Blog Post

Yesterday, Speaker Pelosi, Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, Chairwoman Barbara Lee, Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, Congresswoman Susan Davis, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and dozens of Democratic women Members of Congress held a press conference on the East Front Steps of the Capitol to urge Senate Republicans to stop blocking job creation legislation:

As Speaker Pelosi explained:

Nearly a month ago, the House passed the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act to help create or save more than a million American jobs, ensure seniors can keep their own doctors (SGR) and extend a proven economy booster, unemployment relief for families. The House Democratic Leadership has been calling on the Senate Republicans to stop obstructing and to allow an up or down vote on the legislation for weeks. Vote after vote, Senate Republicans have refused.

Editorials across the nation call out the BP Republicans for siding with Big Oil over the American people:

New York Times Editorial -- Serial Apologies, No Contrition:

A new Lake Research Partners poll released today shows the American people overwhelmingly support strong Wall Street Reform legislation that will hold Big Banks accountable and impose tough oversight to ensure Wall Street's risky behavior can never again cost Americans jobs and bring our economy to the brink of collapse. From the poll:

This afternoon, the House passed the DISCLOSE Act by a vote of 219-206 to close some of the biggest election loopholes created by the Citizens United case--the Supreme Court decision that opened the floodgates to unrestricted special interest campaign donations in American elections, even from entities controlled by foreign governments. This bill helps ensure that the voices of the American people are not drowned out by a corporate takeover of our elections.

This afternoon, the House passed HR 5481, legislation to provide the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling with subpoena power. This will ensure the Commission can conduct a complete analysis of the systemic industry and regulatory failures that led to this tragedy and avert future disasters, without being stonewalled by BP or any other entity in its search for answers.

Speaker Pelosi:

Last week, Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX)--Ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee--outraged America when he apologized to BP through its CEO Tony Hayward after President Obama got the company to set aside $20 billion in a disaster compensation fund for Gulf Coast residents and businesses and to protect taxpayers.

Since then, Congressional Republicans have tirelessly tried to convince America that Barton didn't mean what he said.

According to news reports, the Energy and Commerce Committee's top Republican who publicly apologized to BP has now apologized to his fellow Republican Members of Congress in a behind-closed-doors meeting this morning. As described by Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH):