A Health Care Needs Assessment Of Federal Inmates In Canada: Fill & Download for Free

Actually today in Canada a landmark decison was handed down about Solitary Confinment.Here is the link the cases in question and the brave people who have taken action.http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/sc/18/00/2018BCSC0062.htmThe Courts of British ColumbiaPlease remember prison is about money and in the USA , it is one of the largest industries.I changed a law in the Children’s Court in Western Australia, it took four years, and was proclaimed on the exact day my son was sentenced on his 18th birthday to Maximum Prison, he has never ever recovered, raped repeatedly and then sent to solitary confinement. Completely illegal, imho. Think about this, an adolescent brain is not fully developed until they are 25!This article highlights what happens to the human brain in such tortuous, inhumain, and cruel.here is the key expert witness testimony“(a) Dr. Stuart Grassian(i) Qualifications[163] Dr. Grassian is a board certified psychiatrist who was on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School for over 25 years. He published a seminal article in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 1983 in which he identified a syndrome that he had recognized in a number of inmates he interviewed in solitary confinement in Walpole Prison in Massachusetts. Subsequently he has had extensive experience in evaluating the psychiatric effects of stringent conditions of confinement, given expert evidence in a number of court cases on this issue, and published a further article in 2006 entitled “Psychiatric Effects of Solitary Confinement” which describes the extensive body of literature including clinical and experimental literature, regarding the effects of a restriction of environmental and social stimulation, and, more specifically, observations concerning the effects of segregated confinement on inmates. Over the course of his involvement as an expert, Dr. Grassian has interviewed and assessed approximately 400 inmates who were or had been in solitary confinement.(ii) Opinion[164] Dr. Grassian’s opinion, in brief, is that solitary confinement — the confinement of an inmate alone in a cell for all, or nearly all, of the day with minimal environmental stimulation and minimal opportunity for social interaction — can cause severe psychiatric harm. The restriction of environmental stimulation and social isolation associated with solitary confinement are “strikingly toxic” to mental functioning, producing a stuporous condition associated with perceptual and cognitive impairment and affective disturbances. In more severe cases, segregated inmates have developed florid delirium, a confusional psychosis with intense agitation, fearfulness and disorganization. Even inmates who are more psychologically resilient inevitably suffer severe psychological pain as a result of solitary confinement, especially when the confinement is prolonged and/or the individual experiences this confinement as being the product of an arbitrary exercise of power and intimidation. Moreover, the harm caused by solitary confinement may result in prolonged or permanent psychiatric disability, including impairments which may seriously affect the inmate’s capacity to reintegrate into the broader community upon release from prison.[165] When he initially evaluated the 14 Walpole inmates housed in the Special Housing Unit, it was in the context of a class action lawsuit in Massachusetts challenging the conditions in solitary confinement at the maximum-security state penitentiary. Dr. Grassian discovered that the psychiatric symptoms reported to him by the inmates were strikingly consistent:a) hypersensitivity to external stimuli – more than half the inmates reported a progressive inability to tolerate ordinary stimuli;b) perceptual distortions and hallucinations – almost a third of the inmates described hearing voices, often saying frightening things to them;c) panic attacks – well over half the inmates described severe panic attacks;d) difficulties with thinking, concentration and memory – these ranged in severity from loss of memory or difficulty concentrating to acute psychotic, confusional states;e) intensive obsessional thoughts – almost half the inmates reported the emergence of primitive aggressive fantasies of revenge, torture and mutilation of the prison guards. In each case the fantasies were described as entirely unwelcome, frightening and uncontrollable;f) overt paranoia – almost half the inmates reported paranoid and persecutory fears; andg) problems with impulse control – slightly less than half the inmates reported episodes of loss of impulse control with random violence, such as throwing things around, “snap[ping] off the handle over absolutely nothing”, and even impulsive self-mutilation.[166] Dr. Grassian explains that most of these dramatic symptoms are exceedingly rare in psychiatric practice and, where they do exist, are more commonly associated with neurological illnesses such as seizure disorders and brain tumors. Thus, the fact that all of these quite unusual symptoms ran together was strongly suggestive of a clinically distinguishable syndrome of stupor and delirium. Delirium is a syndrome characterized by a decreased level of alertness and electroencephalogram (“EEG”) abnormalities, as well as the same perceptual and cognitive disturbances Dr. Grassian observed in the Walpole inmates. Moreover, delirium is a syndrome which is known to result from the type of conditions, including restricted environmental stimulation, that are characteristic of solitary confinement.[167] Dr. Grassian described how his subsequent research and literature review indicated that it had long been known that severe restriction of environmental and social stimulation had a profoundly deleterious effect on mental functioning. A major body of clinical literature had developed regarding psychiatric disturbances among inmates in 19th century American and German penitentiaries. Concerns about the profound psychiatric effects of solitary confinement continued into the 20th century, both in the medical literature and in the news, especially in the context of prisoners of war.[168] Moreover, the fact that restricted environmental stimulation can cause stupor and delirium was well-known in various medical situations, such as patients in intensive care units, spinal patients immobilized by the need for prolonged traction, and patients with impairment of their sensory apparatus (such as eye-patched or hearing-impaired patients).[169] The literature, as well as Dr. Grassian’s own observations, demonstrated that, deprived of a sufficient level of environmental and social stimulation, individuals soon become incapable of maintaining an adequate state of alertness and attention to the environment. Even a few days of solitary confinement will predictably shift the EEG pattern toward an abnormal pattern characteristic of stupor and delirium. Dr. Grassian states that in his own professional experience, he has seen individuals who, after only hours in solitary, have descended into a psychotic delirium and attempted suicide.[170] After even a relatively brief period in a situation of inadequate environmental stimulation, an individual is likely to descend into a mental torpor or “fog,” in which alertness, attention, and concentration all become impaired. In such a state, after a time, the individual becomes increasingly incapable of processing external stimuli, and often becomes “hyperresponsive” to such stimulation. Over time, the absence of stimulation causes whatever stimulation is available to become noxious and irritating. Individuals in such a stupor tend to avoid any stimulation, and withdraw progressively into themselves and their own mental fog.[171] There are substantial differences in the effects of solitary confinement upon different individuals. Those most severely affected are often individuals with evidence of subtle neurological or attention deficit disorder, or with some other vulnerability. These individuals suffer from states of florid psychotic delirium, marked by severe hallucinatory confusion, disorientation, and even incoherence, and by intense agitation and paranoia. These psychotic disturbances often have a dissociative character, and individuals so affected often do not recall events which occurred during the course of the confusional psychosis. Generally, individuals with more stable personalities and greater ability to modulate their emotional expression and behaviour and individuals with stronger cognitive functioning are less severely affected. However, all of these individuals will still experience a degree of stupor, difficulties with thinking and concentration, obsessional thinking, agitation, irritability, and difficulty tolerating external stimuli (especially noxious stimuli).[172] Moreover, although many of the acute symptoms suffered by these inmates are likely to subside upon termination of solitary confinement, many – including some who did not become overtly psychiatrically ill during their confinement in solitary – will likely suffer permanent harm as a result of such confinement. This harm is most commonly manifested by a continued intolerance of social interaction, a handicap which often prevents the inmate from successfully readjusting to the broader social environment of general population in prison and, perhaps more significantly, often severely impairs the inmate’s capacity to reintegrate into the broader community upon release from imprisonment.[173] Many inmates housed in such stringent conditions are extremely fearful of acknowledging the psychological harm or stress they are experiencing as a result of such confinement. This reluctance of inmates in solitary confinement is a response to the perception that such confinement is an overt attempt by authorities to “break them down” psychologically, and in Dr. Grassian’s experience, tends to be more severe when the inmate experiences the stringencies of his or her confinement as being the product of an arbitrary exercise of power, rather than the fair result of an inherently reasonable process.[174] Dr. Grassian explains that these findings received further corroboration in his observations of inmates at Pelican Bay State Prison, a new “supermax” facility in California. In 1991-1992, as part of his participation in Madrid v. Gomez (1995) 889 F. Supp. 1146 (N.D. Cal.), a class-action lawsuit challenging conditions at the prison, he evaluated 49 inmates housed in the Security Housing Unit (“SHU”) and prepared a lengthy report to the Federal District Court of his findings. Many of the inmates Dr. Grassian evaluated suffered severe psychiatric disturbances while housed in the SHU, either springing up de novo while so incarcerated or representing a recurrence or severe exacerbation of pre-existing illness.[175] Dr. Grassian says that the clinical data at Pelican Bay added corroboration to the conclusion that the severe and prolonged restriction of environmental stimulation in solitary confinement is toxic to brain functioning. The data also demonstrated that the most severe psychiatric illnesses resulting from solitary confinement tended to be suffered by those individuals with pre-existing brain dysfunction.[176] Dr. Grassian expresses the view that while not all individuals will become floridly ill after 15 days of solitary confinement, all or certainly some will suffer greatly as a consequence of experiencing it. In this regard, he describes the 15-day maximum in the Mandela Rules as “generous” given the overwhelming evidence that even within the space of 15 days solitary confinement can cause severe psychiatric harm.(b) Dr. Craig Haney(i) Qualifications[177] Dr. Haney is a Distinguished Professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has both a PhD in psychology and a J.D. degree from Stanford University. His academic specialization is psychology and law. He has published numerous scholarly articles and book chapters on topics in law and psychology including the psychological effects of imprisonment and the nature and consequences of solitary or “supermax”-type confinement. He has lectured and given invited addresses on these topics.[178] Dr. Haney has studied the psychological effects of living and working in real (as opposed to simulated) institutional environments, including juvenile facilities, mainline adult prison and jail settings, and specialized correctional housing units (such as solitary and “supermax”-type confinement). Because his focus is primarily on the psychological and mental health effects of correctional environments, he has studied the ways that mentally ill inmates, especially, are affected by their conditions of confinement and how prison systems address the needs of this vulnerable population. In the course of that work, Dr. Haney has toured and inspected numerous maximum-security state prisons and related facilities across the United States and around the world, including in Canada. Dr. Haney’s research, writing, and testimony have been cited by numerous U.S. Courts including state courts, Federal District Courts, Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the United States Supreme Court.[179] Since the 1970s to the present, Dr. Haney has interviewed and assessed over 1,000 segregated inmates.(ii) Opinion[180] In brief compass, it is Dr. Haney’s opinion, based on the existing scientific literature as well as his own long-standing study of the subject, that administrative segregation places all inmates at significant risk of serious psychological harm, including mental pain and suffering, and increased incidence of self-harm and suicide. These risks are intensified when the inmates have pre-existing vulnerabilities, particularly juveniles and the mentally ill, but also inmates with other forms of vulnerability such as cognitive deficits.[181] Dr. Haney says that his conclusions are empirically supported by a robust literature that spans many decades and has been generated by scholars and researchers in different countries coming from a variety of academic perspectives and specialities ranging from psychiatrists to sociologists to architects. With remarkably few exceptions, virtually every one of the studies has documented the pain and suffering that isolated inmates endure and the significant risk of serious psychological harm to which they are exposed. These broad patterns have also been consistently identified in the personal accounts of persons confined in isolation, and in descriptive studies authored by mental health professionals who worked in many such places. Moreover, the conclusions are also theoretically sound in that they are based on broad scientific knowledge about the psychological effects of social deprivation and isolation in a variety of other contexts outside of prison.[182] According to Dr. Haney, the central harmful feature of solitary confinement is the reduction of meaningful social contact. Psychologists know that social contact is fundamental to establishing and maintaining emotional health and well-being. Conversely, social isolation in general is potentially very harmful and can undermine health and psychological well-being. Prolonged social deprivation is painful and destabilizing in part because it deprives people of the opportunity to ground their thoughts and emotions in a meaningful social context – to know what they feel and whether those feelings are appropriate. Numerous scientific studies have established the psychological significance of social contact and connectedness. They have concluded, among other things, that the human brain is literally “wired to connect” to others. Thwarting this “need to connect” not only undermines psychological well-being but also increases physical morbidity and mortality.[183] According to Dr. Haney, the social deprivation imposed by solitary confinement leaves inmates with no choice but to adapt in socially pathological ways. Over time, they gradually change their patterns of thinking, acting and feeling to cope with the profoundly asocial world in which they are forced to live, adapting to the absence of social support and the routine feedback that comes from normal, meaningful social contact. Not surprisingly, this has problematic consequences. As they become increasingly unfamiliar and uncomfortable with social interaction, some inmates become further alienated from others and made anxious in their presence. Although their adaptations may have been functional in isolation, they are typically acutely dysfunctional in the social world most inmates are expected to re-enter. In extreme cases, these ways of being are not only dysfunctional but have been internalized so deeply that they become disabling, interfering with the capacity to live a remotely normal or fulfilling social life. In this way, long-term isolation can make inmates’ adjustment to general population especially painful and challenging.[184] Dr. Haney says that although social deprivation is the source of the greatest psychological pain that inmates experience in solitary confinement and places them at the greatest risk of harm, administrative segregation units frequently deprive inmates of other things as well. These units operate by imposing high levels of repressive control, enforce almost complete idleness or inactivity on inmates, reduce positive environmental stimulation to a bare minimum, and impose physical and material deprivations that collectively produce psychological distress and can exacerbate the negative consequences of social deprivation. Most beneficial features – such as participation in institutional programming, contact visits with persons from outside the prison, opportunities for meaningful physical exercise or recreation – are either functionally denied or greatly restricted. Thus, in addition to the social pathology that is created by the experience of solitary confinement, these other stressors also can produce additional negative psychological effects.[185] Studies have identified some of the symptoms that appear to be produced by these conditions as including appetite and sleep disturbances, anxiety, panic, rage, loss of control, paranoia, hallucinations, and self-mutilation. Moreover, direct studies of prison isolation have documented an extremely broad range of harmful psychological reactions. These effects include increases in the following potentially damaging symptoms and problematic behaviours: anxiety, withdrawal, hypersensitivity, cognitive dysfunction, hallucinations, loss of control, irritability, aggression, rage, paranoia, hopelessness, a sense of impending emotional breakdown, self-mutilation, and suicidal ideation and behaviour.[186] In addition, self-mutilation and suicide are more prevalent in isolated, punitive housing units such as administrative segregation. For example, clinical researchers have attributed higher suicide rates in solitary confinement-type units to the heightened levels of “environmental stress” that are generated by the isolation, punitive sanctions, and severely restricted living conditions that exist there.[187] The prevalence of the psychological symptoms suffered in solitary confinement is often very high. For example, in an early study, Dr. Haney conducted systematic assessments of a randomly selected sample of 100 inmates housed at the SHU at Pelican Bay State Prison in California. He found that every symptom of psychological distress that he measured but one (fainting spells) was suffered by more than half of the inmates who were interviewed. Many of the symptoms were reported by two-thirds or more of the inmates assessed, and some were suffered by nearly everyone. Well over half of the inmates reported a constellation of symptoms – headaches, trembling, sweaty palms, and heart palpitations – that are known to be stress-related.[188] Dr. Haney also found that almost all of the inmates whom he evaluated reported ruminations or intrusive thoughts, an oversensitivity to external stimuli, irrational anger and irritability, difficulties with attention and often with memory, and a tendency to socially withdraw. Almost as many inmates reported a constellation of symptoms indicative of mood or emotional disorders – concerns over emotional flatness or losing the ability to feel, swings in emotional responding, and feelings of depression or sadness that did not go away. Finally, sizable minorities of the inmates reported symptoms that are typically only associated with more extreme forms of psychopathology – hallucinations, perceptual distortions, and thoughts of suicide.[189] In addition to these specific symptoms and reactions of psychological stress, other significant aspects of the psychological pain and dysfunction that prolonged solitary confinement can produce in inmates include damage to or distortion of their social identities, destabilization of their sense of self and, for some, destruction of their ability to function normally in free society.[190] Dr. Haney expresses the opinion that indeterminacy is a particularly problematic feature of segregation. Based on his work conducting systematic assessments of isolated inmates in the United States, it is his experience that the indeterminacy of segregation placements exacerbates its painfulness, increases frustration, and intensifies the depression and hopelessness that is often generated in these environments.[191] Dr. Haney says that these conclusions about the harmfulness of segregation are not only widely accepted in the scientific community but also reflect a large and growing consensus in correctional circles as well as among a wide range of mental health, legal and human rights organizations worldwide that have opined on the matter. As he notes in his expert report:The list of professional groups and organizations that have explicitly recognized the harmful psychological consequences of exposure to solitary confinement and, as a result, have taken official positions in favor of significantly limiting when, for how long, and on whom it can be imposed has grown dramatically over the last ten years. It is now truly daunting. The list includes human rights organizations …, professional oversight bodies …, religious groups …, medical and mental health associations …, and correctional organizations …In addition, a committee of the most prestigious scientific organization in the United States, the National Academy of Science, concluded that solitary confinement could precipitate such “serious psychological change” in prisoners that the practice itself “is best minimized.” As the American Psychological Association, the world’s largest professional association of psychologists, recently stated: “Solitary confinement is associated with severe harm to physical and mental health among both youth and adults, including: increased risk of self-mutilation, and suicidal ideation; greater anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, paranoia, and aggression; exacerbation of the onset of pre-existing mental illness and trauma symptoms; [and] increased risk of cardiovascular problems.” …[Emphasis in original.][192] The widespread recognition of the harmful effects of solitary confinement has led to a consensus about three important limits that must be applied to its use: (1) because the risks of psychological and physical harm increase as a function of the increased length of exposure, the use of the practice must be limited to the briefest amount of time possible; (2) solitary confinement must be used only when it is absolutely necessary and as a last resort; and (3) the added risk to vulnerable groups requires that they be exempted entirely from prolonged solitary confinement.[193] While some organizations call for an outright ban on the use of solitary confinement, many recommend strict time limits on its use, limits that are typically measured in days and weeks. Dr. Haney testified that the international standard is a 15-day maximum, which he accepts as defensible. He testified, “what I am sure of is that the longer somebody is there the greater the risks”.[194] As for the exacerbating effects of segregation on mental illness, Dr. Haney states that there are sound theoretical reasons that explain why inmates with serious mental illness have a much more difficult time tolerating the painful experience of segregation. In part, it is because of the greater vulnerability of the mentally ill in general to stressful, traumatic conditions…”—-end of quotation from Court judgement—-Also you may like to see this image of emotional pain that is stored in our bodies and our bodies never forget.Information from Heal Your Body A-Z by Louise L. Hay, this her emotional map of what trauma looks likehttp://www.holisticgardner.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/02/emotionalbodychart.pdfWe have so much to do to bring serious reforms!

NOTE: This list was compiled in January , before CV19, so the numbers have dropped significantly. However, I am convinced that, once CV-19 has passed, the numbers will rebound to at least match and even exceed their previous highs. However, all bets are off if Biden-Harris wins, because they’ll go back to the Obama tack of trashing the country. They’re doing it already. I don’t understand how ANYONE who claims to love this country could ever vote for him.PARTIAL LIST OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS SO FAR:(Share if you're not tired of winning yet)TRUMP'S RECORD ON THE ECONOMYo Cut taxes for 85% of Americans.o Cut the top tax rate for businesses from 35% to 21% -- making America a good place to build a business again.o The result is the lowest unemployment rate since 1969.o More than 7 MILLION new jobs created under President Trump.o Lowest unemployment rate among black, Hispanic, Asian and minority Americans in U.S. history.o For the first time on record, America has more job openings than people looking for jobs. America has 7 MILLION job openings. This is causing wages to go up.o More than 6 million American workers received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to the Trump tax cuts.o More than $1 TRILLION has poured back into the country from overseas since the Trump tax cuts went into effect.o Eliminated almost all of the Obama Administration's regulations that hurt small business – eliminating 8 regulations for each 1 new regulation added without endangering public health and safety or hurting the environment. In fact, America's air and water continue to get cleaner under President Trump.o Median household income is up $5,000 per year ($7,000 per year when you include the Trump tax cuts) after just 3 years in office – compared to median household income increasing just $1,400 in previous 16 years.o The 25% lowest-paid Americans enjoyed a 4.5% income boost in 2019. This outpaces a 2.9% gain in earnings for the country's highest-paid workers. The lowest 10% of earners saw income grow at an astounding 7% rate over the last year. And for those without a high school diploma, wages increased 9% in 2019. In other words, the Trump economy is helping lower-income Americans the most.o Wages overall are growing at 3.4% per year under Trump, after 16 years of stagnation.o Unemployment rate for women has been cut to 65-year low under Trump.o Youth unemployment has dropped to a 50-year low.o 95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are now optimistic about the future— the highest level of optimism ever.o Small business optimism has hit a 35-year high under Trump.o President Trump has prioritized workforce development to ensure American workers are prepared to fill high quality jobs.o The President has worked to expand apprenticeship programs, helping Americans gain hands-on training and experience with no student debt.o Since President Trump took office, over 660,000 apprentices have been hired across the country.o President Trump established the National Council for the American Worker, tasked with developing a workforce strategy for the jobs of the future.o More than 370 companies have signed the President’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” pledging to provide more than 14.4 million employment and training opportunities.o President Trump signed an Executive Order prioritizing Cyber Workforce Development to ensure that we have the most skilled cyber workforce of the 21st century.o 500,000 new manufacturing jobs created so far under Trump after 16 years of America losing manufacturing jobs. Obama mocked Trump in a speech in 2016, saying: "How are you going to bring these jobs back? These jobs are never coming back." Well, they're coming back now under Trump's economic policies.LIFTING MILLIONS OUT OF POVERTY AND STRENGTHENING MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIESo The number of people claiming unemployment insurance as a share of the population is the lowest on record.o Since President Trump took office, more than 11 million Americans have been lifted out of poverty.o Since President Trump’s election, nearly 7 million Americans have been lifted off of food stamps.o The President’s historic tax reforms doubled the child tax credit, benefitting nearly 40 million American families with an average of over $2,200 dollars in 2019.o Created new tax credit for other dependents.o The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) signed into law by Trump provides a tax credit equal to 20-35% of child care expenses, $3,000 per child & $6,000 per family + Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) allow families to set aside up to $5,000 in pre-tax money to use for child care.o As a direct result of these new and increased tax credits for working families, 39.4 million families have received an average of $2,200 each. This has lifted 11 MILLION Americans out of poverty, including 5.1 MILLION children, and has strengthen the middle class. This, combined with the economic boom under Trump, has been the most effective anti-poverty program in U.S. history.o In 2018, President Trump signed into law a $2.4 billion funding increase for the Child Care and Development Fund, providing a total of $8.1 billion to states to fund childcare for low-income families.o During his Joint Address to Congress and each State of the Union Address, the President called on Congress to pass a nationwide paid family leave plan.o The President signed into law 12-weeks of paid parental leave for federal workers.o President Trump’s tax reforms provided a new tax credit to incentivize businesses to offer paid family leave to their employees.HELPING BLACK, HISPANIC AND OTHER MINORITY AMERICANSo Cut the unemployment rate among black, Hispanic, Asian and minority Americans to lowest levels in U.S. history.o Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever.o The EPA, under Trump's direction, provided $100 million to fix the broken water infrastructure in Flint, Michigan (a water poisoning crisis that primarily affected black and Latino Americans).o In 2018, President Trump signed the groundbreaking First Step Act, a criminal justice bill that enacted reforms to make our justice system fairer and help former inmates successfully return to society.o The First Step Act’s reforms addressed inequities in sentencing laws that disproportionately harmed Black Americans and reformed mandatory minimum sentences that often created injustice.o The First Step Act expanded judicial discretion in sentencing for non-violent crimes.o More than 90% of those benefitting from the retroactive sentencing reductions in the First Step Act are Black Americans.o The First Step Act provides rehabilitative programs to inmates, helping them successfully rejoin society and not return to crime.o Trump is promoting second chance hiring to give former inmates the opportunity to live crime-free lives and find meaningful employment.o Trump increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by more than 14%.o Trump signed legislation forgiving Hurricane Katrina debt that threatened HBCUs.o Made HBCUs a priority by creating the position of executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs.o Trump received the Bipartisan Justice Award at a historically black college for his criminal justice reform accomplishments.o Trump launched a new “Ready to Work Initiative” to help connect employers directly with former prisoners.o President Trump’s historic tax cut legislation included new Opportunity Zone Incentives to promote investment in low-income communities across the country. As a result, even depressed abandoned cities like Detroit are coming back.o 8,764 communities across the country have been designated as Opportunity Zones.o Opportunity Zones are expected to spur $100 billion in long-term private capital investment in economically distressed communities across the country.LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD ON TRADEo Ended the disastrous NAFTA trade deal that caused America to lose manufacturing jobs for decades and replaced it with the USMCA that protects American manufacturing.o Stood up to China on trade. And continues to stand up to China – further protecting America's manufacturing jobs and stopping China from stealing America's intellectual property.o Negotiated new trade deals with Japan, South Korea and the European Union to further add American jobs.o Withdrew the U.S. from the jobs-killing TPP deal.o Ended the so-called "Paris Climate Accord," which would have cost the U.S. economy $3 TRILLION, with little evidence that anything would have been accomplished.o Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnamo Approved $16 BILLION in aid for farmers affected by trade retaliation from China.o Trump has replaced "free trade" with reciprocal trade. His goal is zero tariffs with our trading partners who live up to their trade agreements.o The poverty rate fell to a 17-year low of 11.8% under the Trump administration as a result of this economic boom Trump's policies have created.SECURING AMERICA'S BORDERSo Despite endless obstruction and resistance from Democrats, President Trump is building the wall he promised. He has built 100 miles of new wall so far and estimates 350 miles of new or rebuilt wall along our southern border by the end of 2020.o Illegal border crossings are down 70% since May of 2019.o More than 977,000 aliens were apprehended or deemed inadmissible at our southern border in 2019 – an 88 percent increase from 2018.o Border Patrol apprehended more than 851,000 aliens between ports of entry in 2019, an increase of more than 115 percent from 2018.o Deported tens of thousands of ultra-violent MS-13 gang and drug cartel members, as well as tens of thousands of other violent criminals.o Trump is protecting Americans from terrorists with the Travel Ban on terrorist hotspot countries, upheld by Supreme Court.o He negotiated agreements with Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to require those from Central America seeking asylum in America to wait in one of those countries while the U.S. is considering their applications.o He persuaded the President of Mexico to deploy 27,000 Mexican Troops along Mexico's southern and northern borders to stop the caravans of people coming from Central America through Mexico to the United States. The caravans are stopped.o President Trump ended the Obama-era policy of separating children from their families at the border by requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico or first safe country while their asylum applications are considered by the U.S.o The Trump Administration is working closely with Mexico and others in the region to dismantle the human smuggling networks that profit from human misery and fuel the border crisis by exploiting vulnerable populations.o Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized more than 163,000 pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl at the southern border in 2019 alone.o The United States Coast Guard seized more than 458,000 pounds of cocaine at sea in 2019 and referred nearly 400 suspected drug smugglers for prosecution.o U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized over 1.4 million pounds of narcotics and made more than 12,000 narcotic-related arrests in 2019.TRANSFORMING AMERICA'S COURTSo The U.S. Senate has confirmed 187 of President Trump's appointments to America's federal courts – all solid pro-life Constitutionalists who will uphold the rule of law.o The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Trump's two appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court – Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh – both solid pro-life Constitutionalists who will uphold the rule of law.o If President Trump is reelected in 2020, he is likely to have a total of 400 appointments to America's federal courts and 3-5 appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court. President Trump's transformation of America's courts will likely be his most lasting legacy.o Imagine the kinds of radical judges Hillary Clinton would have been appointing if she had been elected!TURNED AMERICA INTO THE WORLD'S #1 ENERGY PRODUCERo Opened up the Alaskan ANWR and other public lands for oil and energy exploration in way that protects the wilderness and environment.o Approved Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.o Ended Obama's war on coal and U.S. energy production – while maintaining common-sense measures to keep our air and water clean.o Under Trump’s leadership, America in 2018 surpassed Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the world’s largest oil producer.o Thanks to Trump, America is now a net oil and energy exporter, freeing America from dependence of foreign oil – especially freeing America from relying on the Middle East for our oil.Preparing America for the Futureo The President is ensuring that America is prepared to lead the world in the industries of the future by promoting American leadership in emerging technologies like 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI).o The Administration named artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and 5G, among other emerging technologies, as national research and development priorities.o President Trump launched the American AI Initiative to invest in AI research, unleash innovation, and build the American workforce of the future.o President Trump signed an Executive Order that established a new advisory committee of industry and academic leaders to advise the government on its quantum activities.REDUCING CRIMEo Ended Obama's rhetorical war on America's local police.o Violent crime has fallen every year Trump has been in office after rising in each of Obama's final two years as President.o President Trump has revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods, bringing together Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement officials to develop solutions to violent crime.o The President is standing up for our Nation’s law enforcement officers, ensuring they have the support they need to keep our communities safe.o President Trump has made available hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of surplus military equipment to local law enforcement.FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKINGo Signed the “Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act” (FOSTA), which includes the “Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act” (SESTA) which both give law enforcement and victims new tools to fight sex trafficking.o Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations has arrested 1,588 criminals associated with Human Trafficking.o Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services provided funding to support the National Human Trafficking Hotline to identify perpetrators and give victims the help they needo The hotline identified 16,862 potential human trafficking cases.o Trump’s DOJ provided grants to organizations that support human trafficking victims – serving nearly 9,000 cases so far.o The Department of Homeland Security has hired more victim assistance specialists, helping victims get resources and support.o In 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) dismantled an organization that was the internet’s leading source of prostitution-related advertisements resulting in sex trafficking.o Trump’s OMB published new anti-trafficking guidance for government procurement officials to more effectively combat human trafficking.o Through Trump’s Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) initiative, Federal law enforcement more than doubled convictions of human traffickers and increased the number of defendants charged by 75% in ACTeam districts.IMPROVING HEALTH CARE WHILE ALSO DRIVING COSTS DOWNo Signed a bill this year allowing some drug imports from Canada to drive prescription drug prices down, while at the same time not punishing U.S. medical research and innovation.o Signed an executive order to require healthcare providers to disclose the cost of their services in advance so that Americans can compare prices and shop for the best deals.o Hospitals will now be required to post their standard charges for services, which include the discounted price a hospital is willing to accept.o Signed order allowing small businesses to group together when buying insurance to get a better price.o In the eight years prior to Trump's Presidency, prescription drug prices increased by an average of 3.6% per year. Under Trump drug prices have dropped in nine of the last ten months.o Reformed the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugs -- saving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars this year alone.o Ended most of the Obamacare mandates – including the very unpopular Individual Mandate.o Modified regulations under the Obamacare law to permit the creation of association co-ops and lower cost health care plans that cover the most serious health care issues, but with the option of going without many of the costly "bells and whistles" that many people don't want or need. People now have more than 60 health coverage plans to choose from under the Obamacare law instead of just three.o Signed "Right-To-Try legislation." Allows terminally ill patients to try more experimental treatments that have shown promise in clinical trials, but haven't yet been finally approved by the FDA.o Streamlining the FDA's new drug and medicine approval process to get lifesaving medicines in use faster.o Secured $6 billion in NEW funding to fight the opioid epidemic.o In his 2019 State of the Union Address, President Trump announced his Administration’s goal to end the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years. To achieve this goal and address the ongoing public health crisis of HIV, his Administration's proposed Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America will leverage the powerful data and tools now available to reduce new HIV infections in the United States by 75 percent in five years and by 90 percent by 2030.o President Trump proposed $291 million in the FY2020 HHS budget to begin his Administration’s multiyear initiative focused on ending the HIV epidemic in America by 2030.o The Trump Administration provides HIV prevention drugs for free to 200,000 uninsured patients each year.o Signed the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act that provides funding for states to develop maternal mortality reviews to better understand maternal complications and identify solutions & largely focuses.o Signed into law the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act (CARES) into law which allocates $1.8 billion in funding over the next five years to help people with autism spectrum disorder and to help their families.o Signed into law two funding packages providing nearly $19 million in new funding for Lupus specific research and education programs, as well an additional $41.7 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the most Lupus funding ever.o Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.o Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatmentsDESTROYED ISIS. STANDING UP TO IRAN – THE WORLD'S #1 TERRORIST NATION.o Unleashed America's military to destroy the ISIS Caliphate in the Middle East. When Trump took office, ISIS controlled territory in the Middle East the size of Indiana and was killing hundreds of thousands of people. Today, ISIS controls no territory.o Killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, thanks to the skill and bravery of America's Special Operations forces. Then killed Al-Baghdadi successor, along with other ISIS leaders.o After Iran orchestrated attack on U.S. Embassy in Iraq, President Trump ordered strike and killing of Iran's top general and terrorist leader Qasem Soleimani along with his #2. Soleimani had killed hundreds of American soldiers over the years and was fomenting terrorist chaos across the Middle East.o Moved U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.o Turned Egypt, Saudi Arabia and much of the Middle East into allies of Israel instead of enemies.o Withdrew from Obama's disastrous Iran Nuclear Deal. The Obama deal actually assured Iran would get nuclear weapons.o Applying maximum economic sanctions pressure on Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program and to become a member of the civilized world.REBUILT AMERICA'S MILITARY. MAKING AMERICA SAFER.o Secured more than $700 BILLION in funding per year to rebuild America's military.o Finalized creation of the Space Force as our 6th Military branch.o Pressured NATO countries to increase their financial commitment to NATO. Since he took office in 2017, Trump has criticized of NATO countries for failing to meet their 2014 pledge to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP. In 2019, nine allies met this benchmark, up from just three allies a few years ago, thanks to Trump's pressure.o The President upgraded our cyber defenses by elevating the Cyber Command into a major warfighting command and reducing burdensome procedural restrictions on cyber operations.o Using a combination of very tough economic sanctions and personal diplomacy to persuade North Korean dictator to enter civilized world. The result so far: No long-range ICBM missile tests by North Korea in nearly 3 years.o No further incursions by Russia into Ukraine or neighboring countries – unlike during the Obama years when Russia invaded Ukraine and Obama did nothing.o Imposed tough sanctions on Russia to pressure Putin to enter civilized world.o The President has taken decisive military action to punish the Assad regime in Syria for the barbaric use of chemical weapons on its own people.o The President imposed tough sanctions against those tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.o President Trump is protecting America’s defense-industrial base, directing the first whole-of-government assessment of our manufacturing and defense supply chains since the 1950s.Protecting America's Veteranso Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health careo Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.o VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.o Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT HURTING JOBSo Trump signed the biggest wilderness protection and conservation bill in a decade and designated 375,000 acres as protected land.o Trump signed the Save our Seas Act, which funds $10 million per year to clean up tons of plastic & garbage from the ocean.o America's air and water continues to get cleaner under Trump. America has the cleanest air and water of any large industrialized country.o Signed bill that creates five national monuments, expands several national parks, adds 1.3 million acres of wilderness, and permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund.o Trump’s USDA committed $124 Million to rebuild rural water infrastructure to make sure people in rural areas have clean water.GIVING PARENTS CONTROL OVER THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONo President Trump has called on Congress to pass school choice legislation so that no child is trapped in a failing school because of his or her zip code.o The President signed funding legislation in September 2018 that increased funding for school choice by $42 million.o The tax cuts signed into law by President Trump promotes school choice by allowing families to use 529 college savings plans for elementary and secondary education.o Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.o Executive order expanding vocational training and apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.o Directed the U.S. Secretary of Education to end the anti-Christian, anti-family, anti-America far-left "Common Core" curriculum the Obama Administration was promoting.PROTECTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOMo President Trump’s issued an Executive Order prohibiting the U.S. government from discriminating against Christians or punishing expressions of faith.o Signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative.o Signed an Executive Order upholding religious liberty and the right to engage in religious speech.o Established a Religious Liberty Task Force in the U.S. Department of Justice.o The Trump Administration vigorously defends religious liberty in the courts at every opportunity.o President Trump reversed the Obama-era policy that prevented the government from providing disaster relief to religious organizations.o Signed an executive order that allows the government to withhold money from college campuses deemed to be anti-Semitic and who fail to combat anti-Semitism.o Created "safe zones" in the Middle East for persecuted Christians, Jews and others of faith – protected by our military.o Committed an additional $25 million this year to protect religious sites and relics around the world.o Trump is spearheading the International Religious Freedom Alliance, an alliance of nations dedicated to confronting religious persecution around the world. He has repeatedly called on all countries of the world to stop persecuting religious minorities.o Trump has called on China to respect religious freedom and to end its persecution of people of faith – including China's imprisoning of millions of Christians, Jews, Uighur Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and others for their faith.o In 2019, President Trump imposed restrictions on certain Chinese officials, internal security units, and companies for their complicity in the persecution of Uighur Muslims and other religious groups in China.o Announced the formation of a coalition of U.S. businesses for the protection of religious freedom. This initiative encourages businesses to protect people of all faiths in the workplace.o Brought back the phrase "Merry Christmas!" to American public life instead of "Happy Holidays."o Let it be known that his Justice Department will aggressively prosecute hate crimes committed against Christians, Jews, Muslims and others for their faith.o The Administration is preserving a space for faith-based adoption and foster care providers to continue to serve their communities consistent with their beliefs.o The Administration reduced burdensome barriers to Native Americans being able to keep spiritually and culturally significant eagle feathers found on their tribal lands.o The Administration has allowed greater flexibility for Federal employees to take time off work for religious reasons.o The Administration has partnered with local and faith-based organizations to provide assistance to religious minorities persecuted in Iraq.o President Trump hosted the Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom at the 2019 U.N. General Assembly, calling on global and business leaders to bring an end to religious persecution and stop crimes against people of faith.o The State Department has hosted two Religious Freedom Ministerials, with the 2019 Ministerial becoming the largest religious freedom event of its kind in the world.PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO LIFEo President Trump has established a record as the most pro-life President in modern times.o President Trump ordered a halt to U.S. taxpayer money going to international organizations that fund or perform abortions.o Ended the Obamacare mandate that all health insurance coverage include abortion.o Fought to end taxpayer-funding for Planned Parenthood – which conducts more than 360,000 abortion per year, including late-term and partial-birth abortion. Effort fell one vote short in the Senate.o Gave states the freedom to deny Planned Parenthood access to Medicaid block grant and other taxpayer funds.o President Trump is protecting healthcare entities and individuals’ conscience rights—ensuring that no medical professional is forced to participate in an abortion in violation of their beliefs.o The Trump Administration provided relief to American employers like Little Sisters of the Poor, protecting them from being forced to provide abortion coverage that violate their conscience.o The Administration issued a rule preventing Title X family planning funds from supporting the abortion industry.o President Trump has called on Congress to end barbaric late-term abortions.o The Trump Administration cut all funding to the U.N. population fund, due to the fund’s support for coercive abortion and forced sterilization.o President Trump ended an Obama-era guidance that prevented states from taking certain actions against abortion providers.o President Trump reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy in 2017, ensuring that taxpayer money is not used to fund abortion globally.o Perhaps most importantly, President Trump has appointed 187 pro-life federal judges – to include two pro-life Justices to the Supreme Court: Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.o If President Trump is reelected in 2020, it is likely he will have appointed 400 pro-life federal judges and as many as 4-5 pro-life Supreme Court Justices – transforming America into a nation that values life again.

This list is a few months old, and is not my work, but it pretty much says everything.Well, here is a short list, I am sure you lefties will poke holes in some of it but at the end of the day, you will see that trump gets more done in a day on the golf course than Obama got done in a year in the Oval Office. Compliments of WOR Radio in NY:The List Of President Trump's Accomplishments So Far | Mark Simone | 710 WOR·(GDP) growth exceeded 3 percent over the last four quarters.·Real GDP grew at annual rates of 3.4 percent in the third quarter of 2018 and 4.2 percent in the second quarter.·More than 5 million jobs have been created since President Trump’s election and the unemployment rate remains below 4 percent.·This is the eighth time this year that the unemployment rate has been below 4 percent.·Prior to this year, the unemployment rate had fallen below 4 percent only five times since 1970.·The unemployment rate for African Americans in May fell to 5.9 percent, which is the lowest rate on record.·Asian and Hispanic-American unemployment rates have reached record lows this year.·Initial weekly jobless claims have hit a nearly 50-year low under President Trump.·Under President Trump, job openings outnumber the unemployed for the first time on record.·Recently, more than two-thirds of Americans rated “now” as a good time to find a quality job, tying a record high in a poll by Gallup.·In recent months, workers have seen their largest nominal year over year wage growth in nearly a decade.·In 2017, real median household income rose to a post-recession high.·African-American and Hispanic-American poverty rates reached record lows of 21.2 percent and 18.3 percent, respectively, in 2017.·Since the election, 4.6 million Americans have been lifted off of food stamps.·Consumer confidence has soared under President Trump, recently reaching an 18-year high.·The National Association of Manufacturers’ Outlook Index had the highest annual average in its history over the past year.·Manufacturing added 284,000 jobs in 2018, the most added in a year since 1997·Small Business optimism jumped to a record high under President Trump, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).·The NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index broke a 35-year record in August.·President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law, ushering in the largest package of tax cuts and reforms in American history.·More than 6 million workers received tax cut bonuses and benefits.·More than 100 utility companies have announced lower rates.·President Trump signed an executive order establishing the National Council for the American worker.·More than 185 companies and associations have signed our “Pledge to America’s Workers,” promising more than 6.4 million new training and career opportunities.·The President signed legislation that reauthorized the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, making more than $1 billion available for career education programs.·The women’s unemployment rate recently reached its lowest rate in 65 years.·The Small Business Administration lent approximately $500 million more in capital to women-owned businesses in 2017 compared to 2016.·The Administration helped launch the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, which could leverage more than $1 billion to support women entrepreneurs.ROLLING BACK RED TAPE: President Trump is rolling back costly regulations that have burdened hardworking Americans and stifled innovation.·President Trump’s Administration surpassed the 2:1 ratio in 2018, eliminating 12 regulations for every new one in 2018.·In 2017, the Trump Administration eliminated 22 regulations for every new one.·Since taking office, President Trump’s deregulation efforts have achieved $33 billion in regulatory savings.·In 2018, these efforts alone delivered $23 billion in benefits to American families and business owners.·President Trump has signed 16 Congressional Review Act resolutions into law, eliminating burdensome Obama-era rules and regulations.·President Trump announced U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, which would have harmed America’s economy and cost American workers millions of jobs.·President Trump signed an executive order to streamline the permitting process for infrastructure projects with a goal of cutting approval time from up to 10 years to an average of 2 years.·President Trump signed legislation to roll back burdensome Dodd-Frank regulations that harmed community banks.NEGOTIATING BETTER DEALS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Trump is negotiating fair and balanced trade deals that protect American industries and workers.·President Trump negotiated a new trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico to replace the disastrous and outdated North American Free Trade Agreement.·USMCA will incentivize billions of dollars in auto and auto parts production in the United States and create a freer and fairer market for American agriculture.·USMCA also includes the strongest-ever provisions on labor, environmental, digital, and intellectual property protections to reflect the realities of the 21st century economy.·The President renegotiated the United States–Korea Free Trade Agreement to preserve and grow jobs in the American auto industry and increase American exports.·The United States and Japan are set to begin negotiations on a United States–Japan Trade Agreement.·President Trump is establishing a new trade relationship with the European Union (EU), working toward the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to transatlantic trade.·President Trump has established a Trade and Investment Working Group to lay the groundwork for post-Brexit trade with the United Kingdom (UK) and has notified Congress of his intent to negotiate a free trade agreement with the UK.·This year, President Trump filed a withdrawal notification with the Universal Postal Union, launching a one-year negotiation to secure fair international postal rates for American mailers.·President Trump has expanded market access for American agricultural producers.·Argentina has opened to American pork and beef, Brazil to American beef, Japan to lamb and Idaho chipping potatoes, South Korea to American poultry, and more.·The Administration authorized $12 billion to aid farmers affected by unfair retaliatory tariffs.·The Trump Administration has begun the process to expand the sale of E15, or gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol, to year round.·One of the President’s first actions after taking office was withdrawing the United States from the terrible Trans-Pacific Partnership, which incentivized outsourcing.·In 2017, the Administration oversaw 82 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.·President Trump is holding China accountable for its unfair trade practices, such as the theft of intellectual property, by imposing tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods.·Following President Trump’s successful meeting with President Xi in Buenos Aires, both agreed to conduct negotiations over 90 days to address the United States concerns.·American steel and aluminum jobs are coming back following President Trump’s tariffs to protect domestic industries that are vital to national security.·President Trump imposed tariffs to protect American-made washing machines and solar products that were hurt by import surges.UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY:President Trump is rolling back costly and burdensome regulations to unleash America’s incredible energy resources.·After years of stifling regulation under the last Administration, President Trump is unleashing America’s energy potential.·America is the largest crude oil producer in the world and production has hit a record high.·President Trump’s policies are helping to boost American energy exports.·The Administration has streamlined Liquefied Natural Gas terminal permitting.·In 2017, the United States became a net natural gas exporter for the first time in 60 years.·American coal exports increased by more than 60 percent in 2017.·President Trump is expanding access to our country’s abundant natural resources.·The President signed legislation to open up energy exploration in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.·In July 2018, the Department of the Interior announced it would hold the largest oil and gas lease sale in history.·In 2017, the Administration approved construction of the Dakota Access pipeline and the cross border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.·The Administration issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will export American petroleum products to Mexico.·The President has ended the war on coal, cutting Obama-era regulations such as the “Stream Protection Rule” which was estimated to cost industries $81 million a year.·President Trump is replacing the Clean Power Plan, a flawed Obama-era regulation that the Supreme Court ordered halted.·President Trump rescinded the hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the oil and gas industry $32 million per year.·The Trump Administration curbed the burdensome Obama-era rule on methane, saving American energy developers hundreds of millions of dollars in regulatory costs.EXPANDING OPTIONS FOR QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE:President Trump is expanding access to affordable healthcare choices and taking action to lower drug prices.·President Trump’s Administration is working to provide Americans with affordable alternatives to Obamacare.·The Administration expanded short-term, limited duration health insurance plans that are expected to be nearly 50 percent cheaper than unsubsidized Obamacare plans.·President Trump has expanded association health plans, allowing more employers to join together across State lines and affordably offer coverage to their employees.·The Administration proposed a reform to Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) regulations that will give consumers more freedom to purchase benefits that fit their needs.·Roughly 800,000 employers are expected to provide HRAs for more than 10 million employees once the rule finalized.·Americans have more healthcare freedom thanks to the President signing legislation that ended Obamacare’s individual mandate penalty.·While healthcare premiums had been steadily increasing as a result of Obamacare, the average benchmark exchange premium will decline for the first time in 2019 thanks to President Trump’s policies.·Next year, Americans will benefit from more insurer participation on the exchanges.·Medicare Advantage plans offer more benefit options than ever before, and average premiums in 2019 will be 6 percent lower than in 2018.·President Trump launched an unprecedented campaign to drive down drug prices, leading more than a dozen drug manufactures to enact price freezes, reductions, or rollbacks.·In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a record number of generic drugs, breaking the previous record set by the Administration in 2017.·The FDA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 generic drug approvals are expected to bring nearly $9 billion in savings in 2017 alone.·President Trump signed legislation eliminating contractual gag clauses that stopped pharmacists from informing patients about lower drug prices.·The President put forth an initiative to stop global freeloading that drives up prices for American patients.·The Administration provided Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans with new negotiating tools to drive down drug costs for American patients.·The Administration implemented reforms to the amount Medicare pays hospitals for drugs that are purchased under the 340B program, saving seniors $320 million in 2018.·President Trump signed “Right to Try” legislation to expand access to experimental treatments for terminally ill patients.FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THE CRISIS NEXT DOOR: President Trump mobilized his entire Administration to combat the opioid crisis that has devastated communities across the country.·President Trump launched an Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to confront the driving forces behind this crisis.·The President signed the landmark SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, the largest and most comprehensive legislative package addressing a single drug crisis in history.·The President helped secure a record $6 billion in funding to fight the opioid epidemic.·The Administration provided more than $2 billion in grants in 2018 to help States, territories, tribes, and local communities prevent and treat opioid abuse.·The Administration pursued scientific solutions to prevent and treat addiction through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative.·The President launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction and youth opioid usage.·Last year, President Trump created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, which recommends ways to tackle the opioid crisis.·The Administration declared the opioid crisis a nationwide Public Health Emergency in 2017.·President Trump is working to cut off the flow of deadly opioids into our country and to disrupt the networks that distribute them to our communities.·The Administration secured first-ever indictments against Chinese nationals for fentanyl trafficking.·The Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a surge to target fentanyl and heroin dealers in the districts with the most severe overdose death rates.·The DOJ formed a Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement team and shut down the biggest Darknet distributor of drugs.·Last year, the DOJ announced the largest healthcare fraud takedown in history, arresting more than 120 defendants with opioid-related crimes.·The President launched a Safer Prescribing Plan that seeks to cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years.·The Administration has led four National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days, collecting a record-breaking 1,837 tons of expired and unneeded prescription drugs.STANDING UP FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE AND PROTECTING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: The President is committed to defending the right to life and religious liberty.·Shortly after taking office, President Trump reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy.·President Trump defunded a United Nations (UN) agency for colluding with China’s brutal program of forced abortion and sterilization.·The Administration withdrew guidance that constrained State’s ability to exclude family-planning providers that provide abortion services from the Medicaid program.·The Trump Administration proposed new regulations to ensure Title X family planning funding does not go to projects that perform, support, or refer patients for abortion.·The Trump Administration issued regulations establishing new or expanded exemptions from the Obamacare contraceptive mandate based on religious beliefs or moral convictions.·In 2017, the President issued an executive order to promote free speech and religious liberty.KEEPING AMERICAN COMMUNITIES SAFE: President Trump has made clear that his first responsibility is to protect the safety and security of Americans.·Federal Bureau of Investigation data shows violent crime decreased under President Trump’s watch in 2017, following two consecutive years of increases.·United States Attorneys indicted the most violent criminals on record last year.·Last year, the DOJ announced nearly $100 million in grant funding to hire hundreds of additional law enforcement officers.·President Trump is cracking down on the vile MS-13 gang that has brought violence to communities across the country.·In 2017, the DOJ worked with international partners to arrest and charge approximately 4,000 MS-13 members.·Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations arrested nearly 800 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.·President Trump signed an executive order to restore State and local law enforcement’s access to surplus equipment that can be used to help keep our communities safe.·President Trump enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.·The DOJ announced the creation of the National Public Safety Partnership in 2017, launching a cooperative initiative with cities to reduce violent crime.·President Trump signed legislation to improve the Federal firearm background check system and keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.·President Trump signed the First Step Act, which includes bipartisan reforms to make our Federal justice system fairer and our communities safer.·The First Step Act will help prepare inmates to successfully rejoin society, reducing recidivism and improving community safety.·This legislation includes commonsense sentencing reforms that will make our Federal justice system fairer while keeping violent criminals and sex offenders off our streets.ENFORCING OUR LAWS AND SECURING OUR BORDERS: From the first day of his Administration, President Trump has worked to uphold the rule of law and secure our borders.·President Trump released an immigration framework that would fix our broken immigration system through merit-based reform and provide the resources needed to secure our border.·This includes closing the legal loopholes that enable illegal immigration, ending chain migration, and eliminating the visa lottery.·President Trump secured funding to begin building the wall and construction has already begun in areas along the southern border.·President Trump deployed the military to assist in securing the southern border.·President Trump and his Administration took action to require aliens seeking asylum to go to a port of entry to make their claim.·Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended 17,256 criminals and 1,019 gang members in FY 2018.·ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 158,581 aliens in FY 2018, an 11 percent increase from FY 2017.·90 percent of those arrested had criminal convictions, pending charges, or had been issued final orders of removal.·ICE ERO increased removals by 13 percent in FY 2018 to 256,086, the majority of whom were convicted criminals.·Removals of convicted criminal aliens increased by 14 percent from FY 2017.·Nearly 6,000 known or suspected gang members were removed in FY 2018, a 9 percent increase from FY 2017.·The Department of Justice prosecuted a record number of criminal immigration offenses in FY 2018, and increased the number of prosecutions for illegal entry by 84 percent over FY 2017.·Immigration courts are now completing more cases than at any point since 2011·President Trump kept his promise by launching the office of Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) within the Department of Homeland Security.·The Administration has more than doubled the number of jurisdictions participating in the 287(g) program, which enables State and local law enforcement to aid immigration enforcement.·President Trump has made our country safer by ordering the enhanced vetting of individuals entering from countries that do not meet our security standards.·These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court ruling.REBUILDING AMERICA’S MILITARY FORCE: President Trump is rebuilding our military and defending America’s interests across the world.·President Trump ended the devastating defense cuts of the past Administration and has secured historic investments to rebuild our military.·President Trump signed legislation providing $700 billion for defense in FY 2018 and $716 billion in FY 2019.·President Trump is supporting America’s men and women in uniform, securing the largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.·The President issued a new National Security Strategy to keep America safe from all threats.·The Administration has also released new strategies specific to cybersecurity, biodefense, counterterrorism, and weapons of mass destruction terrorism.·President Trump directed the first whole-of-government assessment of United States manufacturing and defense supply chains since the Eisenhower Administration.·President Trump initiated the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, improving United States deterrence policy and existing capabilities to counter nuclear threats.·President Trump empowered our military commanders with broad authority in order to take the fight to ISIS, and the results are clear.·ISIS has lost nearly all of its territory, more than half of which has been liberated since President Trump took office.·All of ISIS’ territory in Iraq was successfully liberated.·ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city Raqqah has been recaptured.·ISIS’ territorial caliphate has been defeated and President Trump has announced that he is bringing America’s troops in Syria home.·President Trump announced a new Iran strategy to confront all of Iran’s malign activities and withdrew from the horrible, one-sided Iran nuclear deal.·All sanctions that had been lifted or waived under the Iran deal have been reimposed.·The Administration has sanctioned more than 160 individuals tied to the regime’s support of terrorism, ballistic missile program, human rights abuses, and more.·President Trump took decisive military action to respond to the barbaric use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime.·President Trump directed strikes in response to the regime’s chemical weapons attacks in April 2017 and April 2018.·The Trump Administration has also rolled out sanctions targeting those tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.·President Trump is strengthening America’s cyber defense and directed the elevation of the United States Cyber Command into a major warfighting command.·The President announced that the Department of Defense will work to create a Space Force to serve as an independent branch of the United States military.RESTORING AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ABROAD: President Trump is restoring American leadership on the world stage and advancing an America first agenda.·President Trump held an historic summit with Chairman Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.·Since the summit, the leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both countries have met.·Because of the President’s actions, North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.·The remains of POW/MIA service members from the Korean War are being returned to the United States.·Prior to the summit, President Trump’s leadership helped secure the passage of historic UN sanctions on North Korea.·President Trump followed through on his promise to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the American embassy there.·President Trump withdrew the United States from the UN Human Rights Council due to its bias against Israel.·The Administration made clear that it does not accept the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction over Americans and will continue to protect America’s sovereignty.·President Trump has successfully advocated for cutting waste at the UN.·Changes made to the organization’s structure allowed the UN to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from their budget, while making the organization more efficient.·The President’s leadership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has encouraged members to increase their defense spending and realign the Alliance’s priorities.·In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending among NATO allies.·President Trump convinced the Alliance to strengthen counterterrorism activities, and NATO formally joined the coalition to defeat ISIS.·President Trump’s Administration is working to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific through investments and partnerships.·President Trump has imposed tough sanctions on the corrupt regimes in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.·President Trump has taken tough action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including Russia’s efforts to undermine United States elections.·The Administration has imposed sanctions on more than 200 individuals and entities related to Russia’s destabilizing activities.·The Trump Administration has enhanced support for Ukraine’s defense by stepping up sales of weapons to its military.·The Trump Administration has secured the release of numerous American citizens held abroad, including Pastor Andrew Brunson from Turkey, Josh Holt from Venezuela, and more.·President Trump attended G20 summits in Argentina and Germany, where he promoted American First policies and encouraged closer cooperation.·In 2017, President Trump conducted tours through Asia to promote America’s interests.HONORING AMERICA’S COMMITMENT TO OUR VETERANS: President Trump is honoring America’s commitment to our veterans by ensuring they receive the quality care they have earned.·President Trump secured a record $73.1 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide quality medical care for our veterans.·This funding included $8.6 billion for mental health services, $400 million for opioid abuse prevention, $206 million for suicide prevention, and more.·The President signed the VA MISSION Act, revolutionizing that VA healthcare system and reforming numerous services for our veterans.·This legislation will consolidate and reform existing programs to give eligible veterans better access to healthcare providers in their communities.·Thanks to this legislation, eligible veterans will have access to walk-in community clinics that offer immediate, local care.·President Trump and his Administration have expanded access to telehealth services for veterans, including through the “Anywhere to Anywhere” VA health care initiative.·President Trump issued an executive order requiring the Administration to improve access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for veterans.·President Trump signed the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, making it easier to fire failing employees and protect whistleblowers.·Under President Trump, the VA has removed, demoted, or suspended more than 4,300 employees for poor performance.·President Trump signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, streamlining the process used by veterans when appealing benefits claims.·President Trump fulfilled his promise to create a new White House VA Hotline to provide veterans with 24/7 support.·The VA is providing veterans with online access to wait time and quality of care data.·The President signed the Forever GI Bill, providing veterans, service members, and their families with enhanced education benefits.·Last year, programs at the VA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development helped more than 51,000 veterans find permanent housing and access supportive services.TRANSFORMING GOVERNMENT: President Trump has followed through on his pledge to transform the Federal Government and increase accountability and transparency.·President Trump’s Administration submitted a plan to reorganize the executive branch in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness.·In a historic show of transparency and accountability, the Trump Administration completed the Department of Defense’s first ever audit.·The President implemented a five-year ban on lobbying for White House employees and a lifetime ban on lobbying for foreign countries.·Each quarter since taking office, President Trump has donated his salary, fulfilling a promise he made to the American people.·President Trump is reshaping our Federal judiciary, appointing judges who will follow the Constitution as written.·The President has appointed Circuit Court judges at a record pace.·President Trump has appointed two Supreme Court justices, Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Brett Kavanaugh.3.8k views · View Upvoters