House of Representatives

Federal Disaster Funds Requested in Wake of Severe Flooding

April 9, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today asked President Bush to declare fifteen southern Illinois counties federal disaster areas after severe flooding hit the area late last month.

Road closed after winter flooding, Illinois: Photo by tlindenbaum (CC)    » read more »

April 8, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor tonight to urge the passage of her resolution in support of Tibet, H.R. 1077. Below are the Speaker’s remarks, as prepared:

“Thank you Chairman Howard Berman and Ranking Member Ileana Ros Lehtinen for your bipartisan support in bringing this resolution to the floor this evening.

Mountains in Tibet: Photo by all-i-oli (CC)    » read more »

09 April 2008 -- Democratic Party leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives have announced plans to indefinitely postpone action on a free trade pact the Bush administration negotiated with Colombia.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says now is not the time for a vote on the Colombian free trade deal.

Protesters against the Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Photo by b.wu (CC)

She says she is asking House members to change the rules for consideration of trade pacts in this particular case, and remove the requirement for action within 90 days.    » read more »

April 8, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today regarding the Olympic torch relay’s planned route tomorrow through the City of San Francisco, the only city in North America to host the torch:

“The Olympic Charter states that the goal of the Olympic games should be to promote ‘a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.’

Tibet protesters during Olympic torch relay, Paris: Photo by Siobhán Silke (CC)    » read more »

April 8, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on testimony today of General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the war in Iraq:

“It is clear from today’s testimony by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker that the Iraqi government remains unwilling or unable to take the steps necessary to reach the political reconciliation needed to secure their country’s future.

“General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker made it official that the Bush Administration will not reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq below pre-surge levels. That is not a policy that appropriately reflect the enormous costs of the war in Iraq, nor what the American people want.    » read more »

03 April 2008 -- Congressional Democrats are warning U.S. Iraq commander General David Petraeus, and the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, not to attempt to minimize the seriousness of the situation in Iraq when they testify to Congress next week.

A few days before General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker appear before House and Senate committees to deliver their latest update on Iraq, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi makes clear what she hopes they will not say.

In a news conference together with the chairmen of the House committees on Armed Services and Foreign Affairs, she refers to the recent fighting in Iraq's southern port city of Basra, saying Petraeus and Crocker should not attempt to put a positive spin on events.    » read more »

02 April 2008 -- The House of Representatives has approved bipartisan legislation by a vote of 308 to 116 to provide $50 billion over the next five years for U.S. efforts to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS around the world, and fight tuberculosis and malaria. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, similar legislation is pending in the Senate.

PEPFAR

The measure extends the program proposed by President Bush in 2003 called PEPFAR (President's Emergency Program For AIDS Relief) for another five years, and goes significantly above the $30 billion initially proposed by the White House.    » read more »

April 1, 2008 -- (Washington, DC)- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring the 40th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, coming this Friday, April 4. Below are House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr.'s (D-MI) remarks, as prepared for delivery on the House floor in support of the resolution:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1187, the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Modification and Protection Act:

Seals at the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman released the following statement in response to EPA’s issuance of a final rule on lead renovation, repair, and painting:

“The new lead rule cuts too many corners. It won’t provide the comprehensive protection for children that the law requires.    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on the resignation of Alphonso Jackson as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

“The resignation of HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson comes at a time when millions of American families are facing the prospect of losing their homes.    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced a proposal by the Bush Administration to overhaul regulation of the financial markets:

"Congressional Democrats will continue to work to provide additional assistance to millions of families at risk of losing their homes, bring much-needed relief to consumers feeling the impact of the economic downturn, and ensure meaningful regulation of the financial system.    » read more »

Washington, D.C., March 31, 2008 -- The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, with Chairman Norm Dicks (D-WA) and Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), will hold its hearing on the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) Fiscal Year 2009 funding at 10:00 am on Tuesday, April 1, 2008. The hearing will be held in Room 2359, on the 3rd floor of the Rayburn House Office Building, located at Independence Avenue S.W. and South Capitol Street.    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today in honor of the 81st anniversary of Cesar Chavez’ birthday on March 31:

“Cesar Chavez championed the causes of justice and equality and inspired millions with his vision of hope and prosperity for working people. With enormous passion and dignity, he claimed for America’s farm workers the rights that must be possessed by all workers: a good job, a fair wage, and a safe workplace.
Cesar Chavez    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing:

"The Olympic Charter states that the Olympics should seek to foster 'respect for universal and fundamental ethical principles.' Sadly, the Chinese government has not lived up to its commitments to improve the human rights situation in China and Tibet. I believe the International Olympic Committee made a mistake in awarding the 2008 Summer games to China, and I sponsored a Congressional resolution expressing that view at the time.

“However, I believe a boycott of the Beijing Olympics would unfairly harm our athletes who have worked so hard to prepare for the competition.    » read more »