Blog Post

Anybody who has worked in the Capitol frequently had their day brightened by Herb Shanks, who retired today after almost four decades of service as the cloakroom attendant in the House Democratic Cloakroom:

This afternoon, the House passed the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (HR 4213) to create jobs, including summer jobs, close loopholes that give corporations a tax break to send American jobs overseas, and help Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. While Republicans are sitting back trying wait out the recession they created, Democrats know we need to work our way out.

Under "Don't Ask Don't Tell", more than 13,000 men and women in uniform have been discharged from the military and thousands more have decided not to re-enlist. Fighter pilots, infantry officers, Arabic translators and other specialists have been discharged at a time when our nation is fighting two wars. By a vote of 234-194, the House passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2011 (HR 5136) by Rep.

During the consideration of health insurance reform, the debate was intense and often filled with frightening--and wrong--information. Opponents spread misinformation and even told outright lies about reform and seniors--from 'death panels' to claiming reform would 'slash' Medicare. The truth is Medicare--which has provided health care for Americans age 65 and older for the last 45 years--will be strengthened under the Affordable Care Act.

Today, Speaker Pelosi, Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Senator Patrick Leahy (House and Senate Chairs of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations), met with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia:

The latest report on the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office shows that in the 1st quarter of 2010, the Recovery Act:

Raised the level of inflation-adjusted gross domestic product (GDP) by between 1.7 percent and 4.2 percent

Lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.7 and 1.5 percentage points

Increased the number of people employed by between 1.2 million and 2.8 million

We continue to see growing signs of economic recovery, resulting from the economic policies of the Democratic-led Congress and the Obama Administration responding to the Bush Recession and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. More must be done to create and save jobs, but that latest signs of recovery include:

Young American adults are among those who most need health insurance reform: