Rebuilding our economy is the top priority for the American people and this Congress. That commitment is reflected in each piece of legislation we consider as we work with President Obama to enact our long-term economic strategy and move America in a New Direction. Democrats moved quickly but deliberatively at the beginning of the 111th Congress to pass a bold plan to jumpstart our economy and provide short-term help to those hurt most by the economic recession while providing long-term solutions that will build a new foundation for our economy for years to come.
This Congress is committed to improving our public education system by strengthening our schools, fully funding special education, and modernizing our classrooms. Quality public education is the foundation of our efforts to build a workforce to compete in the global economy of the future. We are working to reduce class size, make higher education available and affordable for all our students, and ensure that American classrooms are led by the best trained, most qualified teachers in the world.
As long as we are exporting our dollars overseas in exchange for oil, our national security and our economy are at risk. This Congress is taking bold action to wean us off of our addiction to foreign oil by spurring innovation that will create jobs, decrease our dependence on foreign sources of energy and reduce pollution. For too long the Republican-led Congress failed to lay out a clear national energy policy.
The historic health care legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama offers the American people the choice of affordable quality health care coverage for the first time. The legislation puts the American people, not insurance companies or government, in charge of their health care. It reduces costs, improves coverage and stops insurance company abuses. Reforming health care is a crucial part of our economic recovery.
The Democrats’ Make it in America plan is a bold initiative to get America working again by building the products of the future here at home. Make it in America will create the conditions necessary to unleash American skill and ingenuity to power our 21st century economy. As President Obama has said, America must out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world and our initiative will help our nation do just that. When we Make it in America, American families will make it too.
No responsibility of Congress is more important than ensuring our national security. House Democrats are committed to protecting the American people in a way that also protects our values. That commitment is reflected in our focus on fighting terrorism, providing our troops with the resources necessary to succeed, ensuring our economic stability, and making investments that will put America in control of our energy future.
The Democrats in Congress made a promise to leave no veteran behind, and we remain as committed as ever to ensuring that our troops and veterans receive the honor and care that their courage and bravery demand. We have already made historic gains for our troops, veterans and military families, and now we continue to fight for better health care and better benefits for the brave men and women who wear our uniform.
Meet Congresswoman Donna Edwards and you’ll immediately sense her strong energy and enthusiasm for her work on behalf of people in her community. According to Edwards – who represents portions of Maryland’s Prince George’s and Montgomery counties – the experience so far has “been really invigorating – exciting.”