Press Releases: 2011

Today Senator McConnell joined Senate Republicans and House Democrats in calling on House Republicans to prevent a tax increase on middle class families by passing the bipartisan Senate bill. If House Republicans refuse to act, on January 1 they will be responsible for 160 million Americans seeing a tax increase, 2.2 million Americans losing unemployment benefits, and 48 million Americans potentially losing access to their doctors. The American people deserve certainty that we will not allow any of those things to happen. That is why we must pass the bipartisan Senate compromise bill to prevent a tax increase from happening as we continue to work on a year-long extension. I therefore urge Speaker Boehner to either allow this to be passed by unanimous consent, or call the House back into session to pass the Senate bill.

One year ago tomorrow, we reached a milestone that marked a new era of opportunity for gay and lesbian Americans wishing to serve our country openly in uniform.  When President Obama signed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010” into law, providing for its repeal, our country declared an end to the discriminatory policy that told Americans they could not serve their country simply because of who they are and who they love. 

It is December 20th, and the Republicans are using it as a day to dissemble, pretending to support a tax cut for working Americans, while making it uncertain and delayed. We – of course, as we all know – could pass the Senate bill by 2pm today, send it to the President, and provide certainty to working Americans, come January 1st, that their taxes will not go up.

This is not in fact a partisan issue. Thirty-nine Republicans, 83 percent of Republicans in the United States Senate voted for this and the American people are saying if 83 percent of the Republicans and almost 100 percent of Democrats are for something, why can’t you come to agreement in Washington, DC? That’s the question we ought to be asking Speaker Boehner – why can’t you take yes for an answer? Why can’t we give the American people the assurance that they need to have, particularly at this holiday time?

The extreme, Tea Party faction of the House Republican conference has once again walked away from a legislative compromise which addresses critical challenges confronting the American people. This action again emphasizes the extreme views and rigidity of the House Republicans even though 80% of the Republican members of the U.S. Senate supported this compromise.

I thank the Gentle-lady for yielding. I want to join her in saying that there were some minuses in this bill. The minuses in this bill historically has been as it relates to the District of Columbia that the Congress has treated the District of Columbia as its own possession as opposed to an independent political jurisdiction and has been granted home rule. And the Congress ought to honor that home rule. And as we urge democracies around the world or dictatorships in the world to honor the views of their people , the Congress of the United States ought to honor the wishes of the people of the District of Columbia. And I always lament when we put in these individual provisions.

The 112th Congress, so far, has been truly a “do-nothing Congress.” When comparing this year to the year Democrats took over the House in 2007, the numbers speak for themselves.

I rise out of deep concern that this Congress continues to ask one group to sacrifice to bring down our nation's deficit while not asking others to contribute. With all of the challenges we face today on a national scale, we ought to ensure that those who help devise solutions and carry them out receive the recognition they are due. They should not be constantly subjected to the kind of verbal attacks and legislative assaults we have seen over the past couple of years.

The Democrats in the Senate have continuously offered a small percentage surtax on those with a net income of a million dollars or more. We could easily pay for what is needed here with a small percentage, less than three percent, or in that neighborhood, surtax on the wealthiest in our nation. The Republicans have consistently opposed that contribution to this effort by our wealthiest citizens.

Terry Lierman has been a key part of the success of this office for over four and a half years,” said Hoyer. “When he came to our office, he brought unparalleled experience and a passion for helping people. I have worked closely with him for over 30 years to promote and support Democratic ideals, and I am pleased that he will continue to work with me by serving as the Treasurer of Hoyer for Congress and the Chair of AMERIPAC, my leadership PAC. I am very appreciative of all that Terry has done to assure the success of our efforts and look forward to working closely with him in the coming years.

Manufacturing is central to our jobs recovery and long-term economic prosperity, and President Obama has long recognized this. By appointing Commerce Secretary John Bryson and National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling to co-chair the White House Office of Manufacturing Policy, the President again demonstrates his commitment to expanding U.S. manufacturing. House Democrats have been focused on creating jobs and strengthening manufacturing through our Make It In America plan, and I hope Republicans in Congress will work with us to take legislative steps to bolster our manufacturing sector in the months ahead.

Throughout my career, I have been a strong advocate for disability rights and have supported policies that ensure people with disabilities may more fully participate in society.