Campaign

Yesterday I attended a Labor Day picnic in Hapeville, Georgia, where I met with local labor leaders and working families to celebrate the American worker and share concerns regarding the future of American labor.

American workers face unprecedented competition from abroad, a domestic economy in flux, and an Administration and Congress that have been wholly unsympathetic to their needs. Working families, who are the backbone and keystone of our economy, are pinched by high gas prices, exorbitant healthcare expenses, and stagnant wages.

As we navigate these complicated times, we must not neglect the very real and pressing needs of the American worker and working families. I hope you'll join me in honoring them. As we move forward, we must remember to defend and stand with those upon whom we – and the whole world – rely.

While the cost of Medicare will inevitably continue to grow, we must ensure that taxpayer dollars are well spent and that health care will become affordable. That's why, when elected, I will fight to require Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower drug prices and close the coverage
gap known as the 'donut hole.' Curt Weldon has taken $62,000 in donations from the pharmaceutical and health product industry for his campaigns as well as $144,000 from insurance companies. It comes as no surprise that the giant drug companies are funding commercials thanking Curt Weldon; they've raked-in billions in profits as a result of the Bush/Weldon Medicare D plan at the expense of local seniors. It's ironic that these ads have aired just as an untold number of Pennsylvania seniors are facing the coverage gap known as the 'donut hole.'

This Labor Day, there should be no confusion for Republicans as to why Americans are fed up with their economic policies and are looking for a change.  A recent Census Bureau report shows that 37 million Americans are living in poverty, and the number of those living in the category of extreme poverty has risen sharply.  The data also reveals that income from earned wages fell in 2005 when compared to 2004.  This is the second straight year in a row that wages have dropped for men, and the third consecutive year wages have fallen for women.

In simple terms, the report shows that more families are living paycheck to paycheck, unable to save for college for their kids or afford health insurance.  Americans are increasingly concerned that the American dream will not come true for their families and that their children will not have it better than they did.

Democrats believe that hard work should be rewarded with fair pay, and one way to ensure that is by increasing the minimum wage.  Congress has not raised the minimum wage since 1997 and, consequently, it is at its lowest level in fifty years (when adjusted for inflation).  A full-time minimum wage worker earns only $10,700, which is dramatically below the poverty line for a family of four.

The time has come for Congress to raise the minimum wage.  Democrats believe that an increase from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour over two years is a reasonable increase.  In the wealthiest nation on earth, it is simply unconscionable that hardworking Americans do not make enough money to meet their families most basic needs.  Democrats are committed to a new direction for our country that will raise the minimum wage and bring Americans who work hard and play by the rules out of the grip of poverty.

This Labor Day, politicians across the country will make speeches and release statements praising the efforts and sacrifices American workers have made to our country. They will talk about the debt we owe American workers and their families, and about respect and gratitude for those who form the backbone of our economy. They will make promises, shake hands, and they will stand before crowds to celebrate Labor Day.

But when they return to Washington, and when it comes time to vote, many of these same Representatives will forget the promises they made and their words of gratitude. What matters most is their actions, not their words. Will they raise the minimum wage? Will they protect pensions? Will they stand up for workers' rights? Will they do what they can to stop outsourcing and the flow of jobs overseas? Will they vote against trade agreements that are neither free nor fair, like CAFTA or the Oman Trade Agreement? Or will they block a fair vote on the minimum wage, sit on their hands while executives with golden parachutes cut promised benefits, and endorse policies that reward corporations for shipping jobs overseas?

President Bush continues to claim the economy is strong and getting stronger. And maybe it is - for those at the top. But American workers haven't seen the benefits. Median salaries are shrinking, the number of uninsured is climbing, and despite this "stellar economy," Americans who work full time can't make ends meet. This week, the Census Bureau released the 2005 data on income, poverty, and health care. It confirmed what American families already know -- that Americans have not fared well over the first five years of the Bush Administration. Since Bush took office, there are 5.4 million more people in poverty, 6.8 million more without health insurance, overall median household income has declined by $1,300, and wages as a share of income this year are at their lowest level since at least 1928. Read more...

In my 31 years of military service, I was charged not only with defending this country but also its freedoms. If my time in the Navy taught me anything, it was that we serve in this all-volunteer military to defend Americans' freedom to think as they please, and to say what they think, even if they disagree with their leaders. A democracy is based on freedom of expression, and those who join the military do so to fight, if necessary, the wars which defend that freedom-hoping that our use will be to a wise end.

Whether President Bush or Secretary Rumsfeld likes it or not, these freedoms include the right of Americans to dissent with its government and to demand change. The military serves our country; those ultimately responsible for our military, our citizens, not only have the right-they have the duty-to speak up about what is occurring in Iraq and its impact upon America's security. That is what being a citizen in a democracy is all about.

This is particularly true when our citizens see so many failures in how this Administration has conducted the war. For someone like Secretary Rumsfeld to compare critics of the Bush Administration's Iraq policy to those appeasing Nazis before WWII is reprehensible. That is why I am running on a belief formed from 31 years in the service of our country: That whenever America has looked itself in the national mirror at a time of great challenge, it has said 'we are better than this,' and we have acted in the best interests of our citizens. I call on Curt Weldon to join me in challenging those who insult our values in this manner.

Another speech – another missed opportunity to level with the American people. Almost five years after 9/11, America is less safe and more divided because of President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld. Enough with slogans and staged speeches calculated to divide here at home while things get worse in Iraq, Afghanistan, and across the Middle East. No more rhetoric while Osama bin Laden is on the loose, homeland security is under funded and our borders are porous. No more speeches from an administration that has shortchanged our soldiers and our veterans. We need leadership that is better at destroying terrorists than it is at talking about terror for political gain.

At this point -- two months before an election, and staged in a hotly contested congressional district -- Senator Allard's immigration hearing is nothing more than an obvious attempt to use taxpayer money to help his party.  This is particularly ironic since the Senate Budget Committee is charged with being a watchdog for taxpayers.
The time for informative field hearings was last year, before the House and Senate passed bills.  At this late stage, field hearings look more like a cheap political stunt than an honest attempt at crafting legislation.  There is too much talking and not enough action on immigration reform.  Both the House and Senate have passed legislation and now it's time to get to work on a compromise bill.

I arrived in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon as part of a 28 Member delegation organized by the Democratic Caucus Katrina Task Force.  This is my second trip to the Gulf Coast region since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck last year.  In March I joined several of my colleagues on a tour throughout the region, and I was overwhelmed by the extent of the devastation and moved by the resiliency of the people I met there.  I was determined to return to the Gulf Coast region to observe the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and to witness the progression of the recovery process first hand.

On Sunday my colleagues and I joined local officials at the Watson Memorial Teaching Ministries for a dinner and prayer service hosted by Governor Kathleen Blanco, Mayor Ray Nagin and the Louisiana Congressional Delegation.  This powerful ceremony was a vivid reminder of last year’s tragic events and set the tone for our Katrina anniversary visit.
On Monday morning we were briefed on the New Orleans rebuilding and recovery status by several officials.  We then embarked on an extensive tour of the City with the Louisiana National Guard and the Army Corp of Engineers.  Following our tour, we traveled to Mississippi to view the destruction and recovery process there.  Monday concluded with a town hall meeting in Bay St. Louis that focused on the difficulty residents experienced in collecting insurance money following the storm.

The past two days have been very intense and emotional, but I appreciate the opportunity to be here and see with my own eyes the monumental tasks that still abound.  Monday in particular was an unforgettable day, mostly because of the wonderful people who took the time to meet with me.

Shelbie Oppenheimer wants to see her daughter grow up.

Yes, politics and policy can sometimes be that simple. People on the campaign trail often comment on how hard it must be to run for office. They ask me: why put in the hours? Why shake the endless hands? Why meet the countless folks?

The answer is simple: the chance to meet – and one day help – courageous people like Shelbie.

Shelbie lives just outside of Philadelphia in New Hope, with her husband and eight year old daughter Isabel. A little over a decade ago she noticed a slight twitch and weakness in her left hand. Like most of us, she didn’t think too much about it. A few months later, she noticed the muscles in her hand had deteriorated further, so she and her husband sought medical advice. After a barrage of tests, she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - a fatal disease that will eventually leave her unable to walk, talk or breathe.

She was 28 years old. Read more...

Yesterday, my campaign launched a research website that details the flawed legislative record of Rep. Mike Ferguson. I hope people will visit the website to learn the truth about Mike Ferguson’s positions on issues like Iraq, prescription drugs, stem cell research, and a woman’s right to choose. The voters in the 7th District in New Jersey are beginning to recognize how out of touch Mike Ferguson is with their concerns. Visit the website, and you will see what they are coming to realize about Mike Ferguson and his disturbing record in Congress.