America Needs a New Direction

For too long the Republican Congress has ignored America’s families and has catered to large corporations and the wealthy. My Democratic colleagues and I believe it is time for a New Direction in America – an era where the Congress focuses the agenda on the priorities that families care about most, like keeping our nation secure, providing for our military personnel and veterans, fighting for healthcare, making education for our children affordable, and increasing the minimum wage. House Democrats will lead the way with a Democratic Majority.

With a Democratic Majority…

• With Democrats in charge, we will fully implement the bipartisan 9/11 Commission proposals to secure America’s borders and ports. We will hire additional Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and fund additional detention beds to end the policy of “catch and release.”

• With Democrats in charge, we will double the size of Special Forces to capture Osama Bin Laden and destroy terrorist networks like al Qaeda.

• With Democrats in charge, we will ensure our military has the resources, equipment and training to succesfully conduct their operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and continue their reputation as the best fighting force in the world.

• With Democrats in charge, we will keep our promise to America’s veterans by providing them with adequate healthcare and benefits.

• With Democrats in charge, we will extend healthcare coverage to millions of uninsured Americans nationwide and fight for real prescription drug coverage for seniors, not multibillion dollar giveaways to pharmaceutical companies and HMOs.

• With Democrats in charge, we will make college education affordable for all Americans. We will cut college costs, make college tuition deductible from taxes, expand Pell grants and cut student loan costs.

• With Democrats in charge, we will ensure a dignified retirement for our seniors by preventing the privatization of Social Security while expanding savings incentives and ensuring pension fairness.

• With Democrats in charge, we will get our fiscal house in order and stop leaving a debt for our children and grandchildren. Under the Bush administration, we have gone from record surpluses to record deficits. It is time for fiscal priorities that don't include mortgaging our nation's financial future on the backs of America’s children.

• With Democrats in charge, we will fight to help working families by raising the minimum wage and repealing tax giveaways that encourage companies to move jobs overseas.