Democrats Unveil "Make It In America" Agenda, Committed to Putting Americans Back to Work

This week, House Democrats unveiled our “Make It In America” agenda for the 112th Congress, a plan to support job creation today and in the future by encouraging businesses to make products and innovate in the US and sell it to the world by strengthening our infrastructure and supporting investments in key areas like education and energy innovation. This effort builds on House Democrats' actions to create jobs and continue growing the economy and focuses on investing in key priorities while cutting wasteful spending. I hope that Republicans will work with us on the “Make It In America” agenda. Despite the fact that they have been in the majority for four months, they have still not put forward a plan to create jobs.

Instead of focusing on jobs, Republicans continued their efforts to repeal patient protections and put insurance companies back in control of Americans’ health insurance. This week, House Republicans wasted taxpayer time with symbolic votes to repeal two parts of the Affordable Care Act while they are fighting to end Medicare as we know it.

They also stood with oil companies over consumers by blocking Democratic attempts to end unnecessary oil subsidies paid for by taxpayers. Americans are rightly concerned by high gas prices, and Democrats are focused on helping to ease the pain at the pump. That means ending subsidies for oil companies making record profits, cracking down on speculation and investing in clean energy technologies. Safe, responsible drilling is part of the solution but it should be part of a comprehensive policy.

In the coming weeks, Democrats and Republicans will need to come together to provide certainty for our economy and show that the U.S. will pay its debts. Republicans created most of our debt, but they are now holding the economy hostage to a divisive agenda by threatening to default on our nation's debt. I hope they will not continue to put our economy at risk, and instead work with Democrats to meet our responsibilities and find common ground to restore fiscal responsibility.

Sincerely yours,

STENY H. HOYER