110th Congress' Accomplishments
(Updated 08/29/07)

The 110th Congress has achieved a tremendous number of accomplishments for the American public since January 2007.

Congress' Accomplishments

• First minimum wage increase in 10 years
• 9/11 Commission recommendations to screen all air cargo and overseas port cargo, improving communications between first responders
• Tough rules to establish highest ethical standards in Congressional history
• Pay-as-you-go budget discipline restored to end six years of deficit spending
• Fiscal discipline that produces a balanced budget by 2012
• Reduction of backlog on passports after 9/11 requirement through hiring boost
• Benchmarks and progress report required on Iraq
• Emergency assistance to protect children’s health coverage
• Overdue disaster aid to farmers and ranchers
• Overdue hurricane aid to rebuild Gulf Coast housing, hospitals, schools, and levees
• Emergency funding to fight wildfires
• Vigorous Congressional oversight restored after six years, saving billions of taxpayer dollars, exposing corruption and incompetence
• Green the Capitol plan launched to cut carbon footprint 50%

Accomplishments Awaiting President’s Approval

• Most sweeping lobby and ethics reform in a generation, hailed by reform groups as “landmark reform” and “a sea of change”
• A comprehensive Innovation and Competitiveness agenda to double basic research & development and reinvest in math and science education

Bills that have passed both the House and the Senate

• Largest expansion of college aid since GI Bill
• Health coverage for 6 million children protected and millions more eligible children to enroll
• New quality care standards for wounded military personnel
• Energy Independence initiative to promote clean American renewable fuels and energy efficiency, and to reduce global warming
• 3.5% military pay raise
• Head Start preschool improved and expanded
• Reform of unethical practices by student loan industry
• Authorizing prosecution of gas price gouging and OPEC price fixing
• Sweeping reform of prescription drug safety

Bills that have passed the House

• Largest increase for veterans’ health care in history
• Major new investments in equipment and training for troops to meet the worst readiness crisis since the Vietnam War
• 3,000 new border patrol agents, tougher aviation and port security funded
• Farm Bill that shifts priorities to family farmers, crop diversity, nutrition, and biofuels
• Clean, renewable energy spurred with $3 billion investment
• Incentives for small business innovation to compete globally
• Federal small business loans made more affordable
• Small businesses guaranteed fair access to federal contracts
• Voter deception made a federal crime, voter intimidation penalties increased
• Seniors’ access to doctors protected
• Discrimination based on genetics banned in health care
• Safe drinking water efforts expanded
• 50,000 new police officers on the street
• Background checks for gun purchases improved nationwide
• Collective bargaining rights allowed for public safety officers nationwide
• Protection for employees who suffer pay discrimination based on sex, race, or age
• D.C. voting rights in Congress
• Government contracting reformed to stop waste, fraud, and abuse
• Whistleblower protections strengthened
• Public access to Presidential records restored
• Public access to government strengthened through Freedom of Information Act reforms
• Members of Congress barred from putting spouses on campaign payrolls
• Shareholders given a vote on excessive executive pay