ECONOMY

Working to Create New Jobs, Holding the Financial Industry Accountable

Steve Israel is working to get our economy moving again by cutting taxes for middle-class families and small businesses. He successfully worked to pass legislation to create new tax incentives for businesses to hire unemployed workers.

Steve understands that while we're trying to work our way out of this economic crisis, we have to hold the financial industry accountable to prevent the next one. That's why Steve wrote a bill that would have taken back the bonuses paid to top executives at Wall Street firms – like AIG - that received federal bailout funds.

EDUCATION

Helping Families Pay for College

With two daughters in school, Steve knows how hard it is for families to pay for college. That’s why he introduced legislation that would create a $5,000 super-sized tax credit for families with kids in college. His plan would increase the current tax credits and make it easier for families to benefit from it.

ENERGY

Ending our Dependence on Foreign Oil, Creating New Clean Tech Jobs

Steve is leading the fight to develop a comprehensive energy plan to strengthen our national security, grow our economy and protect our environment. That's why he voted for a clean energy bill that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create the next generation jobs in alternative energy industries.

Steve has also led the charge to end Big Oil subsidies and is working to hold BP America accountable for the disaster in the Gulf.

HEALTH CARE

Protecting Consumers from Insurance Companies and Counterfeit Drugs

Steve believes that for too long, insurance companies have been able to take advantage of consumers – denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and refusing to pay claims when people need it the most. He voted to stop insurance company abuses and stabilize health care costs for families and businesses.

Steve is a leading voice on prescription drug safety, introducing a bill that will crack down on wholesalers that sell counterfeit pharmaceuticals. He is also the co-chairman of the bipartisan House Cancer Caucus, which serves as a leading voice on cancer legislation in the House. He has introduced legislation to expand access to cancer clinical trials and a bill that would expand cancer treatment options under Medicare.

NATIONAL SECURITY

Working to Keep Our Country Safe

Steve is regarded as a leader on national security issues. To combat terrorism, Steve believes we must aggressively pursue terrorists where they are and use all the tools available to us, including both "hard" power and "soft” power. To bring our troops home successfully and safely from Iraq and Afghanistan depends on both smart military strategy and smart diplomatic efforts to keep terrorists from regaining ground. Steve believes it is critically important that we dismantle al Qaeda's operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Steve is a strong advocate for the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship. He is on the subcommittee responsible for funding the State Department. Having served on the Armed Services committee for years, he now serves on the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel, which oversees intelligence community issues and budgets.

SENIORS

Standing Up for Long Island Seniors

Steve has fought to protect and improve Social Security and Medicare. He consistently opposed efforts to privatize Social Security. He supported legislation to close the Medicare “doughnut hole.” He has taken on the big drug companies and supported legislation allowing the government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare recipients. Steve also supports common sense legislation to lower prescription costs over all by allowing safe re-importation of cheaper prescription drugs and expanding access to generics. Steve wrote widely-supported legislation that would expand cancer treatment options for Medicare patients.

TAXES

Cutting Taxes for High Cost-of-Living Areas

Steve understands that rich is relative. He believes that it’s unfair for families on Long Island to pay higher property taxes, energy and housing costs, and yet still get taxed at the same rate as families in other parts of the country whose cost of living is half as much as ours.

That’s why Steve is working pass legislation that would take the regional cost of living into account when determining a family or individual’s federal income tax. Under this plan, many Long Islanders would move into a lower tax bracket and get a tax cut.

TRANSPARENCY

Making Government More Accountable

Steve is working in the House to increase government transparency and accountability. As a Member of the Appropriations Committee, he helped pass reforms to make Members of Congress post their earmark requests online.

Steve has also introduced legislation to change the definition of “public” so “public means online.” His landmark transparency legislation would require that all executive branch documents that are designated “public” would be online and in a searchable database.

VETERANS

Fighting for our Veterans

Steve believes that by asking the men and women of our Armed Forces to put their lives on the line to defend America, we have an obligation to care for them at home. That's why in Congress, Steve helped secure the biggest increase in veterans' benefits in the history of the Veterans Administration, including funds to help veterans suffering from Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder and record funding to help homeless veterans.

Steve advocates every day for Long Island veterans to ensure they are getting the support they earned. His efforts have secured more than $3.7 million in overdue benefits for local veterans.