Press Releases
August 9, 2012
“With a crucial election less than three months away, it’s never been more important for young people to make their voices heard,” said Whip Hoyer. “That is why Democrats are reaching out to colleges and universities across the country to make sure that every eligible student voter has the information needed to cast a ballot this November. The right to vote is the most powerful weapon we have in a democracy. Yet with state voting registration laws constantly changing, often students can be left out in the cold. I hope colleges and universities will do their part to help ensure all students can stand up and be counted this November.”
August 7, 2012
"No matter what party they support or which candidate, every student ought to play a role in this year’s election by registering to vote and knowing how and where to cast their ballots,” said Whip Hoyer. “That’s why I am are releasing this video, which I hope will make it easier for students to access the information they need to get registered and get involved. Laws are changing in several states, and Democrats will continue working to make sure everyone has the most up-to-date information to ensure their voice is heard.”
August 6, 2012
“Congratulations to all of our All-Star Members, especially this year’s MVP Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02), on their success during House Democrats’ annual online competition. Over the course of three weeks, House Democrats acquired over 139,000 new Facebook fans, Twitter followers, and YouTube subscribers, which surpasses last year’s total by 82,000.
August 3, 2012
“While I am encouraged that our economy is continuing to add private sector jobs for the twenty-ninth consecutive month, with 172,000 private sector jobs created in July, more must be done to move our jobs recovery forward. Unfortunately, House Republicans continue to pursue an extreme, ideological agenda instead of focusing on jobs or economic growth. Just this week, House Republicans once again walked away from the American people when they left town for the summer with a long list of critical work left undone, including failing to provide economic certainty to families by providing tax relief for middle class Americans.
August 2, 2012
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer today sent a letter to the House Democratic Caucus urging Democratic Members to highlight the past 19 months of the Republican Majority’s record of missed opportunities in addressing the nation’s central challenges.
August 2, 2012
"What Leader Cantor has done and what the Republican party in the House of Representatives have done is once more snatched delay and defeat from the jaws of victory. The Senate passed a bill which would give 98% of Americans assurance that they would have no tax increase January 1. The Republicans have now deep-sixed that, unfortunately. They know full well that the bill they passed yesterday will not pass the Senate."
August 1, 2012
“Once again, Republicans have pursued confrontation over compromise. By rejecting a bill on which there was clear agreement that extended middle class tax cuts, Republicans snatched delay from the jaws of victory. The President supports extending middle class tax cuts, and the Senate has passed it. We all agree that we want to make sure middle class families do not see a tax increase next year. But Republicans want to hold the middle class tax cuts hostage to additional tax cuts for the wealthy.
August 1, 2012
WASHINGTON—Today House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, House Administration Committee Ranking Member Bob Brady and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers convened a meeting of Members and representatives from youth, student, and voting organizations. The discussion focused on the escalating attempts to prevent students and young people from casting ballots this November. In state legislatures across the country, there has been a significant rise in laws designed to hinder access to the ballot for students, minorities, seniors and other groups. If nothing is done about these new restrictions, thousands of those eligible young voters will be turned away from the polls.
August 1, 2012
“After thirty-four consecutive months of robust growth, our manufacturing sector contracted slightly in July for the second month in a row, a sign we must do more to help manufacturers invest in new products, expand into new markets, and grow for the future. But manufacturing companies are hampered by a deepening sense of uncertainty created by the lack of a serious effort by this Congress to enact comprehensive jobs legislation and make the investments we need in out-educating, out-innovating, and out-building our overseas competitors.
August 1, 2012
“Today, for the first time in history, the United States Postal Service is set to default on its obligations because House Republicans refuse to take action on bipartisan postal reform legislation. The Senate passed a bill, by a bipartisan vote of 62-37 in April, that could have prevented default and preserved the Postal Service. Unfortunately, as we head into the August district work period, House Republicans refuse to address this matter at all and are once again walking away from the American people on a critical issue.
August 1, 2012
“Today, for 47 million women, the Affordable Care Act is opening new doors to quality, affordable, and accessible preventive care. No longer will insurance companies be able to charge co-pays for a host of preventive services, including HIV screening, well-woman visits, gestational diabetes testing, contraception, and domestic violence counseling. This is one of the many provisions of the Affordable Care Act that makes it easier for women and their doctors – and not insurance companies – to make health care decisions.
July 31, 2012
“Once again, Republicans are playing politics with women’s health care. This bill, which would place new restrictions on women seeking reproductive health options in the District of Columbia, is the latest attempt to drive Americans apart on wedge issues at a time when we ought to be coming together to tackle the challenges we face together as a nation. It is yet another messaging bill that would never pass the Senate or be signed into law.
July 30, 2012
“Forty-seven years ago today, Medicare brought the promise of affordable health care for Americans over age 65. Since that day, Democrats have defended that promise and worked to strengthen Medicare for future generations. The landmark Affordable Care Act has lowered out-of-pocket costs to beneficiaries by making a range of preventive care services free, and it increased the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund by eight years.
July 27, 2012
“Today’s Mid-Session Review by the Office of Management and Budget tell us what we already know – that we must get our deficits under control. The way to achieve that is by pursuing a big and balanced deficit reduction solution this year, as both the President and House Democrats proposed in our budgets.
July 27, 2012
“I applaud President Obama for continuing to make a strong U.S.-Israel relationship a cornerstone of his foreign policy. Today’s signing of the U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act into law, which I was proud to cosponsor, reaffirms the bipartisan nature of support for Israel in our country and in Congress.
July 27, 2012
“This morning’s report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis that our GDP growth slowed to a 1.5% rate last quarter shows the need for Congress to act to get our economy moving in the right direction. But instead of passing comprehensive jobs legislation or middle class tax relief, House Republicans have wasted time this year on partisan, political message bills.
July 26, 2012
“The Senate’s passage of a tax cut extension for middle-class families and nearly every small business in America must be a signal to House Republicans that they can no longer hold middle class tax relief hostage in return for tax breaks for the wealthiest 2%. After yesterday’s vote in the Senate, House Republicans are now the only ones standing in the way of keeping tax rates low for earnings up to $250,000 – something that should be done without delay.
July 26, 2012
“Today, House Republicans wasted more time as they passed yet another anti-regulation bill that will do nothing to create jobs or grow the economy while rolling back critical protections for consumers and the environment. With little time left on the schedule, we ought to be taking action on the middle-class tax cut extension the Senate passed yesterday. House Republicans should pass that bill immediately, so we can extend tax cuts for families and small businesses on income under $250,000. Passing the Senate bill would give certainty to 98% of families and 97% of small businesses that their taxes will not increase next year.
July 26, 2012
“I join in marking the twenty-second anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. I was incredibly proud to lead the effort in Congress to pass this landmark legislation and see it signed into law. Since 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act has enabled more than 50 million people with disabilities to participate more fully and more equally in our society.
July 25, 2012
“This afternoon, the Senate took a major step toward providing certainty to middle-class families and small businesses that their taxes will not go up next year. Its passage of a bill to extend tax cuts on income at or below $250,000 will spare 98% of families and 97% of small businesses from a tax increase. Now it is up to the House of Representatives to act. The Republican leadership owes it to the American people to pass this bill on the Floor immediately.
July 25, 2012
“This morning it was announced that over one million Medicare beneficiaries have saved money this year thanks to the Affordable Care Act, with the average senior saving $622 so far this year on prescription drugs. Affordable Care Act provisions, including closing the Part D ‘donut hole’ coverage gap, are resulting in real benefits and savings for seniors. More than 5.2 million seniors and others on Medicare have now saved a total of $3.9 billion on prescription drugs since the Affordable Care Act first came into effect.
July 24, 2012
“The tax legislation introduced by House Republicans today shows that their priority is protecting tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% and that they are willing to hold tax cuts for the middle class hostage unless they have their way. The Republican bill is a far cry from what most Americans and small businesses are asking for: an extension of rates on income below $250,000, which will cover 98% of families and 97% of small businesses.
July 24, 2012
“Today’s report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office makes it very clear: the Affordable Care Act is controlling the growth of health care costs and contributing to deficit reduction. The CBO report attests that House Republicans’ latest attempt to repeal health reform would leave an additional 30 million Americans uninsured and increase deficits $109 billion over the next ten years as well as an even greater amount – roughly 0.5% of GDP, or $1.5 trillion – over the following decade.
July 20, 2012
“I join in mourning the tragic loss of life in Colorado this morning. The families of the victims, the many injured, and all those in Aurora are in my thoughts and in my prayers. It is in times like these that Americans have always rallied together as one community and one family, and we do so again today. I commend the heroism of our first responders from local and federal law enforcement and area hospitals, who have done an outstanding job in the face of great difficulty.
July 19, 2012
“I was disappointed that Senate Republicans blocked legislation today that would have ended tax breaks for companies shipping jobs overseas. The Bring Jobs Home Act, one of the bills House Democrats added to our Make It In America jobs plan last week, would eliminate deductions for moving expenses when companies outsource and would provide a tax credit to those businesses that bring jobs back home. This type of reform is necessary to stop encouraging the export of jobs and instead help manufacturers hire workers here to produce goods we can export across the world.
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Latest From the House Floor
On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.
First votes expected: 9:45 – 11:00 a.m.
Last votes expected: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Complete Consideration of the Farm Bill