THE LEADER'S REPORT: WEEK OF APRIL 28, 2008

This week, the House passed landmark legislation over a decade in the making that is now headed to the President for his signature.  The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act will protect individuals from being discriminated against by employers and insurance companies based on genetic information.  Many people with a family history of a disease have declined to participate in genetic testing for fear of the misuse of this information.  This bill will prevent this from happening, and will allow research in the field of genetic medicine - which could help people take preventative action against a disease - to move forward and make significant advancements.

The House also passed legislation ensuring that students and their families will have access to the loans they need to help pay for college.  As the costs of college have exploded over the past eight years, this legislation is key to keeping the doors of higher education open to all.  This bill is also headed for the President's desk, and will guarantee there is no disruption in loans offered to families of students attending college this fall.

Next week, the House will take up several measures that will offer relief to struggling homeowners facing foreclosure and help stabilize the housing market.  We are also completing work on a supplemental war funding measure, a Farm Bill that makes record investments in nutrition, and a fiscally responsible budget conference report.

 

Majority Leader Hoyer: April Jobs Report Further Proof of Failed Bush Policies
Following the announcement that 20,000 jobs were lost in April, bringing total job losses in 2008 to 260,000, Hoyer criticized the Bush Administration for leaving the nation with a weaker economy than the one he inherited eight years ago.
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Look in the Mirror: President Fails to Accept Responsibility for Failed Policies

Hoyer Applauds FTC Announcement to Strengthen Protections Against Manipulation of Gas Prices 
In response to a letter from Democratic leaders on the need to prevent manipulation of gas prices, the Federal Trade Commission announced it would take the first step in writing new rules that will protect consumers from market manipulation by the oil industry.
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Majority Leader Hoyer Statement on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
On Thursday, Hoyer praised the passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, citing the protections offered by the bill that will protect individuals from discrimination and allow medical and scientific communities to continue vital research into genetic medicine.
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Majority Leader Hoyer: "Mission Accomplished" Sad Reminder of Bush Administration Failures
Hoyer marked the fifth anniversary of President Bush's speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln under a banner declaring "Mission Accomplished," saying that the President's pronouncement was tragically wrong, as so many of his judgments on Iraq have been.
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Hoyer Statement on 'Unfortunate' Supreme Court Decision on Voter ID
Hoyer called the Supreme Court's decision on Monday to reject a challenge to Indiana's voter identification law "unfortunate" and "counter-productive," placing an undue burden on voters and suppressing the turnout of minority and elderly Americans.
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