Press Conference with the House Democrats - The One-Year Anniversary of the Democrats' New Direction

Statement

Press Conference with the House Democrats - The One-Year Anniversary of the Democrats' New Direction

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REP. HOYER: Good morning, America! (Cheers, applause.) Welcome.

One year ago the American people looked at Congress, and here's what they saw. They saw a rubber stamp for the Bush administration. They saw complacency, corruption, cover-up. They saw an institution failing to respond to the priorities of Americans.

Those days are over. (Cheers, applause.) They're over because the American public hoped for, prayed for and then voted for a new direction for America.

Today, one year later, the Democratic majorities in Congress are delivering on our promise to lead this nation in a new direction, as our speakers today will attest -- Americans from throughout this country, challenged every day and pleased that the Congress of the United States has heard their cry.

We have passed legislation that strengthens our national security, that grows our economy and makes us more competitive, that addresses the needs of our families and our communities, that preserves our planet and weans us from our dependence on foreign oil, and that restores accountable, open and transparent government.

Our Republican colleague Ray LaHood remarked just a few months ago, and I quote, "they," referring to the Democrats, to the speaker, to the leadership and to all these great members. He said this: "They can send their members home crowing about their accomplishments, and they've done it in a bipartisan way, which is exactly what they promised to do." (Cheers, applause.)

We are proud that our record of achievement includes more than 90 pieces of major legislation, nearly 70 percent of which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. But let no one be mistaken. This event is not simply a celebration of what we have done, but it is a reaffirmation of our pledge that continues to the American people. We can, we will and we must continue to fight for their priorities.

And we recognize that our work is not finished, that this Do- Something, New Direction Congress has been blocked far too often by a do-nothing president and his Republican congressional accomplices. Stopped on stem cell research, on funding for education, on funding for health care for our veterans and men and women in uniform. Stopped on environmental cleanup, stopped on public safety and national security. Stopped on providing 10 million American children with the health care that was promised to them by the president of the United States. (Boos.)

Boy, let's get with it, troops. I want to hear it. (Laughter, cheers.) And the president has consistently -- consistently -- refused to follow the Congress's lead to change his flawed and failing policies in Iraq. (Applause.)

Today -- today, America, we commit to you, the American people, that Democrats will never, never, never stop fighting for your priorities and for a greater America.

And now I am honored to present to you the leader of the Congress of the United States, an historical figure, the first woman speaker in our history, but more importantly than that, an individual who is focused on families, on veterans, on communities, on police officers, on firemen, on workers in America, and she wants to make their lives better. Ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. (Cheers, applause.)

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