Priority issues for 2006

A progress report for The Heritage Foundation on its top issues for 2006.

1. Controlling federal spending

• June 15
  Celebrating ten years of welfare reform
  “The Heritage Foundation played a highly important and invaluable role” in the 1996 debate on welfare reform, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt said Tuesday at The Heritage Foundation. “It occurs to me how important it is that you’re still here” as an institution.
• June 13
  A small victory for fiscal restraint
  Congress takes a step in the right direction on fiscal restraint at the President's urging.
• May 1
  Sounding the alarm on a looming fiscal nightmare
  The Heritage Foundation is taking part in the Concord Coalition’s Fiscal Wakeup Tour in order to draw attention to our nation’s coming “tsunami wave of spending,” Heritage’s Stuart Butler said today at the President’s Club meeting in Washington.
• March 10
  A bold budget proposal
  House conservatives propose a balanced budget for 2007.
• February 17
  Why the left is wrong on taxes and spending
  Brian Riedl exposes liberal myths about cuts to taxes and spending; states want even more money.

2. Reforming health care

• June 13
  A small victory for fiscal restraint
  Heritage experts push for health care reform in the states.
• April 6
  Heritage gets results on health care
  Massachusetts lawmakers pass a health care reform bill with Heritage's guidance; taking the message on border security directly to the media.
• January 27
  Gov. Romney’s health care proposal
  Massachusetts will be a testing-ground for a new health program that combines a market-based approach with substantially expanded coverage, Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) said yesterday in Heritage’s Allison Auditorium.

3. Enhancing national security

• June 26
  Heritage prompts action on missile defense
  Heritage’s government relations staff arranged a meeting between key Congressional staffers and Heritage experts to discuss the importance of devoting more funding to research and development of missile defense technology. This meeting had an immediate impact.
• June 23
  24 and the perception of counterterrorism
  The hit television program 24 is great entertainment but remains largely fictional, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, terrorism experts and the producers and cast of the show said Friday at a Heritage Foundation panel discussion moderated by talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.
• May 24
  Defining amnesty
  The Senate immigration proposal amounts to an amnesty, no matter how it’s spun, Heritage’s Ed Meese writes in today’s New York Times.
• May 23
  Rep. Pence: No to amnesty, yes to reform
  The head of the House conservative caucus presents his innovative solution to illegal immigration at Heritage.
• May 18
  Making a difference on immigration
  How Heritage's research impacts Washington and the media.
• May 16
  Heritage leads the immigration debate
  The White House and the major media notice Heritage's research on immigration; the President's solid immigration speech.
• March 21
  Congress loses control
  The Department of Homeland Security looks to Heritage for leadership.
• March 20
  Securing the homeland
  Secretary Michael Chertoff said he is working to reform the Department of Homeland Security to better protect America—with help from The Heritage Foundation.
• March 7
  The real danger to our ports
  Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee last Thursday, Heritage national security expert James Carafano explained that port security, not the nationality of the port’s operators, should concern Congress.
• March 1
  Getting at the truth about Guantanamo Bay
  Liberals have long said the terrorist detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay should be shuttered, but a panel at Heritage suggests their claims of human rights abuse are unfounded.
• January 5
  Defending America
  Vice President Cheney speaks to The Heritage Foundation about sound security policy.

4. Reducing and reforming taxes

• June 27
  24 event a smash hit
  Heritage pushes for a total repeal of the death tax.
• May 18
  Making a difference on immigration
  President Bush signs an extension of the tax cuts and threatens a veto.
• February 17
  Why the left is wrong on taxes and spending
  Brian Riedl exposes liberal myths about cuts to taxes and spending.

5. Increasing international competitiveness

• June 16
  The importance of freedom
  If the free world is to win the war against radical Islamic terrorism, it must work to spread freedom to the Middle East, Israeli politician and former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky said Thursday at The Heritage Foundation.
• May 30 | By George Will
  Cognitive dissonance, assuming a ladder and economic hypochondria
  Columnist George Will explains the problems of modern political discourse at the May 1 President's Club meeting.
• May 3
  Sen. Graham: China needs internal reforms
  China must reform its banking system and its intellectual property law if it is to participate fully in the global economy, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said today in The Heritage Foundation’s Lehrman Auditorium.
• April 25
  How not to solve high energy prices
  Price controls and new regulations will only exacerbate the problem of high gas prices.
• February 23
  The facts about the ports deal
  Why Congress should review but not cancel the UAE port deal.
• February 13
  Brookes appointed to US-China commission
  House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) recently appointed Heritage analyst Peter Brookes to serve on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a body examining American national security and trade policy with regards to China.
• Heritage Members News, Winter 2006
  2006 Index of Economic Freedom
  A Heritage publication explains the link between economic opportunity and prosperity.