we often hear that the American people have a negative opinion of the job we do here in Congress. In fact, recent polling indicates that 53 percent of the country disapproves of the way Congress handles its job. In a recent CNN poll, 71…

in discussing the collapse of his retirement plan and pension plan, United Airlines pilot Klaus Meyer said, ``I call it legalized crime. I lost almost all my United stock value in the bankruptcy, and another part of the retirement I was…

a few weeks ago, this Congress approved an additional $82 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is on top of the other $220 billion that we had appropriated, raising the total cost of this war to more than $300 billion. If…

we have a tax system that is needlessly complicated and burdensome to the middle class. It is time for fundamental tax reform that reflects the values and the interests of all Americans, not the special interests. When President Bush…

today in the Committee on Ways and Means we are holding a hearing on tax reform. We have a tax system that is needlessly complicated, inequitable, and burdensome to the middle class. We need fundamental tax reform that reflects the values…

yesterday the President said, ``Those who obstruct reform, no matter what party they are, will pay a political price.'' Ironically, it is the President's insistence on privatization of Social Security that is slowing retirement reform…

for millions of Americans their retirement has become less, not more, secure. Part of the problem is that we are not saving enough. Half of all Americans do not participate in employer-sponsored retirement plans, and for 28 million…

as we continue debating the future of Social Security, it is important to remember for more Americans they cannot save enough for their retirement. In fact, over half of all Americans do not participate in employer- sponsored retirement…

this week, the Senate finally passed the latest of the Iraq war supplemental funding. The $82 billion package brings the war's total cost to date, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, to $300 billion. This month will be the 2-year anniversary of…

today we are given a stark reminder of what is at stake in this debate about Social Security. Yesterday, United Airlines unloaded their pension plan for their 100,000-plus employees onto the taxpayer, resulting in benefits being cut up to…

in the past few months and days, a constant stream of headlines has opened the public's eye to the relationship between lawmakers and lobbyists and what goes on in this town and how we make our laws. Professional lobbyists have become a…

a constant stream of headlines in recent weeks has opened the public's eye to the all too cozy relationship between lawmakers and professional lobbyists. Professional lobbyists have become a virtual ``back office'' for Congress, serving as…

last Sunday marked the 2-year anniversary of President Bush's now infamous ``Mission Accomplished'' speech aboard the USS Lincoln. Tomorrow the House of Representatives will vote on another $82 billion for the Iraqi conflict and…

last Sunday, May 1, marked the 2-year anniversary of President Bush's speech abroad the USS Lincoln, the ``mission accomplished'' speech. So what have we accomplished in the last 2 years? Saddam Hussein's regime has fallen. Yet today we…

it used to be said that what is good for GM is good for the country. Well, things are not so great for GM. What does that say about America? Their cars are not selling because they face skyrocketing health care costs that put them at a…

today on the front page of USA Today's business page, there was a headline, ``Pharmaceutical Industry Goes Furthest to Sway Congress.'' Last year the pharmaceutical industry spent $158 million, just last year, to lobby Members of the…

there is a simple test this energy bill should pass. Is big oil going to see their largess before the American people see relief at the pump? The answer's yes, and that's exactly what's wrong with this legislation. It isn't a bill written…

at the President's second inaugural, last January, he said, ``A few Americans have accepted the hardest duties in this cause, the dangerous and necessary work of fighting our enemies. We will always honor their names and their sacrifice.''…

another major security breach involving the personal ID theft of 180,000 GM and MasterCard credit card holders should wake up Congress to deliver tough national standards for protecting Americans against ID theft. But this recent outbreak…

I would like to pick up on a point the gentleman made of what we hear from our constituents. That is this notion that people are just trying to be honest and just trying to do something that is honest. The fact is we all know the sense of…

The truth is, over the last 5 or 6 years pharmaceutical products have gone up somewhere close to four times, three times the rate of inflation. And every one of us know people in our district who go to get their prescriptions filled. They…

this country is dangerously close to a real biological crisis. Yesterday we learned an American company mailed a deadly avian flu strain to 37,000 laboratories in the United States and around the world as part of a routine test kit. The…

yesterday the President visited the Bureau of Public Debt and promptly announced ``There is no Social Security trust fund, just a bunch of IOUs stacked in an old filing cabinet.'' Well, that may be an old filing cabinet to you, Mr…

On March 19 we will begin our third year in Iraq. The brave men and women of our armed forces have fought proudly, and have served proudly. After extended tours of duty, many are finally coming home to their families. Following every major…

In every major war since the Revolution, the United States Congress has acknowledged our returning veterans for their service and sacrifice. In this proud tradition, last weekend I announced a Welcome Home G.I. Bill for the veterans…