House Democrats Mark 100 Days of Fighting For The People
Today marks the first 100 days of the House Democratic Majority, and I am proud of the progress that House Democrats have made on our For The People agenda. In the first 100 days, we have passed a comprehensive government reform package and have worked to address economic issues that working families are deeply concerned about.
Democrats promised to restore our democracy and return to a government that is for the people. We passed H.R. 1, the For The People Act, which is comprehensive government reform legislation that puts power back into the hands of the American people. This legislation seeks to end the influence of dark money in politics, puts in place national redistricting reform, strengthens ethics for public officials, and makes it easier for Americans to exercise their right to vote. We will continue to urge the Senate to take up and pass this legislation so we can renew the American people’s faith that government can be a force for good.
At the same time, we are taking action on the economy. We acted to raise wages by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act, which will help close the wage gap and ensure equal pay for equal work. We are advancing legislation to increase the minimum wage and to promote retirement security. In addition, we are holding hearings on infrastructure and looking at ways to rebuild America, which will support job creation and raise wages.
We are also working to address health care and prescription drug costs. We have voted to defend the Affordable Care Act in the courts and to condemn the Trump Administration’s sabotage of the law, which undermines protections for people with pre-existing conditions and raises health care costs. In the coming weeks, House Democrats will also vote on legislation to strengthen the ACA and make coverage more affordable. We are also holding hearings on the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs and intend to bring legislation to the Floor to address this issue.
In addition to those priorities, we passed a bipartisan comprehensive background checks bill to prevent gun violence and a five-year VAWA reauthorization over the last few weeks. I am urging the Senate to take up both of these bipartisan priorities and send them to the President’s desk for his signature. The House and Senate have also passed a Yemen war powers resolution as well as a bill to prohibit the U.S. from withdrawing from NATO.
The Democratic Majority is delivering on our promises in our first 100 days. I look forward to continuing to advance legislation to lower health care and prescription drug costs; create jobs and expand economic opportunity; address climate change; protect Dreamers and individuals with TPS and DED status; restore voting rights; advance the Equality Act; and tackle other priorities of the American people. As we move ahead, the House Democratic Caucus is united in working together to ensure all families can make it in America.
Sincerely yours, Steny H. Hoyer P.S. Please invite your friends and family to sign up for this newsletter to learn about what House Democrats are doing to lead America in a new direction. You can also get the latest updates and join the conversation on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.
DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE
On 100 Days of Fighting For The People