Environment,Conservation and Development
Gerlach has strongly supported Schuylkill Valley commuter rail. At one point he said of the Bush administration's plan to cut federal money for construction costs from 80 percent to 50 percent:"There's just not going to be enough state and local funds to do the project. It will be a dead project." [13]
The farmland-preservation and open-space advocacy that Gerlach became known for during his tenure as a state legislator has continued during his congressional career. On September 27,2006,the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Gerlach-sponsored bill H.R. 5313 that would make federal funds available to municipalities around the country to purchase conservation easements. [14] This bill was never acted on by the Senate,and was re-introduced as H.R. 1152 in March 2007.
Military and Social Issues
In 2003,Gerlach sponsored a new law mandating a new veterans cemetery in the Philadelphia area within four years. The nearest military cemetery to accept casket burials was located 90 miles from Philadelphia.
In 2009,Gerlach opposed HR 2454,which was designed to amend several laws related to energy and the environment,and included a "cap-and-trade" program to limit greenhouse gas emissions. [15] As Gerlach later explained,"While the bill included some positive provisions to develop alternative and renewable energy our country needs,I voted against this bill because of the devastating effect it will have on working families and the people who create jobs in my district and across Pennsylvania." [16] The League of Conservation Voters,"a national non-profit organization that works to turn environmental values into national priorities," [17] rated Gerlach at 44 percent on their National Environmental Scorecard. [18] In his 2010 campaign,Gerlach received $41,250 from the Energy/Natural Resource sector. [19]
Gerlach voted against H. Con. Res. 63,which disapproved of The Surge;he said it was meaningless,fundamentally vague and would damage troop morale. [20] [21]
He was one of four Pennsylvania Republicans (the others were Todd Platts,Charlie Dent,and Phil English) to vote to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the federal hate crimes bill. Mr. Gerlach also opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment,which would have amended the constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. In 2007,Gerlach voted against a bill that would have repealed "Don't Ask,Don't Tell." [15] In 2010,Gerlach also voted against the "2010-2011 Defense Appropriations Act," which would have included a repeal of "Don't Ask,Don't Tell" after military certification and review. [15] Gerlach defended this vote,saying,"Voting on this issue six months before Defense Secretary Robert Gates is scheduled to issue a thorough review of the policy and how best to implement any changes does nothing to improve the security of our country or the morale of the brave men and women serving in our military." [16] In 2007-2008,Gerlach received a 64 percent support rating from the Family Research Council, [18] an interest group whose mission statement commits it to being an organization that "shapes public debate and formulates public policy that values human life and upholds the institutions of marriage and the family." [22]
Business,Industry and Regulation
Gerlach has advocated the passage of legislation that would expand federal regulation of so-called "puppy mills," and cosponsored medical liability legislation.
In 2010,Gerlach voted against the "Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments," also known as HR 3590 or "The Health Care Reform Bill." [15] In a statement on the Health Care vote,Gerlach stated that the bill was "written behind closed doors," and that it "ushers in a new era of big government." [16] Gerlach also expressed concerns about the bill's impact on his constituents,saying "In my district,innovation,investment and jobs in the life sciences and biotechnology sector will be at risk because of a new $2 billion per year tax on items used for cancer screening,knee and hip replacement surgery and other life-saving procedures." [16]
