Dec 09, 2019

This week, “Medicare for All” will take center stage in a House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee hearing. At Heritage, we welcome the chance to put this bill under the spotlight and expose it for what it is: a catastrophic plan that will leave three out of four Americans worse off. Also this week: Do you think that adults who are capable of working should work in order to receive food stamps? We do too, and thanks to the influential work of Heritage experts, the Trump administration is taking steps to ensure that work requirements in the food stamp program are properly enforced. And as members of Congress prepare for the Christmas break, they should put the USMCA trade deal on the top of their to-do lists. Lastly, did you know that Sunday, Dec. 15, is Bill of Rights Day? We have the perfect way for you to celebrate the first 10 amendments to the Constitution: ordering your copy of Heritage's Guide to the Constitution.

House of Representatives Debates ‘Medicare for All’
Tomorrow, lawmakers in the House will hold their first hearing on Medicare for All. The hearing comes at the urging not only of House Democrats, but also of House Republicans who hope that a hearing will clearly highlight how disastrous single-payer health care would be both for individuals and for America’s economy. “Most Americans would see their expenses rise substantially,” writes Marie Fishpaw, director of domestic policy studies at Heritage. “Medicare for All would cost some working families more than what they pay for electricity; for others, it would exceed their gasoline budget; and for others, their food budget. All told, roughly three-quarters of Americans would be worse off.” Find out just how much Medicare for All would set you back..

Heritage Research Influences Food Stamp Eligibility Rule
The Trump administration released a final rule last week to address abuses in the food stamp program. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “The new rule appears to base its intellectual underpinning on policy developed at the conservative Heritage Foundation.” The rule closes loopholes in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). States have used those loopholes to circumvent federal work requirements for food stamp recipients. Essentially, those who can work should work, or prepare to work, in order to get benefits. Robert Rector, a senior research fellow at Heritage, says the new rule—which doesn’t impact parents with young children, the elderly, or disabled—is a positive step toward much-needed reform for the food stamp program. Learn more about Heritage’s impact and Trump’s new rule.

It’s Time to Act on USMCA
President Donald Trump signed the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) more than a year ago. It is imperative that Congress act on new trade agreement before the end of the year. Heritage analysts Tori Smith and Gabriella Beaumont-Smith argue that Congress should take a proactive role in influencing USMCA legislation in their consideration process to rectify certain weaknesses in the agreement. “There are pros and cons to each process, but in the end, consideration of any trade agreement, including the USMCA, should allow members of Congress to voice their opinions and to push for positive changes to the implementing legislation to ensure that it promotes free trade,” write Smith and Beaumont-Smith. Learn more about USMCA and how Congress can make positive legislative changes.

Special Opportunity to Make a Tax-Free IRA Gift to Heritage
In case you missed it, Congress passed legislation several years ago that allows those 70 or older to make a tax-free charitable gift of up to $100,000 annually from their IRA. You now have a unique opportunity to advance freedom and send less of your retirement savings to Washington. To ensure your gift counts for 2019, you'll have to act fast. The process is quick and easy, and The Heritage Foundation has friendly staff to assist you. Learn more about how to make a tax-free IRA gift to Heritage.*

Here are media highlights from media outlets like Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, and more featuring Heritage experts. This week, they touched on hot topics like impeachment, NATO, the terror attack in London, gun rights and more. Watch the video.