Yesterday marked the end of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. For 18 years, it forced thousands of servicemen and -women from our Armed Forces and discouraged countless other patriotic Americans from enlisting. The policy…

We need to put people back to work, and it is past time that this issue is finally getting the national attention necessary to get something done. As we work to finally enact a jobs plan, we should be investing not only in our workforce…

I recently heard from a long-term care facility in my district that is set to build an additional location, creating over 100 construction jobs and increasing the number of seniors able to receive quality care. The financing was in place…

I move to strike the last word. The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Massachusetts is recognized for 5 minutes.

Unless this Congress takes action on August 2, our Nation will stop paying our bills because we refuse to come together and take shared responsibility. These bills pay for policies already purchased, such as the wars in Afghanistan and…

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…

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Massachusetts will be postponed. Amendment No. 6 Offered by Ms. Brown of Florida The…

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 have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 4, strike the closing quotation marks and second period at line 19, and after line 19 insert the…

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…

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…