August 1, 2008
The 110th Congress is working to rebuild our economy and help families struggling to make ends meet.
Lowering Gas Prices and Working Towards Energy Independence
Crude oil prices have reached new records, going above $125 per barrel, after the biggest five oil companies announced 2nd quarter profits totaling $44 billion. This continues the five-year trend of record oil profits under the Bush Administration. The national average for gas prices is nearly $4.00 a gallon, nearly 3 times the average price of $1.47 in January 2001.
As American families and businesses continue to struggle with rising energy prices, President Bush, Senator John McCain, and Congressional Republicans continue to protect the interests of Big Oil at the expense of real relief for consumers. Instead of joining Democrats to demand real solutions, Republicans are calling for opening our last protected areas to Big Oil. Congressional Republicans have also said NO to recouping royalties Big Oil failed to pay taxpayers, to repealing unnecessary tax breaks for the top five oil companies, and to curbing excessive speculation in the energy futures markets in order to bring down gas prices.
Click here to see the Republican leadership's obstructionist record>> Americans are looking for leadership for a smarter, cleaner, more affordable, renewable energy future, and we are working to provide immediate relief at the gas pump. Democrats in Congress have voted to ensure oil and gas companies increase supply by producing on the 68 million federal acres of already leased lands, to mandate leasing of new lands in Alaska's petroleum reserve, to release a small portion of the government oil stockpile, and to support renewable American energy. These are the real solutions the American people deserve.
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Affordable Housing for American Families
Last week, the Democratic-led Congress passed the most far-reaching and historic reform of our nation's housing finance system in a generation. The American Housing Rescue & Foreclosure Prevention Act will restore confidence and stability to the housing market and the broader financial markets, and will get our economy moving again. The bill was signed into law by the President.
Homeownership is an essential part of the American Dream. By expanding homeownership opportunities and protecting families against foreclosure, we are helping keep the American Dream alive. By restoring confidence in the housing market, our economy can begin to grow and create jobs for the American people again.
This legislation will help families facing foreclosure keep their homes, help other families avoid foreclosures in the future, and help the recovery of communities harmed by empty homes caught in the foreclosure process. To shore up the housing market and ensure the availability of affordable home loans, the bill would put a tough, independent new regulator in charge of the housing Government Sponsored Enterprises, or GSEs (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks), which are vital to both the financial markets and American homeowners.
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Protecting Our Children from Toxic Toys
Parents should be able to look to the government for certain essential protections, and when it comes to the toys that America's children are playing with, parents are rightly frustrated, confused, and frightened. This week, Congress passed the final agreement on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. This landmark, bipartisan legislation takes several key steps to make children and all Americans safer, including essentially eliminating lead from toys and children's products; prohibiting the use of dangerous phthalates in children's toys and child care products; and providing the Consumer Product Safety Commission with significantly greater resources and personnel.
Learn more>>
Watch Speaker Pelosi speak in support of the bill>>
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Making College Affordable and Accessible
This week, Congress passed the final version of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the first reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in a decade. This critical legislation encourages colleges to rein in tuition increases; restores integrity and accountability to student loan programs; simplifies the federal student aid application process; and expands college access and support for low-income and minority students. This bill builds on our work last year when we cut student loan interest rates in half and increased Pell Grants. The Higher Education Opportunity Act will strengthen our nation and America's middle class, and spur a new age of innovation and ingenuity in our country. Learn more about the bill from our website or from the Education and Labor website.
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U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
Last week, the Democratic-led Congress passed the final version of America's largest commitment ever to fighting the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began, 20 million men, women, and children have died from the disease. Forty million around the globe are HIV-positive. Each and every day, another 6,000 people become infected with HIV. There is a moral imperative to combat this epidemic. The bill works to: by 2013, preventing 12 million new HIV infections; providing medical and nonmedical care for 12 million people (including 5 million orphans); and training 140,000 new health care workers.
Speaker Pelosi's Statement on House Passage of Global AIDS Legislation>>
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Increasing the Minimum Wage
Thanks to the efforts of this New Direction Congress, millions of American workers have gotten a pay raise. The second phase of the minimum wage increase went into effect on July 24th, putting another $28 a week into workers' pockets to help them cope with the high price of gas and of groceries. When we fully implement the minimum wage increase to $7.25, it will benefit more than 12 million workers.
Learn more about House Democrats' work for economic justice>>
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Celebrating the Centennial of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Speaker Pelosi spoke at the centennial celebration and unity march of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA), the nation's first Greek-letter organization founded by African American college women. Speaker Pelosi said, "As we mark Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's historic centennial celebration, we should also take a moment to reflect on the many contributions Black Greek letter organizations have made to the African-American community's economic, cultural, spiritual, and political fabric, and to our nation as a whole."
Read Speaker Pelosi's full speech>> |
Congressional Delegation Trip to the Gulf Coast
![Gulf Coast Delegation](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090103145121im_/http://www.speaker.gov/img/GulfCoast.jpg)
In 2006, when the Gulf Coast was still reeling from the federal government's incompetence and congressional inaction, House Democrats dispatched a delegation to the Gulf Coast to assess the devastation from Katrina and Rita. That trip was a first step in an unwavering partnership House Democrats have established with the Gulf Coast, informing the legislation that eventually became law under Democratic leadership in the 110th Congress. During the end of July, House Majority Whip Clyburn led Speaker Pelosi, Leader Hoyer, Vice-Chair Larson and other House Democrats on their third Congressional Delegation to the Gulf Coast. On their four-day trip, the delegation visited several sites in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and coastal Mississippi to determine where the region stands on the issues of health care, housing, education, infrastructure, criminal justice and insurance reform.
Learn more about Gulf Coast recovery legislation in the Democratic-led Congress>>
Working Towards Gulf Coast Recovery>>
Speaker Pelosi: New Direction Congress Rising to the Challenge of Gulf Coast Recovery>>
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Armed Forces Ceremony
![60th Anniversary of Integration of U.S. Armed Forces](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090103145121im_/http://www.speaker.gov/img/NPVeteran.jpg)
Last week, Speaker Pelosi joined with House and Senate leaders in the Capitol Rotunda to commemorate President Truman's executive order 60 years ago that marked the beginning of racial integration in the armed services. Speaker Pelosi said, "When called on their country to serve, African Americans did so with courage, honor and distinction, just as many do today. When called by conscience to serve the civil rights movement, they provided indispensable moral leadership, defended liberty, and redefined America for the better."
Read Speaker Pelosi's full speech>>
View a slideshow of photographs from the ceremony>>
Watch a video of the ceremony>>
![Armed Forces Ceremony](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090103145121im_/http://www.speaker.gov/img/image014.jpg)
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Recognizing Caribbean-American Heritage Month
Earlier this month, the House passed a resolution recognizing the Significance of National Caribbean-American Heritage Month . Reps. Barbara Lee, Yvette Clarke, and Danny Davis spoke in support. Watch video highlights>>
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![Congressional Seal](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090103145121im_/http://www.speaker.gov/img/CongressionalSeal.jpg)
Contact Audrey Nicoleau Office of the Speaker Nancy Pelosi 202.225.0100
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