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Blog Post
June 17, 2009
This morning, Speaker Pelosi, House Democratic leaders and many Members of Congress held a roundtable discussion in the Capitol with leaders of veterans' and military service organizations. The Speaker's opening remarks:
Blog Post
June 17, 2009
The first thing the Democratic-led Congress did in January 2007 was reimpose pay-as-you-go, or PAYGO, budget rules that Republicans had let lapse. The PAYGO rules had helped President Clinton turn over an historic budget surplus to President Bush--who quickly turned it into a record deficit:
Press Release
June 17, 2009
“The legislation introduced today to make pay-as-you-go budgeting the law of the land will help return our nation to sound fiscal health. Just as every American family must leave within their means, so must the federal government."
Press Release
June 17, 2009
“President Obama's proposed reforms of our financial system will help ensure smart oversight of a financial system that spun out of control. The forward-looking plan will help prevent uncontrolled and unchecked market risk-taking, protect Americans who are saving for a child's college education, for retirement, or for a rainy day, and move us closer toward avoiding a catastrophic financial markets collapse in the future."
Press Release
June 17, 2009
“We come here today in a week of history for our veterans, in terms of what is being accomplished. Last night, your Chairman informs me at 3 a.m. today, the House Armed Services Committee marked up the Defense Authorization legislation which contains very important initiatives for our men and women in uniform and their families, and for our veterans. And because of the leadership of Chairman Chet Edwards, the supplemental appropriations bill we passed last night allows new GI bill education benefits to transfer to children of fallen soldiers."
Blog Post
June 16, 2009
This afternoon, Speaker Pelosi met with the Chorus from Staten Island P.S. 22 just off the east steps of the Capitol. The group, led by their Director Gregg Breinberg, performed for the Speaker after touring the Capitol and meeting with their Congressman, Rep. Michael McMahon. The Speaker told the students, "you had great harmony and made us all full of joy to hear you sing":
The students performed Viva la Vida, Eye of the Tiger, Just Dance and Don't Stop Believing:
Blog Post
June 16, 2009
Today, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the termination of individual health policies by insurance companies, including the controversial practices of "post-claims underwriting" and the "rescission" of coverage after policyholders become ill.
The committee conducted a year long investigation into problems with the individual health insurance market and found, among other alarming issues, that in the last five years 20,000 individual insurance policyholders have had their policies rescinded by the three insurance companies who testified today.
Press Release
June 16, 2009
"It is in none of our interest, or in the interest of any of the parties to the Six-Party Talks, to have a nuclear North Korea. We all must avoid the nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula -- for what it means in the region, and for what it means in the world."
Blog Post
June 16, 2009
Today, the United States Global Change Research Program, a joint scientific venture of 13 federal agencies and the White House, released a report on the domestic impact of climate change. Key findings include:Temperatures in the United States have already risen 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. That increase is directly linked to human activitiesHeavy downpours in the last 50 years have increased 67 percent in the Northeast and 31 percent in the Midwest. Unsurprisingly, this time has been marked by record flooding in those regions
Press Release
June 16, 2009
“This national climate science report confirms the conclusions of credible scientists around the world: climate change is occurring now, it is affecting our lives, and we cannot ignore it."