American Opportunity Press Releases:

Contact:  Dan Kreske 703-837-0030
VICTORY for the American Opportunity Foundation's "Growth Code"
Congressional Tax Reform Package to Support 3.2% Growth Code Goals
December 22, 2017

Alexandria, VA - This week was a tremendous victory for American Opportunity as the American Opportunity/Free Congress Growth Code finally saw sunlight in Washington, as the U.S. Congress passed the first serious tax reform package since President Reagan's tax reform bill in 1986.

American Opportunity Foundation has tirelessly advocated for nearly eight years for our common sense economic policies to be enshrined in law.

Few organizations can claim likewise.  

American Opportunity Foundation President, Former Governor Jim Gilmore states -

“This initiative would not have been possible without President Trump keeping the heat on in moving the country towards this new economic direction.  For decades, the American left has been satisfied with slow growth.  During the Obama era, the political left in this country has treated economic contraction as the new normal.  However, our benchmark here at American Opportunity has always been 3.2% growth.  Without that rate of growth, the economy simply isn't recovering from the twin effects of population growth plus inflation.  Over the last decade growth has been 2% or less -- effectively a contracting U.S. economy.  President Trump knew we could better, and this tax reform is standing testament to that.”

The bill delivers benefits for everyone -- and when we say that this is a bill creates tax relief and economic prosperity for all Americans across the board?  This bill doubles the standard deduction to $24,000 for a married couple.  Child care credits double from $1,000 to $2,000.  Over $15 trillion dollars of overseas capital is invested back into the United States without threat of double taxation.

For farmers and other large landowners?  The estate tax exemption doubles to $22 million, which is great news for family businesses and family farms.  As a principle of basic fairness, much of this money has already been taxed once before while the rest is taxed two or even three times over.  In short, what's earned is yours -- not the property of the government.  

This bill drops the corporate tax rate from the highest in the world to a much more competitive 21%, creating the incentives for corporations to invest in infrastructure and create more money for America's working class.  This is precisely the sort of investment that produces jobs and higher wages as corporations must bid up wages to get and keep workers.  As they create wealth, more wages are paid -- creating a virtuous feedback loop to counteract the vicious cycle created in no small part by the Obama administration.

Naturally, there are still improvements to be made.  More importantly, these gains must be defended.

But first we have to educate the American people that this new direction is right and the so-called "resistance" of fading socialists and left-wing academic commentators are wrong.  Otherwise they will take us back in 2018 to slow growth and an economy that emphasizes scarcity over prosperity. 

We must reset the terms of the national debate.  American Opportunity could not be happier to see our policies finally enacted after nearly eight years of advocacy -- and we will do our part to inform, educate, and advocate.

Read the latest updates to AO's Growth Code -- The Growth Code #2!
###

Follow on Twitter & Facebook: 
@gov_gilmore or @ameriopp
https://www.facebook.com/GovJimGilmore
www.americanopportunity.org
703.837.0030 

After nearly eight years, American Opportunity's Growth Code finally gets the chance to prove itself as Trump's tax reform package sails through Congress.
The Growth Code
Over the course of nearly a half-century following World War II, America built and enjoyed the most prosperous economy in the history of the world. Rising incomes, low unemployment, and steady long-term growth were hallmarks of this extraordinary period. On a personal level, we all felt that America was a land of limitless opportunity — where some talent, a solid idea and a lot of hard work would pay off with a good and maybe even great quality of life.
Over the last few years, however, something has changed. Today many Americans live paralyzed in fear of losing their jobs and not being able to make ends meet. Experts now tell us to expect high unemployment and a slow-growth economy for years to come. Worse still, Americans are not optimistic that things will get better; a recent Gallup poll found that only 54% of Americans believe that today’s youth will have a better life than their parents — the lowest number since 1983.  Learn more about AO's "Growth Code" at our websitewww.americanopportunity.org and click "tax reform" or go to this link for our original Growth Code - https://americanopportunity.org/library/the-growth-code

US Taxpayers Spend Over $10 Billion Yearly Supporting Global Agencies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                 
Contact: Mari Stull
703-940-0333
The American Opportunity Foundation Applauds Congressional Action to
Take Stock of International Organizations
 
US Taxpayers Spend Over $10 Billion Yearly Supporting Global Agencies
 
Alexandria, Va, Nov. 3, 2017--According to the Department of State’s 65th Annual Report to Congress on Contributions to International Organizations, US taxpayers contributed at least $10,487,783,062[1] to over 150 global organizations in President Obama’s last year in office.  During the eight years under the Obama Administration US increased spending to global organizations a whopping 60%.
 
Yet, during the past eight years, as more American taxpayer funds have been funneled into international organizations, many of those very organizations have advanced harmful international standards and policies that undermine our own US businesses and global democracy.  Further, as evidenced by recent reviews by the United Kingdom, global organizations have become increasingly ineffective, lacking transparency and accountability, mismanaged, and bloated.
 
The American Opportunity Foundation is very pleased that this Congress is proposing the Multilateral Aid Review Act of 2017 https://tinyurl.com/MultilateralReview which requires a comprehensive review of all international organizations.  “For far too long, the American taxpayer has been shouldering the lions share of the world’s support to international organizations that simply fail to return dividends to the United States,” states former Virginia Governor and  Opportunity Foundation CEO Jim Gilmore “this proposed legislation will go a long way in ensuring that our resources invested outside of the United States yield real value back to Americans.  The Trump Administration has made it crystal clear that taxpayer funds will support only to those entities that advance the America First agenda and support our foreign policy objectives.  American Opportunity Foundation especially applauds the following requirements of the Act which ensures a positive return on taxpayer investment:
 
Provide a methodological basis for allocating scarce budgetary resources to entities that advance relevant United States foreign policy objectives.” 

Senior Fellow for International Organizations and Trade, Mari Stull further commended the proposed legislation.  “So many global organizations have become politicized, mismanaged, bloated, and have unilaterally expanded their missions far beyond mandates and to the detriment of US foreign policy.  Agency heads, who are predominately ex-politicians elected with the support of their like-minded countries, control vast budgets and wield significant global power.  These ex-politicians are subject to very little oversight or transparency, which has been a recipe for sweeping corruption with little consequence or notice.  The proposed Multilateral Aid Review Act has the potential to expose this underbelly and help the Trump Administration get down to the task of restoring relevancy, integrity and accountability into those global agencies that serve our foreign policy objectives.  And defunding those that do not.”

[1] Likely far greater than published, as some US agencies failed to provide information for the mandatory Congressional report.
###
The American Opportunity Foundation, and its predecessor, the Free Congress Foundation, has worked for decades to shape the discussions around American society, and to offer conservative solutions that promise real prosperity, national security, and American values. Led by former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, American Opportunity Foundation remains a leading voice for conservative values.
www.americanopportunity.org
twitter - @ameriopp
Contact: Dan Kreske
703-837-0030
###

American Opportunity Foundation announces new Transportation Resource Library: 
Foundation will create an on-line library and provide a conservative voice for public transportation

Alexandria, Va, May 3, 2017- American Opportunity Foundation will create a Transportation Resource Library which will serve as an educational source for policy makers, including Congress and the White House, as well as the overall transportation community. The partnership’s goal is to ensure that focus of transportation policy makers remains on the continuation of federal funding for public transit projects.

The foundation is preparing a synthesis of their decade’s long work on various transportation issues, highlighting the necessity of the partnership between federal, state, and local funding sources for mass transportation. Throughout the process, the foundation will seek to partner with other leading conservative voices in order to develop comprehensive policy recommendations emphasizing the importance of mass transit as a product of federal partnership. The final product will be unveiled at a high level Capitol Hill event on June 27.

According to American Opportunity CEO Jim Gilmore: “We are committed to being a resource for the transportation community in a variety of ways, providing invaluable information and crucial resources. The administration is correct in focusing on the country’s infrastructure as the economic engine for prosperity. Transit mobility a key factor in ensuring that our economy remains moving forward. By offering a comprehensive picture of how federal, state, and local players can work together to ensure transit projects move forward, we can contribute to maintaining thriving communities where employees have a variety of transportation options from which to choose.”

###
The American Opportunity Foundation, and its predecessor, the Free Congress Foundation, has worked for decades to shape the discussions around American society, and to offer conservative solutions that promise real prosperity, national security, and American values. Led by former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, American Opportunity Foundation remains a leading voice for conservative values.
www.americanopportunity.org
twitter - @ameriopp
Contact: Dan Kreske
703-837-0030

More news from the American Opportunity:
American Opportunity Foundation supports rail funding in 2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill: Focus on rail and rail safety is key to economic growth
 
Alexandria, Va, May 2, 2017- American Opportunity Foundation applauds the work of Congress in negotiating the 2017 Omnibus Appropriations Bill and it’s recognition, through the funding of rail and rail transit, of the critical need in securing the nation’s public transit programs. 
 
Specifically, American Opportunity is pleased to see that the agreement increases funding for The Federal Railroad Administration, and allows Amtrak to undertake new capital projects and encourages Amtrak to prioritize strategic rail infrastructure improvements at critical points in the rail network that would improve current services or create new capacity in the Northeast Corridor.
 
American Opportunity President & CEO Jim Gilmore stated “The federal government has a long history in supporting public transit programs as federal funding is crucial to preserving mass transit.  As we at American Opportunity (formerly Free Congress Foundation) have long stated, by continuing to support a full spectrum of transportation modes for our nation’s working class, the federal government demonstrates its commitment to providing the infrastructure that business, and the economy, depends on to continue growth.”
 
###
The American Opportunity Foundation, and its predecessor, the Free Congress Foundation, has worked for decades to shape the discussions around American society, and to offer conservative solutions that promise real prosperity, national security, and American values. Led by former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, American Opportunity Foundation remains a leading voice for conservative values.
www.americanopportunity.org
twitter - @ameriopp
Contact: Dan Kreske
703-837-0030​

American Opportunity Foundation Announces New Senior Fellows:
Alexandria, Va, April 13, 2017 - The American Opportunity Foundation announced the addition of Mari Stull and Shari Simmans as senior fellows. Stull will lead the Foundation’s work on Trade Policy and International Organizations, while Simmans will serve as the Foundation’s key lead on Strategic Partnerships, Outreach and Communications. Simmans will also head the Foundation’s project management team.

“Mari Stull and Shari Simmans are known both nationally and internationally for their work in driving policy and building strategic collations to achieve dramatic success for policy makers, governments, and the private sector, and creating alliances that produce results,” said American Opportunity Foundation President & CEO Jim Gilmore. “We welcome them to our projects.”

Stull brings over 20 years of senior international trade and regulatory experience. Stull was founding Executive Director of the Caribbean Agribusiness Association, established the International Council of Grocery Manufacturers Association, and served as director of International regulatory policy for the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Stull has extensive UN and international organizations experience, having served in international posts as a specialist in private sector development. Credentialed as Head of Delegation to the OECD, Codex Alimentarius, and other international trade and regulatory bodies as a representative of the private sector.

Simmans has nearly two decades’ experience in building strategic partnerships at the chief executive level in the private/public sector and has proven expertise in effecting better management practices and organizational reforms in achieving more cost-effective programs. Simmans has assisted elected leaders and associations with media campaigns, winning a national award for communication and marketing. With a background in international and national security studies, Simmans has worked globally for international aerospace manufacturers and continues her efforts in the United States within the private sector and leading nonprofits. 

Based in Alexandria, the American Opportunity Foundation, and its predecessor, the Free Congress Foundation, has worked for decades to shape the discussions around American society, and to offer conservative solutions that promise real prosperity, national security, and American values.
www.americanopportunity.org
twitter - @ameriopp
Contact: Dan Kreske
703-837-0030