Frank Pallone: “as the time runs out on the Congress, it is important to keep in mind that the Republican Congress has been a failed…”

“as the time runs out on the Congress, it is important to keep in mind that the Republican Congress has been a failed Congress. The Democrats are putting out a report today called A Failed Republican Congress, Partisanship Instead of Progress, and it details how Republicans have spent a lot of time driving their partisan agenda, but very little to help the American people. Mr. Speaker, Republicans have failed to act on the critical kitchen table issues that Americans really care about. We have had no managed care reform, no bill to reduce class size and modernize schools, no action to safeguard the surplus for Social Security, no bill to reduce teen smoking, no bill to reform our campaign finance system and no bill to increase the minimum wage for working families. Republicans have let down the American people. It is time for a new direction. Congress needs to put the public interest ahead of partisan politics. There is still a few days left here. I think we should see some action on HMO reform, on education initiatives and on safeguarding Social Security. So far we are seeing nothing.”