Yesterday, the Democratic-led House passed the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act, which requires the redeployment of U.S. troops to begin within 120 days of enactment and be completed by April 1, 2008.  This bill will allow our troops to refocus on the war on terror and our national security.  The Iraq Assessment Report released by President Bush adds to the mounting evidence that it is time for a new direction in Iraq, and the bill passed yesterday shows that Democrats are serious about listening to the American people and redeploying our troops out of Iraq.

 

Also this week, the House passed the largest single investment in college aid since the 1944 GI Bill.  The College Cost Reduction Act will make college more affordable for millions of students by increasing the maximum Pell Grant by at least $500 and by cutting interest in half on subsidized student loans over the next five years.  It also continues Democrats' commitment to fiscal responsibility by including $750 million in federal deficit reduction.

 

Next week, the House will complete consideration of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, and take up the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill.  This bill invests in grants and programs to increase education access, as well as in initiatives to address the growing number of Americans without health insurance.

 

With kind regards, I am

 

This week, Majority Leader Hoyer spoke several times on the need for a responsible redeployment from Iraq.  Below are several statements and documents put out by the Majority Leader's Office that discuss how the President's Iraq policy is clearly failing and how Democrats are working to change direction in Iraq:

Majority Leader Hoyer spoke on the House Floor on Wednesday in support of the College Cost Reduction Act, which passed with strong bipartisan support.  This landmark legislation will provide the largest investment in college aid since the GI Bill in 1944, at no new cost to taxpayers.

 

Majority Leader Hoyer responded to the new deficit projection for the current fiscal year issued by the White House, calling it a sad commentary on President Bush's fiscal record that the deficit will be "only" $205 billion.

 

On Wednesday, the House passed legislation that will help millions of Americans lead healthier lives by decreasing the time it takes to provide FDA approval of medications, giving the FDA resources to take potentially dangerous medications off of shelves quickly, and encouraging pharmaceutical companies to perform pediatric safety reviews of their medications.