Reply #13: 12 Legislative Accomplishments of John Kerry: [View All]

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http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0130d.html

12 Legislative Accomplishments of John Kerry:

Cosponsored Gramm-Rudman-Hollings bipartisan deficit reduction Act. Kerry was one of the earliest Democrats to sign on to the effort to address the growing budget deficit.


Secured assistance for families of Agent Orange victims: Kerry cosponsored and worked to pass the Agent Orange Benefits Act to extend health care benefits to children of Vietnam Veterans who suffer from spina bifida. <1995 VA-HUD Approp>


Passed international anti-money laundering law: John Kerry proposed and passed anti-money laundering amendment that forced negotiations with foreign banks to keep records of US currency transactions of $10,000 & up and established penalties for countries engaged in money laundering. <1988: S Amdt 3697, HR 5210, #374, passed 85-3>


Introduced bill to significantly increase commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS: Kerry introduced, along with Senator Bill Frist (R-TN), the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria Act. The bill would increase the U.S. governments funding of international HIV/AIDS efforts from approximately $1.7 billion in 2003 to $1.9 billion in 2004. This effort led to the unanimous passage in May 2003 the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria Act of 2003. AIDS activists characterized Kerry as one of Congress top leaders on HIV/AIDS policy.


Passed law addressing nurse shortage: Kerry introduced and passed the Nurse Reinvestment Act, to address the current shortage of Nurses in the medical profession.


Expanded early childhood development efforts: Kerry introduced legislation to expand state and local early childhood development efforts, including education, child care and health care for children between birth and six years old. At the end of 2000, a version of this bipartisan legislation was signed into law. .


Strengthened protection of seals, dolphin, whales and other marine mammals: Kerry sponsored legislation that extended and strengthened laws protecting Marine Mammals from commercial fishing.


Introduced plan that expanded childrens health insurance coverage: Kerry and Kennedy drafted an innovative plan to help states expand health care coverage for children in the 104th Congress. Their plan served as the framework for the Childrens Health Insurance Program in 1997


Instrumental in passing last minimum wage increase: Kerry was instrumental in passing the last increase in the minimum wage to $5.15 per hour in 1997.


Led fight to defeat Republican regulatory reform that threatened to roll back environmental and safety regulations: Kerry was a leader on the Senate floor to stop Republican efforts to roll back labor, environmental and consumer safety regulations under the guise of regulatory reform.


Led inquiry into savings and loan cleanup: Kerry conducted hearings into waste fraud and abuse in the RTC, the agency responsible for cleaning up the S&L scandal. (1993-94)


Boosted COPS and Police Corps funding: Kerry successfully lobbied the Senate and the administration to move funding from $5.9 billion to $22.2 billion over four years, with the goal of putting 100,000 new cops on the street. He also succeeded in boosting funding for Police Corps scholarship program.