TLE

California House Representative, Democrat
 * Thuy Le**

__California Congress People__ The congressperson from California that I most agree with is Michael Honda of the 15th District. He and I have similar opinions on many various political issues. Visit his site at: []

__Issues__ The most important issues to me are:
 * The Economy and Jobs- I think that the economy is probably the largest issue the U.S. is facing. It was caused by loans which were given out to people who were unreliable and had no way of paying them back, the housing market dive-bombing, and so many businesses being unable to continue providing jobs. To fix it, I think that the government should give loans and tax breaks to small businesses that are starting out and larger corporations which promise to keep jobs in America and not overseas. People facing foreclosure should have the choice to rent their home, especially if they have children to support. Also, the government should cut spending on the War in Iraq, which could save millions. I also believe in the principle of spending money to make money, so in other words, the U.S. has to circulate money which will stimulate the economic growth.
 * Healthcare- The healthcare in the U.S. is currently in trouble, and I think it's pretty darn sad that millions of Americans can't afford healthcare. It must be so hard for those people whenever they need the simplest things, like a check-up at the doctor's office, or some medication. Fixing it won't be easy, but I think the basic idea behind how to change healthcare is to make the quality of it higher, but the cost of it lower. The government could urge employers to cover their employees, because if there are more uninsured people, then individual premiums go up. Programs could be made to further medical research and develop newer and safer medicines. Medicaid should be easier to access, because the process to become qualified is too complicated for a lot of Americans. Also, insurance should be available to low-income families, senior citizens, and veterans at a low rate, if not for free.
 * Education- I think that education is also an important issue in the U.S. The standards of education are set high, but they aren't always met. I think that the government should live up to its promises and allow for the budget to include funding of schools, where the amount of money increses when inflation increases. The money should be used to hire qualified teachers, construct schools that meet safety standards, and make sure that core classes are being taught as well as extra enriching classes. I think that the annual yearly progress of schools shouldn't be based on a single standardized test, but rather multiple things like drop out rates or success in a subject that wasn't good lthe previous year in that school. Also, I think that there should be easier ways for people to pay for school, especially going to college. More scholarships should be given out to people that deserve them, and the process for financial aid could be simplified.

__My Bill__ I am working on the bill HB 44 with other California House Rep. B Slechta (D) and Virginia House Rep. C Boehm (D). The issue that we're working to try to improve is the situation with jobs. Millions of Americans are currently unemployed, and everyday more and more jobs are being cut. But, some companies that cut jobs in America are still sending jobs and creating new jobs overseas. Our bill will address this issue by putting an 8% tax on the income of each job sent overseas if the employer terminated jobs in America. The money collected from that tax will be put into a fund, and then be distributed to people who have lost their jobs by being laid off and need some financial assistance. So, if our bill passes, then it will give employers a reason to keep jobs in America and will be able to help the unemployed in America survive the current economy. See more details on our bill at: https://mockcongress09.wikispaces.com/HB+44

__Five Facts About California__
 * California is one of the most advanced states when it comes to innovations in energy. It harnesses large amounts of geothermal, wind, and solar energy, which places it far ahead of the rest of the U.S.
 * If California were a country, it would most likely rank among the top ten in terms of its Gross Domestic Product.
 * Though California has a good economy, it faced a $40 billion budget deficit in 2008, because state spending increased from $56 billion in 1998 to $131 billion.
 * According to statistics in January 2009, California has a population of 38,292,687 people. That is currently greater than all but 34 countries in the world.
 * California's public education system is supported by a unique constitutional amendment that requires a minimum amount of funding for grade K through 14, and the amount changes with the economy and enrollment. But, the states funding and staffing still lags behind most other states.

__My Information Sources__
 * "Obama Budget Recipe: Big Increases, Small Cuts" __Foundation for Economic Education__ 5 May 2009 <[]>
 * "Unemployment Rate Rises to 8.9 Percent" __Center for Economic and Policy Research__ 5 May 2009 <[]>
 * "Issues" __Center for American Progress__ 5 May 2009 <[]>
 * "Democratic Party Platform 2008" __The Democratic Party__ 6 May 2009 <[]>
 * "2008 Republican Platform" __Republican National Committee__ 6 May 2009 <[]>
 * "Workplace Issues" __Issues__ 9 May 2009 <[]>
 * "H.R.1" __The Library of Congress__ May 9 2009 <[] >
 * "California" 9 May 2009 []
 * "California" __United States Geography__ 2009 ABC-CLIO 9 May 2009 <[]>
 * "On the Issues- Education" 10 May 2009 <[]>
 * "Job Losses: Worst in Five Years." __CNN__. 2009. 14 May 2009 <[]>
 * “Household Data Annual Averages.” 10 May 2009. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 14 May 2009 []