'War on Terror' funding great accomplishment this past year
By SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON

Nearly a year ago, when I was sworn into Congress for my third term as U.S. Senator, I knew that 2007 would be a challenging year for passing positive legislation for Texas, and America.

The shift in Congressional leadership meant that my goals for strengthening our country, both in terms of domestic policy and foreign policy, would face greater obstacles than ever. However, through perseverance and dedication, we were able to surmount many of these hurdles.

We prevented tax increases, supported our military through funding, and achieved important victories for our families, our communities, and especially our brave service men and women overseas.

Our greatest accomplishment of this year was maintaining funding for the War on Terror, despite persistent opposition from some in Congress.

The Senate leadership spent hundreds of hours of Congress' time and forced 40 votes over an 11-month period on an unsuccessful effort to cut off the funding our troops needed to complete their mission. Some continued to attempt to stop sending support to our troops, despite clear successes.

For example, last month, U.S. commanders and Iraqi government officials proclaimed that al-Qaida had been routed in every neighborhood in Baghdad, citing an 80 percent drop in the murder rate since its peak.

In fact, the positive developments in Iraq have been so dramatic that General David Petraeus recently recommended a drawdown of troops because conditions on the ground merit such action. Because of our success, some troops are returning home in time to spend the holidays with their families.

Our most staunch and determined efforts have been necessary to ensure the Iraq policy in Congress keeps pace with the progress our commanders are reporting from the battlefield.

Many of the decisions made by Congress directly affect the lives and well-being of average Americans, especially those concerning taxes.

This year, the alternative minimum tax (AMT) was poised to raise taxes on 23 million middle

income taxpayers. A critical priority of this Congress was extending relief from the AMT to protect these Americans from $65 billion in new taxes under the AMT.

Congress passed relief from the AMT for another year - without the $51 billion tax hike House Democrats proposed - and as a result, hundreds of thousands of Texas families will not be hit with the average $2,000 per family tax hike that was expected without this relief.

Another effort to raise taxes was thwarted when we passed an energy bill without a $21 billion tax increase levied against energy producers that would have lowered domestic supply and burdened Americans with even higher gas prices.

I am determined to keep the tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 that created jobs and allowed every taxpayer in America to keep more of their hard-earned money.

One of the most high-stakes debates in Congress this year was overall spending. The funding stalemates that have dogged this Congress have at last been responsibly and favorably resolved.