Instead of Working to Replace the Sequester, Republicans Ta

[admin]

Instead of Working to Replace the Sequester, Republicans Take 37th Vote To Repeal Health Care Reform

MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP

Today, I was proud to join President Barack Obama in Baltimore, Maryland on his Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour. As part of the tour, President Obama visited Moravia Park Elementary School, a Judy Center – named in tribute to my wife, Judith Hoyer, who was an early childhood educator – to highlight the importance of early childhood education. I’m pleased early childhood education continues to be one of President Obama’s priorities, and Judy Centers are an effective way to integrate early childhood education, health, and social service delivery so our students are fully prepared for kindergarten and have a healthy start.

The President also visited Ellicott Dredges, an innovative manufacturer that has created jobs in Maryland, where he announced an initiative that will help modernize our infrastructure, which is key to promoting the export of U.S. goods. I’m hopeful we can continue to take steps to help more businesses expand and create jobs through the Make It In America jobs plan that I continue to advocate in the House of Representatives.

While House Republicans should be following the President’s example by focusing on creating jobs and improving our economy, they instead chose to waste time this week on more political messaging bills. For the 37th time, House Republicans voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would remove important patient protections from millions of Americans. Even Speaker John Boehner admitted that this bill had no chance of advancing in the Senate and that this repeal vote was simply to give freshman Republicans an opportunity to vote for repeal. It’s unfortunate that the Republican led House has decided not to give Freshmen the same opportunity to vote to replace the harmful and irrational sequester. Today, House Republicans closed out the week by passing the ‘SEC Regulatory Accountability Act’. This bill undermines the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s ability to prevent fraud, waste and abuse on Wall Street and to provide important protections for American families, businesses, and consumers. Congress should be protecting the investments of hard-working Americans, not making it harder for enforcement personnel to put an end to practices that undermine a healthy and competitive marketplace.

Instead of wasting time on messaging bills and political gamesmanship, Republicans ought to be working to create jobs, going to conference on our budget and replacing our sequester. Next week, I hope that House Republicans will return with the right priorities and get to work on the serious issues confronting our country.

Sincerely yours,



STENY H. HOYER