"To secure America’s future, we’ve passed legislation to promote energy independence, keep criminals and pedophiles out of our schools, give relief from the double and triple taxation known as the death tax, fund the War on Terror, support our troops, and eliminate waste and abuse in government spending," Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, said in an "Independence Day District Work Period Kit" handed out to GOP incumbents for use at meetings with constituents over the July Fourth recess.
Pryce and her Republican pals are just trying to create the illusion that they've done something. The only thing they have accomplished is to help lobbying firms get their pet projects passed in the Congress.
Let us examine what the Republican Congress has not done.
1. The GOP has not provided oversight in government contracts.
2. The GOP has not provided oversight of the NSA wiretapping of American citizens.
3. The GOP has not asked for a plan for Iraq.
4. The GOP has not come up with immigration reform.
5. The GOP has refused to hold hearings to investigate Republican Reps. DeLay and Cunningham and their ethics violations.
6. The GOP has not created tough ethics reform for members of Congress.
7. The GOP has not worked to lower gas prices. Instead, they've provided more tax breaks for oil companies.
8. The GOP has not pushed for a raise in the minimum wage.
9. The GOP has failed to follow up on pre-9/11 intelligence investigations.
10. Republican DeWine has voted against first-responders time and time again.
11. Pryce has not brought jobs to her district.
12. The Republicans have provided the rubber stamp for this administration's far right wing, pro-corporation, anti-worker, anti-senior citizen agenda.
13. The Republicans and Pryce have voted against increased port security.
14. Pryce has refused to support medical care for our vets:
- Rep. Pryce opposed expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to thousands of Reservist and National Guard members, even though 20 percent of all Reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage.
- Rep. Pryce voted against granting a bonus to grant a $1,500 bonus to every American service member serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, including National Guard and Reserve forces.