Post by bot on Oct 29, 2015 1:54:58 GMT -5
Hoyer Remarks at Working Families Day of Action Forum
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) delivered the following remarks today at a forum for “Working Families Day of Action,” where he joined Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott, House Democrats, and advocates to discuss issues critical to helping working families get ahead. Below is a transcript of his remarks:
“First of all, let me thank all of you for being here. As you probably know I asked [Rep.] Barbara Lee to head up a Task Force. It’s called the [Democratic Whip’s] Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity, the premise being that if we are lamenting the shrinkage of the middle class, the only way we’re going to grow the middle class is to bring those who are not in the middle class into the middle class.
“One of the ways we are going to do that is under the ten bills on the [Working Families] agenda that has been set forth by this group. And there are other bills as well. We have a hearing tomorrow, for instance, on the Make It In America agenda that I talk about. But they are all focused on making sure people can get into the middle class, stay in the middle class, or rise above – in terms of income – the middle class and have an opportunity to be all they can be, which is what all of you are talking about.
“I wanted to congratulate you, Congressman [Bobby] Scott. We are so pleased that he is the Ranking Member [of the Education and Workforce Committee]. We’re going to be even more pleased when he is the Chairman.
“I want to thank you all of you… I know many of you, [and] I know that you are working on behalf of the issues that are being discussed here, which are certainly good for the individuals about whom will be the recipients of [these policies], whether it’s taking care of pregnant women or raising the minimum wage or workforce equality or protecting gays, lesbians, transgender [individuals] – the LGBT group. Obviously, to the extent that we protect each individual, we will do better as a society.
“I tell people these bills are not just for those who may be the recipients. They are for my three children, my three grandchildren, and my three great-grandchildren, because it will make their country fairer and more productive. And that’s what this is about, and that is what we have to convince our Republican [colleagues] about: investing in making sure that we have workplace equality in terms of pay, certainly, but also in terms of the ability to take off [work to care for] a sick child, things of that nature – [that] will benefit us all. So, Congressman Scott, thank you very, very much.”