Washington, D.C. – Ranking Democratic Committee Members today called on GOP Committee Chairs to return to Washington to address the urgent needs of the American people to create jobs, guarantee economic certainty with the extension of middle class tax cuts, pass a bipartisan Farm bill, reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and achieve a balanced solution to the fiscal cliff.
As the Ranking Members wrote in their letter, “This week, the House will again be closed down, except for one hearing currently scheduled by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on the terrorist attack in Libya. Why can’t other Committees we serve on as Ranking Democratic Members conduct business that is critical to meeting the needs of the middle class during this long recess?”
Further, the letter states, “We are prepared to work with our Chairs to schedule hearings and legislative action in our Committees throughout this month, instead of remaining inactive.”
Below is the full text of the letter:
October 9, 2012
Dear Chairmen:
The House will be in session just eight days between August 3 and November 13, although important legislation deserves our immediate attention: middle-income tax cuts, jobs bill, the Farm bill, and the Violence Against Women Act. We also should use the next four weeks to consider responsible deficit reduction alternatives to the looming sequester.
Not only has the House recessed without addressing these urgent concerns, but the Committees you chair are failing to hold hearings and conduct other urgent business. The House was scheduled to be in session last week. Instead, the Republican leadership decided, despite calls by Democratic leadership to stay in session, to take yet another week of recess, the eighth recess week since August. This week, the House will again be closed down, except for one hearing currently scheduled by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on the terrorist attack in Libya. Why can’t other Committees we serve on as Ranking Democratic Members conduct business that is critical to meeting the needs of the middle class during this long recess?
Last week, the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee convened a hearing on the risks Americans face from Republican policy proposals on Medicare. Standing House Committees should also be holding official and formal hearings on the issues that affect our economy and the American people. The concerns of the American people do not disappear during the campaign season, and Congress should be at work, not on recess, week after week. No wonder the American people have lost confidence in the leadership of this Congress.
As the Senior Democrats on the House Committees, we reiterate our strong desire for our Committees to conduct official business during October. We are prepared to work with our Chairs to schedule hearings and legislative action in our Committees throughout this month, instead of remaining inactive.
Sincerely,
Dear Chairmen:
The House will be in session just eight days between August 3 and November 13, although important legislation deserves our immediate attention: middle-income tax cuts, jobs bill, the Farm bill, and the Violence Against Women Act. We also should use the next five weeks to consider responsible deficit reduction alternatives to the looming sequester.
Not only has the House recessed without addressing these urgent concerns, but the Committees you chair are failing to hold hearings and conduct other urgent business. The House was scheduled to be in session this week. Instead, the Republican leadership decided, despite calls by Democratic leadership to stay in session, to take yet another week of recess, the seventh recess week since August. Next week, the House will again be closed down, except for one hearing currently scheduled by the House Government Reform Committee on the terrorist attack in Libya. Why can’t other Committees we serve on as Ranking Democratic Members conduct business that is critical to meeting the needs of the middle class during this long recess?
Earlier this week, the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee convened a hearing on the risks Americans face from Republican policy proposals on Medicare. Standing House Committees should also be holding official and formal hearings on the issues that affect our economy and the American people. The concerns of the American people do not disappear during the campaign season, and Congress should be at work, not on recess, week after week. No wonder the American people have lost confidence in the leadership of this Congress.
As the Senior Democrats on the House Committees, we reiterate our strong desire for our Committees to conduct official business during October. We are prepared to work with our Chairs to schedule hearings and legislative action in our Committees throughout this month, instead of remaining inactive.
Sincerely,
Collin C. Peterson, Ranking Member Norman D. Dicks, Ranking Member
Committee on Agriculture Committee on Appropriations
Chris Van Hollen Ranking Member George Miller, Ranking Member
Committee on the Budget Committee on Education & the Workforce
Henry A. Waxman, Ranking Member Barney Frank, Ranking Member
Committee on Energy & Commerce Committee on Financial Services
Howard L. Berman, Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, Ranking Member
Committee on Foreign Affairs Committee on Homeland Security
Robert A. Brady, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member
Committee on House Administration Committee on the Judiciary
Edward J. Markey, Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member
Committee on Natural Resources Committee on Oversight & Government Reform
Louise M. Slaughter, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ranking Member
Committee on Rules Committee on Science, Space, & Technology
Nydia M. Velazquez, Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall, Ranking Member
Committee on Small Business Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
Bob Filner, Ranking Member Sander M. Levin, Ranking Member
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Ways & Means
C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Ranking Member
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
