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| Hoyer Herald - Week of October 23, 2006 |
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Hoyer Pushes for a National Plan on Energy Independence
Congressman Hoyer expressed concern in response to recent reports that OPEC decided to cut production by a greater-than-expected 1.2 million barrels a day.
Hoyer cautioned that recent reductions in gas prices should not distract America from pursuing policies that will make our nation energy independent. Rep. Hoyer believes that energy independence is a matter of national, economic and environmental security.
In July, Hoyer, along with a senior group of Democrats, introduced the "PROGRESS" Act, or Program for Real Energy Security. More than 125 Democrats are now co-sponsors of this bill, which is designed to complement the other Democratic energy independence initiatives. Democrats hope to make energy independence a national priority in the next Congress.
Read more here.
Hoyer Awarded National Legislator of the Year Award from Law Enforcement Group
Rep. Hoyer recently received the Legislator of the Year Award for the U.S. House from the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Association. Mr. Hoyer also received a briefing from Tom Carr, the Director of the Washington-Baltimore HIDTA, on the facility’s current operations and programs.
The Washington-Baltimore HIDTA focuses its efforts on reducing the number of drug- and firearms-trafficking organizations through intelligence-driven law enforcement operations, assisting local governments in implementing effective drug treatment programs for hard-core offenders, promoting innovative prevention programs involving partnerships between law enforcement agencies, community organizations and local government, and reducing the levels of drug-related violence and crime within the HIDTA region.
Hoyer helped lead the charge in opposing the Bush Administration’s proposed transfer of HIDTA to the Department of Justice and opposing a $19 million budget cut by initiating a letter to the House Appropriations Committee that garnered over 80 signatures. Moving HIDTA to the Department of Justice would have effectively eliminated the current HIDTA program and shut state and local law enforcement out of the process.
Read more here.
Hoyer Discusses the Economy with University of Maryland Students
Telling students that all Americans deserve the opportunity to achieve the American Dream, Congressman Hoyer talked with young people at the University of Maryland about the economy on October 5th.
Rep. Hoyer discussed how costs for everything from health care to housing have increased, while middle class income is decreasing. He also detailed Democratic plans for taking the economy in a new direction that would benefit the middle class. This agenda includes, raising the minimum wage, repealing subsidies for companies to send jobs overseas, making health care more affordable by lowering costs for prescription drugs and expanding coverage for the self employed and small business owners and workers, and making college more affordable by cutting interest rates for student loans and making college tuition deductible from taxes. Democrats also pledge to accomplish these goals with fiscal discipline.
The students were very engaged in the discussion and many had questions following Rep. Hoyer’s speech, the majority of them centered on the record deficit and debt created by Congress and the President.
Read more here.
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