Press Release
WASHINGTON—Today House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, House Administration Committee Ranking Member Bob Brady and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers convened a meeting of Members and representatives from youth, student, and voting organizations. The discussion focused on the escalating attempts to prevent students and young people from casting ballots this November. In state legislatures across the country, there has been a significant rise in laws designed to hinder access to the ballot for students, minorities, seniors and other groups. If nothing is done about these new restrictions, thousands of those eligible young voters will be turned away from the polls.
“After thirty-four consecutive months of robust growth, our manufacturing sector contracted slightly in July for the second month in a row, a sign we must do more to help manufacturers invest in new products, expand into new markets, and grow for the future. But manufacturing companies are hampered by a deepening sense of uncertainty created by the lack of a serious effort by this Congress to enact comprehensive jobs legislation and make the investments we need in out-educating, out-innovating, and out-building our overseas competitors.
“Today, for the first time in history, the United States Postal Service is set to default on its obligations because House Republicans refuse to take action on bipartisan postal reform legislation. The Senate passed a bill, by a bipartisan vote of 62-37 in April, that could have prevented default and preserved the Postal Service. Unfortunately, as we head into the August district work period, House Republicans refuse to address this matter at all and are once again walking away from the American people on a critical issue.
“Today, for 47 million women, the Affordable Care Act is opening new doors to quality, affordable, and accessible preventive care. No longer will insurance companies be able to charge co-pays for a host of preventive services, including HIV screening, well-woman visits, gestational diabetes testing, contraception, and domestic violence counseling. This is one of the many provisions of the Affordable Care Act that makes it easier for women and their doctors – and not insurance companies – to make health care decisions.
“Once again, Republicans are playing politics with women’s health care. This bill, which would place new restrictions on women seeking reproductive health options in the District of Columbia, is the latest attempt to drive Americans apart on wedge issues at a time when we ought to be coming together to tackle the challenges we face together as a nation. It is yet another messaging bill that would never pass the Senate or be signed into law.
“Forty-seven years ago today, Medicare brought the promise of affordable health care for Americans over age 65. Since that day, Democrats have defended that promise and worked to strengthen Medicare for future generations. The landmark Affordable Care Act has lowered out-of-pocket costs to beneficiaries by making a range of preventive care services free, and it increased the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund by eight years.
“Today’s Mid-Session Review by the Office of Management and Budget tell us what we already know – that we must get our deficits under control. The way to achieve that is by pursuing a big and balanced deficit reduction solution this year, as both the President and House Democrats proposed in our budgets.
“I applaud President Obama for continuing to make a strong U.S.-Israel relationship a cornerstone of his foreign policy. Today’s signing of the U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act into law, which I was proud to cosponsor, reaffirms the bipartisan nature of support for Israel in our country and in Congress.
“This morning’s report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis that our GDP growth slowed to a 1.5% rate last quarter shows the need for Congress to act to get our economy moving in the right direction. But instead of passing comprehensive jobs legislation or middle class tax relief, House Republicans have wasted time this year on partisan, political message bills.
“The Senate’s passage of a tax cut extension for middle-class families and nearly every small business in America must be a signal to House Republicans that they can no longer hold middle class tax relief hostage in return for tax breaks for the wealthiest 2%. After yesterday’s vote in the Senate, House Republicans are now the only ones standing in the way of keeping tax rates low for earnings up to $250,000 – something that should be done without delay.