Hoyer Remarks at Annual International Association of Fire Fighters Legislative Conference

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) delivered remarks at the annual International Association of Fire Fighters Legislative Conference this afternoon and met briefly with members from Maryland that are attending the conference. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

"Good afternoon. I am honored to join you today and to salute your extraordinary work.

"As chair of the Congressional Fire Caucus, it has been the privilege of a lifetime to get to know so many of our nation's outstanding professional fire fighters.

"Since its founding nearly a century ago, the International Association of Fire Fighters has been the voice of tens of thousands of American heroes, who have dedicated their careers to protecting our communities and responding to disasters wherever they strike. Your courage is matched by your professionalism and dedication.

"Americans nearly universally understand the sacrifices you make and the risks you endure when on the job. But all too often the difficulties you face are overlooked.

"Like other middle class workers across the country, fire fighters support families and seek opportunities to secure a place in our middle class. Not only for yourselves, but for your children and grandchildren. That's why the IAFF has been standing up for the pay and benefits you deserve and why it has been an important member of the labor community that, united in solidarity, is fighting for important changes that will help more workers access the American dream. 

"That dream has always been predicated on the promise that if you work hard and take responsibility for yourself, you ought to be able to find a job that pays well, provides solid benefits, and allows you to access middle class opportunities. Among those opportunities are homeownership, access to affordable health care, a good education for you and your children, and a secure retirement.

"Democrats in Congress have worked to defend and enhance these opportunities since even before the IAFF was founded, and we will continue to keep faith with the working men and women of this country.

"This work has become critically important in the 113th Congress, as Republicans, dominated by the tea party faction, have taken their opposition to workers' rights and middle class opportunities to the extreme.

"While refusing to allow Democratic Make It In America job-creating legislation onto the Floor, House Republicans have wasted time on partisan, messaging bills that would erode workers' right to bargain collectively, that would repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act, and that would slash funding for education and job training programs.  

"Instead of creating opportunities, their policies would erode those our workers already have and make it harder to secure a place in the middle class. Democrats, on the other hand, are pushing forward with an ambitious agenda focused on opportunity and growth.

"In addition to the job-creating legislation we have introduced through Make It In America – some of which already has secured bipartisan support – we are also continuing to demand that Congress raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, because nobody who works a full time job in this country should have to live in poverty. Raising the minimum wage is expected to help lift the incomes of millions of workers, including many who are earning above minimum-wage incomes.

"At the same time, Democrats support investments in making higher education more affordable for working families and improving our public schools. 

"The health reforms we enacted in 2010, which are now coming fully into effect, make it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against women, to deny coverage to you if you have a pre-existing condition, or to set annual or lifetime limits on your care.  You can cover your children up to age twenty-six on your insurance, and 80% of your premium dollars must be spent on providing care. Republicans who control the House of Representatives have wasted time with fifty-one votes to repeal or undermine the law that grants those important patient protections.

"The stakes for America's workers could not be higher, and 2014 will be a critical year in determining the direction this country takes.

"Will we elect a Congress that protects workers and the hard-won victories of the labor movement?

"Will we expand opportunities for our middle class by investing in education, job-creation, and a sustainable future for programs like Social Security and Medicare? 

"Or will we have another ‘Do-Nothing Congress' that doesn't understand how hard you work and what it will take to help you and your family fulfill the promise of the American dream?

"That is the fundamental question this year, and it is a question you have a chance to help America answer through your involvement and your energy as concerned citizens.  America relies on you to keep our communities safe from the most deadly disasters. This year, the American people need to hear your voices and know where you stand. 

"You know where I stand. I will continue to stand with you, just as I have throughout my career.

"One of my proudest achievements in Congress was being an early advocate for the Assistance For Firefighters Grants program.

"In addition, I was glad to be on the front lines of the effort to get waiver authority for the SAFER program, which enables firefighters who are laid-off due to budget cuts to get back to work and let them do the jobs they trained for.

"And for those who lose their lives in the line of duty, making the ultimate sacrifice to protect their colleagues and their communities from a deadly fire, I have worked to ensure their families receive the benefits they deserve through the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program.

"You are an example of what is best about America, and Congress ought to stand alongside you, in spirit, on that fire line.

"I look forward to continuing our work together to make sure that is always the case, and I thank you for everything you continue to do – not only for the communities you serve but for the cause of America's workers, for opportunity, and for our shared American dream."