Week of June 20th in Review

Jun 30, 2011 Issues: Fiscal Responsibility, Local Issues

Surveys are a great way for me to get input from you on important issues affecting our district and nation. One big issue that’s fast approaching is whether Congress should act to raise the debt limit to fund our government. Hearing your views helps keep our democracy strong. So, I want to hear from YOU.

Should Congress find a balanced solution to our fiscal challenges by raising the debt ceiling and reducing the national deficit responsibly to grow our economy?

Click here to take the survey and make your voice heard!

Republicans are Fighting to Prevent Every Vote from Counting

A mean-spirited effort is underway in the halls of Congress and in state legislatures throughout the nation to make voting a more difficult right.

I voted this week against terminating the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) which was established in response to the 2000 presidential election debacle in Florida. The EAC is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with improving the conduct of elections in America to ensure that every vote counts.

Already this year, Republican-led legislatures in states such as Alabama, South Carolina and Wisconsin have approved legislation enacting stringent new requirements for IDs that voters show at the polls, as well as imposing restrictions on early voting which is especially critical for working families who may not be able to vote on Election Day.

Democrats will fight with a united voice and an untiring sense of purpose to make sure every vote always counts!

There can be no tolerance for voter suppression or the disenfranchisement of any voting American, no matter their class, race or ethnicity. Such conduct is highly objectionable and fundamentally wrong. Democrats will not allow voters to be silenced or intimidated at the ballot box.
 

Congratulations to the Women of Saudi Arabia

The right to drive is a basic freedom that must be afforded to all women everywhere in the world. On June 17th, a brave handful of Saudi Arabian women exercised their right to drive. This protest by women in Saudi Arabia demands our praise and support.

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and I posted a message in solidarity on twitter and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "What these women are doing is brave and what they are seeking is right."

Nobody should be treated like second-class citizens, certainly not all women in a particular country. The brave Saudis expressing their individual rights in peace are leaders of a movement working to promote equality and I applaud their efforts.

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