forward to being a member of the Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus," said Congressman Filner. "The dairy industry is an integral part of the Imperial Valley and I look forward to working with my colleagues to address the enormous challenges they face in today's economy."

The Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus is a forum for members of Congress to work on a bipartisan basis to build consensus around legislation, regulations and other factors impacting the dairy industry.

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January 28, 2011  

Congressman Filner Introduces Legislation to Reinstate the Homebuyer Tax Credits!

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner has introduced the Homebuyer Tax Credit Renewal Act of 2011 (H.R. 330), which will reinstate both the $8000 first-time homebuyer credit and the $6500 long-time homebuyer credit for a period of 1 year.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 479,622 homebuyers claimed the credit in 2009. While the numbers for 2010 are not yet available, there is no doubt that the tax credit was instrumental in helping many first-time buyers achieve the American dream of homeownership by increasing down-payments and lowering monthly mortgage payments.

"Homeownership is one of the best ways for working Americans to accumulate assets for retirement and to ensure neighborhoods are stable and well-maintained," said Congressman Filner. "Homeowners are also able to benefit from tax deductions like the mortgage interest and property tax deductions."

Homeownership also benefits children in numerous ways. Children of homeowners score better on academic tests, graduate at a higher rate, have fewer behavioral problems, and enjoy a better social environment. Living in an owned home is also a predictor of future success, as homeowners' children earn more than renters' children, are less likely to be on welfare, and are more likely to become homeowners themselves.

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Headlines

 

October 13, 2010  

Congressman Filner Urges President’s Deficit Reduction Commission to Look to Cuts in Pentagon’s Budget

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner joined more than 50 other representatives and senators in calling on the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to look at cuts to excessive defense spending to help address America’s national debt crisis.

"We cannot keep going down the path of out of control defense spending that was set under the Bush administration," said Congressman Filner. "Any meaningful reform has to include cuts to the Pentagon’s budget."

The members of Congress came together to call on the Commission to look closely at excessive defense spending in an effort to reduce the Federal deficit and national debt. Specifically, the group of 57 members of Congress urges "in the strongest terms that any final Commission report include among its recommendations substantial reductions in projected levels of future spending by the Department of Defense."

The group of representatives and senators say that given the size of the U.S. deficit and rapidly growing debt, cutting the military budget must be a part of any viable proposal. The Department of Defense currently takes up almost 56 percent of all discretionary federal spending, and it accounts for nearly 65 percent of the increase in annual discretionary spending levels since 2001. They go on to say that they strongly believe significant cuts to defense spending are necessary and can be made in a way that will not endanger national security.

The full letter can be found here.

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September 23, 2010  

House Passes Bill to Cut Taxes and Provide Access to Capital for Small Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Filner voted to spur economic growth and create 500,000 new jobs by encouraging the development of American small businesses. The Small Business Jobs Act, which passed the House of Representatives earlier today, increases much-needed lending to millions of small businesses, and offers 8 new tax incentives to companies, so that they may expand, hire, and fuel our economy. It also keeps jobs in America by closing tax loopholes that reward corporations that ship jobs overseas.

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and we need to do everything we can to help them expand and hire new employees," said Congressman Filner. "This will help small businesses grow by providing new tax cuts and increasing their access to capital."

The Small Business Jobs Act will help America’s 27 million small businesses create new jobs and grow with $12 billion in tax cuts. It will make Main Street businesses more competitive with big corporations by leveraging up to $300 billion in private sector lending for small businesses, along with state grants for small business lending. With tax cuts and access to more capital, our nation’s small businesses will be able to put more Americans back to work. The Small Business Jobs Act takes another step to end job outsourcing by ending tax incentives for companies that ship jobs overseas. Finally, this bill is fully paid for and will not add a dime to the deficit.

"When I recently brought together banks, small businesses and federal agencies, the one thing I heard from all of them was that the biggest problem small businesses were facing was the lack of access to capital," said Congressman Filner. "I’m glad we were able to pass a bill today that will give them the support they need to not only sustain their businesses, but expand."

The bill now goes to the president for his signature.

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July 15, 2010  

Congressman Filner votes to cut government waste

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner voted to reduce waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars by cutting out improper and excessive payments from federal agency spending. The Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act will help identify, reduce and eliminate improper payments, as well as recover lost funds that federal agencies have spent improperly.

"There is no excuse for wasting taxpayer money," said Congressman Filner. "This bill will crack down on improper spending by federal agencies and provide the transparency and accountability taxpayers deserve."

Federal agencies spent $98 billion of taxpayer funds on improper payments in 2009, according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This legislation includes provisions to increase transparency, prevent improper payments, recover overpayments, and hold federal agencies accountable.

The bill will require agencies to develop and report on action plans to avoid future wasteful spending. It will lower the threshold for reporting improper payments, increase audits to hold agencies accountable, and make top agency managers responsible for reducing improper payments.

The Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act, S. 1508, which was sponsored in the House by Congressman Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, passed by a voted of 414 to 0 and now heads to President Obama for his signature.

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July 7, 2010  

Congressman Filner on today’s protest against bank foreclosure practices

SAN DIEGO, CA - U.S. Congressman Bob Filner today called on big banks to work with homeowners facing foreclosure and eviction. After a protest and sit-in at Union Bank in downtown San Diego that closed the bank for over two hours, Congressman Filner released the following statement:

Today we made our voices heard. For weeks the bank refused to work with us, so we took our message to their front door - the big banks who received billions of dollars from the federal government should be helping keep people in their homes not kicking them to the street. We stood arm in arm with a homeowner today who was able to pay, but her bank wouldn’t work with her to modify the loan. After initially being refused entrance to the bank, I and a few others were allowed in to discuss the matter. We had a constructive meeting and were able to come to an agreement that a corporate representative would sit down with me and my constituents in a private meeting to go over each loan for possible modifications.

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July 1, 2010  

Congressman Filner votes to rein in Wall Street, protect consumers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Late yesterday, Congressman Bob Filner voted to rein in Wall Street, end taxpayer bailouts of big banks, and create a consumer financial protection bureau that finally puts consumers first. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act will end the era of abuses by "too big to fail" banks that have cost the American people 8 million jobs and $17 trillion in retirement savings and net worth.

"Too many people lost their jobs, their homes and their savings as a result of reckless decisions by Wall Street," said Congressman Filner. "This will put the power back in the hands of consumers and restore some common sense after almost a decade of the government looking the other way when it came to big banks taking advantage of the system."

The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act will help prevent the risky financial practices that led to the financial meltdown and stop large financial firms from gambling with Americans’ retirement and college savings and home values. In addition, taxpayers will no longer pay the price for Wall Street’s irresponsibility. The bill creates a process to shut down large, failing firms whose collapse would put the entire economy at risk. After exhausting all of the company’s assets, additional costs would be covered by a "dissolution fund," to which all large financial firms would contribute.

The bill will create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new consumer watchdog devoted to protecting Americans from unfair and abusive financial practices. This independent bureau will provide clear and accurate information to families and small businesses to ensure that bank loans, mortgages, and credit cards are fair and affordable. Just like the FDA does for medical safety, the CFPB will set safety standards to prevent practices such as hidden credit card fees, deceptive "fine print," and other financial abuses that have escaped oversight so far.

"Once again this vote came down to being on the side of working families or on the side of the big banks," said Filner. "I’m on the side of working families who want consumer protection from fraud and financial security."

The bill has been called the "strongest set of Wall Street reforms in three generations" by Elizabeth Warren, Chair of the nonpartisan Congressional Oversight Panel, and has been endorsed by the AARP, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Council of Institutional Investors, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Restaurant Association, Public Citizen, SEIU, and US PIRG, among other organizations. The bill was publicly debated for more than 50 hours, and includes over 70 Republican and bipartisan amendments.

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March 24, 2010  

Congressman Filner calls for stepped up efforts to curb foreclosures

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Bob Filner signed onto a letter today calling for stepped up efforts to stem foreclosures. In the letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Congressman Filner, along with more than two dozen House members, criticized the lack of progress in curbing the number of home foreclosures and dealing with their impact on the economy.

The letter in part reads, the "failure to take effective actions to manage the avalanche of home foreclosures is one of the great public policy failings of our time."

"What’s being done isn’t working," said Filner. "We are asking for efforts to be redoubled and for them to think outside the current program. We just can’t wait any longer for them to try to retool what they are doing. We need to try something else."

Instead of relying on voluntary programs, the lawmakers recommend creating a new program to purchase mortgages. The program would be modeled after the Home Owners Loan Corporation and given the authority to tackle today’s foreclosure crisis.

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February 23, 2010  

Congressman Bob Filner and the Building Industry Coalition for Economic Recovery Stage a Bank Protest!

Congressman Filner and the Building Industry Coalition for Economic Recovery joined together in Downtown San Diego in protest of several large banks who have failed to alter their lending practices that would have helped many small businesses and homeowners. Congressman Filner encourages the public to boycott banks like Bank of America who are resisting federal legislative reform that would lower the risk of another financial meltdown.

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January 6, 2010  

Congressman Filner Concerned that California May Lose Federal Funds

Congressman Bob Filner, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is concerned that the State of California may lose millions of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds allocated to the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF).

According to recent information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the State of California has been slow to spend ARRA funding allocated through the CWSRF and DWSRF. The State of California was obligated $283,116,500 for the CWSRF, but has only $181,073,759 under contract and $18,880,616 in project outlays. The State was obligated $159,008,000 for the DWSRF, but has only $74,376,300 under contact and $667,323 in outlays.

The State of California must have the remaining CWSRF and DWSRF funding under contract by February 17, 2010. Any funds not under contract by the statutory deadline will be lost and re-allocated to other states.

In a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Congressman Filner stated: "With so many Californians out of work, there is absolutely no excuse for our state to forgo federal funds that could be used to put people to work immediately and make long-term investments in our water infrastructure. I urge you to take immediate action to ensure the remaining funds are equitably distributed to local communities for projects that can be under contract before the statutory deadline!"

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Headlines

 

December 11, 2009  

Filner Update on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Transportation and Infrastructure Projects

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, on which Congressman Filner serves, held a hearing on "The Recovery Act: Progress Report for Transportation Infrastructure Investment."

On February 17, 2009, the Recovery Act was signed into law. The Recovery Act provided $48.1 billion of transportation investment for programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, including: $27.5 billion for highways and bridges; $8.4 billion for transit; $9.3 billion for passenger rail; $1.5 billion for competitive surface transportation grants; $1.3 billion for aviation; and $100 million for small shipyard grants. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee established strict reporting requirements for states and local transportation agencies and has held regular hearings to measure States’ progress.

"The construction industry in San Diego County has been particularly hard-hit by the recession. It is critical that Congress ensure CALTRANS and local governments act quickly to spend federal stimulus funds and create jobs in San Diego County," stated Congressman Filner. "On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, we have been keeping track of every dollar that has been allocated, holding states and local government accountable."

Attached is list of projects that have been announced in San Diego County to date. The Committee has also published a complete list of all announced projects on-line at: http://transportation.house.gov/.

Based on the data reported by States to date, the 7,886 highway and transit projects that are underway nation-wide have created or sustained more than 210,000 direct, on-project jobs. Direct job creation from highway and transit projects has resulted in payroll expenditures exceeding $1.1 billion. Using this data, the Committee calculates that $179 million in unemployment checks have been avoided as a result of this direct job creation.

Equally important as direct, on-project jobs, are indirect and induced jobs in the supply chain that have resulted from Recovery Act investments. Indirect jobs include jobs at companies that produce construction materials such as steel, sand, gravel, cement, and asphalt, or manufacture equipment such as new transit buses. Total employment from these 7,886 highway and transit projects, which includes direct, indirect, and induced jobs, reaches nearly 630,000.

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August 4, 2009  

Rep. Filner Votes to Protect American Taxpayers, Shareholders By Reining in Executive Compensation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Filner voted to protect American taxpayers and shareholders from the excessive and risky compensation practices at big financial firms that contributed to the collapse of the financial markets last fall. The Corporate and Financial Institution Compensation Fairness Act is the first piece of a larger regulatory reform package the House will take up in the fall to fulfill our commitment to rebuild our economy stronger and restore Americans’ faith in our financial system.

"For years, excessive compensation encouraged risky behavior at large financial firms and gambled with our financial future," said Congressman Filner. "This bill reins in risky executive compensation at these firms to protect shareholders, and ultimately the American taxpayer, from the kind of financial ruin we saw last year."

The Corporate and Financial Institution Compensation Fairness Act puts an end to the perverse incentives that encourage executives at large financial firms to take excessive risks at the expense of their companies, employees and shareholders. It requires federal regulators to monitor inappropriate or risky compensation practices and compels large financial firms to disclose any compensation structures that include incentive-based elements. The bill also gives shareholders at public companies a say on the pay for top executives.

"This bill is an important part of our broader economic strategy," said Congressman Filner. "We are working to rebuild our economy stronger than it was before. Regulatory reform is absolutely crucial to that effort."

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July 27, 2009  

Rep. Filner Votes to Help Struggling Americans, Grow Our Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner has voted to invest in improvements in the education, housing and health care of the American people. The Labor, Health and Education Appropriations Act, H.R. 3293, builds on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide short-term relief to struggling American families by shoring up our social safety net programs, and long-term solutions to help grow our economy and build up the workforce of the future.

"This legislation is an important part of our broader economic strategy," said Congressman Filner. "It allows us to provide short-term help to those who need it most, while making long-term investments in building up our workforce and helping our youth get the skills they need to succeed in the jobs of the future. We continue to pass our appropriations bills on time and under budget in a fiscally responsible manner by eliminating programs that aren’t working."

The legislation shores up programs that serve as crucial social safety nets for many Americans struggling to make ends meet in this recession. It includes funding to provide jobs, meals and other support services to impoverished seniors, as well as critical energy assistance programs that help heat and cool low income homes. The bill also funds grants that allow states to provide health care to more of their uninsured residents.

To build and train the next generation of workers, this bill includes funding to recruit and train health professionals in underserved areas and encourages our brightest doctors and scientists to develop the latest medical discoveries that will keep Americans healthy and reduce health care costs. The legislation also provides funds for programs such as the Teacher Incentive Fund, which encourages teachers to innovate and find new ways to engage students and help them learn, while boosting funding for literacy programs and college preparation programs for disadvantaged students.

"This bill gives our workers the tools they need to thrive in a new clean energy economy and provides aid to veterans and those workers that were recently affected by mass layoffs," said Congressman Filner. "At the same time, we fund new and existing programs to improve education for our young people and help them succeed in college and beyond. As the workforce of the future, we must ensure that they are ready for the challenges of a 21st century global economy."

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July 10, 2009  

Filner Votes to Create Small Business Jobs, Spur Economic Growth

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner has voted to create new jobs and boost the economy by supporting small business innovation in research and technology. The Small Business Research and Innovation Act, HR 2965, is part of our long-term economic blueprint to spur job creation by encouraging America’s entrepreneurs to innovate toward breakthrough technological advancements.

"Small businesses are the engines that drive innovation and pioneer new technologies in this country," said Filner. "Supporting small business research and development will create new products and millions of new American jobs for years to come."

The bill modernizes the government’s largest small business research and development programs, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, more than doubling the amount of the grants small businesses can apply for and helping them engage in cutting-edge research.

The Small Business Research and Innovation Act will broaden the pool of businesses that participate in the programs by reaching out to rural entrepreneurs, veterans, minorities and women. The bill will make it easier for small businesses to find financing, allowing them – not Washington bureaucrats – to decide how to raise capital. It also puts a greater emphasis on helping smaller firms bring their products to market.

"Every year, these programs help about 1,500 new firms get off the ground," said Filner. "There’s simply no more effective way to boost our economy than to support the small business innovation that creates new jobs, new technologies and new American industries."

Since 1992, the SBIR and STTR programs have awarded 65,000 grants to small companies that are leading research efforts to cure diseases, strengthen national defense and reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources. Without action by Congress, these programs would expire later this month.

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July 13, 2009  

Filner Votes to Protect Consumers, Help Small Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner has voted to protect consumers and investors by helping to restore the stability of America’s financial markets and boost oversight of consumer products, including toys, which we bring into our homes. This bill is another step forward in cracking down on runaway financial excesses and rebuilding regulatory protections for homeowners, investors and consumers needed to stabilize and restore confidence in the American economy. The Financial Services Appropriations Act, H.R. 3170, is part of our long term economic plan to restore Americans’ trust in our financial and consumer markets.

"American families were let down by the regulatory agencies that allowed dangerous products to enter our homes and criminals like Bernie Madoff to swindle families out of their hard-earned savings," said Congressman Filner. "This bill will strengthen oversight of our financial markets and consumer products to make sure this doesn’t happen again."

The Financial Services Appropriations Act strengthens the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the rules that govern financial markets, detect and prosecute fraudulent schemes and protect consumers. It also gives the Inspectors General of some of our key financial regulatory agencies more of the tools they need to carry out oversight of investigations of bank failures and market manipulation.

In response to massive recalls on household products such as children’s toys, the legislation boosts funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission so they can thoroughly inspect more of the products families bring into their homes.

To stabilize the economy and create jobs, the bill includes more capital and credit for small businesses and disadvantaged communities through the Small Business Administration and Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.

"Our economic recovery is directly tied to the health and stability of our small businesses," said Congressman Filner. "This bill gives small business owners the resources they need to invest in, and grow, their businesses. The innovation and success of our small businesses will create jobs and opportunity to put us back on the path towards long term economic prosperity."

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July 13, 2009  

Filner Announces Stimulus Funding for Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians

Today, Congressman Bob Filner announced that the Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians, along with six other Indian Tribes in California, will have improved access to vital water services through funds awarded from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, otherwise known as the stimulus bill.

"On tribal lands, 10 percent of homes lack access to safe drinking water compared to less than 1 percent of non-native homes," said Congressman Filner. "I am glad to announce that, in San Diego County, the Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians will receive $753,100 for drinking water treatment."

News of the awards came from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service (IHS). $90 million nationwide is being awarded for shovel-ready infrastructure projects designed to protect human health and environmental resources in Indian Country.

"This funding creates jobs for tribal members, addresses critical infrastructure needs, and increases access to drinking water and basic sanitation services," said Congressman Filner. "By 2010, thousands of tribal homes in the Pacific Southwest are expected to receive piped drinking water or basic sanitation services for the first time."

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on February 17, 2009 and directed that the Act be implemented with transparency and accountability. The additional tribes in California receiving funding at this time include the Quechan Tribe, Tule River Indian Reservation, Round Valley Indian Tribes, Redwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians, Grindstone Indian Rancheria of Wintun-Wailaki Indians of California, and Redding Rancheria.

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June 19, 2009  

Filner Announces Funds for Imperial County

Congressman Bob Filner today announced that the Department of Interior has released $3,093,802 to Imperial County, California under the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program.

"PILT payments help local communities pay for important services, including emergency response, public schools, and roads," said Rep. Filner. "I have long supported the PILT Program because it helps communities offset the foregone revenues to counties for federal lands within their jurisdiction."

Imperial County is the second-largest recipient of PILT payments in California, after Riverside County. Nationwide, the Department of Interior will pay $381.6 million to compensate nearly 1,850 local units of government.

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June 15, 2009  

Congressman Filner Announces New Small Businesses Lending Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Many local small businesses may soon be eligible for interest-free loans under a new program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Congressman Bob Filner announced today. The newly launched "America’s Recovery Capital" (ARC) program allows small firms to take out loans of $35,000 to pay down existing business debts. Borrowers pay no interest on the ARC loans and repayment does not begin for one year. The loan program was established through the ARRA, which the President signed into law in February. Rep. Filner said the new loans are part of Democrats’ ongoing work to help rebuild the economy.

"There are many businesses throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties that would be viable in the long term if they could just make it through this rough patch," said Rep. Filner. "That’s why we created this initiative. The ARC program gives entrepreneurs the breathing room they need, so they can pay their bills, retain employees and play their traditional role as job creators in our economic recovery."

To qualify for the ARC loans, small firms must demonstrate they are experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the economic downturn, but are otherwise deemed viable by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The loans will be made by commercial lenders and can be used for payments of principal and interest for existing, qualifying small business debts like credit card obligations, mortgages, lines of credit, and balances due to suppliers, vendors, and utilities. Rep. Filner said that in addition to the ARC loan program, the ARRA contained other measures aimed at helping small firms access credit. For instance, the new law increases the percentage of a loan that the SBA can guarantee, makes SBA-backed loans more affordable and provides tools to unfreeze the small business credit markets, helping small companies access capital at affordable rates.

"Small businesses are our nation’s most reliable job creators, generating seven out of ten new jobs," Rep. Filner said. "If our nation is going to lift itself out of this recession, we need entrepreneurs to start growing again. The ARC loan program is one element in a whole series of initiatives in the Recovery Act aimed at giving small firms the tools they need to lead our nation back to prosperity."

To apply for ARC loans, businesses should visit their local SBA-approved small business lenders. The loans will be available through Sept. 30, 2010, or until appropriated funding runs out.

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June 26, 2009  

Congressman Filner Votes For Landmark Clean Energy Jobs Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner proudly announces that he voted to pass landmark clean energy legislation that will create millions of new American jobs, limit the pollution that causes climate change, and reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. The American Clean Energy and Security Act builds on clean energy investments made in the Recovery Act, and unleashes private sector investment to create jobs that can’t be outsourced – and American-made technology that can.

"This bill is a crucial part of our economic recovery," said Rep. Filner. "It will create millions of new American jobs and entire new industries. It is critical to our national security, helping reduce foreign oil imports by more than 5 million barrels a day – the amount we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela – and it reduces the carbon pollution that causes global warming. It’s very similar to the American solution that successfully fought acid rain in the 1990s."

With a combination of price spike protections, energy refunds and cost-saving technology, this bill will protect consumers, keep costs low, and protect current jobs by helping energy-intensive industries transition to a cleaner, more profitable future. According to the EPA, the legislation would cost a typical American household less than a postage stamp per day, or less than $111 a year. Lower income households will see no new costs; in fact the Congressional Budget Office found that they would actually save $40 per year with the plan. To maintain the return to fiscal responsibility that has become a hallmark of this Congress, the bill will not increase the deficit.

"We can’t afford not to act," said Rep. Filner. "After years of energy costs going up, stagnant job creation, increasing dependence on foreign oil, and carbon pollution going unchecked for far too long, the American Clean Energy and Security Act takes America in bold new direction, toward a lasting prosperity."

The bill will significantly reduce dangerous pollution by limiting emissions from electric utilities, oil refineries, and other major sources. It also promotes all forms of American clean energy, including wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. It supports private investment in nuclear power, cleaner coal technology, and new efficient American vehicle technology. The legislation also creates an opportunity for farmers and ranchers, allowing them to earn carbon offsets in exchange for planting trees, preserving existing forests, practicing sustainable farming methods, and other stewardship activities.

This bill is the same type of market-based American solution we successfully put into place to fight acid rain with the bi-partisan Clean Air Act in 1990. That legislation led to a 10 percent decrease in electricity rates and 16 million new jobs.

"This bill sets out to tackle the most pressing global challenge we face – in a way that creates jobs and grows the economy, makes us more energy independent, and protects consumers and taxpayers in the process. We’ve done this successfully before on a smaller scale, so we know how to make it work," said Rep. Filner.

Taking a balanced approach, the American Clean Energy and Security Act has received broad support from both industry and environmental groups and Members of Congress from across the country. It is backed by a coalition that includes consumer groups, electric utilities, car companies, manufacturers, environmental organizations, agriculture and forestry groups, and labor organizations among many others.

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June 9, 2009  

Congressman Filner Brings Accountability, Transparency to Financial Regulatory Agencies

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Filner voted to reform our regulatory agencies with improved transparency and accountability. The Improved Financial and Commodity Markets Oversight and Accountability Act will elevate the Inspectors General of our regulatory agencies, giving them the independence, authority and tools they need to monitor our nation’s financial systems, markets and retirement security.

"Now, more than ever, we must bring honesty, transparency and independence to our financial and commodity markets," said Rep. Filner. "Without these tools, our Inspectors General simply have not been able to do their jobs."

The legislation elevates the Inspectors General of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Credit Union Administration and the Pension and Benefit Guaranty Corporation, giving them independent status to properly oversee and monitor their respective agencies. Currently, these Inspectors General are hired by, and serve at the privilege of, the heads of their respective agencies – the very people they are meant to oversee. This bill makes them independent entities free to pursue investigations without fear of repercussions.

"Accountability and transparency are the hallmarks of this Congress," said Rep. Filner. "This is one of many important steps we are taking towards making sure our regulatory agencies live up to these standards."

A recent report released by the non-independent Inspector General of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed that despite the recent economic crisis and turbulence in the oil market, their office completed just two investigations and updated one between October 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009.

"The American people have a right to know that our regulatory agencies are working in their best interest – and to the best of their abilities," said Rep. Filner. "By making the Inspectors General of these agencies independent, we are protecting American consumers and keeping our regulators honest."

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June 5, 2009  

Congressman Filner Supports Working Families, Extends Paid Parental Leave to Government Employees

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner voted to provide paid family leave for new parents employed by the federal government by bringing the federal workforce up to private industry standards. The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (FEPPLA) provides federal employees with four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

"Paid leave is an economic lifeline for working families," said Rep. Filner. "Most families simply cannot afford to forgo either parent’s paycheck – especially with a new child in the household."

FEPPLA finally brings the federal government – the nation’s largest employer with almost two million employees – up to private industry standards for paid parental leave. Currently, under the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, federal employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave. This new legislation helps ensure that the federal government retains an experienced professional workforce and becomes more competitive in recruiting new workers.

"Paid parental leave is key to making the federal government more cost effective by retaining employees and reducing turnover," explained Rep. Filner. "On average, turnover costs amount to about 20% of an employee’s salary, while paid parental leave is only 8% – that’s a big savings for the American taxpayer."

The bill also fosters healthier families by setting children and new parents on the path towards future success. Child development experts continuously find that mothers need substantial time to recover from childbirth, and that both parents need time to care for, and bond with, a new child or infant.

"It’s just unacceptable that right now the U.S. is the only industrialized country that does not provide income support for federal workers with a new child," said Rep. Filner. "By passing this bill, we’ve shown that families and family values are a top priority for this government and that our workforce should have comparable standards to professional private sector employees."

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June 3, 2009  

Making Sure Recovery Act Funds are Spent Wisely

By Congressman Bob Filner

A snapshot of the economy right now has a few glimmers of hope in some of the leading indicators, but most Americans – and most American businesses – are struggling and may not see real improvement in their economic situation for months or perhaps even years.

In Congress, we are working to ensure that our recovery is built on a foundation that is sustainable for years to come. That means clean energy jobs that free us from foreign oil and make America the global leader in clean energy technology. It means making sure every American has their choice of a doctor and an insurance plan to provide affordable and quality health care and, in turn, making American businesses dramatically more competitive worldwide. It means investing in education and top-notch research to prepare our students for successful lives and a shot at the American Dream, competing in that global marketplace.

But the first step was one of our very first bills signed into law: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is an extraordinary response to a crisis not seen since the Great Depression. The bottom line: the Act will create or save 3.5 million jobs in the next two years, more than 90 percent in the private sector.

By far, the biggest individual spending item is for tax cuts for 95 percent of American workers, which have been showing up in paychecks for several weeks. In May and June, seniors, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, and disabled veterans will see $250 economic recovery checks. The Recovery Act provides incentives to first time homebuyers, a college tax credit, and a host of other tax cuts for families and businesses.

Recovery Act spending helps states facing budget disasters keep teachers and police officers on payroll, and meet Americans’ basic needs from government. And it makes strategic investments in energy, science, technology, infrastructure, and health care that will pay off for generations to come.

As part of the legislation Congress enacted, a Recovery Act Transparency Board (RATB) was created to oversee all funds spent and to provide the public a direct and immediate link through www.recovery.gov. The website promises to engage you, the American people, in seeing how the funds are being invested in your community – seeing if rhetoric matches reality – and making you a partner in helping uncover any waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement. The Obama administration and the RATB are working to get information up on www.recovery.gov quickly, but they urge citizens to report concerns or praise directly to the federal agencies spending the money.

I want to take it a step further.

Please contact my office at (619) 422-5963 to let me know the good, the bad, and the ugly. I voted for the Recovery Act and I want it to work to jumpstart our economy as quickly as possible. And I know that nothing this complex is likely to be executed perfectly, but you worked hard for these tax dollars and frankly, we can’t afford to not spend them smartly and with accountability. I also want to hear if you seen jobs saved or created, or your community has already started to see the benefits. We want to mark these successes, too.

The way the spending works, some of it will be approved and managed at the Federal level, but a great number of contracts will be awarded at the state and local level. As part of the legislation, we provided protection to state "whistleblowers" who spot waste, fraud, and abuse. But we need eyes and ears on the ground at every level.

President Obama made his demand for accountability in the recovery effort clear in his address to Congress in February. He asked Vice President Biden to lead a "tough, unprecedented oversight effort – because nobody messes with Joe." Let’s take this promise to heart and help monitor this money at every step.

Together, we will get America’s economy back on track.

Congressman Bob Filner
Representative for California’s 51st Congressional District

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May 13, 2009  

Congressman Filner Votes to Cut Billions of Dollars of Waste in Military Purchasing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Bob Filner voted in favor of the Defense Procurement Reform Act, which passed the House by a vote of 428 to 0. This bill would save taxpayers billions of dollars each year, while keeping Americans safe with the most advanced weapons systems available.

"This Congress and President Obama have made transparency and accountability in Washington a priority," said Filner. "This legislation will help root out the fraud, waste and abuse that have plagued our military procurement processes."

The Weapons Acquisition System Reform Bill will revolutionize the way we select and oversee major purchases, and it will give the American people confidence that their tax dollars are being well spent. The Government Accountability Office found that as of 2009 the Department of Defense has $296 billion of cost overruns on 96 major weapons systems. That is more than the amount the government spends on salaries and health care for the entire American military for two full years.

"The waste in our military spending is out of control and must end. The American people deserve to know that their government is getting the most for each tax dollar we spend," Filner added. "In these times of economic distress, American families are tightening their belts and saving money where they can. We must do the same here in Washington."

Specifically, this bill will:

  • Require the Secretary of Defense to designate an official as the Department’s principal expert on performance assessment in acquisition. That official will report to the Department and Congress on the success of procurement programs.

  • Mandate that weapons systems that fail to meet the standards and schedules set out for them face annual reviews from oversight officials and increased scrutiny by Congress.

  • Require the Department to set up a new system to track the cost overruns and schedule changes that happen early on in the procurement process – when most of the waste and the least of the oversight currently occur.

  • Promote greater use of competition in weapons acquisition.

  • Require DOD to take steps to prevent conflicts of interest in the acquisition process.

"With these reforms, we are taking bold steps to save taxpayers billions of dollars and restore integrity to our procurement process. We are protecting the American people and keeping our military strong while reining in out of control costs and abusive practices," concluded Rep. Filner.

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May 7, 2009  

Congressman Filner Helps End Abusive and Predatory Lending Practices

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner voted to protect American consumers today, with legislation that curbs abusive practices and predatory lending in the mortgage industry. The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act outlaws many of the egregious industry actions that marked the subprime lending boom and led to the nation’s highest foreclosure rate and worst economic crisis in decades. The bill also marks a key step in the overhaul of the nation’s financial regulations.

"One of the most devastating consequences of this economic crisis is the number of Americans who lost their homes due to foreclosure," said Rep. Filner. "Right here in San Diego and Imperial Counties, where so many families lost their homes, we can now protect consumers from these types of abusive loans and protect tenants who rent homes that go into foreclosure. We are ensuring that a financial crisis like this, which started with irresponsible subprime lending, never happens again. This is important progress for the American people."

Specifically, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act ensures that mortgage lenders make loans that benefit the consumer and prohibits them from steering borrowers into higher cost loans. It will, in effect, prevent borrowers from deliberately misstating their income to qualify for a loan. For the first time ever, it holds accountable all of those who originate, sell and buy loans, including those on Wall Street who buy up and bundle mortgages for profit.

The bill goes further toward reforming our financial system and demanding accountability by establishing standards for all home loans. Institutions will be required to ensure that borrowers can repay the loans they are sold. It also requires that all mortgage refinancing loans benefit the consumer and encourages the market to move back toward fully documented loans.

"It was irresponsible predatory lending practices that got us into this financial crisis," said Rep. Filner. "This legislation goes a long way toward preventing that type of behavior and protecting Americans from the unscrupulous practices that have characterized the mortgage industry in recent years."

The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act builds upon the other consumer protection legislation recently passed by the House, including the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. Under Democratic leadership, the House continues to bring common sense reforms to the financial system that demand accountability and incorporate tougher consumer protections.

"With this bill, with the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights we passed last week and the Financial Markets Commission we voted to establish yesterday, we are taking concrete steps toward reforming our financial system and rebuilding our economy in a way that is fair and consistent with our values," said Rep. Filner. "We can finally get answers to the question of how we got into this financial crisis and use those lessons as we work to develop a regulatory framework for a 21st century global economy."

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May 6, 2009  

Rep. Filner Announces That $250 Economic Recovery Payments To Social Security Recipients Begin To Go Out On May 7

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Bob Filner announced that the $250 economic recovery payments for Social Security recipients, which were provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will begin to go out on May 7 – with the goal of all these payments being sent out by the end of May.

In California, 4,218,040 adult Social Security recipients will be receiving a $250 payment within the next month. In addition, by mid-May, payments to recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will also begin to go out.

"These economic recovery payments can make a real difference in the lives of millions of older and disabled Americans – many of whom have been hit especially hard by the economic crisis that has swept the country," said Rep. Filner. "These payments total more than $13 billion and will go out to more than 50 million people, putting some money back in people’s pockets for whatever they need."

Millions of the Social Security recipients receiving these payments are widowed, divorced, or single and among the seniors with the lowest average incomes.

These payments will make a difference:

  • Social Security is the only source of income for nearly one-third of all non-married seniors receiving Social Security.

  • The median annual income for non-married Social Security recipients over age 65 who are women is only $13,151. The median annual income of non-married Social Security recipients over age 65 who are men is only $17,611.

  • Nearly 30 percent of non-married Social Security recipients who are women over age 65 are poor or near-poor – with 17.4 percent living below the federal poverty line and another 10.8 percent with incomes below 125 percent of the poverty line.

In addition to the economic recovery payments being made to Social Security and SSI recipients, the Recovery Act also provides these payments to disabled veterans and Railroad Retirement recipients. The payments to Railroad Retirement recipients are scheduled to begin to go out in late May and the payments to disabled veterans in June. In total, more than 50 million Americans will get this one-time payment.

If someone regularly receives benefits from two or more of these programs – such as Social Security and Railroad Retirement, or a disabled veterans’ benefit and SSI – he or she will receive just one $250 payment.

"The Recovery Act signed by the President on February 17 is historic, sweeping legislation," said Rep. Filner. "In addition to creating or saving 3.5 million jobs and providing a Making Work Pay tax cut for 95 percent of working families, it contains these critical $250 Economic Recovery Payments for those Americans unlikely to qualify for the Making Work Pay tax cut – older Americans, disabled veterans, and others. These payments will help millions of Americans meet some of their basic needs in this struggling economy. These payments were a crucial piece of this historic bill and I am proud to have supported them."

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May 6, 2009  

Rep. Filner Votes To Strengthen Mortgage And Financial Fraud Enforcement

Bill creates commission to investigate financial crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Continuing Congress’ commitment to consumer protection and financial reform, Congressman Bob Filner voted today to drastically toughen the enforcement and prosecution of mortgage and corporate fraud. The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act will provide critical funding and tools to help law enforcement pursue and prosecute the type of fraud many blame for the worst financial crisis in decades. The legislation will also establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the causes of the collapse of our financial system and the ensuing recession.

Rep. Filner applauded the bill, saying:

"This bill is about demanding accountability. Millions of Americans lost their savings, their homes and their jobs. And we have witnessed breathtaking levels of fraud in recent years – from Enron and Worldcom, to today’s mortgage scams and the crisis in the mortgage industry. We simply cannot let something like this happen again. That’s why I’m proud that the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act gives law enforcement the tools and funding to go after the corporate and mortgage fraud that got us here."

The investigative commission created by this legislation will have subpoena power, and will seek to bring accountability to a system where reckless behavior has gone unchecked in the past. It is similar to the Pecora Commission established to investigate the 1929 stock market crash. That commission’s investigation uncovered the fraudulent and unscrupulous practices on Wall Street that led to the Great Depression and laid the groundwork for the regulatory structure that served this country for decades. In fact, it is the weakening of that regulatory framework that created the conditions leading to our current economic crisis.

"It’s clear that the regulations we have in place now are not working," explained Rep. Filner. "We need to understand what conditions led to this crisis as we move forward with common sense reforms to prevent it from happening again in the future."

The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act is the latest in a series of consumer protection reforms recently passed by the House. Last week, the House passed the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights, which includes tough new protections for consumers facing excessive credit card fees, sky-high interest rates and unfair agreements that credit card companies revise at will. Later this week, the House is expected to vote on the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act to curb abusive and predatory lending.

"This Congress is committed to protecting consumers, reforming our financial system and demanding accountability," said Rep. Filner. "We are doing everything possible to rebuild our economy in a way that’s fair and consistent with our values."

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April 29, 2009  

Congressman Filner Supports Long-Term Economic Plan For America

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Bob Filner voted in favor of a long-term economic plan that puts America on a path towards renewed prosperity and growth. The plan cuts taxes, cuts the deficit, puts restraints on spending and makes targeted investments in health care, energy and education that will grow the economy and create jobs.

"This budget is a long-term economic plan that includes targeted investments that will create new jobs, help transform our economy with clean American energy, prepare our students for the jobs of the 21st century and reform our health care system to make it affordable for families and help businesses compete," said Congressman Filner.

The federal government is taking significant steps with this budget resolution to reduce health care costs – one of the largest contributors to the deficit and a drag on American businesses – improving the quality of care and expanding coverage, without adding to the deficit. This long-term economic plan also increases investments in new energy technologies made in America, and lays the groundwork for legislation that will cut pollution and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Congressman Filner touted the budget for its fairness to American families and fiscal responsibility – cutting taxes on almost all American families and cutting the deficit by nearly two thirds by 2013.

"This plan will make America stronger and give our people more tools to achieve prosperity," said Filner. "It will take time to turn our economy around – President Obama inherited one of the worst financial disasters in generations – but this budget is a bold step in the right direction."

The plan approved by the House today ushers in a new era of honesty and accountability in budgeting. While the previous administration masked costs like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and natural disasters to make the deficit appear smaller, President Obama and this Congress are including estimates of these costs for every year in the budget. The budget also reinforces a commitment to statutory pay-as-you-go (or PAYGO) rules, an important tool of fiscal discipline.

"Our economic plan saves taxpayers billions of dollars with new initiatives to root out waste, fraud and abuse," said Congressman Filner. "We must make smart investments in our future, but review every taxpayer dollar spent as we go along to restore accountability after years of contractor abuses, no-bid contracts and irresponsible stewardship. The long-term economic plan we passed today is an unprecedented step towards securing America and getting us back on the road to prosperity."

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April 17, 2009  

Congressman Bob Filner Announces Emergency Food And Shelter Award For Imperial County

Congressman Bob Filner announced today that $181,460 has been awarded to Imperial County by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). Federal funds totaling $100 million were made available to the EFSP, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), to bring immediate relief to communities to address unemployment and poverty in light of the economic climate faced by our country.

Funds will be distributed to support social service agencies in more than 2,500 cities and counties across the country. EFSP grant funds are used to supplement food, shelter, rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs for people with non-disaster related emergencies.

Additional jurisdictions in California may be selected at a later date by the EFSP State Set-Aside Committee. The EFSP National Board, chaired by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and composed of representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; United Jewish Communities; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; The Salvation Army; and United Way of America, provides supplemental funding to shelters, soup kitchens, and food banks. One-month awards for rent, mortgage, and utility assistance are also available. The funds are used to help individuals and families with non-disaster, temporary emergency needs.

In each funded jurisdiction, a Local Board advertises the availability of the funds, establishes local priorities, selects local non-profit and government agencies to receive supplemental funding, and monitors program compliance. The Local Board’s composition mirrors the EFSP National Board, with a local government official replacing FEMA and board members voting to select their chair.

The EFSP has been in existence since 1983 and was authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. With the ARRA funding, more than $3.404 billion in federal aid will have been disbursed through the EFSP since its inception to communities nationwide, and has accounted for millions of additional meals and nights of shelter to the hungry and homeless most in need across the nation.

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April 3, 2009  

The First 100 Days: Working For An American Recovery

By Congressman Bob Filner

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The end of President Obama’s first 100 days is time to take stock of the enormous progress we have made on jumpstarting the American economy and laying the foundation for prosperity for years to come.

Change has come to Washington with unprecedented speed since the election of Barack Obama and the 111th Congress. We have taken swift action in a New Direction to begin to get our economy on track and create and save jobs. But our challenges are, in many ways, unprecedented.

President Obama inherited a massive economic and budget mess from the Bush Administration. The last eight years have seen the slowest job creation in 75 years, with 4.4 million jobs lost in the last 14 months, and the longest recession since the Great Depression. Paychecks have remained flat in the face of rising prices. Millions of families are losing their homes because of irresponsible and predatory lending. The national debt has nearly doubled, with record $5.6 trillion surplus built under President Clinton turned into a record $5.8 trillion deficit under President Bush.

This economic crisis is impacting everyone. American families lost 18 percent of their net worth in 2008 alone, including home values and retirement savings. Businesses are having trouble getting loans because of the credit crunch, brought on by eight years of lax oversight and a failure to bring common-sense rules to Wall Street. Now 12 million Americans are unemployed and many families are facing extraordinarily difficult choices about health care, child care, education, and housing.

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT

Just three weeks after President Obama’s inauguration, Congress enacted his historic economic recovery plan to create and save 3.5 million American jobs, including 396,000 here in California. It gives 95 percent of American workers, including 12,420,000 Californians – one of the fastest and broadest tax cuts in history – that is starting to show up in paychecks now.

This plan will begin to transform our economy for the 21st century and rebuild America with investments in roads, bridges, mass transit, flood control, clean water projects, and other essential infrastructure projects.

To lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth, the plan invests in clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency, science and innovation, and lowering health care costs and improving care with electronic medical records.

To make sure our children are able to compete in the world economy, it also strengthens education from the preschool level to college.

Only by tackling these urgent national challenges, like our dependence on foreign oil and crippling health care costs, can we ensure that America’s recovery will bring sustained economic growth and widespread prosperity for generations to come.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s job-creating investments are starting to pay off – hatching entrepreneurial ideas for home weatherization and renewable energy companies, preventing the layoff of police officers and teachers, and repairing road and bridges.

To help ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and effectively, the Recovery Act also contains unprecedented accountability and transparency measures – no earmarks, new whistleblower protections, strong oversight, and a new www.recovery.gov website that, for the first time, allows Americans to track these investments online and contact elected officials about how it’s working.

STABILIZING THE HOUSING AND FINANCIAL SECTORS

President Obama has launched a comprehensive housing plan to help stem home foreclosures that have reduced home values for all. Progress is underway with a financial stability plan to get credit flowing to businesses and families with tough accountability and transparency. Congress will also take up new common-sense rules for our financial system, to keep the irresponsible actions of a few from jeopardizing American families and small businesses. In the coming weeks, we will also take up a Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights and new legislation to fight predatory and abusive lending practices.

A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE

Building on the new direction for the economy in our Recovery Act, the House and Senate have passed a five-year budget blueprint, reflecting the priorities of President Obama. The budget is a road map for all the work we do. It lays the foundation for lasting prosperity and economic growth for America’s workers and families. To begin to restore tax fairness, the budget cuts taxes for middle-income families by at least $1.5 trillion. To create jobs, the budget will make targeted investments and reforms in affordable health care, clean energy, and education.

This budget begins to restore fiscal responsibility – cutting the deficit by nearly two-thirds by 2013 – making serious progress after years of reckless economic policies. The budget reduces non-defense discretionary spending to its lowest level as a percent of the economy in nearly half a century and – in Fiscal Year 2010 – by 1.5 percent below the President’s budget blueprint.

It took years to get into this mess, and it will take time to get our country back on track, but the American people have always risen to the challenge in times of crisis. This Congress and President Obama plan to tackle historic reforms to make health care more affordable, to create millions of jobs in a clean, renewable energy market, and to make education more competitive for a 21st century economy.

Ultimately, our work will be measured by results. But at the 100-day mark, President Obama and the 111th Congress are beginning to move America in a New Direction.

As your federal representative in Washington, I welcome your input. Please do not hesitate to contact me through my District Office at (619) 422-5963. Thank you for all the good work you do!

Congressman Bob Filner
Representative for California’s 51st Congressional District

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March 27, 2009  

Rep. Filner Receives "A" On Middle Class Scorecard!

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner recently learned that the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy has awarded him an "A" on the organization’s Congressional Scorecard, which evaluates each Member of Congress based on their support for policies that help our nation’s middle class.

"It’s great that the Drum Major Institute holds Congress accountable for its impact on regular people because wealthy CEOs and corporations have the resources to hire lobbyists to watch their backs," said Congressman Filner. "You shouldn’t have to be rich to make your government work for you!"

The Drum Major Institute (DMI) is a non-partisan group that evaluates policies based on the impact they will have on the squeezed middle class, as well as on the aspirations of low-income Americans who are working their way into the middle class. To access their summaries and assessments, visit the DMI on line at TheMiddleClass.org.

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February 19, 2009  

Congressman Filner To Treasury Secretary Geithner: Help Local Governments Lighten Bad Asset Burden!

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Filner has joined his colleagues in urging Treasury Secretary Geither to use Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds to purchase troubled assets held by local governments who invested in conservative corporate bonds and notes. These problematic assets were issued by financial firms that have now filed for bankruptcy, such as Lehman Brothers.

"Bad business decisions made on Wall Street continue to cause catastrophic, unforeseen losses, which is why the Treasury should help stabilize our financial system at the local level to mitigate the damage," said Filner. "We need to prevent further job losses, keep infrastructure projects moving forward, and maintain critical services."

Recently, 42 California counties, cities, health, water, and sanitation districts, and transportation agencies also wrote to Treasury Secretary Geithner detailing their financial exposure. As a result of similar losses throughout the country, many local governments are being forced to cut back services, including those provided by hospitals, schools, and emergency first responders.

For the text of the letter, please click here.

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February 18, 2009  

Californians Will See Immediate And Long-Term Benefit From The American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan

Rep. Filner hails signing by President Obama of historic plan to create jobs and boost the economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner hails the signing of critical legislation to create and save 3.5 million American jobs. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was approved by a vote of 246-183 last Friday. President Obama’s job creation package passed by Congress will rebuild America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; give about 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and invest quickly in the economy.

"Yesterday, President Obama signed into law his historic plan to create and save 3.5 million jobs and start to get the American economy back on track," said Filner. "No mission is more critical to the American people, and the President and Congress got this done just three weeks after his inauguration."

"This economic recovery plan will create American jobs now, provide one of the largest tax cuts in American history, and lay a foundation for long-term growth through clean energy, innovation and education," said Filner. "The legislation also has unprecedented accountability and transparency measures to help ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and effectively – including no earmarked projects and a new recovery.gov website allowing Americans to track the investments."

"America is facing an economic crisis greater than any since the Great Depression, with a staggering 3.6 million American jobs lost in the last 13 months and an unemployment rate here in California that has climbed to 9.3 percent," said Filner. "As the President works to address the mortgage foreclosure crisis and get credit flowing in our financial system, this plan will begin to turn our economy around and bring jobs, relief and hope for Californians."

This jobs and economic recovery plan contains strategic efforts:

  • Creating or saving 396,000 jobs here in California over the next two years;
  • Providing a Making Work Pay tax cut of up to $800 for 12,420,000 workers and their families – designed to start paying out immediately into workers’ paychecks – as well as tax cuts to spur businesses large and small;
  • Transforming Our Economy With Clean, Efficient, American Energy and Innovation and Technology that will create more than 1 million jobs;
  • Lowering Health Care Costs and improving care by computerizing medical records – which will create hundreds of thousands of jobs – and helping those who cannot afford health care in these tough times;
  • Modernizing Roads and Bridges to create jobs with an extra $2.57 billion here in California, along with other critical infrastructure like high-speed rail: the boldest investment since the creation of the interstate highway system a half century ago!;
  • Education for the 21st Century, modernizing schools and making college more affordable with improved Pell Grants for the 744,236 Pell Grant recipient here in California and a higher education tax credit for 522,000 students in our state;
  • Helping Workers Hurt by the Economy, including more than 1.7 million Californians that are out of work, those who have lost their health care, and seniors; and
  • Saving the Jobs of teachers, police officers, health care workers, and protecting the vital services they provide.

"It will take time to turn this economy around, but we are confident that this package will make our economy stronger and more resilient," said Congressman Filner. "This jobs and recovery plan will create or save an estimated 396,000 jobs in California by the end of 2010, according to the White House. Congress will continue to work with the President to get credit flowing again, keep more Americans from losing their homes, and bring common sense to Wall Street so that our economic recovery is more effective and sustained. Americans have always come together in the face of challenges and we will once again with the swift and bold leadership of President Obama."

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February 12, 2009  

Filner Joins 20 Members Of Congress From Across America To Establish Populist Caucus

Group is the only caucus in Congress devoted solely to addressing middle class economic issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Filner announced that he has joined with 20 other Democratic members of Congress to form the Populist Caucus, the only caucus in Congress devoted solely to addressing middle class economic issues.

"The middle class is the economic engine of America, but too often in Washington, the needs of the middle class are ignored," Filner said. "During these tough times, we need a renewed focus on strengthening the middle class and improving the lives of working families.

"That’s why I’m proud to be a founding member of the Populist Caucus. This group of Democrats will work together to find common ground on policies that create good-paying jobs, make healthcare more affordable for all, and put middle class families first again."

The Populist Caucus is made up of members from a diverse array of backgrounds and experiences. The caucus aims to bring members of Congress together by rallying around six key middle class economic issues:

    1.   Creating Good Jobs and a Secure Retirement: Creating and retaining good-paying jobs in America, providing fair wages, proper benefits, a level playing field at the negotiating table, and ensuring American workers have secure, solvent retirement plans;

    2.   Cutting Taxes for the Middle Class: Cutting taxes for the middle class and establishing an equitable tax structure;

    3.   Affordable Healthcare: Providing affordable, accessible, quality health care for all Americans;

    4.   Quality, Affordable Education: Ensuring quality primary education for all American children, and affordable college education for all who want it;

    5.   Fair Trade: Defending American competitiveness by fighting for fair trade principles;

    6.   Protecting Consumers: Protecting consumers, so that Americans can have faith in the safety and effectiveness of the products they purchase.

Founding members include: Reps. Bruce Braley (D-IA), Chair; Michael Arcuri (D-NY), Vice-Chair; Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Vice-Chair; Betty Sutton (D-OH), Vice-Chair; Leonard Boswell (D-IA); Steve Cohen (D-TN); Joe Courtney (D-CT); Keith Ellison (D-MN); Bob Filner (D-CA); Phil Hare (D-IL); Mazie Hirono (D-HI); Hank Johnson (D-GA); Steve Kagen (D-WI); David Loebsack (D-IA); Eric Massa (D-NY); Linda Sanchez (D-CA); Jan Schakowsky (D-IL); Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH); Peter Welch (D-VT); and John Yarmuth (D-KY).

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January 30, 2009  

Filner Reintroduces Fair Taxes For Seniors Act

Congressman Bob Filner has reintroduced the Fair Taxes for Seniors Act, H.R. 674, which will provide a one-time increase in the capital gains tax exemption on the sale of a home for citizens who are 50 years of age or more.

"The Fair Taxes for Seniors Act would give many seniors the additional money they need for nursing home care, medical costs, and other retirement expenses," stated Filner. "As a result, family members and, in many cases, the government will be relieved of the burden of caring for these individuals as they grow older."

The Fair Taxes for Seniors Act doubles the current exemption by providing a one-time increase to $500,000 for a single person and $1 million for a couple, which can be excluded from the sale of a principal residence for taxpayers who have achieved age 50.

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January 29, 2009  

California Needs American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan

Filner supports President’s plan to create jobs and boost the economy

Just one week after our new President Barack Obama was sworn in with a call for "action, bold and swift" to get our economy back on track, Congress has taken the first step in delivering a job-creating plan to implement his vision.

This week the House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, by rebuilding America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; giving 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and investing quickly in the economy – with 75 percent of these job creating investments in the economy in the next 18 months.

America is facing an economic crisis greater than any since the Great Depression. A staggering 2.6 million American jobs were lost in the last year of the Bush Administration — the culmination of a failed economic approach — one that also nearly doubled our national debt in eight short years. The unemployment rate here in California has climbed to 9.3 percent. The need for a New Direction is clear. More than 140 economists all across the ideological spectrum – including 5 Nobel prize winners – have called for the recovery legislation to be enacted quickly.

To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we are seeking to double our renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. The energy provisions of the plan will create more than 500,000 jobs by accelerating deployment of smart grid technology and the building of new electric transmission lines for renewable energy, spurring energy efficiency investment in our homes and schools to cut energy costs, offering support for the nation’s governors and mayors to tackle their energy challenges, and spurring investment in renewable energy and more fuel-efficient cars for a greener future. We will harness the sun, the wind, and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories.

To create jobs in the short-term and make us more competitive in a global economy, this economic recovery package invests in science and technology – the key to American innovation. The plan increases funding for critical research and development – putting us on the path to double our investment in scientific research over the next seven years. The package also makes investments in America’s information technology infrastructure, including broadband, health IT, and a smarter energy grid. More than 100 high-tech CEOs and business leaders have endorsed these IT investments that will create more than 949,000 U.S. jobs, more than half of which will be in small businesses.

To reduce health care costs, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act invests in bringing our health care system into the 21st century with health information technology – that is proven not only to reduce costs, but also to increase the quality of care, save lives, and create jobs. In addition, as millions of people are losing their jobs in this recession, they are also losing their health insurance. This package provides those losing their jobs new affordable options for maintaining their health care coverage. Also, to protect existing Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, the package provides $11,069,212,000 here in California in additional federal matching Medicaid funds to help stave off cuts in health care in the face of massive state budget shortfalls.

Strategic investments in education are one of the best ways to help America become more productive and competitive – spurring long-term growth. This recovery package will make bold investments to provide children with a 21st century education. In California, this means $7,854,800,000 to prevent teacher layoffs and other cutbacks in education and other key services and $2,430,042,000 to modernize our schools and colleges, which will create good-paying jobs. It will also make college more affordable with improved Pell Grants for the 744,236 Pell Grant recipients here in California and a higher education tax credit for an additional 522,000 students in our state so that they can stay in college despite these tough times. This recovery package will save or create more than 250,000 jobs in the education and health care sectors.

To build a 21st century economy, we must create jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, building modern transit systems, and putting people to work cleaning up our air, water and land. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will make large investments to repair and modernize thousands of miles of roadways in the U.S., provide new mass transit options for millions of Americans, and invest in clean water infrastructure. These provisions would create about 1.5 million American jobs nationwide. For California, this will provide $4,695,000,384 to invest in these key infrastructure projects that are ready to go and will begin to create jobs for Californians right away.

As a down-payment on permanent middle-class tax cuts promised by President Obama, the plan includes tax cuts that will jumpstart the economy by returning money to the hands of 95% of American workers, including 12,570,000 families here in California with the "Making Work Pay" Tax Credit. Expanding the Child Tax Credit will help the families of 2,075,000 children here in California. The business tax cuts in the package will also spur new job-creating investments by businesses large and small, that will transform our economy for years to come, such as in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In this economic crisis, high unemployment and rising costs have put a huge strain on many American families. The package contains a series of additional provisions to help, including helping workers train and find jobs, extending unemployment benefits for 505,923 people here in California, and increasing food stamp benefits for 2,399,000 people here in California. Not only will these steps provide relief to American families, they will help jumpstart our economy as these funds are spent quickly and have the most "bang for the buck" in creating jobs and spurring economic growth.

The Recovery Plan has unprecedented accountability measures built in – providing strong oversight and an historic degree of public transparency including a dedicated website, recovery.gov, which will allow citizens to track every penny and hold officials accountable for performance. This legislation does not contain any earmarked projects requested by a specific Member. These accountability measures are critical to ensuring the effectiveness of and the confidence in this package.

This package will make our economy stronger than it would be without any action. It will save or create an estimated 815,990 jobs by the end of 2010 and reduce the unemployment rate by 2.3 percent here in California, according to leading independent economist Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com.

It will take time to turn this economy around, but we are confident that if Americans work together, we can overcome the economic crisis, just as we have tackled other great challenges in our nation’s past.

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January 12, 2009  

The Bailout: It’s Time To Percolate Up – Not Trickle Down!

By Congressman Bob Filner

Last fall, I voted against the $700 billion bailout bill because it relied on a failed economic theory: trickle down. I wanted to see a bill that would inject money into our economy by helping regular citizens keep their homes, keep their jobs, and let prosperity percolate up!

I also did not appreciate the way the bailout bill was shoved down our throats in Congress with excessive fear-mongering. My voice was not heard through the chaos and my ability to represent your best interests was handicapped.

However, since I was recently sworn in to my 9th term in Congress, the change is palpable in halls of the Capitol. With the Obama Administration on its way in, I am hopeful that the days of "business as usual" are over and Democrats can dust off some of our best ideas that have been shelved for too long under the Bush "Reign of Error".

Already, Democrats have a plan to salvage the second half of the $700 billion bailout bill – $350 billion that has not been released for use yet – and change how the money will be spent and accounted for so that the people being bailed out are average taxpayers, not just the wealthy executives who got us into this mess.

We have the benefit of learning from how the first $350 billion was used while we change the rules for using the second half. Right now, the banks that already received bailout money are unable to explain to Congress how they used it! Also, not a cent was spent to prevent foreclosures and keep people in their homes. I can’t name a single person in my district who kept their home or job as a result of this bailout so far.

What good is that?

Fortunately, when Congress passed the bailout bill, it included a safety switch. Before the President’s Administration can have access to the second half of the bailout money, Congress must be notified and given a plan for how the money will be used. The law also stated that there will be a 15-day waiting period after Congress is informed. During that time, no money can be spent and any Member of the House or Senate can call for a vote to reject the proposal.

With less than 15 days to go before President Obama’s Inauguration, the Bush Administration is out of time!

But we’re not going to give Obama a blank check, either.

Congress is creating a new set of conditions and working on a new piece of legislation embodying those principles, which President Obama and his team will need to agree to follow. We are working with the Obama Administration to gather input and create a clear, common vision for how to get us out of our current economic crisis.

What conditions and principles am I talking about? We want to require a significant effort to reduce mortgage foreclosures before we allow any money to be spent on anything else! We want banks, if we give them any more funding, to be required to tell us what they will do with it, and not just use it to enable continued greed and irresponsibility!

We’re talking about fixing an economic system that is so broken, we can’t afford to prop it up any longer. We need to allow room for new ideas that incorporate responsibility and sustainability to move us forward. We want to increase lending so people can buy homes and cars, and so businesses can grow and prosper. This is the time for reality-checks and a renewed sense of responsibility at home, at work, and in government.

I am glad to be part of efforts in Congress to direct bailout money where it is needed most: to families. We’ve been trickled on long enough!

As always, I look forward to hearing your ideas. Please feel free to contact me through my Chula Vista Office at (619) 422-5963.

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January 9, 2009  

Filner Urges Speaker To Direct Economic Stimulus Funds To Imperial County

Congressman Bob Filner has urged the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, to pay special attention to the most economically depressed cities across the United States in the upcoming stimulus package.

"I believe our nation’s poorest communities need special consideration and direct support from the federal government in the job creation and economic recovery bill," stated Filner. "According to the most recent Department of Labor statistics, El Centro, California has the highest unemployment rate in the nation! 27.6% of residents – that’s 21,700 people – in the El Centro census district are unemployed."

The Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calculates unemployment statistics based on geographic areas. The El Centro statistical area encompasses not only the City of El Centro, but also a large portion of Imperial County including the cities of Imperial and Heber.

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October 4, 2008  

Filner Opposes Wall Street Bailout Bill

"Alternatives were Blatantly Overlooked"

Congressman Filner issued the following statement about today’s House vote:

I am very disappointed with the vote. This bill added $150 billion as a bribe to get a dozen votes. Unfortunately, they succeeded.

I voted against this bill because I refuse to accept the false dichotomy between voting yes and doing nothing. I agree that action is necessary, but I wanted a bill that would more directly help the American economy by stimulating job creation, keeping people in their homes, and moving forward with an alternative energy policy.

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July 23, 2008  

Filner Backs Plan To Support Homeowners Address Mortgage Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner today backed the most comprehensive response yet to the American mortgage crisis. The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act will help families keep their homes, aid local communities hit hard by the foreclosure crisis and strengthen the economy and financial markets. The bill was passed today in the House by a vote of 272 to 152.

"The mortgage crisis impacts all of us," said Congressman Filner. "Families have lost their homes, millions more are on the brink of foreclosure and homeowners have seen their property values plummet. The bill we passed today will help homeowners keep their homes and get our economy back on track."

The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act will allow American families in danger of losing their homes to refinance into lower-cost government-insured mortgages they can afford to repay – at no cost to the American taxpayer. The legislation also:

  • strengthens neighborhoods hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis by providing resources to allow cities and states to buy up and rehabilitate foreclosed properties that are currently driving down home prices, reducing state and local revenues, and destabilizing neighborhoods;
  • expands homeownership opportunities for veterans and helps returning soldiers avoid foreclosure and stay in their home;
  • provides tax breaks to spur home buying; and
  • creates a new fund to boost the nation’s stock of affordable rental housing in both rural and urban areas for low and very low-income individuals and families.

The legislation passed today also includes provisions that will help restore confidence in financial markets and shore up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The bill provides the Department of the Treasury with emergency and temporary financing authority for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are important institutions that hold or guarantee nearly half of all mortgages in the United States. Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag said there was "a significant chance, probably better than 50 percent, that the proposed new Treasury authority would not be used before it expired at the end of December 2009."

The legislation has earned the support of Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate and President Bush has indicated that he will sign the bill into law.

"I’m proud Democrats and Republicans worked together on this important legislation," added Filner. "Together, we’ve crafted the right bill to address this crisis and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to strengthen the economy."

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July 15, 2008  

House Of Representatives Passes Filner’s American Flag Resolution

Today, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Filner’s resolution that all American flags flown over federal government buildings and on federal property should be made in the United States.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that $10 million worth of American flags were imported from other countries over the past two years, with a vast majority from China. Policies vary as to whether the American flags purchased by federal, state and local governments have to be made in America.

"I thank the Speaker for allowing this resolution to come to the floor and my colleagues for supporting it," said Congressman Filner. "The American flag is much more than our national symbol. It embodies our courage, liberty, and justice. Many brave men and women have fought and died for the freedoms that the flag represents. That is why we must ensure that they are proudly made in the United States!"

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June 27, 2008  

Filner Takes Action To Bring Down Gas Prices And Help Working Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With gas prices in California averaging $4.60 Congressman Bob Filner today backed three pieces of legislation that will help make America become more energy independent and help provide relief to Americans struggling with high gas prices.

"Every day, families and businesses in California are suffering with record prices at the gas pump," said Congressman Filner. "Today, Congress continued to take action and I was proud to back legislation that will crack down on Wall Street speculators who experts say are driving up the price of oil, force oil companies to use the land they have to produce energy and make public transit more affordable."

Bills considered on the House floor recently included:

  • The Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act of 2008. The bill gives grants to mass transit authorities to reduce public transit fares, giving consumers a cost-effective alternative to $4.60 per gallon gasoline. The bill’s $1.7 billion in mass transit grants for the next two years could also be used to expand transit services and for the escalating operating costs of public transportation and would be available to both rural and urban areas. The bill was approved by a vote of 322 to 98.
  • The Energy Markets Emergency Act. The Act directs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to use it full authority and most potent emergency tools to curtail excessive speculation and other practices distorting the energy market. Rampant speculation has been cited as one cause of the spike in gas prices. The bill was approved by a vote of 402 to 19.
  • The Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act. The "Use it or Lose it" legislation forces oil companies to produce oil and gas, or diligently develop, the 68 million acres of public land they already have leased, but are not using to produce energy. This legislation was blocked by House Republicans and was not approved.

"I’m disappointed Republicans once again refused to push for more, safe domestic drilling when given the opportunity," added Congressman Filner. "Oil companies have already leased 68 million acres they aren’t using to produce energy. Big oil ought to be forced to use it or lose it. We know that when the U.S. has less than 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, but uses 24 percent, we simply can’t drill our way to energy independence—but drilling in lands we already have set aside is a small part of the solution."

Prior to these votes, Democrats have taken action to make America more energy independent and bring down the cost of gasoline. Democrats have previously passed legislation that has been signed into law that will suspend the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from June 30th through the end of the year, creating more supply—and potentially putting the brakes on higher prices. The House also approved the Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act of 2008. The legislation gives U.S. authorities the ability to prosecute anticompetitive conduct committed by international cartels, like OPEC, that restricts supply and drives up prices.

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June 25, 2008  

Filner Backs Plan To Prevent Tax Hike On Middle Class Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner today backed legislation to prevent a tax hike on middle class families. The AMT Relief Act of 2008 will protect more than 25 million Americans nationwide and 37,000 in the 51st Congressional District from paying the Alternative Minimum Tax. The bill was passed by a vote of 233-189.

"The economic downturn is hurting Californians and middle class families are struggling to make ends meet," said Filner. "I was proud to back legislation that will help ensure families are not forced to pay higher taxes under the Alternative Minimum Tax.

The Alternative Minimum Tax was originally designed to ensure very wealthy individuals do not avoid paying income tax. The tax now threatens to impact middle-class families and now threatens to impact teachers and firefighters – a far cry from its original intent.

The AMT Relief Act of 2008 will not add to the deficit. The bill is fully paid-for and closes tax loopholes that allow Wall Street hedge fund billionaires to avoid paying their fair share, cracks down on tax cheats and ends massive government subsidies for oil companies earning record profits.

"The bill we passed today is fiscally responsible and helps bring some fairness back to the tax code," added Congressman Filner. "Oil companies and the folks on Wall Street shouldn’t get an unfair advantage over hard-working families."

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June 25, 2008  

Bob Filner Backs Plan Preventing Middle Class Tax Hikes

Written by Imperial Valley News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner today backed legislation to prevent a tax hike on middle class families. The AMT Relief Act of 2008 will protect more than 25 million Americans nationwide and 37,000 in the 51st Congressional District from paying the Alternative Minimum Tax. The bill was passed by a vote of 233-189.

"The economic downturn is hurting Californians and middle class families are struggling to make ends meet," said Filner. "I was proud to back legislation that will help ensure families are not forced to pay higher taxes under the Alternative Minimum Tax.

The Alternative Minimum Tax was originally designed to ensure very wealthy individuals do not avoid paying income tax. The tax now threatens to impact middle-class families and now threatens to impact teachers and firefighters - a far cry from its original intent.

The AMT Relief Act of 2008 will not add to the deficit. The bill is fully paid-for and closes tax loopholes that allow Wall Street hedge fund billionaires to avoid paying their fair share, cracks down on tax cheats and ends massive government subsidies for oil companies earning record profits.

"The bill we passed today is fiscally responsible and helps bring some fairness back to the tax code," added Congressman Filner. "Oil companies and the folks on Wall Street shouldn’t get an unfair advantage over hard-working families."

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June 16, 2008  

Filner Announces Funds For Imperial County

Congressman Bob Filner today announced that the Department of Interior has released $1,801,781 to Imperial County, California under the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program.

"PILT payments help local communities pay for important services, including emergency response, public schools, and roads," stated Filner. "I have long supported the PILT Program because it helps communities offset the foregone revenues to counties for federal lands within their jurisdiction."

Imperial County is the second-largest recipient of PILT payments in California, after Riverside County. Nationwide, the Department of Interior will pay $228.5 million to compensate nearly 1,850 local units of government.

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June 5, 2008  

Congressman Bob Filner Backs Democratic Budget Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner today voted for a Democratic budget plan that charts a New Direction for our nation. It makes investments in energy, education, and infrastructure; provides tax relief for the middle class; keeps our promise to our veterans; and returns the budget to balance in five years.

The plan, a budget conference agreement for fiscal 2009, won approval today by the House of Representatives.

"Democrats have a plan to rebuild our economy and reclaim our fiscal future," said Congressman Filner. "Our budget cuts taxes for middle income families, invests in new businesses and creates jobs. It restores our infrastructure and funds the educational tools needed to help our children succeed. We do all of this and more, while returning the budget to balance."

The Democratic budget:

  • rejects the failed fiscal policies of the Bush Administration. It returns the budget to balance – reaching a surplus of $22 billion in 2012 and $10 billion in 2013.
  • responds to soaring energy costs by helping promote renewable energy, clean fuel technology, and energy efficiency.
  • makes education and innovation investments that will generate economic growth and jobs, make college more affordable, improve student achievement, and reverse the Bush Administration’s under-funding of education.
  • invests in our nation’s infrastructure - repairing crumbling roads, bridges, transit, airports, and schools.
  • does not include any tax increase. To the contrary, it supports significant tax relief, including extension of marriage penalty relief, the child tax credit, and the 10 percent bracket, as well as allowing for estate tax reform. It includes an additional year of Alternative Minimum Tax relief. And it provides for property tax relief, energy and education tax relief, and extenders.
  • makes our country safer by providing robust funding for national defense and ensuring that resources are available to address the most critical threats facing the nation. It ensures that veterans get the quality health care they need and deserve. It also protects the homeland and rejects the President’s cuts in law enforcement, the COPS program, firefighters, and other first responders.

"Our nation cannot afford to continue the policies of record deficits and debt," said Filner. "American families are struggling. This budget begins the process of recovery. I am proud to support a plan that returns the country to a sound fiscal and economic path."

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May 29, 2008  

Filner And Castaneda Host Press Conference

Congressman Bob Filner recently joined Chula Vista City Councilman Steve Castaneda and many community leaders to discuss legislative options to assist homeowners and communities hit by foreclosure. Filner has introduced legislation, which was recently passed by the House of Representatives, that would prohibit foreclosure of property owned by a service member for one year following a period of military service and provide a temporary increase in VA home loan limits.

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May 22, 2008  

Filner Takes Action To Reduce Gas Prices

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner today outlined the series of steps Congress has taken to help bring down the cost of gasoline and deliver relief to drivers across California. In recent days, Filner backed a new law to suspend filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, legislation to invest in renewable energy sources and a plan to hold to hold foreign oil cartels and Big Oil accountable.

"Drivers in California are paying $4 per gallon of gasoline, a 177 percent increase since 2001, and we are suffering at the pump," said Filner. "Congress has worked hard to implement short term solutions to bring down prices and develop a long term strategy to make our nation energy independent."

Congress took decisive action to bring down the price of gas and passed legislation to suspend the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) through the end of the year. This legislation was signed into law by the President and suspensions have lowered gas prices in the past. While President Bush had the power to stop filling the SPR immediately, he refused to take this step until pressured by Congress.

An overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House also passed the Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act of 2008. The legislation gives U.S. authorities the ability to prosecute anticompetitive conduct committed by international cartels like OPEC that restrict supply and drives up prices. The bill also creates a Department of Justice Petroleum Industry Antitrust Task Force and asks the GAO to investigate the effects on competition of prior mergers in the petroleum industry.

House Democrats took another step towards ending our dependence on foreign oil and encouraging the production and use of renewable fuels by passing The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act, which provides tax credits for the production of renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy and incentives for the production of renewable fuels and energy efficient products.

Finally, Congress is working to enact the Farm Bill, which boosts homegrown biofuel production made from biomass and crop byproducts other than grain -- using new technologies. Without biofuels, gas prices could be 15 percent higher than they are now. It also increases oversight authority to detect and prevent manipulation of energy prices.

"For six years, President Bush and the Republican Congress failed to give us an energy independence plan for America," added Congressman Filner. "Democrats are fighting for a new direction and an energy policy that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and bring gas prices down."

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May 22, 2008  

Congressman Filner Backs Act To Promote Renewable Energy And Job Creation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner yesterday joined a majority of the House of Representatives in support of legislation to expand the production and use of renewable energy, create jobs across the country and provide tax relief to middle class families. The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act was approved by the House by a vote of 263 to 160.

"High gas prices have only highlighted the need for a real energy policy that moves us forward," said Congressman Filner. "This legislation makes the right investments in the renewable energy sources of the future, protects our environment and will help create hundreds of thousands of good-paying American jobs."

To reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to protect the environment, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act would increase the production of renewable fuels and renewable electricity, and encourage greater energy efficiency. It extends and expands tax incentives for renewable electricity, energy and fuel from America’s heartland, as well as for plug-in hybrid cars, and energy efficient homes, buildings, and appliances.

Failing to extend some of these provisions could have significant consequences for American workers. A recent study showed that allowing the renewable energy incentives to expire would lead to about 116,000 jobs being lost in the wind and solar industries through the end of 2009.

The legislation also supports businesses and provides tax relief to millions of American families. The bill extends the research and development tax credit to spur American innovation and business investment and cuts taxes for millions of Americans, including teachers, college students and families in states with no income tax. The bill would expand eligibility for the $1,000 refundable child tax credit and provide tax relief to homeowners who do not itemize their deductions by permitting them to deduct up to $700 of property taxes in addition to their standard deduction.

"The weak economy has left families and business across California struggling to make ends meet," added Filner. "Extending the research and development tax credit will help create jobs and giving millions of Americans tax relief will make it a little easier for families to get through these rough economic times."

The legislation is fiscally responsible, does not add to the national debt and closes loopholes allowing corporations and executives to avoid U.S. taxes by shipping jobs and investment overseas.

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May 14, 2008  

Bob Filner Backs Plan To Bring Down Gas Prices

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner joined an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives in support of legislation that would temporarily suspend the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) until the end of the year and bring down the cost of gasoline. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act was approved by a vote of 385-25. The U.S. Senate passed a similar provision by a vote of 97-1.

"For the last several weeks, gas prices have hit a new record high nearly every day and drivers in California are suffering," said Congressman Filner. "This legislation, passed by Congress today, will provide immediate relief for middle class families struggling with high gas prices."

Filling of the SPR takes 70,000 barrels of oil off the market each day. A temporary suspension could reduce gas prices from 5 to 24 cents a gallon.

The House legislation temporarily suspends the Energy Department’s (DOE) ability to directly purchase oil for the SPR through December 2008, unless the price of oil drops below $75 per barrel. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is roughly 97 percent full - the highest level ever - with enough oil to meet our national security needs.

President Bush has the power to stop filling the SPR and Democratic leaders, along with 16 Senate Republicans have urged the President to take this common sense step. Unfortunately, the President has refused to take action and made Congressional action necessary. Multiple Presidents, including President Bush, President Clinton and the first President Bush have suspended the fill or tapped oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. In 2000, after such action, the price of oil dropped down by one-third - from $30 to $20 per barrel.

"Given the state of the American economy, it is unacceptable that President Bush has failed to act to help American families and businesses at the pump," added Filner. "Democrats will continue to fight to bring down gas prices and help hard-working families who are struggling."

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May 7, 2008  

Filner Demands That Republicans Stop Stalling On Housing Relief

Today, the House of Representatives was scheduled to consider two bills intended to help American families who are loosing their homes. Unfortunately, the Republican Minority held up consideration of both bills, using procedural tactics to stall.

"While people in California, including many veterans, are losing their homes, the Republicans are playing games in Washington, D.C.," stated Filner, who supports the underlying housing bills. "When it comes to dealing with the housing crisis, the Republican motto is delay, delay, delay...obstruct, obstruct, obstruct."

The Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008 (H.R. 5818) would establish a loan and grant program for the purchase and rehabilitation of owner-vacated, foreclosed homes. HUD allocates funds to States. The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 (H.R. 3221) would modernize the Federal Housing Administration loan program and improve oversight and administration of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks (the GSEs or Government Sponsored Enterprises).

Everyone—homeowners, lenders, neighborhoods, our entire economy—is worse off when a foreclosure occurs and significant quantities of homes are foreclosed in a short amount of time. The housing package considered by the House is both rescue-oriented and forward-looking, responding directly to the current crisis facing middle-class Americans while providing the tools to prevent a repeat of these problems.

Modernizing the FHA and reforming GSEs will provide crucial liquidity to our mortgage markets now, and strengthen regulation and oversight for the future. These measures, which have bipartisan support, will begin to repair the economy, restore confidence in the markets, limit the damage to families and neighborhoods, and help build new affordable housing.

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April 22, 2008  

Filner Announces Investment Grant For The Imperial Valley And San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner announced today that the San Diego and Imperial Valley Regional Economic Development Corporations have been awarded a $225,000 grant from the United States Department of Commerce. The grant funding will be used to develop a Regional Economic Adjustment Strategy.

"San Diego and Imperial Counties are geographically adjacent to one another, and our economies are intertwined and interdependent. We need a strategy to help foster this relationship, and I am pleased to announce a grant that will serve that purpose," said Congressman Filner. "By harnessing the comparative advantages of each County, we can build a stable, sustainable and unique regional economy!"

Julie Meier Wright, President & CEO of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, said, "Understanding our mega-region better will create economic opportunities for all of us. This grant provides an outstanding opportunity to enhance the ties between San Diego and Imperial Counties in ways that will benefit both."

Timothy E. Kelley, President & CEO of the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation, pointed out, "Imperial and San Diego counties have a long history of cooperation. The Mega-Region Grant will quantify the economic impacts and indentify the opportunities that exist between our two counties. Economies do not end at county lines or International Borders. Through this exercise we will foster relationships and develop strategies which will continue across political boundaries and that will transcend the life of this grant."

This joint investment in the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation supports development of a regional economic adjustment strategy for San Diego and Imperial counties. The funding will promote updated strategies to diversify the region's economic base which has been impacted by military base closures, corporate restructuring and natural disasters.

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April 16, 2008  

This Tax Day, Filner Backed Plan To Protect Taxpayers, Promising Reinvestment In America

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As taxpayers in California completed their tax returns, Congressman Bob Filner joined a majority in the House of Representatives in support of the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act and vowed to fight to ensure American tax dollars are used to rebuild America, not Iraq.

Americans have already spent $45 billion rebuilding Iraq and the war costs our nation $10.3 billion a month, or about $4,000 a second. The typical American taxpayer’s entire federal tax bill pays for less than one half of one second of the cost of the war in Iraq. Additionally, the Defense Contract Audit Agency believes that there have been more than $10 billion in questionable or unsupported costs in Iraq contracts.

"Taxpayers in California know the tax dollars they sent in yesterday will be sent straight to Iraq," said Filner. "America has spent billions of dollars on the war in Iraq while our needs at home have been ignored. It’s time to invest in America again."

In addition to continuing the fight for a new direction in Iraq, Congressman Filner backed legislation yesterday that will help put the tax code back on the side of middle class families. The Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act was passed by the House yesterday in a vote of 238 to 179.

The bill takes action on behalf of America’s taxpayers. The legislation will stop taxpayer harassment by ending the private collection of federal taxes. Today’s Washington Post reports that this practice costs the IRS $37 million more than it generates. The legislation also strengthens taxpayer protections from identity theft and tax fraud, simplifies cell phone tax reporting and expands tax help for low-income taxpayers.

The Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act also includes measures to make the tax code easier to use and understand. Currently, the tax code contains more than seven hundred provisions affecting individuals and more than fifteen hundred affecting businesses – a total of more than 1.4 million words. All told, tax laws are four times as long as the book War and Peace. The confusing tax code costs taxpayers more than $1 billion annually because taxpayers make the wrong decisions on tax forms. The bill passed today strengthens IRS outreach and assistance efforts to help ensure taxpayers know they are entitled to tax refunds or to payments under the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The legislation also takes steps to close egregious corporate loopholes and stop federal contractors from using foreign subsidiaries to evade Social Security and other employment taxes. Currently, companies, including KBR, avoid paying their fair share of Social Security and Medicare taxes by creating shell companies in the Cayman Islands. The Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification closes this loophole, which costs American taxpayers almost $100 million a year.

"For too long, the tax code has given big businesses every advantage and left middle class families to fend for themselves," added Filner. "I was proud to back legislation that will make companies pay their fair share and help ensure taxpayers, who play by the rules, get the assistance they need and deserve."

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April 12, 2008  

Reinvestment Task Force And FHL Bank San Francisco, Working With Rep. Filner, Hold Foreclosure Workshop In San Diego

Author: Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

SAN DIEGO, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) and the Reinvestment Task Force, working with Rep. Bob Filner (CA-51st), today co-sponsored a Foreclosure Prevention Workshop that provided counseling for homeowners in danger of losing their homes.

The workshop was part of the Smart Money Summit and Expo, which focused on a wide range of consumer financial issues. The Expo was held at the San Diego City Concourse in cooperation with San Diego City Councilman Anthony Young and County Supervisor Ron Roberts.

With many homeowners concerned about rising monthly mortgage payments caused by interest rate resets on adjustable rate mortgages, FHLBank San Francisco worked with the Reinvestment Task Force and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide counseling to homeowners who may be facing foreclosure. Several institutions that are members of the FHLBank San Francisco also participated in the workshop, including Citibank, N.A., San Diego National Bank, and Washington Mutual Bank.

"As you know, home foreclosures hurt everyone: individual families, our community and the lenders," said Congressman Bob Filner. "In my Congressional District alone, experts have estimated a billion dollar loss in home values for 2008! During this crisis, it is absolutely necessary that San Diegans have access to accurate information and counseling services to help them keep their homes. We must act now at every level to stop the trend, and I applaud the efforts of FHL Bank San Francisco for helping organize the Smart Money Summit and for providing valuable information to consumers."

Lawrence H. Parks, Senior Vice President of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs at FHLBank San Francisco, said the Bank is working with its member institutions to hold Foreclosure Prevention Workshops.

"Our region has been hard hit by the housing crisis," Mr. Parks said. "We have many homeowners who cannot afford the higher monthly payments after their loans reset. But families and individuals need to know that there are options available that can help them keep their homes."

Moreover, Mr. Parks noted that FHLBank San Francisco will soon launch a $10 million program to help reduce the region's growing number of home foreclosures. The Homeownership Preservation Subsidy (HPS) is a set-aside program that will offer long-term solutions for low-to moderate-income homeowners by encouraging lenders to rework eligible mortgages. Bank member financial institutions will be able to use HPS funds to restructure qualifying adjustable rate mortgages into affordable fixed rate 30-year loans. The Bank will provide up to $1 in HPS funds for every $2 provided by the member, up to a maximum amount of $25,000 in HPS funds per restructuring.

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March 20, 2008  

The Credit Cardholders’ Bill Of Rights: Balanced Reform

Stops Industry Abuses and Improves Disclosure, While Fostering Fair Competition and Free Market Values

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bob Filner joined with Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, to introduce the "Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008" (H.R. 5244). This comprehensive credit card reform legislation is aimed at leveling the playing field between credit card companies and consumers. If passed, it will abolish major industry abuses that unfairly hurt consumers, while fostering fair competition and free market values.

"A credit card agreement is supposed to be a contract, but in recent years cardholders have lost the ability to say no to unfair interest rate hikes and fees. This common-sense bill simply levels the playing field between card companies and cardholders while fostering fair competition and free market values," said Congressman Filner.

"There is no doubt that credit card companies provide a valuable service and deserve to earn a fair profit, but consumers deserve the right to understand their accounts and to control them. Regrettably, regulators and law makers have failed to adequately protect consumers in recent years. This bill would give cardholders the information and rights they deserve to make decisions about their own credit," Filner continued. The Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights:

  • Protects cardholders against arbitrary interest rate increases
  • Prevents cardholders who pay on time from being unfairly penalized
  • Protects cardholders from due date gimmicks
  • Shields cardholders from misleading terms
  • Empowers cardholders to set limits on their credit
  • Requires card companies to fairly credit and allocate payments
  • Prohibits card companies from imposing excessive fees on cardholders
  • Protects vulnerable consumers from fee-heavy subprime credit cards
  • Requires Congress to provide better oversight of the credit card industry
  • Contains NO rate caps, fee setting, or price controls

For a one-page summary of the bill’s main provisions, click here. To read the entire bill, click here.

The Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights already has over 80 bipartisan cosponsors. It is the result of numerous hearings and meetings aimed at determining the best way Congress, federal regulators, and credit card companies could work together to improve consumer protections for credit cardholders.

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March 12, 2008  

Filner Awarded "A" Grade From Nation’s Only Middle-Class Congressional Scorecard

Drum Major Institute: "In 2007, When America’s Struggling Middle Class Looked to Congress for Help, They Found a Consistent Champion in Congressman Filner"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner was recently awarded an "A" grade from the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy (DMI), which is widely recognized as America’s middle-class think tank. This political season, no set of issues have garnered greater attention than those involving the struggles of America’s current and aspiring middle class. Although attention has largely been focused on the presidential race, DMI releases "TheMiddleClass.org 2007 Congressional Scorecard" to remind Americans that the next President’s ability to advance his or her middle-class agenda will depend largely on cooperation from the 111th Congress.

With 470 Congressional seats up for election on November 4th, Americans who care about middle-class issues like health care, college affordability and the impact of free trade agreements need to know whether their representatives share these concerns. According to DMI, "one Representative, who demonstrated a sincere desire to strengthen and expand America’s middle class and voted to prove it, was Congressman Bob Filner."

Upon hearing he had received an "A" grade from DMI, Congressman Bob Filner said, "I am honored to be recognized by DMI, and I applaud their efforts to inform community members and to hold elected officials accountable to their constituents. With increasing inequality of wealth across the United States, it is extremely important that we support legislation to reinforce the position of the middle-class and to provide additional educational opportunities, job skills and healthcare to those people who aspire to join the middle class. Every time I vote, I vote with my conscience, and I vote to support America!"

DMI Executive Director Andrea Batista Schlesinger said, "The middle-class squeeze isn’t inevitable. It is the result of decisions made by those we elect to represent us. Important legislation was voted on this year, ranging from health care and education bills that were aimed at alleviating middle-class burdens to misguided trade agreements and tax policies that were skewed towards wealthy Americans and hurt the middle class. Simply put, how Congress votes matters."

When asked about the most important function of the annual DMI middle-class scorecard, Schlesinger responded, "Accountability. Members of Congress cannot tell the public they support the middle class but then cast votes against them. Thanks to TheMiddleClass.org, every American has access to their Senators’ and Representative’s voting records on the most important middle-class legislation. Without question, those who kept their word, like Rep. Bob Filner, deserve every accolade they receive."

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February 13, 2008  

Bipartisan Economic Stimulus Plan Signed Into Law, 14.7 Million In California To Receive Tax Cut

Tax Rebate Checks Could Arrive As Early As Mid-May

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner today praised the enactment of a bipartisan economic stimulus plan after President Bush signed the Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act. 14.7 million families in California will receive tax rebates of up to $1,200 per couple, plus $300 per child as early as mid-May. By getting money into the hands of America’s families and small businesses, the plan is expected to add 500,000 jobs to the economy.

"Democrats, Republicans and the President worked together to deliver real relief to American families. I hope that this new collaboration will set a precedent and lead to increasingly successful bipartisanship and real action to improve the quality of life in the United States," said Congressman Filner. "The plan signed into law today will give our economy a boost, create jobs and make it easier for families to make ends meet."

The plan will provide a tax rebate for the low and middle-income families who are being hit hardest by the economic downturn. More than 130 million families, including 35 million families across the country who work but make too little to pay income taxes will receive a tax rebate. The plan will also provide recovery rebate checks to 28 million households of senior citizens and disabled veterans.

The bipartisan legislation also includes tax cuts for small businesses, doubling the amount small businesses can immediately write off their taxes for capital investments, and encouraging investments in new equipment. Additionally, the plan offers immediate tax relief for all businesses that invest in new plants and equipment by speeding up depreciation provisions, so that firms can write off an additional 50 percent for investments purchased in 2008.

"Small businesses create jobs and power our economy," added Filner. "Our plan will create 500,000 jobs and give these businesses the chance to expand and hire more workers."

In addition, the bipartisan plan includes provisions to help families avoid losing their homes to foreclosure. The bill expands affordable mortgage loan opportunities for families at risk of foreclosure through the Federal Housing Administration. To enhance credit availability in the mortgage market, the measure also includes a one-year increase in the loan limits for single family homes from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

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February 4, 2008  

Filner Rejects President’s Budget

Congressman Bob Filner (CA-51) today released the following statement regarding President Bush’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget.

"The President’s budget includes a few bright spots, such as $110,362,000 for the U.S. Courthouse Annex in San Diego, as well as an additional $58,910,000 for construction of the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry. However, as a whole, the budget sets the wrong priorities for this nation and should be rejected!

"His budget would add another $407 billion to the national debt and continue his tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. It would not fix the Alternative Minimum Tax that will increasingly burden middle-class families. He also continues to underestimate the cost of his war in Iraq, while cutting health care, education, and housing programs in our own country.

"The good news is that the President’s budget request is not final, and we in Congress will have a say in the final budget and appropriations measures. As Chairman of the House Veterans’ Committee, I intend to oppose his proposed fee increases on veterans seeking medical treatment. I will also be working to ensure that domestic priorities like education, health care, and housing are adequately funded."

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Headlines

 

December 5, 2007  

Congressman Filner Introduces Legislation To Cut Taxes On Senior Citizens!

Congressman Bob Filner Recently Introduced H.R. 4254, the "Fair Taxes For Seniors Act," A Bill that Would Provide Financial Relief to Our Nation’s Senior Citizens.

The "Fair Taxes for Seniors Act" would provide a one-time increase in the capital gains tax exemption on the sale of a home for citizens who are 50 or older. "While home prices have decreased from their all-time high, the tax burden is still there for senior citizens who have lived in their home for many years. Passing this bill would give many seniors the additional money they need for nursing home care, medical costs, and other retirement expenses," said Congressman Filner.

Filner continued: "The current capital gains tax exemption works well for younger people who often move from job to job, selling their homes. The current exemption works well for people who live in areas where housing prices are below average. But it is not working for individuals who have lived in one home for 20 to 50 years and have a capital gain that is much larger than the present exemption. In other words, it is not working for seniors who live in areas with higher housing prices and end up paying thousands in capital gains taxes."

Filner’s bill would provide a one-time increase in the amount that can be excluded from the sale of a principal residence for taxpayers who have reached the age of 50. The increase would be to $500,000 for a single person and $1 million for a couple.

"Let us help our citizens over age 50 who have lived in one home for many years and who need the proceeds from the sale of their home for retirement and health care costs. An added benefit is that family members and perhaps the government may be relieved of the burden of caring for these individuals as they grow older," Filner concluded.

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November 9, 2007  

Congressman Filner Votes For Middle Class Tax Relief New Legislation Provides Tax Relief For 30,487 Households In The 51st Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Filner today voted for legislation that offers more than $50 billion in middle-class tax relief and saves 30,487 households in the 51st Congressional District from paying higher taxes under the Alternative Minimum Tax. The Temporary Tax Relief Act is fiscally responsible and fully paid for and was approved by a vote of 216 to 193.

"Families in California have seen the cost of health care, gasoline and a college education skyrocket while their homes have lost value. I was proud to vote for a plan that cuts taxes for middle class families and saves 30,487 households in the 51st Congressional District from paying the Alternative Minimum Tax."

The Alternative Minimum Tax was originally designed to ensure very wealthy individuals do not avoid paying income tax. The tax now threatens to impact middle-class families and raise taxes on 23 million Americans if Congress fails to take action.

The Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007 protects 23 million middle-class families from being hit by the Alternative Minimum Tax and includes a series of other provisions that provide tax relief to working families. The bill:

  • Provides 30 million homeowners with property tax relief
  • Helps 12 million children by expanding the child tax credit
  • Benefits 11 million families through the State and local sales tax deduction
  • Helps 4.5 million families better afford college with the tuition deduction
  • Saves 3.4 million teachers money with a deduction for classroom expenses
  • Provides thousands of American troops in combat with tax relief under the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The Temporary Tax Relief is fully paid for and will not add to the deficit and will grow our sagging economy with tax relief to promote innovation and high-paying jobs.

"Democrats have brought fiscal responsibility back to Washington: the days of borrow and spend are over," added Filner. "Our legislation is fiscally responsible and won’t add a single penny to the deficit."

The legislation also restores fairness to the tax code and closes wasteful tax loopholes. The Temporary Tax Relief Act closes tax loopholes that allow the privileged few on Wall Street to pay a lower tax rate on their income than other hardworking Americans, such as teachers and firefighters. Additionally, the bill prevents Wall Street hedge fund managers and corporate CEOs from escaping income taxes by using offshore tax havens as unlimited retirement accounts, while middle-class families play by the rules and pay their fair share of taxes.

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August 16, 2007  

Congressman Filner Applauds House Passage Of 2007 Farm Bill

Bill includes several programs that would help Imperial Valley producers

Congressman Bob Filner recently announced passage of H.R. 2419, the 2007 Farm Bill, in the House of Representatives. The Farm Bill is a large omnibus bill that authorizes America's agricultural and nutritional programs every five years, including commodity subsidies, Food Stamps, and conservation programs. Congressman Filner worked hard to ensure that several provisions would be included to benefit Imperial County farmers.

"We really made an effort to listen to our farmers and all of our constituents for their input as we developed the 2007 Farm Bill. H.R. 2419 represents unprecedented advancements in nutrition, conservation, and specialty crop programs, while maintaining the safety net that our commodity growers rely on when times get tough," said Congressman Filner.

H.R. 2419 invests nearly $200 million in pest detection and surveillance, expands the School Lunch Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, increases funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the successful conservation incentive program utilized by Imperial County farmers, as well as increasing opportunities for minority owned farms and providing an increase in funding for Food Stamps. The Energy Title in this year's Farm Bill includes a pilot program, which would allow sugar producers to sell their excess sugar to ethanol producers. Despite many major cutbacks in commodity subsidies, Congressman Filner worked hard to ensure that Imperial Valley farmers were not affected by the cuts.

"Growing in southern California presents a unique set of benefits and challenges. It was obvious from the time we started that the status quo was unacceptable." stated Congressman Filner, "The Farm Bill is Congress' investment in not only rural America, but in the health and nutrition of Americans and the entire world. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to develop a Farm Bill that moves us forward!"

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May 24, 2007  

Congressman Filner Champions A Fair Social Security Increase

Congressman Bob Filner announced his support for The Consumer Price Index for the Elderly Act (H.R. 2032), which will take into account the different buying habits of seniors to ensure a fair Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in Social Security benefits. While the basis for the yearly Social Security COLA is somewhat difficult to explain, it is linked to the rise in the yearly Consumer Price Index (CPI), determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through a study of the price of a number of goods and services.

"Unfortunately, this traditional CPI does not take into account the cost increase of many items purchased by senior citizens," said Congressman Filner. "Most seniors spend a great deal on medical care, for example. Seniors' medical costs have risen an astounding 270.6% over the 25 years that have been measured, and 21.6% from 2001-2004 alone, an average of 4.3 times the rate of inflation!"

Because their buying habits are quite different from the younger public, the BLS has developed an experimental CPI for the elderly. Over the past 25 years, the price of goods bought by the general public (their CPI)) rose by 110.4%, and the elderly CPI rose by 121.8%.

"This over 11% difference would have provided a much larger COLA for seniors, many of whom are living on a limited income," said Filner. "By basing the Social Security COLA on the Senior CPI, we would ensure a fairer increase in Social Security benefits, and I will be fighting for the passage of this bill!"

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May 25, 2007  

Congressman Filner Fights Against Predatory Credit Card Practices

Congressman Bob Filner has co-sponsored H.R. 2146, the Universal Default Prohibition Act. Universal default is the popular term for a practice that allows creditors to increase the interest rate on your credit card to the default rate, up to 32.24%, even when you haven't missed a single payment on your card! The practice has been increasing in the past few years, causing a large burden on families already experiencing financial hardship.

"These companies should not be allowed to penalize you if you have done nothing wrong and paid your bill on time." Congressman Filner said, "This legislation will be a wake up call that credit card companies should review their practices and ensure people are getting a fair deal."

Once a universal default rate has been issued on a credit card, regardless of identity theft or error, the credit card company has no obligation to reduce the interest rate. The company is also under no obligation to notify the card holder about the increased interest rate. Consumers are advised to carefully review their monthly bills and notify their credit card company immediately of any errors or fraudulent activity.

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March 29, 2007  

Congressman Filner Votes For Fiscally Responsible Budget, With Right Priorities For California Families

Congressman Bob Filner announced the House passed a fiscally responsible budget with the right priorities for America's families. "I am proud to have voted for this budget," stated Congressman Filner. "This budget restores fiscal responsibility and accountability, strengthens our national defense, and invests in the next generation and America's prosperity."

"After six years of the House passing budgets with deficits for as far as the eye can see," Congressman Filner said, "I applaud the House today for having passed a budget that finally restores fiscal discipline and reaches balance in five years; unlike the President's budget, which is always in deficit. Such nonpartisan groups as the Concord Coalition and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities have endorsed this budget's approach to restoring fiscal accountability - with the reinstatement of tough pay-as-you-go rule budget rules to ensure that budget discipline is permanent."

"In order to institute fiscal discipline, this budget also includes provisions to invest in efforts to identify and eliminate wasteful spending and improve government efficiency," pointed out Congressman Filner. "For example, it contains provisions calling for rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in federal contracting - such as occurred in Halliburton contracts in Iraq and in Katrina-related contracts."

"This budget strengthens our national defense and honors our promises to California's brave troops and veterans," Congressman Filner said. "The budget provides the largest increase for veterans' health care in the history of our country - providing $3.5 billion more than the President's budget. This will help to ensure that the 2,310,967 veterans in California receive care worthy of their sacrifice."

"This budget also puts children and families first," said Congressman Filner. "For example, in California, 1,380,800 children do not have health insurance. This budget helps these children by increasing funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) - reducing the number of uninsured children across the county. This budget also provides substantially more funding for California's 6,518,000 children enrolled in public elementary, middle and high schools - providing nearly $8 billion more for education and training than the President's budget."

"In addition, this budget grows our economy, funding the House Democratic innovation agenda - such as putting us on the path to double funding for the National Science Foundation," pointed out Congressman Filner. "In addition, this budget recognizes that the 3,575,200 small businesses in California are the engine of the economy. To spur economic growth and support small businesses, the budget rejects the President's proposal to cut the Small Business Administration by 26 percent from last year's request."

Congressman Filner added, "This budget also provides for initiatives to protect our environment and preserve our planet. For example, it invests in renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reduce global warming, and promote new technologies that can create American jobs. This budget also restores funding for environmental programs cut by the President's budget - including restoring $28,270,000 in Clean Water revolving loan funds in California that help improve wastewater treatment."

"Finally, this budget supports middle-class tax cuts and protects middle-income families from a tax increase by setting up a reserve fund for a long-term fix for the alternative minimum tax (AMT)," said Congressman Filner. "In 2004, 606,000 California families were subject to the AMT - and if nothing is done to fix the system, an estimated 4,434,000 families here in California will be subject to the AMT in 2007."

"In conclusion, after years of rising deficits and national debt, this budget finally puts us on the right course," said Congressman Filner. "By instituting pay-as-you-go budgeting, launching initiatives to root out wasteful spending, and making key investments in America's top priorities, this budget is a step in the right direction for all of America's families."

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March 30, 2007  

Congressman Filner Sponsors Bill To Enhance Affordability And Competitiveness Of U.S. Grown Specialty Crops

Congressman Bob Filner has announced his sponsorship of H.R. 1600, the EAT Healthy America Act. The bill reinforces previous efforts by Congress to assist with the challenges faced by specialty crop farmers in areas such as marketing, nutrition outreach, international trade, research for improvements in crop production and pest and disease control and conservation practices.

The legislation defines the term specialty crops as "fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture)."

"This bill is an investment in our nation's public health. It bolsters marketing and promotion campaigns aimed at increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables across the nation-an integral component to a healthy lifestyle, "said Congressman Filner.

H.R. 1600 works to continue and expand upon previous congressional efforts to ensure an abundant and affordable supply of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and other specialty crops for American consumers and international markets, to enhance the competitiveness of United States-grown specialty crops.

"As Congress works to reauthorize the Farm Bill, this bill recognizes the vital role of specialty crops in American agriculture. This bill helps farmers in Imperial Valley by ensuring that our farmers stay on top of the competition both in the domestic and international marketplace," said Congressman Filner.

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