Pelosi, Democratic Leaders Remarks Today at News Conference on Legislative Accom...( WASHINGTON July 31 -- S...),Health

WASHINGTON, July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James Clyburn, Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Xavier Becerra, and Assistant to the Speaker Chris Van Hollen held a news conference this afternoon in the Capitol to discuss the New Direction Congress' accomplishments ahead of the August district work period.

Below are the Speaker's opening remarks, closing statement, and a question and answer session.

Speaker Pelosi Opening Remarks:

"Good afternoon. It's a pretty exciting week for us. Forty-four years ago this week, Medicare was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. Here we are this week in committee about to move closer to health care reform than we have ever been in history -- when we have our third committee report out the bill.

"On that note, and the note of passing renewed Cash for Clunkers and legislation -- we go home into August, to promote health care reform and to inform the public of the considerable accomplishments of this Congress, this New Direction Congress.

"Right from the start, we passed an economic recovery package -- the largest in history and in record time. 100 days later, just over 100 days later, we passed the President's budget on his 100th day in office. In between, he signed legislation -- SCHIP for children, Lilly Ledbetter for non-discrimination for women in the workplace. Our colleagues will address many of these issues more specifically.

"But we had the economic recovery act to begin with -- helping Americans save their homes, the Edward Kennedy Serve America Act -- as one end of bookends in our economic recovery package, and then 100 days later -- the budget. The President called for three pillars to turn our economy around: investments in education, in health care and a new energy policy for America.
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