Post by bot on Jun 14, 2014 9:37:52 GMT -5
House Democrats Announce Additional Make It In America Legislation, Urge Action on Critical Priorities
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
This week, the House considered the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. While the bill included several positive provisions, I opposed it because it substantially underfunds important housing and transportation priorities, including tenant-based Section 8 rental assistance and Amtrak. I was also disappointed that House Republicans brought permanent, unpaid-for tax extender bills to the Floor this week, which are fiscally irresponsible, add to the deficit, and undermine the ability to enact comprehensive tax reform. Rather than move forward with an irresponsible, piecemeal approach to these tax provisions, we ought to be working on a bipartisan basis to make the tough choices necessary to accomplish comprehensive tax reform.
On Wednesday, I hosted a press conference with House Democrats to announce new legislation being added to the Make It In America jobs plan, which aims to strengthen American manufacturing and bring jobs back home. The Make It In America plan enjoys broad support from labor, businesses, economists, and others because of its common sense approach to supporting job creation, encouraging innovation, and expanding opportunity for the middle class. The Make It In America plan is a unifying agenda, and I hope Republicans will work with Democrats to pass Make It In America legislation and support the creation of well-paying, middle-class jobs.
In addition to jobs legislation, it's time for House Republicans to take action on a number of issues that the overwhelming majority of Americans support. It has been almost one year since the Senate passed its bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill, and as of this week, the number of Americans who have lost emergency unemployment insurance has reached three million. Yet, House Republicans refuse to act on these issues, as well as legislation to increase the minimum wage and protect voting rights. I hope that in the coming weeks they will change course and work to address the priorities that the American people strongly support.
Sincerely yours,
STENY