Congress Must Assist Flint’s Recovery, House Republican Division Continues
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
On Monday, I joined Reps. Dan Kildee, Elijah Cummings, Scott Peters, Brenda Lawrence, and Debbie Dingell on a Congressional delegation visit to Flint, Michigan. During our visit we met with nearly 20 small business representatives to discuss how the ongoing water crisis has affected their businesses and received a briefing about the ongoing federal response to the crisis. What we saw in Flint was a resilient and determined city that is coming together to recover. However, the situation in Flint should have never occurred in the first place and is an example of a broader failure to invest in our aging infrastructure, in public health, and consumer safety. Congress has a responsibility to ensure the families of Flint have access to safe drinking water and to work on a plan to address the long term needs of the community. I hope that we can move forward in a bipartisan way to do so.
This week, House Republicans were expected to put forward their budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2017. Instead, the House Budget Committee postponed consideration until March, a clear indicator that Republicans continue to be deeply divided over spending levels. Republicans should honor the budget deal they agreed to – and that was paid for – last year so we can responsibly fund government.
Finally, it’s deeply disappointing Senate Republican leaders have announced they will refuse consideration of President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. There is absolutely no reason why there should be a Supreme Court vacancy for nearly a year, and it’s the Senate’s constitutional responsibility to give the President’s nominee a fair hearing. A nominee should be judged on their merits, not on the basis of who nominated them. I urge Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans to fulfill their constitutional responsibility and give President Obama’s nominee—whoever it may be—all due consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Steny H. Hoyer
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DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE
On the Budget:
- Hoyer Statement on House Republicans’ Repeated Refusal to Consider the President’s Budget
- FACT SHEET: Deeply Divided House Republicans Postpone Budget Consideration
Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference During Congressional Delegation Visit to Flint, Michigan
Hoyer Statement on President Obama’s Plan to Close Guantanamo Bay
Hoyer, Lee Statement on Speaker Paul Ryan’s New Task Force on Poverty