Kendrick Meek: “Thank you so very much. And as we speak, there are those in the Capitol dome trying to make sure that children's health…”

“Thank you so very much. And as we speak, there are those in the Capitol dome trying to make sure that children's health care gets its fair share from this country of ours. I would just like to share with the Members some of the good things that are happening under the Capitol dome. We have passed, Mr. Speaker, a number of measures that have been bipartisan and major as it relates to legislation. The 9/11 Commission recommendations are something that the House and Senate both passed, and that was signed into law. The largest college aid expansion since the 1944 GI Bill saved, on average for every student, I would say almost every American because, as it relates to college loans and student loans, the responsibility for paying many of those loans back fall back on parents and grandparents. So that's $4,400 in interest that the American people don't have to pay. The first minimum wage increase in a very long time, double-digit years, was passed by this Congress. And it was because of the Democratic leadership and some of our friends on the Republican side that voted for the passage of that bill that we now have an increase in the minimum wage. Innovation Agenda to promote 21st century jobs, passed by this House, signed into law. The Reconstruction Assistance Program for gulf coast disasters and hurricanes was passed and signed into law.”