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On Veterans Day, Americans across our great nation come together to honor the brave men and women who wore our nation's uniform, to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to pay special tribute to those serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe. Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coastguardsmen, none of us would live as free or be able enjoy the blessings of liberty.

The New Direction Congress treats every day as if it were Veterans Day, as we work to strengthen our military and ensure that our troops have the tools they need to complete their mission safely and the benefits and health care they were promised once they return home.

Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Paulson calling on him to review the feasibility of using the authority given under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) of 2008 to provide temporary assistance to the automobile industry during this financial crisis. Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi explained that "we must safeguard the interests of American taxpayers, protect the hundreds of thousands of automobile workers and retirees, stop the erosion of our manufacturing base, and bolster our economy."

The letter to Secretary Paulson:

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a two-stage effort to boost the shaky U.S. economy: a $60 billion-to-$100 billion stimulus package this month, followed early next year by a companion measure that would include a 'permanent tax cut.'"

This morning, the Department of Labor released its employment report for October showing a loss of another 240,000 American jobs, bringing the total number of jobs lost this year to 1.2 million, and a 14-year high jobless rate of 6.5 percent.

Speaker Pelosi:

Today's announcement that America has lost more than 1 million jobs this year underscores what working families already know: the Congress and the Bush Administration must take swift action to boost the economy, create jobs and help struggling Americans.

The House has already passed strong economic recovery and job creation legislation in September. Today's economic news should send a clear signal to Republicans in the Senate and to President Bush that they must join us in an effort leading economists agree is critical.