Press Release
Today, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer joined a global coalition of 98 politicians from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia calling for urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis in the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile regions of Sudan. Mr. Hoyer signed the letter addressed to the coalition’s respective Foreign Ministers urging them to lead the UN Security Council to action on Sudan at this critical moment.
“The Voting Rights Act lives on to be one of the most critical and successful pieces of legislation Congress has ever passed.
Today’s dedication of a statue in the U.S. Capitol honoring Rosa Parks reaffirms that America’s democracy belongs to all its people.
"Thank you very much, Madam Leader. Violence against women. We take an oath to protect the Constitution, but in effect we take an oath to protect all of our people. All of our people, not some of our people. America has a history of not protecting all of our people all of the time. We are trying, continuously, to overcome the exclusion of some.
Today, House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) announced the creation of the new Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, and that he has appointed Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) to serve as its chair. The Task Force will work to raise the awareness of Members of Congress and the American people about the ongoing crisis of poverty, as well as the need for a comprehensive national effort to eradicate poverty and remove barriers to opportunity that prevent low-income Americans from reaching the middle class.
What we ought to do and what we've proposed and what we're going to propose again this week is to make cuts, to have revenues… do it in a way that will not harm the economy but will get to the fiscal discipline that we need.”
"Today, House Republicans have again chosen partisanship over working together by refusing to take up the bipartisan, Senate-passed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.
“We need to cut spending, raise revenues and have a balanced program, just as Bowles-Simpson, Domenici-Rivlin, Gang of Six [suggested].
“President Obama is right when he warns of the serious consequences to our economy and national security if Congress fails to compromise and prevent the automatic budget cuts known as sequestration. Sequestration is an arbitrary, irrational policy that was intended to bring both sides to the table. Unfortunately, House Republicans have refused to bring an alternative to sequestration to the Floor for a vote.
“Two weeks from today, if Congress fails to act, the Republican policy – the Republican policy – of sequestration will take effect.