January 9, 2009

The 111th Congress

This week, the first session of the 111th Congress convened. Our top priority remains the economy. We have been working on two major proposals. First, we have been working to improve the original economic rescue bill in anticipation of the Obama Administration seeking Congressional approval for the remaining $350 billion authorized in October. Personally, I have focused on adding stronger oversight provisions and requiring that funds be used to directly address the foreclosure issue. I can report that we are making progress and action may occur next week.

We have also been working to craft an economic stimulus package that we hope will be ready for House votes at the end of this month. The measure is still taking shape and Congress is working closely with the incoming Administration as the legislation is developed. This stimulus package will contain a host of items, including resources for infrastructure projects and health care. Personally, I am focusing on job creation, funding for scientific research and health care, and aid for our state and municipal governments.

I am concerned that some are pushing for tax cuts that are larger than necessary to stimulate the economy or produce real jobs. I see this as an attempt to be overly accommodating to the Republicans. Although some tax cuts for the middle class are justified and can certainly help the current economic situation, we must have an open dialogue on how to most effectively structure those tax cuts.

I am energized for the upcoming session and look forward to addressing the challenges we face.

The Middle East

Today the House considered H. Res. 34: Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza. I voted YES because to not support that right would undermine Israel's rights as a sovereign state.

That said, I continue to deplore the eagerness of this House to assign blame in a tragic and complicated historic conflict. It is true that Hamas began to fire rockets into Israel just days after the expiration of the six month ceasefire agreement. This properly elicited a reaction from Israel aimed at protecting its citizens. It is regrettable, however, that Israel was unable — in the three years after its unilateral withdrawal from Gaza — to work to strengthen those Palestinians who seek peace. I hope that a ceasefire observed by all parties, credibly verified and effectively monitored, will be followed by vigorous diplomacy. When calm is established, I urge the government of Israel to engage in confidence-building measures to increase the likelihood of a negotiated settlement.

I urge my colleagues in the House to address the human tragedy in Gaza and Southern Israel rather than to choose sides among suffering people. We must not forget that there are innocent Palestinian civilians suffering along with Israeli civilians. We would do well to acknowledge the plight of those on both sides of Gaza's border and the need to address the humanitarian crisis in a manner that allows free access to the necessary staff, supplies, and resources.

I voted YES. H.Res. 34 passed in the House and the entire vote is recorded below:

Fair Pay Legislation

The House cast its first votes of the session this week, including measures to address wage fairness. The first bill, H.R. 11: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act addresses a Supreme Court decision regarding the case of Lilly Ledbetter. She sued her employer after learning she had the lowest salary among all supervisors, even though she had more experience than her male counterparts.

Although a jury found that she had been subject to wage discrimination, the Supreme Court overturned that decision, claiming Ms. Ledbetter waited too long to raise the issue. The court did not take into consideration the fact that she brought her case to the attention of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as soon as she became aware of the discrepancy.

H.R. 11 reinstates the procedure in place before the Supreme Court's decision by clarifying that each time a worker receives a paycheck reflecting lower pay for equal work they may file a charge of wage discrimination, as long as that charge is filed within 180 days of receiving those wages.

I voted YES. H.R. 11 passed in the House and the entire vote is recorded below:

The House also considered H.R. 12: the Paycheck Fairness Act. This legislation addresses gender-based wage discrimination, requiring employers to demonstrate that any difference in pay is employment-related and not based on other factors. It prohibits employers from punishing or retaliating against employees who discuss wages, with the exception of employees with confidential access to wage information. It also provides for the recovery of punitive and compensatory damages, in keeping with recovery measures for other types of discrimination. I voted YES. H.R. 12 passed in the House and the entire vote is recorded below:

What's Up Next

Next week, the House is expected to consider legislation relating to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and how to allocate the remaining $350 billion in recovery funds.