House Democrats continued their crusade against adjournment with a display on the steps of the Capitol today, as Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that the party “proudly” vowed to stay in session.
The lower chamber took its last vote scheduled before the November election today, approving the Stop the War on Coal Act.
“We are prepared to stay in session to pass President Obama’s jobs bill, which can create more than one million new jobs immediately, pass a five year farm bill – 16 million agricultural jobs depend on it, extend middle income tax cuts to provide certainty for millions of Americans and help our economy. And to pass a comprehensive and balanced bill to address our fiscal concerns – to say to the world that we can get the job done, that we can work in a cooperative manner to reduce the deficit, to create growth, to create jobs,” Pelosi proclaimed.
“We’re here standing together to recognize that since August 3rd, when Congress adjourned, and November 14th, when we’re being called back into session, we will have been in session only eight days. That’s just not right. Democrats are prepared to stay until we get the job done. That’s what we’re elected to do – to get the job done!” she said to cheers from Democratic caucus members.
Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Calif.) said this week has seen “a convulsing end to a dismal Congress.”
“Instead of wasting time on partisan messaging bills, as we’ve done this week, Republicans ought to have used this time to consider the Senate’s bipartisan farm bill,” he said. “…Shame on them for abandoning our farmers, our economy, and families who need us to act.”
“We will deal with the farm bill after the election,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters yesterday.
Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) panned yesterday’s vote against Obama’s waiver of welfare work rules, saying “the only requirement for work is that Republicans stay here and work instead of cutting and running.”
Democrats on the steps chanted “work, work, work” in response.
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