An Overview of My Plan for District 8

By Tom Manion

Discusses key issues facing our community today

Energy is the topic on everyone's mind right now. I have proposed an energy plan with three important action steps. Let's begin by discussing alternative energy sources, which are one step in my plan. Common sense tells us that we can shift the American economy off its near-complete dependence on oil by developing alternative energy sources. I will support legislation to provide incentives for the development of other sources of energy. Technological innovations in the areas of nuclear, solar, coal, geothermal and hydrogen energy sources will receive incentives under my plan.

Americans use more energy than any other nation. As we work to find these additional sources of energy, we must also take action to conserve energy. Energy conservation is the second step in my plan. I support tax credits to businesses and families who promote energy conservation and efficiency in all sectors of the American economy.

While we seek these new energy sources and conserve our precious energy, Congress must assist the process by expanding exploration opportunities in oil-rich domestic regions. I will sponsor legislation for exploration of domestic natural gas and oil production in areas currently denied by Congress. Domestic drilling will decrease our dependence on oil from foreign countries, that, to be frank, don't like us very much.

It is important, however, that exploration occur with new, environmentally friendly technologies to protect our natural resources for future generations.

Domestic drilling will also send a signal to the many speculators both here and abroad that a greater supply of oil and natural gas will be on the way. This will help stabilize the price of fuel in the short-term and allow for price reductions long-term.

Expanding oil exploration opportunities must go hand-in hand with increasing long-term oil-refining capacity. I will sponsor legislation to create fast-track approval for expansion of existing refineries. Construction of new refineries with environmentally friendly technologies will also be a priority.

The solution to our energy demands is not simple. By using the latest technologies, and never sacrificing our strict environmental standards, America can produce more of our energy right here at home -- while still protecting our open spaces and our clean air and water for generations to come.

American-made energy reduces our dependency on the dictatorships of the Middle East and other foreign sources of energy. Instead of spending billions of dollars on oil in nations that oppose our way of life, we could be spending it here at home on domestic oil and American jobs.

Hand in hand with energy, economic growth is a priority for our constituents. I will work for an America where taxes are low. Tax cuts from 2001 and 2003 will expire shortly without new legislation. I will support legislation to make these tax cuts permanent.

Our economy can not be strong without sensible spending solutions in Washington. I am opposed to wasteful earmarks and pork barrel spending. I believe a careful review of government programs is necessary, to find out which programs are working, which are not, and which are duplicative. Extraneous positions and programs need to be eliminated.

Affordable health care would be an important priority to me as your Congressman. My main goal with the health care system would be to give patients more control, not less.

• Health insurance should be portable so it can move from job to job with patients. This allows patients to have an ongoing relationship with their doctors, not one dependent on whether they stay in the same job year after year.
• I support expanding health savings accounts. Both of these measures will go a long way toward giving families more control over their health care.
• I also support providing tax credits as a way to encourage the purchase of health insurance by the uninsured and eliminate the current discrimination against individuals who are not offered employer-based health insurance.
• I believe an increased focus on preventive medicine and healthy lifestyle choices will save money in the end by often preventing the onset of more serious, chronic diseases.
• Finally I believe patients' access to care is threatened by frivolous medical liability lawsuits. Passing medical liability reform that limits non-economic damages in medical liability cases will help stabilize liability insurance and thereby increase patients' access to care.

The American troop presence in Iraq remains an issue of concern to voters today. My son Travis gave his life in Iraq last year and it was his sacrifice that motivated me to continue my service to our country. I urge you to watch our four part video series on my website, "Letters from Travis", where we discuss some of the issues surrounding the American presence in Iraq. I believe calls to bring our troops home with a pre-determined timetable are irresponsible. We have gained strong momentum with the success of the surge and we must continue these efforts in order to stabilize this critical area.

Lastly but perhaps most importantly, it is my goal to work across the aisle to find solutions to our country's problems. We must put an end to the partisanship in Washington. After working in several industries in both the private and public sectors, I have the experience to get the job done!