WORKING FAMILIES

Joe believes in a 21st Century Agenda for Opportunity that restores the American Dream by ensuring economic, health, defense, environment/energy and education security so that families can get to work restoring their opportunity for a stronger future. It involves securing the middle class by closing income inequalities; creating an economy where entrepreneurship is the norm not the exception; a healthcare system that is not only affordable and accessible, but one that spurs innovation rather than inefficiency; a national security strategy that makes all of our other goals possible; an energy plan that creates jobs and new industries; and an education plan that ensures a young person can expect a more prosperous life than the generation before.

HIGHLIGHTS OF JOE SESTAK’S EFFORTS TO SUPPORT AMERICA’S WORKING FAMILIES

Economy

INTRODUCED FINANCIAL SECURITY IN RETIREMENT ACT

Provides one-year exemption from 401(k) required minimum distribution requirements during ongoing market downturn.

INTRODUCED FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER’S TAX CREDIT AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1

Expands the Home Buyer’s Tax Credit cap from $7,500 to 10% of the final sale price of a home—approximately $20,000-- capped at 3.5% of FHA loan limits

VOTED FOR A MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE

On Friday, July 24th, the federal minimum wage rises to $7.25 an hour-- from $6.55-- benefiting 112,000 Pennsylvanians.

VOTED FOR “MAKING WORK PAY” TAX CREDIT TO SUPPORT REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT

$400 tax credit for working individuals and $800 for working families. Helps approximately 4.9 million Pennsylvanian taxpayers are expected to benefit.

VOTED FOR AN INCREASE IN EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT BY 5% FOR WORKING FAMILIES WITH THREE OR MORE CHILDREN.

VOTED TO INCREASE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE REFUNDABLE PORTION OF CHILD CREDIT

Increases the eligibility for the refundable child tax credit in 2009 and 2010. For 2008, the child tax credit is refundable to the extent of 15 percent of the taxpayer’s earned income in excess of $8,500. The bill would reduce this floor for 2009 and 2010 to $3,000.

VOTED FOR THE “AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY” EDUCATION TAX CREDIT

Provides a tax credit of up to $2,500 for the cost of tuition and related expenses paid during the taxable year. Benefits for Pennsylvania: 138,000 families.

VOTED TO EXTEND AMT RELIEF FOR 2009

Provides immediate tax relief for more than 26 million families who unfairly fall victim to the outdated AMT tax.

VOTED FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF TAXATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Temporarily suspends federal income tax on the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits per recipient

ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND VOTED FOR THE PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

Places the burden of proof on employers when gender pay disparity exists, and protects employees whistleblower

ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND VOTED FOR THE LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT

Amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to increase the statute of limitations for gender pay discrimination

VOTED TO HELP WORKERS FIND JOBS

Provides funding to help workers find jobs, including $3.95 billion for job training including formula grants for adult job training, dislocated worker job training, and youth services

VOTED TO EXPAND HOUSING ASSISTANCE

Increases support for several critical housing programs, including providing $2 billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to help communities purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed, vacant properties and $1.5 billion for the Emergency Shelter Grant program to provide short-term rental assistance and other aid for families during the economic crisis.

VOTED TO PROVIDE AID TO SENIORS, DISABLED VETERANS, AND SSI RECIPIENTS

Provides a payment of $250 to retirees, disabled individuals and SSI recipients receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement beneficiaries, and disabled veterans receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Health Care

VOTED TO REPORT THE AMERICAN AFFORDABLE HEALTH CHOICES ACT

To aid working families, the bill:

Establishes an exchange where individuals and small businesses can purchase insurance at the discounted rate large employers currently receive – currently, small businesses pay 18% more for their health insurance than larger employers, (Commonwealth Fund, 2008);

Institutes market reforms to make health insurance fairer by eliminating co-payments for preventative care and preventing insurers from discriminating against individuals with pre-existing conditions or overly favoring healthy individuals;

Includes a public health insurance option to establish real competition in the insurance market and lower prices for families;

Establishes coverage as a shared responsibility between individuals, employers, and the

government, requiring that both employers and individuals contribute to health insurance costs while requiring the federal government to ensure it is affordable for all individuals.

VOTED AUTHORED/PASSED LEGISLATION TO EXPAND COBRA HEALTH COVERAGE FOR UNEMPLOYED WORKERS

Authored legislation extends COBRA benefits for all Americans - not limited to age or length of employment- from 18 months to 24 months if an employee reaches their 18 month coverage limit within one year of the bill’s passage. Additionally, voted to provide a 65% subsidy for COBRA premiums for up to 9 months for workers who have been involuntarily terminated during the recession and for their families. This subsidy also applies to health care continuation coverage if required by states for small employers. 

VOTED TO TEMPORARILY INCREASE MEDICAID FUNDING TO SUSTAIN STATE EFFORTS DURING THE RECESSION

Helps states avoid cutting eligibility for Medicaid and scaling back the health care services covered by increasing the Federal share of Medicaid by 6.2% across-the-board with an additional decrease in State financial obligations for Medicaid based on increases in the State’s unemployment rate. States are required to maintain effort on eligibility.

VOTED FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT

Provides health care for 11 million children, to finally provide cost‐effective health coverage for 4 million more children and preserve coverage for 7 million children already enrolled.

VOTED FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS IN THE FY09 LABOR HEALTH, AND HUMAN  SERVICES APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Expands health care/community health centers; enables community health centers to serve an additional 1.2 million uninsured Americans by investing 11 percent more than the previous year.

VOTED FOR THE PAUL WELLSTONE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION  EQUITY ACT

Ends discrimination against patients seeking treatment for mental illnesses by prohibiting insurers and group health plans from imposing treatment or financial limitations when they offer mental health benefits that are more restrictive from those applied to medical and surgical services. 

CLEAN ENERGY: CREATES JOBS AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

VOTED FOR THE AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT OF 2009

Reduces the cost of home heating, creates strong new domestic job markets, reduces our reliance on foreign fuels, and lessen the impact of global warming

SECURED OVER $300K IN FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING FOR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT

Helps small communities and families deal with flooding, pollution, and other watershed issues in a comprehensive and systematic manner.

SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TO SAFE GUARD CLEAN AIR AND SAFE DRINKING WATER IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR FAMILIES.

Clean Water Protection Act

Mecury Pollution Reduction Act

Sustainable Water Infrastructure Act

Water Advanced Technologies for Efficiency Resources Use (Water) Act

VOTED FOR 30% TAX CREDIT FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PURCHASES BY HOMEOWNERS, UP TO $1500 PER RESIDENCE. The new law increases the energy tax credit for homeowners who make energy efficient improvements to their existing homes. The new law increases the credit rate to 30 percent of the cost of all qualifying improvements and raises the maximum credit limit to $1,500 for improvements placed in service in 2009 and 2010.

VOTED FOR EQUALIZATION OF PARKING AND TRANSIT TAX-FREE EMPLOYER BENEFITS AT $230 FOR 2009.  This provision would equalize the tax-free benefit employers can provide for transit and parking.

VOTED FOR $500 MILLION FOR GREEN JOBS TRAINING

EDUCATION

AUTHORED SCHOOL MEAL ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2009

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a school-wide paperless free school meal program which allows local educational agencies (LEAs) to select certain schools to provide free meals to all their students without the use of paper applications to determine their eligibility for free or reduced price breakfasts or lunches under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

VOTED FOR MULTIPLE INCREASES TO PELL GRANTS

Supported inclusion of $15.6 billion to increase the maximum Pell Grant by $500, from $4,850 to $5,350. Voted for Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which will increase Pell Grants to $5,550 in FY2010 and indexes future Pell Grant amounts to inflation.

VOTED FOR INCREASED FUNDING TO K-12 EDUCATION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION

IDEA Special Education: $12.2 billion for formula grants to increase the federal share of

special education costs and prevent these mandatory costs from forcing states to cut other areas of education. 

Title I Help for Disadvantaged Kids: $13 billion for grants to help disadvantaged kids in

nearly every school district and more than half of all public schools reach high academic standards. 

VOTED FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Child Care Development Block Grant: $2 billion to provide child care services for an additional 300,000 children in low-income families while their parents go to work. Today only one out of seven eligible children receives care. 

Head Start and Early Head Start: $2.1 billion to provide comprehensive development services to help children succeed in school. Funds are distributed based on need. Only about half of all eligible preschoolers and less than 3 percent of eligible infants and toddlers participate in Head Start. 

VOTED FOR THE HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACT

Increased the maximum for Pell Grants. Also included steps to curb rising costs – including two amendments Joe sponsored:  to improve college credit transfer and provide forgiveness for areas of need including physical therapy and others.

VOTED FOR THE IMPROVING HEAD START ACT

Expands and improves the successful Head Start early childhood education program, and includes strong accountability measures to ensure programs are succeeding.