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.
October 09, 2012
"It's a source of enormous pride to the San Francisco community that one of our own, Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, was awarded the Nobel Prize this morning. Dr. Yamanaka's innovative, creative, and potentially life-saving work on cellular reprogramming builds upon a career of scientific excellence."
October 08, 2012
"César Chávez's work was rooted in the plight of farmworkers but his cause spoke to many more. He stood on the side of all of those who seek an honest day's pay for an honest day's work, all of those willing to sacrifice and strive to achieve the American dream. His legacy is felt in safer working conditions, workplace protections, and a thriving labor movement."
"Merv knew how to build a political network better than nearly anyone. He opened doors for the next generation of minority leaders. He remained committed to public service for his entire life, serving not just as an elder statesman but a public official well into his eighties."
"Congress should be in session right now working to create jobs and grow our economy. Yet, rather than do the work of the American people, Republicans decided to head home early to campaign – without extending middle class tax cuts, without acting to prevent the fiscal cliff, and without passing a jobs agenda. This uncertainty undermines the middle class and our economy."
October 05, 2012
"I want to call to your attention this flyer that you all have there and it says: “how much more will the Romney-Ryan Medicare plan cost you?” If you’re 65 or over, it’ll cost you over $11,000 and if you’re 54 – well you can read it yourself, but the fact is this hurts all the way down – if you’re 29 years old, some of you may be, get ready to spend $331,000 on your health care if Medicare is overturned, if the Medicare guarantee is severed. And that’s what they want to do – some of their previous leaders have said wither, ‘Medicare should wither on the vine.’ And that is exactly what this is. This is the wither on the vine agenda, unfortunately they have accelerated, tried to accelerate that withering by misrepresenting to the American people what happened in the Affordable Care Act in relationship to Medicare and that is over $700 billion were taken from a decrease in the increase of what private sector providers would receive in order to plow that into increased benefits for our seniors and prolong the longevity and the stability of Medicare. It has been misrepresented to the public. We have to correct the record. But the fact is that on, come five weeks from today, Medicare will be on the ballot and that being in jeopardy makes this a big fight for us..."
October 02, 2012
"Well, it is baseball season but it’s also a season for us to be in session. As you know, at the beginning of the year, this first week in October was scheduled to be a week of work – where we would come together to do the work of the American people who sent us here to do exactly that. In addition to having the shortest session since 1961, the fewest days in session, they’ve now cancelled this work week. Which means that from August, the first week in August until the middle of November we will have been in session eight days. Why is that important? It’s important because if we were here we could pass a jobs bill, we could pass middle income tax cuts, we could protect Medicare from the Ryan-[Republican] budget by demonstrating clearly that that will not prevail. We could be passing the Violence Against Women Act, we could be passing the Farm bill. We have work to do."
"As the investigation proceeds and new intelligence and evidence are collected, we will gain an even clearer picture of the events that led to the tragic loss of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty. We owe it to them, to those who continue to serve in our missions abroad, and to all Americans to set politics aside. We must allow the investigation and accountability review board to proceed, and to make future judgments and conclusions based on the facts. That is what is needed to protect our diplomats and that is what the American people deserve."
October 01, 2012
“The time for the House to act is now, without further delay, to aid the drought-stricken areas from coast to coast and support our nation’s farm community. Republicans must bring Congress back to work.”
“The directive by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for DHS to issue written guidance to clarify that ‘family relationships’ includes LBGT couples is welcome and will provide a measure of clarity and confidence to families dealing with separation in immigration cases. Our nation is served when loving families are kept together."
September 28, 2012