Niki Tsongas

Last summer, we all saw the painfully disorganized and ineffective response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The frustration was palpable across our country. During that tragedy, it was clear that BP and the Federal Government had…

I thank my colleague for bringing this issue up. The June 18 notice to lessees is a great first step toward having worst case scenario containment and cleanup plans. But a notice to lessees is not the same as legislation. It is not…

My Republican colleagues have put forth spending proposals that they assert promise savings. But deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and the discretionary budget really just shift those costs onto seniors and children. I have heard from…

Last year, I heard from a single father from Haverhill, Massachusetts, who put his life savings into purchasing a home. After a reduction in his salary forced him to modify his mortgage, his servicer stopped returning his phone calls, lost…

We cannot afford to turn our backs on hard-working Americans and those who want to work during these difficult economic times.

I believe the commission's approach should serve as a model as the Committee crafts its budget: everything must be on the table.

The choices that lie ahead of us are not easy. They require a more honest assessment of the challenges that face our country than the House has engaged in thus far this year.

It is my intention to withdraw, however reluctantly, the amendment. But I would like to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for giving me this opportunity to discuss what I believe is a critically important issue for our…

I join my colleagues today in recognizing the 75th anniversary of Social Security. Social Security has provided basic economic security for generations of Americans. A woman from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, a city that I represent, recently…

2.5 million Americans have lost their unemployment benefits--more than 33,000 of them in my home State of Massachusetts. I have heard from many of these struggling families. From Chelmsford: ``My UI benefits have just run out. A UI check…

I rise in support of the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act and the accompanying manager's amendment. This bipartisan legislation supports the ongoing efforts of our Armed Forces to keep our country safe, to maintain our…

I rise today in support of the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010. I applaud the efforts of my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee and believe we have made a real step forward in improving the acquisition process, a process beset…

Last week I met with a small business owner from Concord, Massachusetts, who showed me several months of his credit card statements. Due to a 1-day late payment after years of on-time payments, his credit card company increased his…

I rise today because our health care status quo simply does not work for older women and must be changed. The rising cost of health care and the lack of access to essential medical services is a problem for millions of Americans throughout…

Some of the most egregious insurance industry practices in our health care system disproportionately harm women, and this needs to change. Under the current system, women pay more and get less and often are denied care. If a woman is of a…

As an original cosponsor of this resolution, and a member of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, I rise today in order to voice my heartfelt congratulations to the people of Greece on the 189th anniversary of their independence…

Americans have long demanded reliable consumer protections for goods and services. Much as snake oil cures, flammable children's sleepwear, and lead toys were once commonly found in the marketplace, predatory lending, hidden fees, and…

I have introduced two bills, H.R. 784 and H.R. 785, to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services for our veterans.

The purpose of the modernization is to give veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq access to the education and job training tools that they will need to achieve the American dream they risked so much to defend.

This bill will help this Congress perform our oversight role, and it will help the VA use its limited resources to effectively care for our veterans.

I care deeply about the health of our Nation's cities. Cities, large and small, are our Nation's economic engines, and their well-being is critical to the prosperity and well-being of all Americans. Our cities generate wealth and economic…

today I will proudly vote to override the President's veto of a bill to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program, for the second time. This bill provides coverage to children whose families cannot afford private insurance and would…

just 2 weeks ago today, tens of thousands of residents from the Fifth Congressional District of Massachusetts supported my candidacy because they wanted to make sure that all our children have health insurance. Two days later, I began my…

It is my great honor to be part of this most remarkable institution. My race was about a lot of things. But as we approached the end, it was so valuable to me to be able to say that I want to come here and have my first vote cast to be…