ROMNEY R.EAO I N ESS PR.

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200 Day Pl.tn
APPENDIX 7.1
Romney Readiness Project General Instructions- First 200 Days
Titc Readiness Project is tasked to plan the implemenmtion of Governor Romney's c:unp:lign commitments and
priorities. The following a.re genero.l inmucrions for depa.rrment or agency review tca.rns, task forces and work groups as
they pl>n implementation of the commitments Governor Romney has made during his campaign. Recommendations
should contempl2te me initiation of oaion during the fint 200 days of the 2dmlnisttatioo.
Revitalize the American Economy
Reform and impUfy the federal tax code to encourage economic growth and job
crtation. Insofar as tax reform will require legislative action, recommend mea.surc-.s that
a:mld form pa.rt of a legislative stra<egy to accomplish reform that:
a. ls ~ e n u e neutral
b. Maintains the progressivicy of me current r:ax code
c. Reduces currcn< personal income rates by 20 percent across the board
d. Eliminates the taxation of dividends for those earning less than $200,000
e. Reduces the corporate rare ro 25 percent with revenue-neutral base-broadening
f. Transitions to a territorial taX sym:m
Facllitue regulatOry rd'orm and ensure that economic growth ..,mains a priority
th.rougllout department or -seney rule-making pro<:csses. Specific:tlly:
a. Identify growrh-inhibldng Obanu-era regulations and pam to repe:ll
b. Establish process for regul:uory budgeting to establish uro-dollar cap on new com
c. Draft environmmtal ..,forms to ensure laws accurately account for cosrs
Open markcu for American goods aod services whUe oon&ontlng nadons that do not
play by the rules. Specific:tlly:
a. R.enew 1h dc Promotion Authority
b. Develop strategy for rapid completion ofTI'lUlsPacific Pannerthip negotiations
c. Identify additional opportunities fur ITA negotiations
d. Determine pathW2y for daignating China a currency manipulator and increasing
pressure
e. Develop options to apply pressure on tr:oding partners like Cruna who restrict market
access or apply unf:lir subsidies
f. Build .suonger economic ties in Latin American
g. C=te a Reagan Economic Zone tO strengthen frc<: enterprise around me world
E n o o ~ ~ n ~ e hiring by revenlog Obama actioru and rd'orming labor law. Specifically:
a. Draft execurive order to eliminate the use of project labor agreements in federal
contracring
b. Prepare for replacement of recas-appointed NLRB members
c. Determine bc.r statutory or regulatory approach to implementing broader labor
...rorms
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Reduce t he Deficit
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Promote energy independence. Specifically:
a. Increase access to domestic energy resources
b. Streamline permitting for exploration and devdopment
c. Eliminate regulations destroying the coal Industry
d. Approve the Keystone XL pipeline
Empower American work..,. to compete IJt the current and future global economy
by con>OIIdatl"i overlappiJtg federal Job uaiJtiJtg programs into an acousible and
aa:ountable t<l<)urce. Specifically:
a. Determine which existing federal progranu should be retained as independent
programs
b. Design process for consolidating other funding and block granting to states
Ensure chat yoU11{1 Americans have opportunities to acquire a high quollty K-12
educadon by rncouraging education Innovation and emphasiz.ing sklll attaiJtmcnt.
Specifically:
a. Prepare for implementation of Romney's proposed Tide I refOrms
b. Review federal teach quality program and determine bow to return them to states
c. Identify opportunities to increase support for charter schools and digirallcarning
Improve bi&fter ed11cation by expanding accas to a greater diversity of optioM that
will gh'C nudents an opportunity to succeed In their careen. Specifically:
a. Develop oprions for reversing of the student loan market
b. Identify rc&ulatory buriers ro competition and choice in higher education
c. Encourage development and expansion of innovative delivery models thor reduce: the
cost of quality higher education
d. Review :til federal funding for tuition and identifY opportunities to preserve support
for studcnn while preventing unnccC'$sary inflation in the cost of education
Attnct and retaiJt the best and the brightest. Specifically:
a. Review H 1-8 and other high-skill visa program> and determine best way to raise caps
and meet denund
b. Design program ro give green card to graduates with advanced degrees
c. Idcntifjr opportunities to streamline the vi,. and legal pl'O<X$$CS, wid1 a focus
on spec:<Ung the process fur immediate family members of U.S. citizens and permanent
residentll
Develop optlons for winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Place governmmt on a more sustainable trajectory. Spcci6cally:
a. Write a rescissions biU to dfcct an immetliatc five percent reduction in nonsccuriry
discretionary spending
b. Develop policy dirccrivc/exccutivc order 10 establish attrition policy to reduce: agency
workforoes by I 0 percent
c. Decerminc leg:d options for presidential :tetion to reduce/dirninatc any COLA
ordered for 2013
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200 Day Pln
d. Conduct study to dtterminc nature of acess compensation disaggregoted by job
profile, education levels, etc.
e. Present budget to Congrc.ss that achieves fuca! goili (e.g .. 20% of GOP by 2016)
Repeal and Replace the Affordable Care Act
MiJtlmlzc the neg;uive impact of the Plltlent Protection and AfFordable Cart Act and
ptq>an to impluo<Ot real btalth can: reform. Specifically:
a. IdentifY all opportunities to prevent implementation of rhe law or wajve irs
requirements
b. Decormine if and how rcconciwtion should be used for full repeal
<- Prepare propoms for implementation of Romney's health can: policies via legislation
and agency rule-mking
d. Establish process for block granting Medicaid to the Sl:ltc.s
Enhance Medicare' owtalnabWty and value. Specifically:
a. ldtntifY the key program design challenges and regulatory dc:cisions that muse he
addressed to implement Romney's Medicare reform plan
b. Rl:commend options that will meet the sus<ainabUity goal while improving rhe value
of care
c. IdentifY functi ons dha.t can be properly and more efficiently administered at the state
or local level.
Restore American Leadership Around the World and Preserve U.S. Interests and Ideals
Develop calendar of intemadonal conferences and events to iJtform rravtl plo.nniJtg.
Begin restoration of the military, minimize the negative impact of sequestration on
the defense budget, and prepare for reversal ofObama-era defen1e cuts to d1e FY20 11
baseline spending level set by Secretary Gates iJt 2010. Spcciiica.lly:
a. ldencify regulatory and legislative strategies to rcvem sequestration a.ndlor mitigate
effects of sequestration that would compromise dc:vdopmenr of needed weapons
sysrems and viral sectOr$ of rhe defense industrial base
b. Identify ways to increa.sc navtll shipbuilding from 9 per year to 15 per y=.
c. IdentifY other needed force struaur<: lmpro,-emcnrs in other ICrvia:s besides the Navy.
d. IdentifY ways to dFectively add I 00,000 a&ve duty troops
e. Evaluate multi-layered narional missile defense program and identifY how ro
elfectively usc increased funding for rhe progam.
Eslllhlish an iJlteragency process responsible for coordinating military and forclgn
aid efforts in Afghanistan. Specifically:
a. Review troop rotation schedules to preserve President's flexibility to change cout>e
b. Launch 30-day in<eragency review of Afghanis= war goals and strategies
c. IdentifY a strategy ro achieve sustained support from dhc govcn1ments of Afr,hanistan
and Pakistan to rid tbe border region of the Taliban and other insurgent groups
d. Coordinace the training of Afghan fOrces and transfer security responsibility to them
c. Collaborate with Afghan fOrces ro 6gbt the narcoria rrade mar finances the insurgency
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Increase p,....un: on the lnnian repme to <DN< In good faith negotilulons with the
intem:ttionol oom.munity. Spccilically:
a. Identify methods to enhance the crcdibilir:y of the milit:tty option, inducting but not
limited to emblishing d1e regular presence of carrier groups in the eastern McdJterrancan
and Persian GtJf region, increasing mllitory assistance co IStael, and increasing milit:tty
ooordJnation with Arab partners
b. Identify process to plan for all contingencies related to either an lsr>cli-led or a U.S.-Icd
military strike to deg..de Iran's nuclear weapons program
c. Identify ways to enhance the enforcement and dfeaiveness of current and potential
economic sanctions
d. Identify methods to increase support to responsible Iranian diuidents and increase
internal on the Iranian regime
e. Identify parameters for an acccptoblc and results-oriented negotiation process
Develop a Syria strategy that increase& pressure on Bas !tar ai-Assad and provides greater
assistance to responsible elements of the opposition. Specifically:
a. Identify woys to levy new multUateral sanctions and increase enforcement of existing
sanctions to undermine support for Asnd and encowage high-level defections
b. Identify opportunities to work with partners to &cilirare the of arms provided
by partners ro t<tponsible demeott of the opposition
c. Identify smucgjes to mitigate the risk that Syrian WMDs will fall into the hands of bad
actors
d. Establish a mechanism to coordinate with key internacional partners as we joindy
prepare for postAs$:1d Syria, stabilize the country, and inSuence the makeup of a new
Syrian government that will sever tics with Iron, respect the territorial integrity of its
neighbors, and represent the interests of all of Syria's minorities and religions
Map out sequence of initiatives to recvoluate the U.S. relationship with Rwsla. Specifieally:
a. EstabUsh review of of the New START treaty and nuele:u: wc:apons
reduction and missile ddl:nsc cooperation with Russia to ensure that fn.mcworlcs S<rVe
U.S. inteStS
b. Establish coordinared diplomatic and lcgjslarive strategy to place greater pressure on
Russia with regards to its obstructionism on Iran and Syria sanctions, its support to
Assad in Syria, its growing rdations with Venewda, its suppression of the personal and
political rights of the Russian people, and its aggressive accions in Georgia and assertive
pos!Ure toward Easccrn european and Cent.ral Asian $[3tC$
Create a national strategy to counter mUitarb.<:d cyber-attacks, cyber-tcrrorbm, cyber
espionage, and private sector inteUcctual property theft.. SpecificalJy:
a. Eaoourage collabonrion betwren departments and ag.:ncies confronting similar threats
and ensure participation of inteUigence and defense agencies
b. Promote slwing of technical information to prevem similar attacks against different
departments and agencies
c. Create a mechanism for federal agc.ncies and private firms to learn from and benefit one
another
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