Newsroom
January 1, 2013 — Press Item
“I have just been informed that we will be having perhaps no further votes in this Congress. I am deeply disappointed at that information. We have millions of our fellow citizens who have been badly damaged by a storm called Sandy.
January 1, 2013 — Press Item
“There is, of course, a time for partisanship. There is a time for making our political points, and that time has been and it will be again. That time is not tonight.
January 1, 2013 — Press Item
“Today House Republicans continued their attack on hardworking federal employees by bringing to the Floor a bill that would extend the pay freeze on civilian federal employees for another year. I strongly oppose such a move – which, fortunately, has no chance of passing the Senate – because middle-class federal employees have already contributed nearly $90 billion toward deficit reduction through reduced pay and pension benefits at a time when other groups have not been asked to contribute.
January 1, 2013 — Press Item
"Thank you very much, Madam Leader. The 112th Congress has about 46 hours left to go. This Congress unfortunately has been most known for an unwillingness to compromise, an unwillingness to come together to act on behalf of the American people.
January 1, 2013 — Press Item
"On this day, 150 years ago, our nation took a major step forward toward ending the evils of slavery and achieving the new birth of freedom which President Abraham Lincoln promised. When the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on New Year's Day in 1863, it ushered in a new American era that brought the country closer to the ideals of its founders. I join in celebrating this important anniversary and all that we have achieved as a nation - through struggle and sacrifice - to build on that proclamation by making our union more perfect through greater equality, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all our people."
December 28, 2012 — Press Item
"President Obama is correct: the time for immediate action to avert the fiscal cliff is here. If Congress does not act, in just a few days middle class families will see their taxes go up, arbitrary spending cuts will begin to take effect, and a number of additional critical items like unemployment insurance will go unaddressed. ...
December 27, 2012 — Press Item
“We could be considering [the Senate] bill today and passing it so every working American and indeed every American would know that their taxes would not increase on the first $200,000 [for] individuals, or $250,000 as families. One hundred percent of Americans would not get a tax increase on that income. We could be working on that and passing it today.”
December 27, 2012 — Press Item
“We are in Pro Forma session. Pro Forma session is a session without substance or solutions.
December 21, 2012 — Press Item
“I thank the Leader for her comments, I certainly agree with her. Last night’s vote showed us that resolving the challenge that confronts us with the fiscal cliff cannot and will not be done with a partisan vote. It showed us that we must work together in a bipartisan way and that we must preclude going over the fiscal cliff by a balanced agreement that Republicans can support, that Democrats can support, that the President of the United States will sign, and that can pass the United States Senate. It is absolutely incumbent upon us to do that.
December 21, 2012 — Press Item
John Kerry has served his country throughout his life, from Vietnam to the United States Senate, and now as our next Secretary of State. He will bring his experience and knowledge from his time as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to his new role, and I look forward to his swift confirmation.
December 21, 2012 — Press Item
“I think President Obama has made it very clear that he has been willing to move. He has moved both on revenues and on cuts and spending. But he has not met with any kind of positive response to this point in time. I think Speaker [John] Boehner wants to get a deal. Whatever happened last night it did not eliminate the risk that the cliff causes our economy, and our people. It's incumbent upon us, therefore, to continue to work towards a solution and to reach a solution prior to the end of the year.”
