Do-Nothing Congress

DO-NOTHING CONGRESS -- (House of Representatives - July 26, 2006)

(Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, the Republican do-nothing Congress is unwilling to tackle the issues of importance to the American people. At a time when hardworking Americans are finding it more and more difficult to make ends meet, at a time when a weak economy is creating very few jobs, at a time when gas prices are at record levels, the Republican do-nothing Congress has frittered away scarce time on meaningless and divisive proposals that were never even intended to become law.

No wonder the American people are so disgusted with Washington. There is so much that this Congress should be doing, and yet the House Republicans refuse to act. We could raise the minimum wage for the first time in 9 years and give 7 million Americans a pay raise.

We could give the Federal Government the ability to negotiate prescription drugs on behalf of America's seniors in order to fill the gap in coverage that millions of seniors will soon face in their drug coverage. We could finally go after Big Oil and guarantee the American consumer is not to be gouged at the pump.

Mr. Speaker, there is a lot we could do. The problem is Republicans are out of ideas. It is time we lead America in a new direction.

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