myspace views counter
Search

Search Talk Radio News Service:

Latest Photos
@PoliticalBrief
Search
Search Talk Radio News Service:
Latest Photos
@PoliticalBrief

Entries in steny hoyer (60)

Tuesday
Jun102008

Gas rose $0.40 under Clinton, $2.60 under Bush

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D- MD) focused on the rising price of gas in his weekly sit-down with reporters. He showed a series of charts that indicated the rise in the price of gas over the last 16 years. Under the Clinton administration, Hoyer said, the price of gasoline went from $1.06 to $1.46 in the course of Clinton's eight years. A separate chart demonstrated that under the Bush administration gas has gone from $1.46 to $4.06, which is the current national average. This is the House Democrat response to the campaign against the "Pelosi Premium" pointing out the price rise under Bush instead of under Democratic majority in Congress. All of Hoyer's data came from the Energy Information Administration at the Department of Energy.

Hoyer admitted that across Congress all the energy plans being offered are mostly designed at long term relief. He said that Democrats have done their part to reduce prices by passing anti-gouging legislation and working toward regulation of speculators, but that there are very few things that Congress can do to reduce prices in the short term. In response to the Republican measures that call for more drilling and more refining capacity, Hoyer pointed out statistics that suggested that drilling in ANWR would only lead to a 1.8 cent drop in gas prices by 2030.

Hoyer also mentioned Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) introducing articles of impeachment against President George Bush, taking up a total of four and a half hours of floor time. Hoyer said that he expect this to be referred to committing with out a second read-through, effectively tabling the bill.
Tuesday
May132008

Death by peanut

She feels like she’s taking her child into a war zone, where each place has a potential for death.

It was the sentiment expressed by Rhonda Adkins, wife of country music superstar Trace Adkins, but largely echoed throughout the room by parents of food allergic children. The topic was “Five Steps Forward for Food Allergy,” held in honor of the 11th Annual Food Allergy Awareness Week. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), himself a grandfather of a child with food allergies, spoke briefly before the group, saying that it is clear that this is a growing threat to our young people, and awareness needs to increase.

Lack of awareness about food allergies is common. Most people are not aware that serious complications, such as anaphylaxis, can occur within minutes of exposure to a food allergen. Anaphylaxis can kill, because the reaction is so severe that the throat will close, and the individual will literally suffocate during an allergic reaction. Some children and adults are so sensitive to an allergen, such as peanuts, that they can have a reaction just from invisible residue on someone’s hands or from fumes floating in the air.

Such reactions are what Anne Munoz-Furlong wants to avoid. She is the founder of FAAN, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. The goal of the organization is to raise public awareness about food allergies, and during Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-17) their agenda is to promote the Five Steps Forward. School Guidelines, Food Allergy Information, Guidelines for Diagnosis, Research, and Improved Allergen Labeling, are the Five Steps Forward. Legislation is on the table for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2008, namely S. 1232 and H.R. 2063.

Cancer research gets this much money, said Kyle Ericson, a 10-year-old boy with severe food allergies, as he held his arms out as far as he could. Diabetes Type II, he said, as he shortened his arm span, not quite as much. But food allergies, he continued, putting his hands almost completely together, gets almost nothing at all. Dr. Hugh Sampson, Professor of Pediatrics and Immunology and Director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, has been researching a vaccine to help cure peanut allergies.

After identifying the three proteins that are causing allergic reactions, Sampson said, they worked on a way to “fix the peanut,” essentially creating something that may well end up being the cure for peanut allergies. Tests have been done on peanut allergic mice, and apparently, the mice are no longer allergic to peanuts after receiving the treatment. Although he is not about to state they’ve found the cure, paperwork will be submitted to the FDA in June so that human trials would be able to commence.

The largest hindrance to the challenge of food allergies, is the lack of knowledge in the average person, and money for research to learn more about the “why” of allergies. Peanut allergies in children under age five doubled in the years between 1997-2002, and there are a multitude of theories. The most common theory of late is the Hygiene hypothesis, which says that our over-clean society has actually made our immune systems weaker. A second theory, mentioned by Mrs. Jackie Clegg Dodd, wife of Senator Chris Dodd, is what is nicknamed the “Costco Theory,” stating that an overabundance of particular foods is causing the reactions.

More research is needed, said Dr. Sampson, and more money needs to be appropriated towards research. The Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Disease were the two institutions he pointed out as likely to be helpful in the search for a cure for food allergies.
Wednesday
Apr232008

Hoyer on his anger toward gas prices and his goals as a super delegate

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) held a pen and pad news briefing today, and discussed gas prices, a second stimulus package, news out of Iraq, and the role of super delegates.

Hoyer said gas prices are angering him, and that yesterday’s record high of $3.51 impacts food prices and adversely impacts consumers. He said the good news is that recovery rebate checks are to go out next month from the stimulus package to stimulate the economy. He said that though Congress and the administration are trying to do what can be done for the increasing prices, there is no “short term fix” and that prices rose because of spiked demand from China and India. He said Ben Bernake, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, says statistically it looks like our country is entering a recession, though the administration does not agree.

Hoyer said Congress is working with the administration on a second stimulus package, which will focus on the needs of families and working Americans and will address the issues of unemployment insurance, food stamps, and infrastructure. He said the timing of the stimulus package will depend on cooperation between the House and the Senate.

Hoyer also said the news out of Iraq is not as positive as anyone would like, that there is continued civil strife and that we need a change of direction, even if the administration doesn’t think it is called for. He said that the Constitution says Congress is in charge of making policy, and the administration is in denial over that. He said that a supplemental bill is necessary, and will be on the floor next week or the following week. They are still trying to decide what should be in it, but it will include support of soldiers in the field and address issues here at home.

Finally, Hoyer discussed the role of super delegates, or as he refers to them, ex-officio leaders. He said that Democrats have two very good candidates for president in Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, and that both can defeat Sen. John McCain. He said Americans want change and a different policy direction for the country. His goal is for the Democratic party to win in November, and he will declare to vote for whoever he thinks will best accomplish this objective. He said ex-officio leaders have experience and knowledge of the candidates and what constituents want, and that they were created to bring in new people, ideas, and perspectives to the decision making process, but that no one thought this election would be so close. He is against the suggestion of a “super-convention” of ex-officio leaders to talk before the national convention, but instead he is always talking informally with other leaders and his constituents. He said politics is so heightened that the media focuses on the differences between the candidates rather than their similarities and the fact that they agree on the same policy direction for the country. He said the policies pursued in the last eight years have been detrimental, and that the rest of the country agrees, as shown by the president’s approval rating.
Monday
Apr142008

Hoyer, other representatives urge union leaders to vote Democratic

The Building and Construction Trades Department held the first of its three-day 100th annual Legislative Conference with over 3,000 union leaders from around the country. President Mark Ayers addressed the crowd and introduced guest speakers, urging the audience to support whichever Democratic candidate becomes the presidential nominee and ignore the “shameless distortions, falsehoods, and fear-mongering” of the “conservative political playbook.” He claimed that “the America we know and love, the America we have and will defend, deserves better than John McCain.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) called on unions to organize for the benefit of the American middle class, citing that union membership is at its lowest since the Great Depression. He advocated inclusion of prevailing wage provisions in the Davis Bacon Act, and emphasized his approval for Congress’s recent $168 billion economic stimulus package but said he would push for more action if it proved inadequate. He also asked the crowd to stand up if they felt they were better off than they were seven years ago, and no one stood. On this note, he urged the crowd to work together to elect a candidate who would work for change.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) also addressed the crowd, and claimed that “this administration has screwed American laborers” and said that she voted against the economic stimulus package because she did not believe it was an adequate solution. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) spoke to the crowd about the need to cross party lines in order to support unions and laborers.
Tuesday
Apr012008

Hoyer: Bush is out of touch with economic reality

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) met with the press to discuss upcoming legislation and the economy. One House motion expected to come to the floor this week is the sense of the Congress in support of Georgia and Ukraine to begin actions
plans to enter the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which is currently meeting in Romania to discuss expansion of the alliance.

The economic situation was topic number one and Hoyer outlined a report that his office published using data from the Joint Economic Committee, showing economic factors since the Bush administration took office. The report notes that 1.4 million people have become unemployed in the last 7 years, manufacturing jobs have deceased 3.4 million, the median household income is down $1,000, and inflation-adjusted tuition rates are up for four-year public colleges 36.3 percent.

The report also included data reported in the news about foreclosures in 2007 being double the 2006 rate as reported by Reuters and the March 31 report from the New York Times about an all time high of 28 million Americans receiving food stamps.

Hoyer said that the Bush administration is out of touch with economic reality and said that Republican deficits are the fastest growing part of the budget.



Hoyer also took the time to weigh in on the Democratic race for president, referencing superdelegates as "ex-oficio" delegates. He said that these delegates who are elected representatives of the Democratic party should use their judgement and experience to assist the party in selecting a nominee who can win the White House in November. Hoyer said that there is a long time between when the people of his state of Maryland voted on February 12 and the convention in August and that whatever happens in that space of time should be taken into account. He said that the fact that many superdelegates are up for election also plays into their decision as they will be held accountable by their constituency for the decision they make as superdelegates.

Before leaving for the NATO summit President Bush made a statement highlighting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Columbia Free Trade Agreement as his priorities for Congress. Hoyer said that the environment has changed on FISA and that he expects that the White House and the minority appear to be more open to compromise now that it appears the Democrats have the votes for a compromise bill. Hoyer said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would like to engage the administration in talks regarding the free trade agreement before it is sent up to the Hill for votes
Page 1 ... 8 9 10 11 12