"The
American people have entrusted us with their hopes and aspirations
for themselves, for their families, and for their future. We will honor
that trust."
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, November 8, 2006
The American
people demanded a New Direction: to make America safer, to help restore
the American dream, and to restore accountability and fiscal responsibility
to the people's government.
The 110th Congress
brought new faces, new energy and a steadfast commitment to a New Direction.
In January, the first woman Speaker of the House in American history gaveled
open the Congress in honor of all of America's children. Passage of the
Six for '06 agenda, within the first 100 hours and with broad bipartisan
support, signaled change and a new focus on American priorities.
Today, under
Democratic leadership, the Congress is focused on a New Direction that
makes American families and children, and our future generations, our
highest priority.
With faith in
the future, we have begun to build a remarkable record of progress.
MAKING
AMERICA SAFER
RESTORING
THE AMERICAN DREAM
RESTORING
ACCOUNTABILITY
The House of
Representatives is building consensus. More than two-thirds of major legislation
has passed with significant support from both parties. We must strive
to find common ground where we can. Where we cannot, we will stand our
ground.
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Signed Into
Law |
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Passed House |
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a .pdf of this report>>
MAKING
AMERICA SAFER
9/11
Commission Recommendations
The first order
of business for the New Direction Congress, making America safer, was
passage of H.R. 1, finally implementing the recommendations of the independent
9/11 Commission. While the Administration's own National Intelligence
Estimate conceded the war in Iraq made us less safe from terrorism, the
9/11 legislation was the long overdue, smart approach to ensuring homeland
security.
Nearly six years after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the recommendations
of the bipartisan report were passed by the New Direction Congress and
signed into law:
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requiring
100% screening of air cargo; |
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requiring
100% screening of cargo containers before they reach U.S. soil; |
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basing
anti-terrorism funding to cities and states on risk, not political
boundaries; |
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improving
emergency communications among first responders; |
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strengthening
information sharing with local law enforcement to help prevent potential
terrorist attacks; and |
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taking
aggressive steps to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass
destruction. |
Largest
Veterans' Health Care Funding Increase In History
The House and
Senate have passed the largest single increase in funding for veterans'
health care in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration. The
historic investment exceeded the President's request and adds to the $5.2
billion for veterans added by the new Congress earlier this year to strengthen
health care for more than five million veterans. Our Wounded Warriors
Act sets forth a series of improvements in care as well.
The legislation
is strongly supported by the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Disabled Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Military
Officers Association of America, AMVETS and other groups, who have labeled
the effort 'a major victory' and an 'impressive commitment' to our veterans:
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making
critical investments for our wounded troops coming home from Iraq
and Afghanistan, improving conditions such as those uncovered at Walter
Reed and in other Congressional oversight; |
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focusing
on those veterans returning with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and
Traumatic Brain Injury; |
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reducing
the huge backlog of veterans' claims for benefits;
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providing
needed maintenance of VA health care facilities; and |
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preventing
the President's proposed fee increases from hitting veterans.
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Energy
Security And Reducing Global Warming
A major shift
in our nation's energy policy has begun. Energy Security is a strong bipartisan
effort. Our initiative makes the largest investment in homegrown biofuels
in American history, repeals billions of dollars in unnecessary taxpayer
subsidies to Big Oil earning record profits, and requires that 15
percent of our electricity come from renewable
sources.
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reducing
the dependence on foreign oil that threatens our national security; |
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creating
good new jobs that are home-grown and American-owned, fueled by
farms across the country and American innovation, and including
a Green Jobs initiative to train a quality workforce in new energy
technologies;
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lowering
energy costs for consumers by more than $300 billion through 2030,
with landmark efficiency reforms for homes, appliances, and industry;
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creating
tax incentives for Hybrids, not Hummers;
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reducing
dangerous heat-trapping gases by an estimated 40 percent of what
is needed by 2030 to save the planet; requiring the federal government
to be carbon-neutral by 2050, and the Capitol to be carbon-neutral
by the end of 2008; and
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making
the U.S. a leader on a binding global warming agreement, with
commitments from all the major emitters.
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Holding
The Administration Accountable For The War In Iraq
Our men and
women in uniform have performed their duties with courage, patriotism,
and success. But after nearly five years of war, the American people know
the cost has been too high: to life and limb, to our reputation in the
world, to our military readiness, and to American taxpayers.
This war has
not made the American people safer, our military stronger, or the region
more stable. We must responsibly redeploy our troops so we can refocus
on the real war on terrorism and rebuild our military readiness.
This New Direction
Congress has changed the debate, making the Bush Administration more accountable
for the execution of the war, and the Iraqi government more responsible
for its own future. We have instituted vigorous oversight, uncovering
tens of billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse in spending in
Iraq by companies like Blackwater and Halliburton. We believe the current
policy in Iraq has failed and will only change when the President's allies
in Congress hear the voices of the American people.
The 110th Congress
has a clear mandate from the American people to work for a responsible
redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq. Congressional oversight and legislative
pressure have changed the debate in Washington:
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requiring
reporting from the Administration on the conduct of the war in Iraq,
both militarily and in establishing a stable Iraqi government;
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supporting
troops and military families with new funding for Mine-Resistant
Armor Protected vehicles (MRAP) and addressing inadequate health
care for our returning veterans
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banning
permanent American military bases in Iraq; and
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meeting
equipment shortfall needs of the Army National Guard, strained in
its domestic mission from heavy deployment to Iraq.
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A series of
measures have won passage in the House, but have been rejected by the
President and his allies in Congress who help sustain vetoes. The President
has rejected:
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setting
a responsible timeline for phased redeployment of American troops;
and
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enhancing
national security and military readiness-as well as quality of life
for military families-by requiring regular rotations out of combat
zones and back home for rest and training.
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RESTORING
THE AMERICAN DREAM
Largest
College Aid Expansion Since The GI Bill In 1944
The College
Cost Reduction and Access Act is the single largest investment in college
financial assistance since President Roosevelt signed the GI Bill in 1944
to provide education and job training for veterans returning from World
War II.
The historic
legislation is funded, at no new cost to U.S. taxpayers, by ending excessive
federal subsidies to the lending industry.
College costs
have grown nearly 40 percent in the last five years-preventing an estimated
200,000 students from going to college each year. This legislation reverses
that trend:
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cutting
student loan interest rates in half, saving the typical student borrower
$4,400 over the life of the loan; |
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increasing
Pell Grant amounts by $1,090 over five years; |
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forgiving
loans for graduates who provide 10 years of public service, such as
public school teachers or first responders; |
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guaranteeing
that borrowers will never have to spend more than 15 percent of their
yearly discretionary income on loan repayments, and allowing those
in economic hardship to have their loans forgiven after 25 years; |
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making
landmark investments in Historically Black Colleges and universities,
Hispanic-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions;
and |
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reducing
the federal budget deficit by $750 million by cutting subsidies to
the lending industry. |
First
Increase To The Minimum Wage In A Decade
The first increase
to the federal minimum wage in a decade was the first step in a broader
American agenda to grow our economy and provide greater opportunity to
all Americans, not just the privileged few. The ten year gap in the pay
raise was the longest in the history of the law.
The benefits
of the pay raise will be felt by nearly 13 million American workers-5.3
million directly and another 7.2 million indirectly as a result of the
new wage floor-in addition to more than 6 million children of low wage
workers:
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increasing
annual pay by $4,400 a year by 2009, with an increase in the minimum
wage of $2.10 phased in over three years; and |
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raising
the minimum wage in 20 states this past July, where state wages are
not already higher. |
Innovation
Agenda Promoting 21st Century Jobs
The America
COMPETES Act was signed into law as the first major step in the Innovation
Agenda. America's greatest resource to compete in a global economy can
be found in classrooms across the country. The COMPETES Act will address
the technology gap in our workforce and help turn ideas into innovative
technologies to boost our economy and create good-paying American jobs:
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expanding
the number of highly qualified math, science, engineering, and technology
teachers in schools across the country; |
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putting
us on a path to doubling funding for basic research at the National
Science Foundation, National Institute for Science and Technology
and Department of Energy; |
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maintaining
the American edge in high-performance computing; |
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boosting
energy research and innovation, creating a new Advanced Research Projects
Agency for Energy; and |
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making
small businesses even bigger players in the technology innovation
sector, spurring new manufacturing processes and techniques, and supporting
high-risk, high-reward technology development. |
Aid
To The Gulf Coast Recovering From Hurricanes Katrina And Rita
Before the second
anniversary of the nation's most devastating hurricane, the new Democratic
majority in the 110th Congress sent the President recovery legislation
that was signed into law.
The Gulf Coast
aid jumpstarts recovery efforts crippled by FEMA's failures and a lack
of government support, that compounded the initial mismanaged government
and private contractor response. The aid includes:
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waiving
the local matching requirement under the Stafford Act, that governs
disaster assistance, saving the region $1.9 billion and allowing work
to begin on an estimated 20,000 stalled projects; |
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providing
$6.4 billion in assistance to help bolster levees, restore the coastline,
recruit teachers, keep schools open, maintain health facilities, assist
farmers and fishermen, provide housing assistance, assist small businesses,
and retain law enforcement and other essential government employees;
and |
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exercising
much-needed Congressional oversight-House Committees have held over
30 hearings on Katrina recovery, including revealing billions of taxpayer
dollars lost to contractor waste, fraud, and abuse. |
Health
Care For 10 Million Children
The State Children's Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP) is a bipartisan and cost-effective way to meet
the health care needs of children of families struggling to make ends
meet.
The President opposed a fair,
bipartisan compromise to continue the program and sign up more children.
In vetoing the compromise legislation, the President, and his Congressional
allies who upheld his veto, opposed the will of the American people, a
wide-ranging coalition of doctors and other health care providers, disease
advocacy groups, children's advocates, including the March of Dimes and
Easter Seals and long-time supporters of SCHIP in both parties.
The health and well-being
of 10 million children will be provided for by this Congress. SCHIP legislation
will become law:
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protecting
coverage for the more than 6 million children already enrolled, and
enrolling 4 million more children who are already eligible but lack
health coverage now; |
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protecting
coverage for the more than 6 million children already enrolled, and
enrolling 4 million more children who are already eligible but lack
health coverage now; |
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helping families
of 10 million children avoid bankruptcy and foreclosure on their homes
under the crushing weight of medical catastrophes; and |
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saving taxpayer
dollars that are spent now providing the most expensive care possible
to uninsured children, in hospital emergency rooms. |
RESTORING
ACCOUNTABILITY
Landmark
Lobby And Ethics Reform
The New Direction Congress
made restoring trust in government its fundamental commitment. On its
first day, the House passed a sweeping rules package-the toughest ethics
reform in a generation-that broke the link between lobbyists and legislators:
no gifts, no private jets, and no meals from lobbyists.
With the Honest Leadership
and Open Government Act now signed into law, Congress is demanding an
unprecedented level of disclosure by lobbyists and lawmakers.
The reforms have been hailed
by independent public interest groups as "landmark," "fundamental," and
"sea change for citizens":
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mandating
new transparency for lobbyists bundling donations and political campaign
fund activity; |
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ending the
'K-Street Project' by prohibiting Members of Congress and their staff
from attempting to influence employment decisions in exchange for
political access; |
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enacting a
strong lobbyist gift ban, limits on privately-funded travel, and a
ban on House Members accepting trips on private planes; |
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expanding
public disclosure by requiring lobbyists to file twice as oft en each
year, and for the first time to file electronically in a public, searchable
database; and |
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denying Congressional
retirement benefits to Members convicted of bribery, perjury and other
similar crimes. |
Pay-As-You-Go
Budget Discipline
The 110th Congress has returned
to the principle of pay-as-you-go budget discipline that produced historic
budget surpluses during the Clinton Administration, but was abandoned
under Republican leadership in the last six years. At the 10-month mark,
the New Direction Congress has a 100% record of compliance on non-Iraq
war spending: no new deficits!
The non-partisan Committee
for a Responsible Federal Budget hailed the record: "[CRFB] is pleased
that Congress has adhered to the principle of PAYGO. We believe that the
requirement has forced Congress to face important budgeting tradeoffs
and delay actions they were unwilling to pay for, all of which helps to
prevent the budget picture from deteriorating."
This Congress will not pass
billions of dollars of debt onto future generations. Democratic leadership
has earned the mantle of fiscal responsibility with a strong record:
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allowing
no new deficit spending; |
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balancing
the budget by 2012-which the President's budget does not; |
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passing legislation
in the House to save U.S. taxpayers billions by cleaning up government
contracting abuses, including getting rid of no-bid contracts; |
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instituting
unprecedented disclosure of which Members are requesting earmarked
projects and who is benefiting, and dramatically cutting the number
of earmarks; and |
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uncovering
billions of misspent taxpayer dollars in Iraq and the Gulf Coast region. |
"In
our first year, we are taking our country in a New Direction worthy of
the sacrifice of our troops, the vision of our Founding Fathers, and the
aspirations of our children."
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, November 1, 2007
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