Press Releases: 2010

Today, I was proud to join President Obama as he signed into law a bill to allow the Department of Defense to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' For far too long, this discriminatory policy has harmed our military's effectiveness by depriving it of the service of brave Americans willing to fight for their country. That's why our military's leaders, our troops, and a large majority of the American people all wanted 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' to be repealed.

Today the House passed the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010. This important legislation reaffirms our commitment to those who have served our country in the Armed Forces since September 11, 2001. It continues our strong investment in the education and careers of our servicemen and -women and America’s veterans, and it makes key improvements to the landmark Post-9/11 GI Bill that Democrats passed in the previous Congress.

The U.S. Capitol features statues from every State in our Union—statues that honor some of the most memorable and influential people in America’s history. The people of the District of Columbia are part of our Union, as well: they pay federal taxes, vote in presidential elections, and share citizenship with us. But when it comes to seeing the District’s most notable citizens honored here in the Capitol, in their own city, the people of Washington, DC have again been left out. That needs to change.

I am deeply saddened by the death of Richard Holbrooke. He was a giant in the field of diplomacy, and his work will have a lasting impact across the world. From brokering the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the war in Bosnia, to serving as the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, his knowledge and experience was immense and his insight into global affairs was indispensable. My thoughts and prayers are with his family

I am extremely disappointed that the Senate failed to move the Defense Authorization measure containing a repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ forward. 

Today, the House again passed legislation to give the Food and Drug Administration new authorities to protect our food supply and ensure that all Americans can have confidence that the food they provide their families is free of contamination. Action today, while critically important, is also long overdue. The House overwhelmingly supported similar legislation in July 2009, and since then, we have continued to hear about food safety scares and their dramatic impact on our way of life. Unsafe food does not only put the health and lives of Americans at risk; it undermines confidence and poses a real threat to Americans’ faith in our food supply. This lack of trust is harmful to both consumers’ peace of mind and our economic future.

I am encouraged by the fact that a bipartisan majority – nearly two-thirds – of the president’s bipartisan fiscal commission supported the report put forward. Though the commission has ended its work, our national conversation about returning America to fiscal balance has been energized by the commission’s efforts and I expect that conversation to proceed. A bipartisan consensus is forming around a balanced approach to deficit reduction that makes hard choices on both the revenue and spending sides—an approach that includes putting our entitlements on more stable footing; responsible spending cuts that take all parts of our budget into account, both non-defense discretionary and defense; and fair tax simplification that also raises revenue.

I am very pleased the House has passed this bill, which is needed to prevent a tax increase on middle class families. If we fail to resolve this issue, starting on New Year’s Day families across America will see their taxes go up. That won’t just mean less money in Americans’ paychecks—it will reduce spending, which will harm job-creation and our entire economic recovery. This bill prevents a tax increase on our middle class and will help create jobs.

The report released today by the President’s bipartisan commission is a positive contribution as we work to address the deep deficits and debt confronting our nation. While job creation and growing the economy remain our top priorities in the near-term, we must balance that with a long-term plan to reduce the deficit. The threat posed by the deficit to our economy and hard-working families is real, and the solutions will not be easy. But Members of Congress and the American public must have the courage to take the tough actions necessary to move the budget toward balance. While I may not endorse every single specific proposal in today’s report, putting these options on the table is an essential step before we can have an honest discussion about how to return to a fiscally sustainable path.

Today, the House passed the Help HAITI Act, an important piece of humanitarian legislation that continues America’s constructive response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti early this year. Following the earthquake, more than 1,000 Haitian orphans were brought to the United States by adoptive American families; the bill we passed today ensures that those children, just like all other children adopted from abroad, will have permanent resident status. For the adoptive parents who generously took Haitian orphans into their homes, the guarantee of permanent resident status means that their children will enjoy a full range of legal protections and will no longer be stuck in legal limbo.

I congratulate Gov. Martin O’Malley on being selected to serve as the next chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. He is an excellent choice, and I am confident that in this new role, he will exhibit the strong leadership that has made him extremely effective here in Maryland.