Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District...
Family Security
Bill Russell is committed to advancing the pro-life, family-security agenda in Congress. More than lip-service, he’s pledged to make the defense of families and innocent unborn life a hallmark of his public service.
Here’s where Bill stands on key family policy issues:
- Supports a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution recognizing the personhood of unborn children, and extending legal protection to all innocent life.
- Supports gunowner freedoms clearly enumerated by the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. He opposes any effort to strip or redefine these rights by courts and legislatures.
- Supports a Federal Marriage Protection Amendment preventing activist judges from repealing the definition of marriage as “the union of one man and one woman.”
- Opposes human cloning and embryonic stem cell research, while fully supporting research on adult stem cell lines.
- Supports the appointment of judges who strictly interpret the Constitution, not legislate from the bench.
- Supports giving parents the fullest range of educational choices, including homeschools and private schools, without financial or regulatory penalty.
- Supports restoring control of education to the local level.
For the first time in decades, the people of the 12th Congressional District will have a strong, outspoken voice for life and family in Bill Russell.
National Security
Bill Russell’s life has been dedicated to keeping America safe. He believes true national security rests with engaged citizens, responsible elected leaders and a robust military. Bill supports the Reagan Doctrine of “Peace through Strength,” believing America should always remain alert and vigilant.
As a 9-11 Pentagon survivor and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, Bill understands the sacred obligation civilian leaders owe to military personnel and their families. He’ll always honor their service and sacrifice.
Beyond a strong defense, Bill believes our national security policies must include an aggressive plan for energy independence, and the confrontation of radical, violent jihad.
Here’s where Bill stands on key national security issues:
- Supports the ongoing winning of the War on Terror and radical jihad.
- Supports tough border enforcement measures, and the prosecution of employers who hire illegal immigrants.
- Supports energy independence through expanded domestic oil exploration and production, and the development of alternative energy sources.
- Supports continued research, development and deployment of effective military technology to keep America safe.
- Supports ensuring that our troops have the equipment and support they need to do the job they are ordered to do.
- Supports full funding for veteran’s benefits and continued reform and improvement of military hospitals.
- Supports making English the official language of the United States.
- Supports American sovereignty. He opposes weakening America’s ability to protect her interests in either domestic or foreign policy.
Bill Russell believes that it’s time for America’s elected leaders to truly honor the service and sacrifice of America’s fighting men and women.
Economic Security
For decades, local politicians in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District have repeated a two-word, political slogan – “Murtha Delivers.” But Congressman Murtha’s deliveries have constructed what CBS news recently called a “Kingdom of Pork,” not real economic growth. As a result, instead of exporting coal and steel, southwestern Pennsylvania now exports its children.
Bill Russell believes the true reason for the 12th District’s downward spiral is rooted in Congressman Murtha’s fundamental misunderstanding of the following key principles:
- So-called “economic development” rarely succeeds when it is engineered by Washington or Harrisburg politicians.
- Delivering jobs by addition instead of multiplication is the obvious result of targeted economic policies that benefit the few, not the many.
- Opposition to tax reductions, spending cuts and legal reform is the major reason Pennsylvania’s manufacturing sector continues to evaporate
Here’s where Bill stands on key economic security issues:
- Opposes the proposed tax hike on gas purchases supported by House Democrats. The so-called “Windfall Profits Tax” would result in an increase in cost and reduction of supply of fuel at the pump.
- Supports a permanent ban on earmarks, ending a culture of waste and unaccountable spending. The reform would require that all taxpayer spending be subject to the committee process and a vote on the House floor. All spending should be on the books and on the public record.
- Supports the elimination of wasteful subsidies for corporations and private businesses, and the review and elimination of unproven government programs.
- Supports the 3/5ths “Supermajority” requirement to prevent unnecessary tax hikes.
- Supports a major overhaul of the tax system with the creation of a simpler, fairer, flatter option for taxpayers.
- Supports giving families more control and options in health care, including Health Savings Accounts, interstate health insurance availability, insurance portability, and financial support for in-home care for seniors.
- Supports eliminating the death tax.
- Supports the development of coal-to-liquid technology to bring real industry back to southwestern Pennsylvania.
Bill Russell isn’t running for Congress to win the naming rights to your neighborhood “economic development park” or public library. He’s running to give the people of the 12th Congressional District a fighting chance in the global economy. Lower taxes, a more accountable government and real reductions in spending – that’s his formula for real job creation.
