Support Wall Street Reform

Floor Speech

(Ms. HIRONO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, we need Wall Street reform. The collapse in the value of securities as a result of Wall Street's conduct caused our Nation's economic crisis. While Americans struggle to find work and to pay their mortgages, Wall Street continues to pay huge bonuses and to focus only on their profits.

Janet Orcutt of Kailua, Oahu, shared her story with me recently. Last August, Janet's son-in-law lost his job in this bad economy. This led to her daughter and son-in-law losing their home. Now her daughter, son-in-law, and 5-year-old grandson live with Janet and her two teenage children. With everyone living with them, Janet and her husband have had additional costs, which they charge to their credit cards. Each month, they fall farther behind.

Janet said, ``We middle-income Americans are suffering while powerful Wall Street financial companies lobby against financial reform.''

I share Janet's anger. Without reform, the current system will continue to harm the well-being of families like Janet's. The House has passed Wall Street reform. It is high time that the Senate does likewise.

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