Today is a dark day in America. I share in the anger and deep concern felt by so many Americans following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a drastic and dangerous assault on women’s rights and bodily autonomy and on the will of Americans, who broadly oppose the reversal of Roe. This draconian decision overturns decades of settled precedent and will impact the rights of millions of vulnerable Americans. House Democrats will not waiver our efforts to restore the protections that Roe v. Wade offered to women in America and guarantee the right to reproductive freedom.

House Democrats acted today to save lives and reduce gun violence, sending a historic gun violence prevention package to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. I was honored to bring the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to the Floor as Majority Leader and to vote for its passage. This legislation contains commonsense provisions supported by a bipartisan majority of Americans, including ‘red flag’ laws that empower law-enforcement officers to keep guns out of the hands of people at risk of using them to harm themselves or others, and closing loopholes that allow ‘straw purchasers’ to traffic firearms to those who cannot bear them responsibly. This bill is a step forward – but it is not enough. I will continue to advocate for the Senate to take up House-passed gun safety legislation including comprehensive background checks and the provisions contained within the Protecting Our Kids Act.

For more than a decade, my colleagues and I have worked to promote access to educational and entrepreneurship opportunities and infrastructure necessary to give American workers and businesses the tools they need to get ahead in today’s economy through the Make It In America agenda. I was pleased to stand alongside my House Democratic colleagues to announce a fourth pillar to my Make It In America agenda focusing on supply chain resilience. Through commonsense policy recommendations to bolster the resilience of American industries and reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains, we can address our economy’s long-term needs while easing inflation and bringing down costs for working families. During our press conference, we urged House and Senate conferees to reach agreement on a bipartisan innovation bill that will help ensure American workers and businesses have the tools they need to Make It In America. I look forward to bringing this bipartisan, bicameral agreement to the Floor as soon as it is ready.

Sincerely yours,

Steny H. Hoyer

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DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE

On the Supreme Court’s Decision Overturning Roe: