Iraq
During his five visits to Iraq, Congressman Lynch has met with U.S. commanders, Massachusetts service members, the Iraqi Council of Representatives, and President Talabani. As a result, Congressman Lynch believes that the transition in Iraq from American military to Iraqi civilian control will ultimately be a political rather than a military one. Congressman Lynch believes that a necessary precondition to an orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops is a transfer of power in Iraq to the Iraqi government.

That is why Congressman Lynch authored legislation that establishes a plan to systematically shift control to the Iraqi Government. The Iraq Transition Act would establish a bipartisan national commission here in the United States that would facilitate an orderly, deliberate, and expeditious transfer of government operations in Iraq from U.S. military control to the democratically-elected Iraqi government.

Congressman Lynch has also been an outspoken advocate for congressional oversight of the $30 billion dollars of American taxpayers’ money that the Bush Administration has spent on the reconstruction of Iraq. Congressman Lynch believes that the unprecedented extent of waste, fraud, and abuse in the Iraqi contracting process has amounted to a lost opportunity to help the Iraqi people and has frustrated our overall policy in Iraq.

Notably, in March of 2005, a former Halliburton purchasing employee and a managing partner of a Kuwaiti firm were indicted for a kickback scheme through which U.S. taxpayers were billed more than $5.5 million for work that should have cost only $680,000. As a result, during several hearings held by the House Committee on Government Reform on Iraq Reconstruction, Congressman Lynch repeatedly asked Department of Defense officials whether all contracts in Iraq involving these two individuals were under review. After receiving unsatisfactory responses from the Department, Congressman Lynch then introduced the Iraq Contracting Fraud Review Act, legislation requiring DOD to review all reconstruction contracts involving former contractor employees or federal officials that have been indicted or convicted for contracting abuses.

Congressman Lynch has also actively worked to advance technology that would jam improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq. IEDs have been used extensively in Iraq to target American forces and have accounted for about one-third of all American deaths in Iraq. For this reason, Congressman Lynch has supported more funding for new technology and has worked with the Joint IED Defeat Task Force as well as other technology and policy experts to try to disable these deadly devices. Additionally, Congressman Lynch has worked to ensure that our courageous troops in Iraq have the body armor and vehicle protection that they need.

Homeland Security
The first responsibility of our government is the security of every American. In this era of unprecedented and unpredictable dangers, we must be prepared for any threat. As a member of the House Subcommittee that oversees National Security and Emerging Threats, Congressman Lynch has been a leader in efforts to assess and improve America’s homeland security readiness. In particular, Congressman Lynch has focused on threats to our surface and maritime transportation—particularly our rails and ports.

“The high-profile terrorist attacks on passenger rail and subways in Mumbai, London, Moscow, and Madrid should serve as wake-up calls for many of us on the issue of rail security,” Lynch said. “But the fact is that between 1997 and 2000, there were more than 195 attacks on transit systems around the world. We cannot afford to leave America’s rails vulnerable to attack.”

Since September 11th, the U.S. has spent over $22 billion on securing our airports and airplanes. However, we have spent less than 3 percent ($550 million) of that amount on rail security, despite the fact that five times more Americans travel by train every year than fly on airplanes.  For this reason, Congressman Lynch has made the improvement of rail security a priority in Congress.

For instance, Congressman Lynch hosted a Rail Security Summit in Boston attended by security experts, rail employees, and local elected officials; introduced legislation to add $5 billion towards rail security enhancements; and authored an amendment passed by the House of Representatives which increased funding for rail security in 2007 by $50 million.

Additionally, as a Member of Congress representing the Port of Boston in the House of Representatives, Congressman Lynch has worked tirelessly on the issue of port security. Nationwide, the Coast Guard has estimated that approximately $7 billion in funding would be required for port infrastructure and operating improvements to enhance port security. However, despite the vulnerability of U.S. seaports to acts of terrorism, since 9/11, we have spent less than $1 billion on port security. For this reason, Congressman Lynch has supported efforts to increase federal funding for port security and believes that Congress should implement the bipartisan 9/11 Commission proposal to secure America’s ports and screen 100% of container vessels.

First Responders
After the attacks of September 11th, it became obvious that our police, firefighters, and emergency personnel are those most likely to be on the front lines in the event of a terrorist attack. Therefore, Congressman Lynch believes we need to ensure that our first responders have the equipment they need to protect themselves and to keep our communities safe. Our nation’s first responders put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect us. Congressman Lynch has consistently supported legislation to ensure that these brave men and women have the equipment, funding, training and respect that they deserve.

During consideration of the fiscal year 2007 Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations bill, Congressman Lynch led the fight in passing a bipartisan amendment that secured an additional $12 million for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) program. The BVP provides life-saving bulletproof vests to state and local law agencies. Additionally, Congressman Lynch has worked with community groups and local law enforcement officials throughout the 9th Congressional District to secure Community Policing Grants as well as additional federal dollars for first responders. Specifically, Congressman Lynch helped to secure 27 federal Fire Grants for 18 Fire Departments in the Ninth District, totaling more than $3.3 million in federal aid.

Working Families
In the current economic climate, American families are working longer hours for less money. Within the past year, the weekly pay of a median worker has fallen 1.5 percent. Additionally, there are over 6.9 million unemployed Americans, and millions more have exhausted their benefits or are still trying to find a full time job.

Today, with the wages of many workers frozen, health premiums on the rise, and pensions endangered, American workers are finding it exceedingly difficult to balance work and family obligations. As a result of this uncertainty within the American workforce, Congressman Lynch co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Labor and Working Families to protect workers rights and American families by developing and implementing a pro-working families agenda in the United States Congress.

For instance, the minimum wage was last raised in 1997 and has been stuck at $5.15 ever since. Adjusting for inflation, the minimum wage is now at its lowest level in 50 years. For this reason, Congressman Lynch and the Labor Caucus will work with the Democratic House Leadership in the 110th Congress to ensure that American workers get a raise.

Veterans
Since being elected to the House of Representatives, Congressman Lynch has been a strong advocate on behalf of veterans. He has introduced legislation, testified at Veterans’ Committee hearings, organized Massachusetts Congressional Delegation meetings with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and worked with like-minded Members of Congress to pressure the Bush Administration to keep America’s commitment to our veterans.

Congressman Lynch recently hosted a strategy session with veterans from across the 9th Congressional District to discuss the proposed consolidation of VA Hospitals in Greater Boston. The Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Process began in 2003 as a study of how to modernize VA facilities throughout the country. In February 2004, the CARES Commission made its recommendations, which included studying the possibility of closing all four of Boston’s VA Hospitals and consolidating them into one large hospital. Congressman Lynch and the Massachusetts Delegation led the two-year fight against that proposal, and in July 2005, the VA announced that it had officially rejected the idea.

Unfortunately, as part of the announcement, the VA stated that it would now examine moving inpatient services from Bedford to Brockton and consolidating West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain into one facility. Currently, Congressman Lynch is organizing a meeting between VA Secretary Jim Nicholson and the Massachusetts Delegation to personally explain to him the concerns of Massachusetts veterans. A decision in the CARES process is expected early in 2007.

Although in recent years enrollment in the VA’s healthcare program has increased, the VA has been unable to keep up with the increasing demand for veterans’ healthcare. In 1995, the VA treated 2.6 million veterans and their families. In fiscal year 2006, the VA expects to treat more than twice that number – 5.4 million. Since funding for these vital programs has not kept pace with the growing demand for care, our veterans have had to endure long waiting lists at VA facilities nationwide. Today, more than 30,000 new veterans are waiting up to six months for their first appointment at the VA, double the number from a year ago.

Congressman Lynch supports a plan for mandatory funding of veterans’ health care, placing that program on par with Medicare and Social Security funding to assure that America keeps its promise to veterans. 

Social Security
Social Security is a guaranteed benefit that millions of Americans rely on, and it is a critical form of income for retirees, disabled workers and survivors of deceased workers.  Today, 92 percent of Americans over 65 receive Social Security retirement or spousal benefits.  Regrettably, the Social Security benefits for today's retirees and future generations are under attack.  

“I believe we should strengthen and preserve Social Security,” explains Congressman Lynch.  “Social Security has allowed generations of retirees to live with independence and dignity.  American families work hard and pay into the system, and they should be able to count on Social Security when they retire.”  

Congressman Lynch opposes the Republican plan to privatize Social Security, which will reduce benefits for future retirees while needlessly draining trillions of dollars from the Social Security Trust Fund.  Social Security actuaries have estimated that over a trillion dollars may be necessary to pay the transition costs of adding private accounts.  Every dollar that goes into a private account will no longer be available to pay to current retirees. Therefore, Congressman Lynch intends to fight any attempt that would undermine the stability of Social Security and remains strongly committed to providing middle-class families with the tools they need to achieve retirement security. 

Medicare
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2005, Congressman Lynch convened 16 separate Medicare forums across the 9th Congressional District to ensure that seniors had the information they needed to decide which plan within the new Medicare Part D program would work best for them.  Although Congressman Lynch opposed the way in which the program was enacted, he believed that it was his responsibility to ensure that the seniors of the 9th Congressional District were as fully informed as possible.

One of the reasons that Congressman Lynch voted against the original Medicare Prescription Drug legislation was that it explicitly forbade the Medicare program from negotiating directly with drug companies to get the best price for seniors’ prescriptions. This drug law deliberately protects pharmaceutical profits by diluting purchasing power and prohibiting the government from getting the best deal for beneficiaries and taxpayers. Quite simply, the Republican Congress put profits for the drug companies ahead of Medicare beneficiaries. For this reason, Congressman Lynch introduced the Prescription Drug Affordability Act which would require Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower drug prices and allow the reimportation of safe prescription drugs through Canada in order to lower costs. Additionally, Congressman Lynch has supported efforts that would eliminate the doughnut hole that subjects Medicare recipients to $3,000 in out-of-pocket costs for life-saving drugs.  

Energy
Congressman Lynch believes that it is wrong to allow the oil companies to dictate energy policy for our country.  Instead, we should create a cleaner and stronger America by reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  Congressman Lynch has been a vocal advocate of ending the tax giveaways to Big Oil companies and enacting tough laws that stop price gouging.  In addition, he has supported research into a variety of alternative energy sources.

Within the 9th Congressional District, Congressman Lynch has successfully obtained federal funds for the Brockton Brightfield Solar Project, the largest solar array in New England.  This new solar brightfield will provide renewable energy generation and environmental protection; decrease reliance on fossil fuels; and promote community development and environmental protection.  Congressman Lynch worked together with Senators Kennedy and Kerry to secure nearly $800,000 for the project through the federal budget process.  

Education
Congressman Lynch argues that education is the foundation of opportunity in this country. A strong public education system and access to higher education ensure that children from across America will have the knowledge and training they need to succeed in the ever-competitive and global economy. However, our schools, students, and teachers simply do not have the resources they need to be successful.

Since it was signed into law in 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act has been under-funded each and every year, by a total of $56.8 billion. The cuts have been deepest for after-school programs, teacher training, educational technology, and Title I assistance for disadvantaged children. This year is no different. Education funding in the Republicans’ proposed fiscal year 2007 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill again falls short of the levels set forth by No Child Left Behind.

“Education is the great equalizer, and it is vital to the future success of our children,” said Congressman Lynch. “We are doing a serious disservice to America’s children by not living up to the promises made in the No Child Left Behind Act.”

If the Republican education funding bill becomes law, students in Massachusetts will indeed be left far behind. For example, 31,419 children in Massachusetts will be denied the after-school programs promised by NCLB. Massachusetts will receive $15.5 million less than we were promised in educational technology grants and $8.5 million less for teacher training. Intensive reading and math instruction will be denied to 55,738 disadvantaged Massachusetts students.

For this reason, Congressman Lynch and fellow Democrats sent a letter to President Bush and Republican Leaders in the House calling on them to fully fund the promises of NCLB.

Additionally, Congressman Lynch believes that cost should never be the determination of whether a child goes to college or not. Every year, the challenge of paying for college becomes greater and greater for students and working families. With tuition on the rise, increasing by 40 percent between 2001 and 2005, the typical student leaves college today with $17,500 in federal loan debt. Instead of helping students and families attain the American dream of going to college, this Republican led Congress decided to cut $12 billion out of the federal student aid programs in order to help finance tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.

Congressman Lynch also opposes President Bush’s proposal to eliminate programs that assist low-income, high risk and first generation college students like TRIO and GEAR UP. In 2006, more than 400,000 low-income students participated in these types of programs.

“The TRIO and GEAR UP programs simply give kids a chance to excel,” explained Congressman Lynch. “It is mean-spirited and short-sighted for the president to try to cut these vital programs that help young people to succeed.”