Joe Pitts: “I was disappointed to read last week a Roll Call story entitled ``Democrats Feel Cocky After Big Speech.'' It said…”

“I was disappointed to read last week a Roll Call story entitled ``Democrats Feel Cocky After Big Speech.'' It said basically that House Democrats feel it is going to be ``their way or the highway going into November.'' When Mr. Hastert became Speaker a year ago, he gave a speech in the House that reached out to our Democratic colleagues offering to meet them halfway, and that he expected them to meet us halfway. Now the Democrat leadership seems determined that there will be no legislative progress this year, preferring to sit idly by. The Speaker said, ``Stalemate is not an option. Solutions are.'' The American people want us to pay down our debt, they want us to give relief from the marriage tax penalty, to ban the raid on Social Security, to renew inner cities and to provide seniors with affordable prescription drugs. Madam Speaker, I hope the President will reject the foot-dragging tactics of the House Democrats and work with us. I am disappointed they do not want to work, by their own admission, in behalf of a productive agenda.”