Hakeem Jeffries

So, it would seem to me that the Administration is going in the wrong direction, not the right direction.

Educational and vocational programs for Federal prisoners have shown to significantly reduce recidivism.

There is approximately 15,000 Federal inmates who are on waiting lists for such programs.

The icing on this cake that has been given to us by my good friends on the other side of the aisle seems to be the $2 trillion in additional debt to subsidize the lifestyles of the rich and famous in a way that was totally unnecessary…

When some folks in this town talk about reducing mandatory outlays, that is 'Washington speak,' as Mick Mulvaney might say, for cutting Social Security and Medicare.

I am hopeful that these constant attacks on institutions important to our democracy will cease.

I find, you know, the attacks on the CBO somewhat astonishing.

The notion of trickle-down economics has been widely discredited over, and over, and over again.

When George Bush cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires in 2001 and 2003, it did not lead to explosive economic growth. We got the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

When Ronald Reagan cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires in the 1980s, it did not lead to significant economic growth. It exploded the deficit.

It matters to our democracy and is our ultimate serious responsibility as Members of Congress.

All of these bills, at the end of the day, are really just designed to be consistent with a vision for this Nation that was present at the very founding of the Republic.

Those were the words of the Founders of this great country, who recognized it was important that the creative community deserved to be able to benefit from the fruits of their labor.

I think we are charged to do as members of the Judiciary Committee, who have responsibility for all things constitutional, in the context of the music space is really just to bring to life at this moment in time Article I, Section 8…

If music has the power to bring together a conservative Republican from rural Georgia with a progressive Democrat from Brooklyn, New York, we should have the power to get something done on behalf of the music community.

I ask that you call on the parties to successfully resolve this issue once and for all, so that our parties can finally be paid fairly for their work.

I want to give special thanks to Representatives Issa and Nadler for introducing the CLASSICS Act, which protect pre-1972 recordings.

The Music Modernization Act is an important bill for songwriters, because it finally brings our laws into the digital age.

Thanks to tireless work by Representatives Collins and Jeffries, the Music Modernization Act is endorsed not just by songwriters and publishers but by digital music services.

Right now, the cards are stacked against us when it comes to rate court.

I want to thank Representative Collins and Representative Jeffries and all that you have done and that you have chosen to sponsor this bill.

For the last few years, I have been imploring the music community to come together in support of a common policy agenda.

Last month, Congressman Doug Collins and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries introduced the Music Modernization Act, H.R. 4706.

Chairman Issa and I introduced the CLASSICS Act, H.R. 3301, an updated pre-1972 provision.

Since we introduced the Fair Play Fair Pay Act, there have been a number of encouraging developments.