Dear Friends,
As Congress prepares to break for the August District Work Period, I wanted to update you on the legislative work I’ve done so far this year on behalf of the hard working families of the Second District. From trade to education to cyber security, I have fought for fair policies to protect America’s interests and create opportunities for the Second District.
I stood for fair trade deals that promote job growth
Trade is undoubtedly a key part of sustaining America as a leader in the global economy. However, trade must be conducted in a fair and open manner.
Congresswoman Kelly visiting Atlas Tube
I voted against trade measures such as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA or Fast Track) for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) because unbalanced trade deals will cost thousands of American jobs. Moving forward, I will continue to advocate for trade policies that expand markets for American goods, while protecting American jobs and consumer and worker safety.
I supported education and literacy programs in our schools and communities
I believe the greatest economic investment our country can make is in education because education is the foundation of opportunity. This is especially true of financial literacy. That’s why I introduced H.R. 1801, the Promoting Financial Literacy and Economic Opportunity Act of 2015. The bill incentivizes community and regional banks to give back to their neighborhoods by investing in financial literacy programs in primary and secondary schools.
To complement this bill, I passed an amendment toH.R.5, the Student Success Act , which will bolster literacy programs and financial education efforts in communities across the country.
Congresswoman Kelly Surplus Book Donation
In addition, I’ve donated over 2,000 books across the Second District through the Library of Congress Surplus Book Program. I also hosted “Robin’s Readers,” a reading program in which students were challenged to read 10 books in 10 weeks. More than 3,000 kids read more than 20,000 books and were honored at an awards ceremony at South Suburban College.
I worked to keep America’s Information Technology infrastructure safe and secure
Each year, roughly 15 million Americans are victims of identity theft, which results in financial losses of $50 billion. In order to maintain faith in our financial security systems, we need to do a better job of protecting American consumers. Similarly, with continued cyber-attacks from criminals, terrorists and governments abroad, we need to continue investing in our nation’s national cyber security infrastructure to ensure our personal data and grid are protected from cyber-attack.
As Ranking Member of the Oversight & Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Information Technology, I’ve worked to build relationships across the aisle to improve our defense systems against cyber vulnerabilities.
Congresswoman Kelly serving as Ranking Member of Oversight Subcommittee on Information Technology
I’ve supported legislation such as H.R. 2205, the Data Security Act of 2015, which requires entities that handle sensitive financial information to notify their customers in the event of potential security breaches. It is important that financial institutions be transparent about the safety measures they promise their customers.
Efforts like these help keep our nation safe, but shouldn’t come at the expense of the privacy of American citizens. That’s why I voted for H.R. 2048, the USA Freedom Act of 2015, which bans the federal government’s bulk collection of Americans’ telephone records and internet metadata. Americans should feel protected from foreign threats, but remain secure in their knowledge that their privacy is protected here at home.
As we move into the Fall, I remain committed to advancing commonsense and proactive measures that keep our nation safe, and on a path towards renewed economic prosperity and opportunity. Crucial to this is hearing from you. Please continue to share your thoughts with me on what can be done to keep our country safe and prosperous at (708)679-0078 or at www.robinkelly.house.gov. You can also keep in touch through Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Robin L. Kelly
Member of Congress