This Republican Rubber Stamp Congress

As this Republican Rubber Stamp Congress prepares to come to a close, our last real opportunity to get things done has been squandered. Republicans have failed to bring the minimum wage to the floor for a fair vote. They have failed to present a plan for our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have failed to make college more affordable. They have failed middle class Americans, working families, and the legacy of this great nation. But they have succeeded in their primary goal. They have succeeded in blocking any reform, any action, any legislation that would bring meaningful change to the American people.

The Republicans flaunt their “record” on national security and Iraq, but their actions during the 109th Congress show their ineptitude on these issues, their inability to face facts, and their failure to take action. Instead of holding the Administration accountable for wasteful spending and poor strategic decisions, the Republican Congress blindly follows the President’s slogan of “stay the course.” The truth behind their rhetoric is that they have no plan for Iraq.

Although the National Intelligence Estimate states that the war in Iraq is hindering our overall efforts in fighting terrorism, the Republican Congress refuses to face the facts.  It’s been five years since 9/11, yet not one person who has been directly responsible for the attacks has been prosecuted and punished.  The Republicans’ answer?  Pass a bill that is likely to be ruled unconstitutional, further delaying justice. This Republican Congress has failed to act on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. They have allowed the glaring deficiencies identified by the Commission to remain, leaving us critically vulnerable to the terrorist threat. As a result, our nation is not as safe as it should be.

This week marks the anniversary of the Republicans’ Contract with America. They promised fiscal responsibility; they gave us record deficits. They promised to take back our streets; they eliminated the COPS program and cut funding for first responders. They promised to restore the American Dream; they refused to raise the minimum wage, putting the basic survival needs of millions of American families out of reach.

This pattern of abuse and neglect is the Republican modus operandi. It’s the way they run things. It’s what they do. And on behalf of American families, we must put a stop to it.

House Democrats stand against adjourning Congress today. The people’s business is too important to put off any longer.