Press Release
My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the devastating storms and tornadoes that have struck the southern United States. I offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the more than 200 people who have lost their lives. We are all struck by the images of devastation brought by these storms. President Obama moved quickly to declare a state of emergency in Alabama, which enables federal support for disaster relief efforts so that the affected communities can begin to recover and rebuild. I encourage all the members of these communities to take safety precautions against further severe weather. Though this is a time of grief for so many, I know that Americans have proud tradition of coming together to rebuild in the wake of disaster, and I know that this time will be no different.
Tomorrow, we mark Earth Day, a day to remember our responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for future generations. The environmental movement symbolized by Earth Day has led to cleaner water, cleaner air, and a healthier landscape for millions of Americans. And just as Earth Day has inspired us to confront pollution of our air and water, I hope it will also remind us of our responsibility to confront carbon pollution and global warming.
One year ago today, the explosion at the Deepwater Horizon Oil rig tragically took the lives of 11 people and touched off what would become the largest oil spill in our nation’s history. One year later, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and with all of those whose livelihoods have been affected in the Gulf Coast. We also reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that a tragedy of this magnitude never happens again and to holding those responsible fully accountable for their actions.
I am pleased to hear that the U.S. and Panamanian governments have resolved outstanding issues around the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, and are ready to take the next steps to advance this agreement. Panama remains a close and important ally in Latin America, and this Agreement will further strengthen our relationship. It will also open doors for American exports, which will help create more American jobs.
Budgets are about values and priorities – and the Republican budget makes the wrong choices, financing tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans on the backs of seniors and the disabled.
"In recent days, we have seen starkly contrasting budget plans. The plans put forward by President Obama and House Democrats are balanced approaches to getting our country out of debt while protecting investments in job creation and the future of our economy. But the Republican plan has a higher priority than balancing the budget or investing in our future or looking out for working families—its highest priority is cutting taxes even further for the wealthiest Americans...
...Current law already forbids federal dollars from funding abortion. But in pursuit of a divisive social agenda, Republicans also voted to defund Planned Parenthood, which would cut off the crucial services it provides to millions of women, including cancer screenings and blood work...
...I will vote for this resolution. I don’t agree with everything that is in it. The priorities in this resolution are not my priorities. But we have reached agreement...
On the whole, my belief is that this measure should pass. We must keep the government open, and it is time to move on and address other pressing issues like job creation and the budget for next year...
“Today, Republicans mark 100 days in the House majority. During that time, they have pursued divisive social issues, passed bills that have no chance of becoming law, introduced a budget that would end Medicare as we know it and threatened Americans with a government shutdown. But there is one thing that Republicans have failed to do: they have failed to even consider a single bill to create jobs...