Top Thee Priorities

By Lois Capps

As a nurse, I am committed to improving our health care system and have worked hard on these issues in Congress. I am a cosponsor of the Bipartisan Patients Bill of Rights and helped win House passage of this important bill, which will reign in HMOs and put health care decisions back in the hands of patients, doctors, and nurses. I will continue to fight to enact this bill because I believe that patients must come before profits.

I am also very active in the efforts to find cures and improve treatment ofr a number of terrible dieases. For example, I am the author of the ALS Treatment and Assistance Act, and helped pass the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act.

I believe that all seniors must have access to affordable prescription drugs. I helped put together a comprehensive proposal that would provide a voluntary prescription drug benefit under Medicare. This plan would cover all seniors, and include affordable premiums, no deductibles, and would provide catastrophic coverage.

Finally, I have been very active on the growing problem of medical privacy. I am proud to have helped block a proposal on major banking legislation that would have allowed insurance companies to sell or release a patient's most sensitive medical information.

EDUCATION

Having spent 20 years in our public schools, I know that educating our children must be one of our highest priorities. I am a firm believer in local control, but also think that there is a role for the federal government in helping modernize our schools, empower our teachers, and reduce class size.

I am a strong supporter of the School Modernization and Construction Act, which would make tax-exempt bonds available to local school districts to rebuild and update their facilities. I have also helped bring millions of dollars to the Central Coast to wire schools to the internet and have introduced legislation to help train teachers in the latest classroom computer technology.

THE ECONOMY AND TAXES

One of the keys to keeping our economy strong is maintaining fiscal discipline. I am proud to serve in Congress as our federal budget deficit is turning to huge projected surpluses. I strongly support using part of our surplus to pay down the national debt. I also beleve we must set aside the bulk of the surplus for the Social Security Trust fund, while also investing in critical health and education programs and enacting target tax cuts.

I have voted to end the estate tax, reform the "marriage penalty", increase tax deductions for small businesses, and make health insurance for the self-employed 100% deductible. I have also voted to cut taxes on Social Security benefits for middle-income seniors and repeal the unfair Social Security earning limit.