U.S. Rep.

Phil English

, R-3rd, Thursday voted to pass a measure to make permanent the 10-percent tax bracket established in the 2003 Jobs and Growth Act.

"The House of Representatives decided to stand up for lower-income working families by allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned dollars in their pockets," said English, a member for the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy.

"By making the lowest tax bracket permanent, more families will pay less in taxes and some of the poorest families will get more money from the federal government."

Last year, President Bush signed into law this act, which accelerated previously enacted tax cuts and provided tax relief to low- and middle-income workers.

Two-thirds of the tax cut in 2003 went to the child tax credit, expanding the 10-percent bracket, eliminating the marriage penalty, accelerating the marginal rate cuts and ensuring that middle class families do not face the alternative minimum tax.

"More than 3 million Pennsylvanians benefited from the expanded 10 percent tax bracket this year, but if we do not enact this legislation, that benefit would be taken away next year," English said.

Because of the raised income threshold to $7,000, many families who will not have to pay taxes and some will receive a check from the government.

The state House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a measure introduced by Rep.

Guy Travaglio

, D-11th, that would promote organ donation.

The measure would waive fees associated with obtaining a non-driver identification card if a person is an organ donor.

Legislation sponsored by state Sen.

Bob Robbins

, R-50th, that would preserve full funding for Pennsylvania's National Guard Educational Assistance Program was approved Wednesday by the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.

The committee also approved a measure supported by Robbins that would clarify the state veterans preference law.

Robbins wrote the 1996 law that established the National Guard Educational Assistance Program. In exchange for six years of service in the National Guard, members may receive free college tuition for up to five years.

Guard members can attend any public or private university in Pennsylvania; however, tuition assistance cannot exceed that charged by the State System of Higher Education.

"This program has been a fair exchange for National Guard members and the commonwealth," Robbins said. "However, several factors are causing uncertainty in the funding of the program.

"As a result of the reduction of the national Army in the 1990s and the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the role of the National Guard has increased substantially. With the number of guard members entering and leaving the Educational Assistance Program as a result of deployment, it is difficult to project future participation rates and costs."

The committee also approved a bill that would ensure the state veterans preference law is extended to military reservists and members of the National Guard who are federally activated, then released from that active duty to serve out their remaining service obligation.

State Rep.

Frank LaGrotta

, D-10th, recently announced he is co-sponsoring a resolution that would help lawmakers in Harrisburg devise more effective initiatives to enhance Pennsylvania's economy.

The resolution, authored by the chairmen of the House Appropriations Committee, state Reps. Dwight Evans, D-Phila., and David Argall, R-Schuylkill, would establish a bipartisan commission to study how state laws, policies and investments impact developmental trends.

"It's about time to reassess the way that Pennsylvania deals with investment and development, and bring our policies up to date with the modern economy," LaGrotta said.

He said there are already studies on state economic and developmental trends, but the commission would sort through those reports and compare them to current laws and practices to provide the most accurate and comprehensive guidance possible.

The commission would have until Nov. 30, the end of this year's legislative session, to make recommendations to the legislature and the governor on ways to improve the economic competitiveness of Pennsylvania's cities, boroughs and rural communities.

U.S. Rep.

Phil English

, R-3rd, voted Wednesday to pass a bill that he said would ease the burden of the "use-it-or-lose-it" rule imposed on Flexible Spending Accounts.

"The clear benefits of investing tax-exempt dollars into FSAs is undermined by the 'use-it-or-lose it' rule by, either inducing policy-holders to needlessly visit doctors, or dissuading eligible workers from electing to open an FSA."

Health FSAs are tax-free employer-sponsored benefits plans that reimburse employees for health care expenses. Employers and employees can both contribute to FSAs on a pre-tax basis.

The accounts can be tapped throughout the year to pay for medical expenses. However, any unused funds remaining in the FSAs at the end of the year are forfeited to the employer.

English noted this "use-it-or-lose it" rule creates an incentive to quickly spend unused funds before year's end, leading to excess health care consumption.

The House-approved bill would allow up to $500 of unused funds to be carried forward in the FSA for use during the following year, or contributed to a Health Savings Account.

State Reps.

Guy Travaglio

, D-11th, and

Frank LaGrotta

, D-10th, urged residents to participate in a new program helping soldiers deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom call home.

The Help Our Troops Call Home Program allows individuals to buy pre-paid calling cards for any soldier or for a randomly deployed soldier or hospitalized soldier.

LaGrotta said residents can buy a calling card online by logging on to the following links at any of the Armed Services Exchange Web site.

"Help Our Troops Call Home," Military Exchange Prepaid Calling Cards at

https://thor.aafes.com/scs/default.aspx

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service at

www.aafes.com

The Navy Exchange Service Command at

www.navy-nex.com

The Marine Corps Exchange at

www.usmc-mccs.org