WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Chair of the Regional Leadership Council (RLC), joined the twelve RLC leaders during a Special Order Hour to discuss an update on implementation progress around the country and the Investing in America agenda. Below is the transcript of his remarks and a link to the video:
Click here to watch full remarks
“Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, we once again see, have seen the Majority party unable to govern. [The] defense bill was scheduled today, and apparently, the Majority party cannot get its act together and so we’re not considering the defense bill today. Unfortunately, the Republicans seem to be frozen by their own dysfunction. “It is interesting that we have scheduled today to show the work that the 117th Congress did that is making such a positive effect today in America. Today, we ought to reflect on what Democrats accomplished by standing together last Congress with some bipartisan support. The 117th Congress was one of the most productive in American history, because Democrats united behind a common cause — Investing in America —making us stronger, safer, healthier, and more competitive in the 21st century. “Now the historic investments we made to create jobs, lower costs, and build the economy from the bottom and middle out are coming to fruition. Conveying the scale of these laws’ positive impact on our country is no easy task, especially in a single hour — and we do not expect to do it in this hour alone. We can look at the past 32 months of consecutive job growth in America, however. We can point to the 13.5 million new jobs, including 800,000 new manufacturing jobs in the last two and a half years, added to our economy under the Biden-Harris Administration. The previous administration, by comparison, Mr. Speaker, added 500,000 manufacturing jobs to the economy in the first three years, before the pandemic. “Indeed, we created more jobs in two years than any prior administration has added in a single four-year term. “We pushed the unemployment rate to a generation low— with more Americans working today than at any point in our nation’s history. Rather than stalling out into recession, our economy continues to boom, because Democrats put People Over Politics to Invest in America. “Goldman Sachs just put out a report estimating that we will see another 200,000 manufacturing jobs in the next two years alone. That makes a million new manufacturing jobs, incorporated in what will then be a 15 million new jobs accomplishment. With inflation threatening to eat into more take-home pay for working Americans last Congress, Democrats stepped up to pass policies to reduce costs, raise wages, and create jobs. “The results are now in — it worked. “And it’s still working. Wages continue to go up, inflation continues to go down, and our economy continues to grow at a steady pace. There are many factors at play, Mr. Speaker, in the global economy, but we owe these strong economic trends in no small part to the laws we enacted in the last Congress. “Economic strength alone, however, doesn’t capture all that these laws are accomplishing for the American people. The best way to understand how these laws are transforming our nation, for all Americans, is to meet Americans where they are - to hear firsthand how these policies are making a difference in their lives and the lives of their families. “This year, Mr. Speaker, members of the Regional Leadership Council, appointed by Democratic Leader Jeffries, have had those conversations with countless Americans at schools, hospitals, union halls, small businesses, VA clinics, farms, and factories across the country. “We have also sought to identify further funding opportunities, implement these policies, and inform the public about how they can access these programs and opportunities. “Mr. Speaker, tonight we want to show Americans how their tax dollars are building a better future for their families and communities. We’re working with Democrats to ensure that those investments reach every community in every corner of the country. “And we look forward to working with Republicans to do the same. It doesn’t seem to be your focus, their focus right now, but maybe it will be. “All Americans deserve to feel the impact of these policies, whether they live on the quietest country road or the loudest city street. Because Investing in America, Mr. Speaker, means Investing in all of America. “Over the next hour, the Members of the Regional Leadership Council will detail our implementation progress and show how the Investing in America agenda is changing lives. I will now turn over to my colleagues and I yield first to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Soto.”
