*Economic Opportunity

Today, a bipartisan group of Representatives introduced H.R. 1059, the Russia Sanctions Review Act. 

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor today on how President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 Budget can help address the everyday challenges of Americans living in poverty. 

This year marked another year of work to raise awareness among Members and the public of the ongoing crisis of poverty in our nation.

I thank the gentlelady from California for yielding. No one in this House more than Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been focused on how we lift those in poverty out of poverty, into the middle class. 

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, chair of the Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity, released the following statement today on a report by the White House Council of Economic Advisors on nutrition assistance:

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today on the Congressional Budget Office's monthly budget review for September, the final report for FY 2015. The review showed that the federal government ran a deficit of $435 billion in FY 2015, the smallest deficit since 2007:

We’re here to send a strong message by Democrats in the House and Senate and by Americans across the country that sequester – that’s a complicated word that I tell people starts with ‘S,’ which stands for stupid – must be replaced. The sequester harms our economy and our national security.

Twenty-five years ago, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law.  

I applaud the proposed rule announced today to raise the overtime eligibility threshold so that more American workers can bring home the higher wages they have earned. 

This week, the House will vote on H.R. 1806, House Republicans’ partisan bill to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act. Unlike the original bill in 2007 and the reauthorization in 2010, which both passed with strong bipartisan support, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 was reported by the Science Committee on a party line basis and has no chance of being signed into law.

I am proud to cosponsor a bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020. 

Last year, financing from the Export-Import Bank supported hundreds of thousands of jobs and over $27 billion in U.S. exports, but several House Republican leaders are ready to let its charter expire on June 30.

Yesterday, Democrats in the House and Senate introduced the Raise the Wage Act to raise the federal minimum wage to $12.00 by 2020. 

Wanted to be sure you saw today’s Republican quote of the day – from none other than Speaker John Boehner –  highlighting the critical role the Export-Import Bank plays in strengthening our national economy and creating jobs for hardworking Americans. We hope this means he’ll let the House work its will on this issue and bring a bill to reauthorize the Bank’s charter to the Floor for a vote:

I was proud to sign a discharge petition today that would force a vote on the Promoting U.S. Jobs Through Exports Act, which would reform and reauthorize the Export-Import Bank for an additional seven years.

With the Export-Import Bank set to expire on June 30, the pressure to reauthorize the Bank – and protect the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports – continues to grow. However, it doesn’t seem as if House Republican leaders are fazed by the impending deadline – and in fact, they’re ready to let it pass without action:

I am deeply disappointed by comments from Republican House leaders in support of cutting off export financing from the Export-Import Bank. 

This week, Republicans are negotiating an unworkable budget agreement that disinvests in our nation's long-term economic growth and makes it harder for working Americans to get ahead. 

I was proud to be on hand for today's hearing by the Congressional Progressive Caucus on wage stagnation.

Today, on Equal Pay Day, we rededicate ourselves to the task of ensuring that working men and women have equal access to the opportunities that allow them to achieve the American Dream.

I’m pleased to join with Rep. Rosa DeLauro and other House Democrats to reintroduce the Paycheck Fairness Act today in the 114th Congress, and I thank Senator Barbara Mikulski for reintroducing it in the Senate. 

The House Democratic budget proposal unveiled today by Ranking Member Van Hollen is a responsible alternative to Republicans’ short-sighted proposal to disinvest in America’s future while pursuing a strategy of selective sequestration. 

This week, House Republicans unveiled their budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2016. Congress should be making the tough choices needed to grow our economy and expand middle-class opportunities for American families, while promoting fiscal responsibility.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I rise in very strong opposition to this resolution, and I urge every one of my Members to oppose this resolution.