The holiday season is a time for making lists so today I would like to offer one of my own. These are just some of the things that the 114th Congress has achieved for the American people:
- The first real entitlement reform in nearly two decades
- The first long-term highway bill in more than a decade
- The biggest rewrite of our education laws in 15 years
- The first permanent ban on taxing Internet access
- A law to better judge policy-based evidence instead of just inputs
- New sanctions packages for both North Korea and Iran
- A strengthened Visa Waiver Program to keep Americans safe
- An end to the 40-year ban on exporting crude oil
- Permanent renewal of tax relief for small businesses and families
- Renewal of trade promotion authority to get better deals for Americas workers
- The first rewrite of our nations trade enforcement law in a generation
- FOIA reforms to make government more open and transparent
- Reforms to fight human trafficking and expand services for its victims
- A bill of rights for the survivors of sexual assault
- Reforms to help our veterans including the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act
- Reforms to level the playing field for Americas manufacturers
- A law to prevent a taxpayer bailout of Puerto Rico and allow the island to retake control of its future
- Resources to tackle the Zika virus
- Landmark legislation to combat opioid addiction and support long-term recovery
- Landmark legislation to accelerate the development of cures for rare diseases as well as the most significant mental health reform in more than a decade
- And when our defense bill becomes law our troops will see their biggest pay raise in six years
My predecessor John Boehner was a big part of this work. He used to say that about 90 percent of what we do around here is bipartisan. Its the other 10 percent that tends to get all the attention. Bipartisanship is not rare. It is just rarely noted.
