Press Release
The Postal Service’s announcement that it will end Saturday delivery of mail underscores the need for the House to get serious about comprehensive reform that puts the U.S. Postal Service on a long-term, fiscally sustainable path.
“I am extremely disappointed that once again Republicans are proposing to delay sequestration by solely targeting middle-class federal employees, rather than working with Democrats on a comprehensive solution to reduce the deficit and replace the sequester. These hard working Americans have already contributed $103 billion towards deficit reduction, yet Republicans continue to single them out and place the burden of deficit reduction solely on their shoulders. From defending our nation to promoting the safety and well-being of Americans, federal workers provide countless services to our country. It is simply unfair and unwise to target America’s public servants after they have already accepted a two-year pay freeze, an increased pension contribution, and a reduction and delay of a cost-of-living-adjustment this year.
“I continue to believe that we need a big and balanced solution to our deficits, which is what we should be working on rather than partisan gimmicks like the bill on the House Floor today. I voted for an amendment to that bill by Reps. Schrader, Wolf, Cooper, and Gibson, which reiterated the importance of a balanced framework for deficit reduction that includes both revenues and spending cuts, like the one put forward by the Bowles-Simpson commission. While I do not support every item proposed by that commission, I firmly support the need for deficit reduction that is balanced, and does not occur on the backs of the most vulnerable.”
“President Obama made it clear today that we need a long-term, big and balanced solution to deficits in order to turn off the looming sequester – reiterating the position he and Democrats have taken as we’ve faced our fiscal challenges. By indicating that he would accept a short-term agreement to delay the sequester through spending cuts and revenues, should a more comprehensive solution not be reached by the end of this month, the President demonstrated once again that he is ready to put country first and do what is necessary to avert economic disaster and allow time for Congress to work through its annual budget process.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, led a bipartisan coalition of congressional champions of immigration reform and civil rights in re-introducing the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), including Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Richard Hanna (R-NY), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Charlie Dent (R-PA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jared Polis (D-CO), David Cicilline (D-RI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Mark Takano (D-CA), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Mike Honda (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
“Today marks the beginning of Black History Month, a time to reflect on the countless contributions African-Americans have made in making the promise of America the practice of America. Having recently marked the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, we recalled the struggle of those who worked to bring freedom to millions suffering the injustices of slavery. We also remembered the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who fifty years ago shared a vision of brotherhood that caused the walls raised by a century of Jim Crow to crumble.
“Today’s report by the Institute for Supply Management reaffirms the strength of America’s manufacturing sector and its potential to keep growing and creating well paying jobs. This first report of 2013 shows that manufacturing continues to expand, helping to grow our overall economy for the 44th month in a row.
“The jobs report released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us what we already know: our recovery continues, but there is more Congress must do to help the private sector create job opportunities. With 166,000 private sector jobs added in January, more Americans are getting back to work. Yet too much uncertainty about America’s finances and our ability to invest for the future still makes it difficult for the private sector to expand and create jobs that pay well and grow our middle class.
“I am disappointed that our GDP has contracted for the first time since 2009. We ought not to be very surprised, though, as House Republicans’ preoccupation with partisan games has led to Congressional inaction that has created uncertainty for businesses and markets. Today’s news is further proof that we must resolve the differences that have so far kept Congress from reaching a big and balanced deal to reduce deficits, replace the sequester, instill certainty in our economy, and invest in creating new jobs. House Democrats are ready to do what it takes to reduce our deficits in a balanced way and to invest in growing our economy, and I hope Republicans will set partisanship aside and work with us to achieve these goals.”