Fri, 4 May 2007 14:47:19 -0700 (PDT) From: "Speaker Pelosi"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: House Call -
Standing Firm #message { overflow:auto; visibility:hidden }
May 4, 2007 Standing Firm in Our
Commitment to Ending This War
Let there be no mistake: Democrats are committed to ending the war in Iraq.
This week, Congress sent a bill to the President that supported our troops,
honored the sacrifices of our veterans, and held the Iraqis accountable. It had
the support of a majority in the Congress and the support of the American
people. We hoped the President would treat this crucial legislation that would
wind down this war with the respect it deserved. Instead, the President vetoed
the bill outright, calling for a continued blank check for his failed policies
in Iraq.
Despite the President's veto, Democrats are committed to finding a new
direction in Iraq to bring our brave servicemen and women home safe and soon.
And we will not give the President a blank check.
We will not support an open-ended commitment to a war without end. This
Congress will work with the President to find common ground on a bill that
supports our troops, restores accountability and winds down this war.
Watch Speaker Pelosi on the House floor urging an override of the Presidents
veto>>
Military leaders against the Presidents veto>>
Caring for our Children by Re-authorizing Head Start
This week, the House passed the Improving Head Start Act which will improve
classroom and teacher quality by raising the qualifications of teachers,
increasing funding for salaries and professional development, and using the
latest science to focus on school readiness.
This bipartisan bill expands Head Start, which is a highly-successful,
research-based, comprehensive child development and early education program for
both low-income children, from birth to age 5, and their families. This bill
will help more children arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed by improving
program quality and expanding access to more children.
After years of inaction, this bill reauthorizes Head Start through 2012. The
previous authorization expired in 2003, yet due to a stalemate, the 108th and
109th Congresses failed to complete a final Head Start authorization bill to
send to the Presidents desk.
Head Start has served our most vulnerable children and families extremely
well for more than 40 years. Children in the program enter school better
prepared than low-income children who do not attend the program; they also
experience IQ gains and are more likely to graduate from high school. These
children and their families receive comprehensive educational, family support,
health and nutritional services that enable them to do well in school and in
life. Head Start has been proven to work; this bill will make the program even
better at providing all of our children the chance to succeed.
Watch House floor debate on the Improving Head Start Act>>
Encouraging Growth in Science and Technology
This week, the House passed the National Science Foundation Authorization
Act, H.R. 1867, and the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation
Act, H.R. 1868. These bills are part of House Democrats bold Innovation
Agenda, and crucial to supporting innovation and competitiveness through
improved basic research, science and math education, and technology development.
The National Science Foundation Act will keep the National Science Foundation
on a 10-year doubling path, establish a pilot program of grants for new
investigators doing higher-risk research, and encourage relationships between
academia and industry. The Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation
Act (H.R. 1868) is the first full reauthorization of the National Institutes of
Standards and Technology since 1991, authorizing $2.5 billion for fiscal year
2008-2010.
The National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and
Technology have made important contributions to our nations research and
competitiveness. Supporting both efforts is a step forward in fostering
Americas innovation, scientific research, and leadership in an increasingly
competitive global economy.
Learn more about the bills>>
Preventing Hate Crimes
Yesterday, the House passed the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1592, to
close gaps in current federal hate crimes law, and provide resources to help
state and local law enforcement agencies prevent and prosecute hate crimes.
Hate crimes have no place in America - no place in a nation where we pledge
every morning 'with liberty and justice for all.' All Americans have a
fundamental right to feel safe in their communities. We all remember the brutal
murders of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming and James Byrd in Texas because we know
that these bias-motivated murders impacted us all. Yet, hate crimes continue to
be widespread and persistent: More than 113,000 hate crimes have been
documented by the FBI since 1991. In 2005 alone, there were 7,163 reported hate
crimes.
This bipartisan bill will help combat hate crimes committed against persons
because of their race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual
orientation, gender identity, or disability. In our country we take pride in
saying that we moved to end discrimination of all kinds. This week, the House
took a step forward in ending discrimination and the violence of hate crimes.
Watch House floor debate on the Hate Crimes Prevention Act>>
Watch Democratic leaders speak in support of the bill>>
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo
House Democrats will join with Americans and the people of Mexico in
celebrating the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth
of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at the
Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is, in part, a regional holiday celebrated in the
Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, but it
is also celebrated in other parts of Mexico and in the United States.
Increasingly, in this country, Cinco de Mayo is also a celebration of the
rich cultural heritage Hispanics have brought to the United States. Hispanics
brought with them music, art, language and tradition that have become integral
to American culture.
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo >>
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