Act to Save Our Economy

“In 2004, 20.1 million 18 to 29 year olds voted, a 4.3 million increase over 2000. The additional turnout among the youngest voters was more than double that of any other age group,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD )during a press conference with the Student Association for Vote Empowerment (SAVE) and other members of Congress for student voting rights.

“If we can participate with that same dedication this year, the youth vote will effectively change the direction this country is headed.”

There have been concerns that there are too many barriers preventing students from voting. Several states require voters to apply in person for absentee ballots, a requirement that is difficult for students who live away from home. Other states have limited access to absentee ballots to only those who are ill, pregnant, or otherwise unable to reach polling stations.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) discussed his attempts to preserve voting rights in 2004.

“Four years ago I stood with my sister Stephanie Tubbs Jones in challenging the election at the electoral college because of voter suppression tactics that took place in Ohio,which included trying to suppress the rights of students to vote.”

Kucinich went on to explain that politicians had an obligation as well.

“It’s our responsibility to give young people something vote for. So we want to make sure that you know you have a chance to vote for peace, a chance to vote for a cleaner environment, for jobs, for educational opportunities.”

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) discussed the importance of the upcoming election, comparing it to the Lincoln-Douglass election.

“This to me…is probably as important as the presidential election of 1860. It will have that kind of an impact on this country and this country’s relationships around the world.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.) spoke today at his pen and pad briefing about the state of the economy and gas prices. Hoyer said the the economy is in real trouble, and that the policies of the Bush Administration of economic growth have not been realized. Hoyer said that the president’s recent opening up of the outer continental shelf is an “attempt to divert attention from his failed energy policy.”

America is a nation of winners, but winners need good leadership and honest policies and the Bush Administration is not providing that, Hoyer said. Despite the President’s assurances that a second stimulus package is not necessary, Hoyer said he is hopeful that Congress can move forward in a bipartisan way on another stimulus package.

The housing bill that is currently going through Congress is currently being worked on to add in Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson’s recommendations for the bill. Hoyer said the House is working with the Administration and hopes to hold hearing this week or next before voting on the legislation.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D- Md.) and House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R- Mo.) held a press conference discussing the successful bipartisan passage of a new FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act).

Leader Hoyer emphasized that the new FISA will protect Americans while protecting their civil liberties as well. He said that under the new FISA, immunity for telephone companies alleged for “wiretapping” under the previous bill would be decided by courts, and that they would have to now have to “be sure to dot their ‘i’s’ and cross their ‘t’s” when listening in on phone conversations.

Congressman Blunt said that the bill will force America’s enemies to “think” before deciding to spy on our government, adding that the bill will protect America both domestically and abroad. Blunt stressed that the new bill is “not a form of domestic wiretapping,” and will be used to target “foreigners in foreign countries.”

In his weekly pen and pad briefing, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer discussed the schedule for the week ahead in addition to the achievements that the House Democrats have accomplished this session. Hoyer stated that H.R. 6049 The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008 will be on the floor Wednesday and Thursday and the S.Con.Res. 70 on the Conference Report on the Concurrent Budget Resolution for 2009 will pass in the House, the first time a report such as this has passed since 2000. In addition to these bills, H.R. 5658 The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 will finish with discussion on Friday. (more…)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) today held his weekly pen and pad session. During the session, Hoyer both reflected upon the progress made by the House of Representatives this week as well as the future bills they are hoping to pass.

Hoyer criticized the “exploding” job market and noted that “whether our economy is in recession or on the brink of it” the financial problems facing our nation need to be quickly corrected. Leader Hoyer said that the passage of President Bush’s stimulus package was “a good first step” to saving the economy, but stressed that more still needs to be done to help those losing homes and spending the money they have received from the package on high gas prices. (more…)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer met with the media this afternoon to discuss recent House proceedings at his regular “pen and pad” briefing.

Topics covered during the briefing were wide-spanning, ranging from the highly debated Colombia free trade agreement, to what the House is doing to improve the sagging American economy. Hoyer mentioned the effects the “significant” testimonies of General Petreaus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker had on Capitol Hill, and emphasized that Congress is doing everything in their power to help fix our country’s financial woes.

Hoyer talked about how he found it imperative we improve our military readiness, should catastrophe arise. When questioned about a second stimulus package, the Majority Leader noted that he did not want to see one passed that was not properly financed.

Non-profit organization Wellstone Action led a rally on the steps of our nation’s capitol building supporting the House passage of a bill ending insurance discrimination against the mentally handicapped. Speakers at the rally included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

The speeches of Pelosi and Hoyer were preceded by Representatives Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN). Each speaker urged that the mentally ill should be treated and insured just as other sickly patients are.

The most emotionally stirring sentiments of the afternoon came from former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Carter, with a distinct soft Southern accent, addressed the crowd with a short speech voicing her satisfaction about finally seeing the bill passed by the House, after years of failed efforts.

Rep. Kennedy was particularly hopeful that the bill would be passed by the President in coming weeks. Pelosi reminded supporters that passage of this bill would help insure that soldiers returning from Iraq could have access to the mental health care they would likely need upon returning from duty.

Buzzword alert! A new vocabulary for a new year. Watch out for the three T’s of economic stimulus. Timely, Targeted and Temporary. Lawrence Summers, Secretary of Treasury under the Clinton administration, testified before the Joint Economic Committee today and specified that any economic stimulus package passed by Congress would have to be passed quickly, have focused objectives, and last for a finite amount of time. Both the Joint Economic Chairman Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D- Mass) echoed Summers’ recommendations. Later today House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) will give his input on the subject in a town hall meeting on Capitol Hill.

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