MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION:

MAKE CONGRESS WORK FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

By Congressman Steny H. Hoyer

St. Mary’s Today

This week people across the United States and around the world celebrated the arrival of 2007.  In addition to the traditional festivities that accompany the day, New Year’s Eve is a time to reflect on the past year and to set new goals for the coming year. 

Looking back on 2006, I see one of the least productive Congresses in our nation’s history.  Looking forward to 2007, however, I see the opportunity to achieve good things for the American people. 

In 1948, President Harry Truman labeled the 80^th Congress “The Do-Nothing Congress” because of its meager accomplishments.  Over the past two years, I often called the 109^th Congress the “Do-Less-Than-Do-Nothing Congress” because it was in session even fewer days than Truman’s Do-Nothing Congress – 110 days compared to 102 days.

The 109^th Congress was marked by gridlock due to partisan bickering and disagreements within the governing Republican Party, resulting in few accomplishments for the American people.  Unfortunately, Republicans were essentially unwilling to reach across the aisle to work together with Democrats to get things done.

With the close of the 109^th Congress in early December, Congress had failed to address important issues: increasing the minimum wage, enacting immigration reform, implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, and passing a 2007 budget. 

The Congress also failed to pass nine of the eleven annual appropriations bills that are required to fund government agencies. 

On November 7^th, the American people sent a resounding message to Washington when they elected Democrats to a majority: Americans want an end to the partisan bickering and gridlock. 

Democrats intend to deliver the change that America demanded when we assume control of Congress this January.    

First, we will change the way that business is done in Washington by restoring civility and integrity to our legislative process, and transparency and accountability to our government. We also will reach across the aisle and seek bipartisan consensus whenever possible.

In fact, we have already made one significant change – we have brought back the five-day work week.  Instead of the Tuesday to Thursday schedule of the Do-Less-Than-Do-Nothing Congress, Congress will work harder for the American people by keeping the House in session Monday through Friday most weeks.

Next, in the first 100 hours of the new Congress, we will focus on key issues for the American people.  We will implement the rest of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, raise the minimum wage, and cut in half the interest rate on federal loans for college students.  We will also repeal tax breaks for big oil companies and use the money to invest in renewable energy, authorize the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare patients, and pass a bill to expand stem cell research that could help millions of sick Americans.

In addition to our first “100 hours” agenda, we will work with the President and our Republican colleagues to forge a new direction in Iraq because our current strategy is clearly not working.

My own New Year’s resolution is to work hard to ensure that these goals are met in the new Congress, as well as to cultivate a culture of civility and respect in the U.S. House of Representatives.  I hope that all my colleagues will join with me in pledging to create a more fair and honest discourse in the 110^th Congress, making the House of Representatives a civil and bipartisan body.  If Democrats and Republicans work together, Congress will be more productive in conducting the business of the American people. 

Democrats are acutely aware that we have a responsibility to produce results. We intend to heed the words of John F. Kennedy, who said: “Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.  Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past.  Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.”  In 2007, Democrats resolve to seek the right answers for our nation and to accept our share of responsibility for the future.