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By Rep. Virginia Foxx

British author Ashleigh Brilliant once said, “Good ideas are common. What is uncommon are people who will work hard enough to bring them about.”

Robert Hensley of Forsyth County, North Carolina had a good idea – an idea so good that it made it all the way through both chambers of Congress and to the President’s desk. However, as Mr. Hensley knows, it takes more than just a good idea to bring about change. It takes the initiative to actually do something about it.

Last spring, Mr. Hensley was growing frustrated. His son, Army Specialist Michael Hensley, had spent most of the prior year serving in Iraq earning tax-free hazardous duty pay. Yet because of a glitch in the IRS code, he was not able to make full contributions into an individual retirement account.

That’s when Mr. Hensley contacted me.

He wrote a letter saying that soldiers serving our country, especially in harm’s way, should not be penalized just because they don’t earn enough taxable income. He said that we should encourage our men and women in uniform to save for their retirement and not put them through a hassle to do so. I agreed completely.

Mr. Hensley inspired me to introduce the Heroes Earned Retirement Opportunities (H.E.R.O.) Act, to change the tax code to allow those earning hazard pay to make IRA contributions. This past Memorial Day, I had the honor of joining President Bush in the Oval Office and see Mr. Hensley’s idea signed into law.

All it took from Mr. Hensley was a few minutes to sit down and write a letter to share his idea. Because of that letter, thousands of our troops will now be able to save for their retirement.

Mr. Hensley’s story is a clear example of what our founding fathers envisioned when they created a representative democracy. As he signed the H.E.R.O. Act, President Bush said: "This bill is a wonderful example of how democracy works because a citizen in this country can call his or her member of Congress and give them an idea and see it come to fruition.”

As your elected Representative in Congress, it is my job to listen to your thoughts, needs and ideas and then respond. While not every idea will result in legislation, I do consider every suggestion that constituents make. That is a responsibility I take very seriously and I encourage you to keep me informed on how I may better represent you.

I truly believe the best ideas do not originate in Washington, D.C. – they come from places like Northwest North Carolina. That is why I spend as much time as possible here at home, listening to your ideas and discussing the issues that are important to you and your family. I also conduct a “listening tour” throughout the 12 counties in the district each year. This allows me to meet with local elected officials and find out the best ways to help each county meet its priorities.

There are thousands of people in Northwest North Carolina who have great ideas on how to improve our country. Unfortunately, many do not think they are able to make a difference. I hope Mr. Hensley’s story will prove that anyone with a good idea has the potential to make a positive change.

Editor’s Note: Virginia Foxx is a United States Representative from North Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District. You may contact her Clemmons office toll free at 1-866-677-8968 or e-mail her on her Web site, www.foxx.house.gov.

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