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Press Releases

Below are press releases on significant events in this session of Congress. Please click on one of the links below to jump to that month's floor statements.

2006

2005

September 2006(top)

August 2006(top)

July 2006(top)

June 2006(top)

  • 06/29/2006: Stark Opposes Offshore Drilling
    This bill simultaneously endangers our coasts and delays an urgently needed transformation to a clean energy economy.  I vote no to yet another Republican attempt to maintain our oil addiction.

  • 06/29/2006: Stark Opposes Republican Attacks on the Media
    If this Congress spent half as much time doing oversight as it did criticizing those who dare question their government, we wouldn’t have to find out what our government is doing on the front page of the New York Times. 

  • 6/29/2006: Stark Sercures Increased Funding for Child Welfare Case Workers
    The House Ways and Means Committee today marked up and approved the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (HR 5640), of which U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA, 13th) is an original cosponsor. The legislation authorizes appropriations for child welfare services and the safe and stable families program, which helps state governments pay for services that protect children, prevent or eliminate the need for out-of-home placements, and promote family strength and stability.

  • 6/29/2006: Stark Congratulates Art Contest Winner
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) yesterday hosted Moreau Catholic High School student Jeremy Nguyen, winner of the 25th Annual Congressional Arts Competition for California’s Thirteenth Congressional District. Nguyen’s painting, titled “The Point,” was selected in a districtwide competition and is currently on display in the hallway between the Cannon House Office building and the United States Capitol in Washington, DC.

  • 6/27/2006:House Passes Stark-Burton Flood Insurance Amendment
    Today, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted by voice vote an amendment to the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act (H.R. 4973) authored by U.S. Representatives Pete Stark (D-CA, 13th) and Dan Burton (R-IN, 5th). Their amendment requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide written notification to each property owner affected by a proposed change in flood maps.

  • 06/22/2006: Stark Opposes Estate Tax Repeal
    A cartoonist couldn’t draw a clearer illustration of the Republicans’ misguided priorities. Though 46 million Americans lack health insurance and millions of children are denied access to quality education, Republicans insist on enriching those who least need our assistance.

  • 6/20/2006: Stark Repsonds to Families USA Report on Drug Prices
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA, 13th), Ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today responded to a new study on drug prices by Families USA. The report, entitled "Big Dollars, Little Sense: Rising Medicare Prescription Drug Prices," found that Medicare prescription drug prices are increasing – at a rate nearly identical to changes in the Average Wholesale Price (AWP) established by drug manufactures.

  • 6/15/2006: Leavitt Flying High on Taxpayers' Dime
    Senior Ways and Means Committee Democrats Pete Stark (D-CA, 13) and John Lewis (D-GA, 5) today questioned Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt's use of a costly Centers for Disease Control (CDC) jet for public relations stops to promote the Bush prescription drug program.

  • 6/14/2006: STARK TO HOLD TOWN MEETINGS
    Saturday, June 17, 2006
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) plans to speak with residents of the 13th Congressional District at town meetings on Saturday, June 17th in Union City, San Leandro, and Alameda.

  • 6/07/2006: Stark Supports Air Traffic Controllers
    Pete Stark (D-Fremont) today issued the following statement in support of America's air traffic controllers."I strongly support putting a stop to the Federal Aviation Administration’s abusive and dishonest tactics in negotiating a new contract with the nation’s air traffic controllers.

  • 6/06/2006: Stark Spotlights Medicare HMO Overpayments MedPAC confirms excessive Medicare Advantage reimbursement
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA, 13th), Ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, today responded to new data released by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) confirming that Medicare continues to grossly overpay HMOs to provide Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.

May 2006 (top)

April 2006 (top)

  • 4/28/06: Trustees Should Not Sign 2006 Social Security / Medicare Report
    Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Pete Stark and Social Subcommittee Ranking Member Sander Levin sent the following letter to President Bush today outlining their grave concern regarding the preparation of the 2006 reports of the Board of Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. Specifically, Ranking Members Stark and Levin question the Administration's unprecedented recess appointments of John L. Palmer and Thomas R. Saving to serve a second term as public trustees of the Social Security and Medicare programs, and its effect on the pending 2006 reports.
    read more

  • 04/27/06: Stark Joins Lawsuit Against Bush Administration
    Representative Pete Stark (CA-13) will tomorrow join Representative John Conyers, Jr. (MI-14) and nine House colleagues in bringing legal action to enjoin implementation of the “Deficit Reduction Act.”
    read more


  • 04/27/06: Stark Praises New CMS Drug Policy
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (CA-13) today praised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a new rule that would protect beneficiaries from sudden formulary changes. As enacted, the Medicare prescription drug program allowed insurance plans to remove drugs from formularies and cease paying for beneficiaries’ necessary prescriptions.
    read more


  • 04/26/06: House Democrats Send Letter to HHS Urging Disclosure of Prescription Drug Call Center Performance Data
    Representatives John D. Dingell, Charles B. Rangel, Pete Stark, Henry A. Waxman, Sherrod Brown and Jan Schakowsky sent a letter today to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt requesting that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services fully disclose information collected at taxpayers' expense about the performance of Part D prescription drug plan “call centers.”
    read more


  • 04/21/06: Stark Statement on Earth Day
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (CA-13) today released the following statement in honor of the 36th anniversary of Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, 2006. "Earth Day is an important opportunity to reflect on our moral obligation to ensure that future generations inherit a clean and healthy environment,” said Rep. Stark. “As the world’s richest and most powerful nation, America should serve as a global model for environmental protection."
    read more


  • 04/20/06: Stark Notes the Death of a Salesman
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (CA-13) today cited CMS’ latest Medicare prescription drug enrollment numbers as evidence that the Bush Administration’s numerous town meetings to promote the program are failing. Although the Administration initially projected 40.7 million seniors and people with disabilities would sign-up in 2006, only 26.5 million beneficiaries currently have prescription drug coverage through Part D or through an employer who is receiving a Medicare subsidy. Less than nine million beneficiaries have enrolled voluntarily.
    read more

  • 04/20/06: Recess Appointments for Trustees Send Wrong Signal Administration's actions undermine its credibility on Social Security and Medicare stewardship
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (CA-13) today welcomed Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland. Stark commended Leavitt for extending the May 15 enrollment deadline for Medicare beneficiaries with incomes below 150 percent of the poverty line and limited assets. But Stark cautioned that unless the deadline is extended for everyone, millions of beneficiaries will lack prescription drug coverage for seven months and pay higher premiums for life.
    read more

  • 04/20/06: Stark Welcomes HHS Secretary Leavitt to San Francisco's East Bay
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (CA-13) today welcomed Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland. Stark commended Leavitt for extending the May 15 enrollment deadline for Medicare beneficiaries with incomes below 150 percent of the poverty line and limited assets. But Stark cautioned that unless the deadline is extended for everyone, millions of beneficiaries will lack prescription drug coverage for seven months and pay higher premiums for life.
    read more

  • 04/11/06: Congress Calls for Leavitt to Pay States Back
    Today, U.S. Representatives Rahm Emanuel (IL), Charles Rangel (NY), John D. Dingell (MI), Henry Waxman (CA), Pete Stark (CA), Sherrod Brown (OH), Rosa DeLauro (CT), Benjamin Cardin (MD) and Frank Pallone (NJ) released a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt calling on him to release the funding that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) promised 46 states.
    read more

  • 04/04/06: Stark Criticizes Misguided Republican Percription Drug Program
    U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA, 13th), Ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today criticized Republican public relations efforts to laud the success of their prescription drug program.
    read more

  • 04/04/06: Stark, McDermott, Inslee, and Bean Introduce Bill to Protect Taxpayer Privacy
    U.S. Representatives Pete Stark, Jim McDermott, Jay Inslee, and Melissa Bean today introduced the Taxpayer Privacy Act. Representatives Stark and McDermott are senior members of the Committee on Ways and Means with jurisdiction over U.S. tax policy. The bill prevents the sale and distribution of confidential taxpayer information and prohibits tax preparers from sending returns overseas to be processed.
    read more

March 2006 (top)

February 2006 (top)

January 2006 (top)

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Press Release Archives
108th, 107th, 106th, and 105th Congresses