Archive: 2009

“Today the House took another step toward better protecting the taxpayer with the Pay for Performance Act. This legislation adds new compensation and bonus restrictions to financial institutions that receive direct investments from the Treasury Department and applies these limits regardless of when the company agreed to pay a bonus.”

“The New Direction Congress is the guardian of a promise President Lincoln made to our nation’s veterans 144 years ago when he pledged, ‘to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan…”

By a vote of 247-171, the House passed the Pay for Performance Act this afternoon. This legislation amends the executive compensation provisions of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to prohibit unreasonable and excessive compensation and compensation not based on performance… Continue

Today, the House passed H.R.1804 – legislation that makes further progress in ending the Military Families Tax, which unfairly penalizes surviving spouses of service members who have died as a result of service-connected conditions. Chairman Skelton: Speaker Pelosi: The New Direction Congress… Continue

“Cesar Chavez taught us that dignity and sacrifice can inspire a people and bring about change. He famously believed that ‘to suffer for someone in greater need was human.’ It is this belief, along with his struggle on behalf of America’s farm workers, that makes Cesar Chavez an American hero.”

“Just one month ago, in his address to Congress, President Obama called upon Congress to pass legislation ‘to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations.’ Today, The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act is on its way to his desk to become law. I congratulate Chairman George Miller for crafting this bipartisan legislation and for his commitment to getting it passed quickly.”

“As elected officials, our first responsibility is to protect the American people — whether in their homes, their neighborhoods, their communities, or to protect our country as a nation. This is not possible without the heroic courage of our public safety officers in our country.”

“The Making Work Pay tax cut will put more money in workers’ paychecks each week, helping to jumpstart our economy and provide some much-needed relief to Americans who are having a difficult time making ends meet. Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act one month after President Obama took office, giving workers across the country one of the fastest tax cuts in our nation’s history.”

“With its vote tonight, the House seized an opportunity to strengthen and protect the freedom of the press that has served our nation so well. By passing long-overdue media shield legislation, the House is helping to protect this First Amendment right that is a cornerstone of our democracy and a principle that we cherish and promote around the world.”

Last week, President Obama outlined a comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. This morning, the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on understanding and engaging regional stakeholders in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Witnesses included: Wendy… Continue