Chairman Obey and the Members of the House Appropriations Committee are to be commended for quickly drafting legislation to meet our military’s needs in Iraq and Afghanistan and to address the H1N1 flu virus.
The bill the Committee will consider on Thursday meets the first priority of Congress and the President, which is to protect the American people and to provide our men and women in harm’s way with all the resources they need. Chairman Obey has also ensured that this legislation is fully consistent with President Obama’s plan to end the war in Iraq and to refocus our efforts on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
I look forward to our debate in the House and to working with the Senate to ensure that this legislation gets to President Obama’s desk as soon as possible.
Today, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that the Capitol Power Plant will improve air quality in the District of Columbia and reduce the carbon pollution impact of Congress by using natural gas as the sole fuel source for steam used at the Capitol complex to heat buildings and water.
At the request of House and Senate leadership, Stephen Ayers, the Acting Architect of the Capitol has reported coal will only be burned going forward if backup capacity is needed because:
heating needs exceed the capacity of the natural gas pipeline currently serving the complex (which will be upgraded in cooperation with the utility provider);
abnormally cold conditions place higher than normal demands on the Plant; or
equipment outages on the gas boilers require a backup.
Cleaner natural gas has been an increasingly large part of the fuel mix supplying the Plant. The Architect of the Capitol transitioned to natural gas as the primary fuel source for generating steam in March of this year. In 2008, 65% of the energy used at the Plant to create steam was generated from natural gas. Moving forward, the Architect of Capitol will use only natural gas for generating steam, and resort to coal only as a backup fuel source. The Capitol Power Plant has been singled out by the D.C. government for its impact on air quality, and the health of residents and workers in the area—particularly on the respiratory health of children.
Speaker Pelosi:
The Congress of the United States should not only be a model for the nation, but also a good neighbor. American ingenuity is producing the technology that will lead the world in cleaner and safer energy, and American can-do spirit is leading us to refit our homes and offices for efficiency and cost-savings. As we green the Capitol, moving the Capitol Power Plant from the 19th century to the 21st century is a crucial step, and I commend the Architect of the Capitol and his team who are making this transition happen.
Today, the House passed the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act (H.R. 627) by a vote of 357-70. In 2008, credit card issuers imposed $19 billion in penalty fees on families with credit cards and this year, card companies will break all records for late fees, over-limit charges, and other penalties, pulling in more than $20.5 billion. Credit-card debt in the U.S. has reached a record high of nearly $1 trillion — and almost half of American families currently carry a balance, and for those families the average balance was $7,300. One-fifth of those carrying credit-card debt pay an interest rate above 20 percent.
Earlier today, Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Carolyn Maloney heard from Molly Gordy who paid her bills on time, didn’t go over her limit, yet her interest rate was raised:
My name is Molly Gordy, and Congresswoman Maloney asked me to come from New York today after seeing my credit card story in the New York Times.
I am a working mom from New York. My story isn’t that different from millions of other Americans. I had a card that I pay regularly and on time. But somewhere along the line, they raised my interest rate from 12 to 13 percent with no explanation, and I never noticed.
Then, a few weeks ago, I received a notice from my card company that the interest rate on the card I have held for more than a decade would increase from 13 percent to 19 percent on my existing balance as well as on new purchases. That I noticed.
I admit that, like a lot of Americans, I do carry a revolving balance, but I have been diligent in paying my bills. I pay as much as possible every month, significantly more than the minimum, and it has been more than three years since I have been late on paying any credit card bill.
I called and yelled at the company and asked them, why they are doing this? This is not what I signed on for. The customer service representative told me, it is because of the tough economy. That made me really mad, because when I lost my job a few years back, they didn’t lower my rate.
The credit card company never did roll back the interest rate hike that they had slipped by me, but because I yelled at them, they agreed not to increase the rate on my current balance to 19 percent.
Now, here is my favorite part of this story. A week after this happened to me, I got a letter from another division of the same company offering me a new credit card at 0 percent interest on balance transfers for the next 16 months. I had to laugh. While one part of the company is telling me there is no money to lend to me as an existing customer, another part is offering me free lending as a new customer. In my world, we call that “bait and switch.”
As Representative Maloney says, a deal is a deal. If I make a contract with someone, they should not be able to change it just because they can.
The Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act passed today levels the playing field between card issuers and cardholders by applying common-sense regulations that would ban retroactive interest rate hikes on existing balances, double-cycle billing, and due-date gimmicks. It would also increase the advance notice of impending rate hikes, giving cardholders the information they need and rights to make decisions about their financial lives. Our economic recovery depends on a shared prosperity — and we must put an end to these abusive practices that continue to drive so many Americans deeper and deeper into debt. Learn more about the bill>>
Author of the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY):
Rep. Maloney: “This is an important bill that affects many people, it is hard for me to come to the floor of Congress or walk down the street without hearing some story of some type of credit card abuse…We have done a great deal to help our banks shore up their capital requirements and allowing them to provide more loans, this will allow consumers to protect their interest rates, keep them lower so that they have more of their own money to invest in our economy. It’s fair to all concerned, I urge a ‘yes’ vote.”
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL):
Rep. Gutierrez: “It’s wrong when you pick up a telephone, and you say ‘Listen, I just got my bill, but it’s three days before its due. Can I pay you over the phone?’ And they tell you ‘For 15 or 20 bucks.’ How many people in America have picked up the phone to complain to a credit card company, and if you get a little testy with them, which I have, because they anger me. I say ‘Could you please explain this to me?’ And they go ‘Click’ and hang up. Well, you know what we’re doing today, we’re going ‘Click’ right back to the credit card companies, except this time we’re hanging up the phone on abusive practices here in America against the American consumer.”
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN):
Rep. Ellison: “I knew that we had a problem in America when my 19-year-old son, who didn’t have a job and was a college student, kept getting solicitations for credit cards. But I was quite convinced we had a real problem when my 13-year-old son, who did nothing more than apply for a Sports Illustrated subscription, started getting credit card solicitations. I hope some people don’t have access to credit, namely my 13-year-old son…My friends, this bill is popular because it makes sense for the American people, and so, from a partisan standpoint, I hope I do see a bunch of red up there from the other side of the aisle.”
Rep. Pascrell (D-NJ) addresses the Republican Members of Congress who defend the credit card companies’ deceptive practices:
Rep. Pascrell: “Americans are sick and tired of being the victims of a crafty and fatally opportunistic financial sector. You may defend that sector, you have all the right to do it, thank God we’re in America. Americans are discovering that even if they pay their bills, their interest rates still get jacked through the roof. The credit card industry and some Members have been quick to condemn this legislation, but today, I ask those who have spoken against the legislation, ‘What possible detriment is there in increasing transparency in the imposition of fees? How can we possibly be against empowering Americans in taking control of their credit card finances?”
Reps. Gutierrez and Maloney speak out against the Republican motion to recommit which would have delayed the protections to consumers included in this legislation:
Rep. Gutierrez: “The only group in America that can be happy if we delay this bill any longer are those that are engaged in deceptive predatory lending to consumers who are already unemployed, who are already suffering, who are already at the mercy of an economic system that just isn’t there for them. Let’s stand up for consumers.”
Today, the House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act by a vote of 249-175. This bipartisan bill focuses on providing new resources to help state and local law enforcement agencies prevent and prosecute hate crimes. The current federal hate crimes law authorizes federal aid in cases of hate crimes committed because of a person’s race, color, religion, or national origin. This bill closes gaps in federal law to also help combat hate crimes committed because of a person’s gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
Throughout our history, this nation has sought to uphold the ideals of our founding – that all are created equal and endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today, with the passage of federal hate crimes legislation, we have affirmed these ideals and the inclusiveness that our nation stands for by extending the protection of its laws to all: ‘one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’
All Americans have a fundamental right to feel safe in their communities. This legislation will help protect Americans against violence based on sexual orientation, race, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or gender identity.
Congress has been debating federal hate crimes legislation for 17 years. It was more than ten years ago that Mathew Shepard was brutally murdered. The time for debate is long over. I am so proud that today the House has acted and in so doing, honored this nation’s commitment to the ideals of justice, equality and opportunity.
Chairman John Conyers (D-MI):
Chairman Conyers: “I remind members that under Lyndon Johnson in 1968 we first started hate crimes bills under the arson — the church arson bills. The president called us into the White House with the Governors of southern states to advise them that the burning of churches, the arson, the cross burnings were so out of control in many states that there was no other remedy that — except that by statute the federal government would have to intercede where they invited them to do so. And from that has grown this bill that has been tested in the Supreme Court and many other lower courts, and so we come before you with a bill that does not encroach upon the first amendment or the fourth amendment or the part of the constitution that leaves all other powers to the states.”
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI):
Rep. Baldwin: “The House has a historic opportunity to reinforce the principles of equal rights and equal protection embodied in our constitution. Hate crimes are acts of violence motivated by prejudice and committed against individuals that end up victimizing entire groups of people. In 1968, in response to horrific hate-based violence in our country, cross burnings, lynchings, fire bombings and the like, we acted to protect people who were victimized on the basis race, color, religion, or national origin. Today, we strengthen our response to this form of domestic terrorism by adding protections for people targeted for violence because of their gender, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.”
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA):
Rep. Frank: “You would think this is the first time hate crimes ever came up in American history. There are on the books statutes that increase the penalty for crimes depending on the motivation. And people say ‘Everybody should be treated equally.’ By the way, I assume Members know that there is a special statute that makes it particularly egregious in terms of sentencing if you assault a Member of Congress. And I assume nobody knew that on that side because they would’ve moved to repeal it. They apparently are perfectly comfortable getting a greater degree of federal protection against crime than the average citizen, did they forget to repeal that, where was that motion?”
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY):
Rep. Nadler: “This House faces a historic test. Will we act decisively to deal with some of the most destructive crimes in our society? Violent assaults against victims who are singled out solely because someone doesn’t like who they are? Because the actual perceived race, color, origin, sexual gender, these violent acts are particularly reprehensible because they target not just an individual but an entire group. These crimes do and are often intended to spread terror among all of the group. They say, don’t be who you are, do not exercise your civil rights to be yourself, to speak publicly, to go wherever you want.”
Rep. Al Green (D-TX):
Rep. Green: “I rise in support of the Declaration of Independence. All persons are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights–among them, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Not some people, not people of a particular race, not people who just happen to be heterosexual. All persons are created equal. And for the record, I support the rights of gay people. Gay people have the same rights as any other Americans, and they have the right to pursue happiness. I support this, the Declaration of Independence speaks of it, and but for the Grace of God we all ought to realize, there go I.”
Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD):
Rep. Edwards: “In an ideal world, I wouldn’t be standing here speaking before you now because we wouldn’t need legislation like this. But this is anything but an ideal world. Sadly, violent hate crimes are still an unfortunate reality in our society. Last year, there were 150 reported hate crimes in my home state of Maryland and local law enforcement estimates that the actual numbers are higher due to reporting discrepancies. Recent statistics say there were more than 9,000 reported hate crimes. The time to do something about this is now.”
Rep. Betsy Markey (D-CO):
Rep. Markey: “Matthew Shepard died in a hospital less than five minutes from my home in Fort Collins, Colorado. The depth of hate that drives such an act of violence leaves all those that touches berets in the knowledge that such ugliness can exist on this earth. Angie Zapata was an 18 year old transgendered woman brutally murdered in Colorado this past July. It took a jury just two hours to convict Angie’s killer under Colorado’s first application of hate crimes statute earlier this month. This bill does not punish speech, thoughts, words or beliefs. It doesn’t even punish hate speech. It punishes actions.”
The budget conference report reflects President Obama’s economic plan, a blueprint for economic recovery and new jobs now—and sustainable economic growth and prosperity for years to come.
For the first time in years, we will have an honest budget that:
creates jobs with targeted investments in affordable health care, clean energy, and education
cuts taxes for middle-income families by more than $1.7 trillion over 10 years
cuts the deficit by nearly two-thirds in four years
cuts non-defense discretionary spending as a percent of the economy
Speaker Pelosi: “So here we are today, with a budget before us that creates jobs, reduces taxes, and takes us on a path toward lowering the deficit. It does so in the most transparent way of any budget in our country’s history and certainly in this Congress’ history. And as it does so, it focuses on those three pillars of the Obama agenda — education, health care and energy.”
Leader Hoyer:
Leader Hoyer: “This budget puts America back on the path of fiscal responsibility. It’s no secret that past budgets have made easy choices and kicked the difficult ones down the road. This budget has to live with the legacy of those easy choices, on issues including the AMT and the Medicare doctor fix. But by passing this budget, we will be leaving a different legacy: one that makes clear that our government must pay for what it buys.”
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT):
Rep. DeLauro: “We began to bring that desire for change with our economic recovery program, and we continue on that path by providing a blueprint in this budget that will bring tax relief to hard-working families across this nation, and make investments in health care, education, energy and elsewhere that are needed to move this economy from recovery to long-term growth. Our friends on the other side of the aisle will decry this budget, claiming that it will burden future generations with crippling debt. But let’s be clear. It was under their leadership that a 5.6 trillion dollar surplus turned into the historic budget deficit that President Obama and this Congress inherited, a deficit of well over one trillion dollars in 2009. If you listen to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, they were missing in action over these last eight years. It is hard to believe that they were in charge. It is a little bit like ‘See no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.’ They were gone from the playing field over these last eight years.”
Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX):
Rep. Edwards: “By significantly increasing funding for the VA, and allowing for the first time advanced appropriations for VA medical care, this resolution meets the highest priorities of America’s heroes, our veterans. A vote for this budget resolution is a vote to honor and respect America’s veterans, they deserve that vote, they have earned that vote with their service and their sacrifice.”
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA):
Rep. Scott: “It took us eight years to get into this ditch, we have an urgent situation, and this budget will cut the deficit in half in four years. That’s not the end of it, that’s not enough, but for one year’s work, that’s certainly a good step getting us out of a ditch that took us eight years to get us into…we have in the last eight years, the worst job performance since the Great Depression, huge deficits as far as the eye can see, and we’re taking a major step in the right direction. I would hope that we would adopt the budget so we can get on the job of restoring the economy and balancing the budget.”
In his inaugural address to the nation on January 20, 2009, President Barack Obama declared from the steps of the U.S. Capitol, “The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth.”
Today marks the first 100 days of President Barack Obama’s Administration. Working in full partnership with the President, the 111th Congress has had an historic start and made great progress on our joint effort to put this nation on the path to recovery and growth. Together we have enacted:
Both the House and Senate have also adopted a budget blueprint that closely reflects President Obama’s priorities of affordable health care, clean energy and excellence in education while cutting taxes for millions of middle income Americans by $1.7 trillion and cutting the deficit by nearly two-thirds. This budget – a statement of our national values – is critical to building a stronger economy to create a lasting and broadly shared prosperity.
“As we honor Sojourner Truth, we recognize the hard-fought progress our nation has made in its unending fight for the ideal of equality which is both our nation’s heritage and our hope. In Sojourner Truth’s lifelong fight for equality, she fought to end slavery, to expand opportunity, and she saw the end of a civil war that had torn apart our country. As the first woman Speaker of the House, I am particularly grateful for Sojourner’s work for women’s suffrage. As she bravely said, ‘I am glad to see that men are getting their rights, but I want women to get theirs, and while the water is stirring, I will step into the pool.’
That is the history of our nation – brave Americans
courageously stepping into stirring water.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 4/28/09
Today, Speaker Pelosi and Members of Congress were joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to unveil a bust by sculptor Artis Lane of Sojourner Truth. The bust is the first sculpture to honor an African American woman in the US Capitol and was donated by the National Congress of Black Women.
Watch video highlights of the ceremony which also included musical performances by Lomax Spaulding, Dorinda Clarke Cole, Yolanda Adams, and the Ron Clark Academy with a reading by actress Cicely Tyson of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I A Woman”:
Watch students at the Ron Clark Academy perform their tribute to Sojourner Truth:
On Equal Pay Day, we recognize the point in the year it takes a woman to make the same amount of money made by a man in the previous year. As families grapple with an uncertain economy, equal pay for equal work is about daily survival for millions.
This Congress has already taken action to strengthen economic security for women. We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help ensure gender equity in pay, and I was proud to join President Obama as he signed it into law.
When a woman is not paid fairly, her entire family suffers. And when a woman is not paid fairly, it does not afford women the respect and equality that they deserve in a country that promises to strive for equal opportunity. The New Direction Congress will continue to put women and children first.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, and the World Health Organization are investigating and responding to the outbreak of swine flu in the United States and internationally. President Obama explained today, “we are closely monitoring the emerging cases of swine flu in the United States. And this is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert. But it’s not a cause for alarm.” The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing on Thursday to examine the recent outbreak of swine flu and the next steps for a federal response at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Speaker Pelosi:
This afternoon, Majority Leader Hoyer and I were briefed by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on the Obama Administration’s preparations to deal with the public health emergency caused by the swine flu virus.
The Secretary also briefed us on the efforts that are being made to combat the spread of the disease. As Administration officials have indicated in various briefings, this is a constantly evolving situation and government officials are prepared to change the response as the situation warrants.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Thursday morning on Swine Flu Outbreak and the U.S. Federal Response. Congress will continue to closely monitor this situation and take appropriate action as we learn more about this public health emergency.
Today, Speaker Pelosi sent the following letter to House Committee Chairs, thanking them for their continued commitment to oversight investigations and asking them to develop a list of specific cuts in the departments, programs, and budgets under their jurisdiction writing, “as you continue to conduct your oversight investigations, I ask you to develop a specific list of initiatives aimed at reducing costs, ending duplication, and promoting efficiency in order to cut the costs of government as aggressively as possible…a vigorous oversight process, with the goal of reducing inefficiency and consolidating operations, is one way for Congress to demonstrate our commitment to fiscal discipline.”
The letter:
April 27, 2009
Dear Mr./Madam Chairman:
Thank you very much your continued commitment to a vigorous oversight and reform agenda. In response to my letter of February 19th, the House chairmen developed the requested schedule for regular and thorough oversight of the departments, programs, and budgets under their jurisdictions.
We are dedicated to carefully scrutinizing programs and agencies to cut wasteful, obsolete and duplicative spending. As of the beginning of this month, House Committees under Democratic leadership have already conducted more than 162 oversight hearings, and over one hundred more are in the planning stages for the coming months. This is an excellent record, building on the aggressive oversight schedule of the 110th Congress, and helps to reassert the essential independent and oversight responsibilities of the Congress, regardless of which party controls the Executive Branch.
Our commitment is not to programs, but to the goals and objectives determined by the Congress to best serve the needs of the American people. If there is a way to achieve those goals and objectives more efficiently, with less cost or duplication, then the 111th Congress is committed to ensuring that changes are implemented.
As you continue to conduct your oversight investigations, I ask you to develop a specific list of initiatives aimed at reducing costs, ending duplication, and promoting efficiency in order to cut the costs of government as aggressively as possible. I know that you, and the members of the committee agree, that we owe the taxpayers confidence that their money is being spent as efficiently and effectively as possible. A vigorous oversight process, with the goal of reducing inefficiency and consolidating operations, is one way for Congress to demonstrate our commitment to fiscal discipline.
I would appreciate your developing a list of proposed reorganizations and spending reductions within your Committee’s jurisdictions based on your planned oversight reviews. These proposals will then be considered by the Leadership and discussed with the Administration with the goal of implementing the savings to the maximum extent practicable. I encourage you to work with your Committee’s Republican members in the development of these options. I would appreciate your providing a list of recommendations to me by June 2, 2009.
Thank you again for your commitment to improved efficiency and cost savings in the operations of the federal government.