A letter spearheaded by GOP Policy Committee Chairman Thad McCotter (R-MI) — signed by 19 Catholic House Republicans including Republican Leader John Boehner – was sent last night to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) asking her to correct the record regarding her comments on abortion on NBC’s Meet the Press. The letter, attached in full here, asks Pelosi to correct the record:   

“To reduce the scandal and consternation caused amongst the faithful by your remarks, we necessarily write you to correct the public record and affirm the Church’s actual and historical teaching that defends the sanctity of human life.”

In a Seattle Times column today entitled “Iraq Buildup Succeeds, Brian Baird Still an Outcast,” Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) speaks about his support for the surge last year:

“‘We ought to just say that it worked. People were understandably skeptical of the administration at the time. But we have to acknowledge reality. Do you stay with a political position because it’s popular even if it doesn’t square with the facts?’”

“Baird’s view is that if ‘the people in our party advocating for an immediate withdrawal of troops last year had gotten their way, it would have been disastrous for the U.S.’”

On the response from his Democrat colleagues, Baird said:

“‘After all that extraordinary outrage directed at me, not one person has called me up and said ‘Hey, Brian, it looks like you might have had a point after all,’ said Baird, in Denver for his party’s national convention this week.”

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House Republicans have wrapped up Day 19 of the GOP’s historic energy protest.  Following are a few more excerpts from our members today: 

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA):

“Every day American family and businesses send $170 million to Hugo Chavez.  Day after day, 365 days a year.  The US is the only country not developing its own resources.  Somehow we have to send $170 million a day to Hugo Chavez.  Lord only knows what we send to the Saudis.”

“France uses 80 percent nuclear energy for their electricity.  Nuclear power is the safest, cleanest way to generate power.  Of all the technologies in the world for energy, this is one that was developed right here in America.  And it’s being used safely throughout the rest of the world.”

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA): 

“In 150 years the world has used one trillion barrels of oil since oil was first drilled in Pennsylvania in the 1850s.  Under the Rocky Mountains, we have about two trillion barrels.  We can go after those reserves in an environmentally safe way.  We have the technology.” “When Speaker Pelosi took over she promised the most open Congress in history.  Never did we think we’d have the least productive and the most closed Congress in history.  Out of 300 bills, 105 are to rename post offices.  We have not dealt with the issues that are important.  We have not dealt with energy.  When Americans decide to act, they want action.  And poll after poll show intense support for using our own resources.”

Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL): 

“I flew on Southwest Airline today to get here today.  The other day they announced they were cutting back 600 flights a day.  Why?  Because of high fuel prices.  That means job losses for ticket takers, baggage people, stewardesses, and pilots.  All we’re saying is that’s not good.”

Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA): 

“I am from a regular family in York, Pennsylvania,…I paid off my last school loans as a member of Congress, and to think that I have the privilege to represent 700,000 of my fellow citizens goes to show that we truly are the land of opportunity, but to remain that land of opportunity we need to vote on a  comprehensive piece of energy legislation that will provide long term solutions instead of short term relief.”

Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI):  

“Americans deserve better than nothing out of Congress. They deserve to have their employees here working…these are the four things we want: Maximum American Energy production, responsible conservation, free market innovations, and a plan to transition off of fossil fuels…You cannot tax, regulate, and give money to pet projects, out of this energy crisis. We need more production. China and India are competing with us for limited, scarce resources while we sit on top of our own.”

House Republicans have wrapped up Day 19 of the GOP’s historic energy protest.  Following are a few more excerpts from our members today:

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA):

“Every day American family and businesses send $170 million to Hugo Chavez.  Day after day, 365 days a year.  The US is the only country not developing its own resources.  Somehow we have to send $170 million a day to Hugo Chavez.  Lord only knows what we send to the Saudis.”

“France uses 80 percent nuclear energy for their electricity.  Nuclear power is the safest, cleanest way to generate power.  Of all the technologies in the world for energy, this is one that was developed right here in America.  And it’s being used safely throughout the rest of the world.”

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA): 

“In 150 years the world has used one trillion barrels of oil since oil was first drilled in Pennsylvania in the 1850s.  Under the Rocky Mountains, we have about two trillion barrels.  We can go after those reserves in an environmentally safe way.  We have the technology.” “When Speaker Pelosi took over she promised the most open Congress in history.  Never did we think we’d have the least productive and the most closed Congress in history.  Out of 300 bills, 105 are to rename post offices.  We have not dealt with the issues that are important.  We have not dealt with energy.  When Americans decide to act, they want action.  And poll after poll show intense support for using our own resources.”

Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL): 

“I flew on Southwest Airline today to get here today.  The other day they announced they were cutting back 600 flights a day.  Why?  Because of high fuel prices.  That means job losses for ticket takers, baggage people, stewardesses, and pilots.  All we’re saying is that’s not good.”

Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA): 

“I am from a regular family in York, Pennsylvania,…I paid off my last school loans as a member of Congress, and to think that I have the privilege to represent 700,000 of my fellow citizens goes to show that we truly are the land of opportunity, but to remain that land of opportunity we need to vote on a  comprehensive piece of energy legislation that will provide long term solutions instead of short term relief.”

Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI):  

“Americans deserve better than nothing out of Congress. They deserve to have their employees here working…these are the four things we want: Maximum American Energy production, responsible conservation, free market innovations, and a plan to transition off of fossil fuels…You cannot tax, regulate, and give money to pet projects, out of this energy crisis. We need more production. China and India are competing with us for limited, scarce resources while we sit on top of our own.”

Rep. George Radanovich (R-OH): 

“We fought this fight all summer and come August 1 the House breaks for its traditional recess, the mics go dead, the cameras go off and the lights go down … This do nothing Congress leaves town with the lowest approval ratings in history, this shows that the Speaker of the House should have heeded our warnings to schedule a vote on the American Energy Act, an act which would have an immediate impact in lowering the price of gasoline.”

Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH): 

“I’m retiring in November, I’m not here for any political gain, I’m here because I care about the future of our country…that future is based on energy and securing our supplies for the future.  The resources of the Outer Continental Shelf belong to you, the people of the United States, and for the past 27 years this body has denied you of what is yours.”

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) reading excerpts from constituent letters: 

“We have now cancelled our life insurance policies, and we have scaled back our car insurance…we now buy the essentials just to conserve money to cover the cost of energy” …  “It’s killing us financially, we won’t be able to have air conditioning because our energy bills are already over $300 a month.” “We’ve cancelled vacations and my husband works on his off days to pay for our energy costs…now he doesn’t get to spend much time with our family.” “…Madam Speaker, do you know what is unique about these letters?  Unfortunately nothing, every member of Congress is hearing the same concerns from their constituents all across the country.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX): 

“We’ve heard people say that this is a political stunt, well the lights are off, the cameras are off and the mics are off…this is the worst place in the world to hold a Political Stunt, but I see this as the Boston Tea Party, we had to make a stand where a stand needed to be made”.

“I lost almost 7,000 jobs in my district near Lufkin, Texas because a Canadian Natural Gas Company realized that it was cheaper to produce Natural Gas in Canada…I’m tired of losing jobs to other countries when we could develop our own resources here at home.”

Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA): 

“I was driving through the district the other day when my son said ‘look Dad gas is down to $3.37 per gallon’ like that was some sort of a good thing … Short term relief is not a long term solution, that’s what we’ve been fighting for the past few weeks, months and the last couple of years.  We’re here to stand for an ‘all of the above’ energy plan that will create relief in the long run”.

House Republicans are here in Washington, D.C. for Day 19 of their historic energy protest.  Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats adjourned the House on August 1 for a five-week break after blocking a vote on the “all of the above” energy reforms the American people want.  GOP members participating in Day 19 of the protest include:

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY)
Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI)
Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA)
Rep. George Radanovich (R-OH)
Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH)
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA)
Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)

From House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers:

Today, United States District Judge John Bates denied the Administration’s request for a stay of his July 31 ruling that no White House official is immune from Congressional subpoena. The effect of the denial of the stay is that Harriet Miers must appear and testify before the House Judiciary Committee regarding her role in the politicization of the Department of Justice, including the firing of U.S. Attorneys in 2006. The Judge’s July 31 order also requires the White House to produce unprivileged documents on this subject and a reasonable description of any documents being withheld on grounds of Executive Privilege. In denying the stay, the Court observed: “Simply calling an issue important . . . does not transform the Executive’s weak arguments into a likelihood of success” on their appeal. (Memorandum Opinion at 4.)

Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) released the following statement regarding the court’s decision:

Today’s ruling clearly rejects the White House’s efforts to run out the clock on the Committee’s investigation of DOJ politicization this Congress. I am heartened that Judge Bates recognized that the public interest in this matter is best served by the furtherance of the Committee’s investigation,” Conyers said. “The Committee intends to promptly schedule a hearing with Ms. Miers and stands ready as always to consider any reasonable offer of accommodation with the White House.

Today, the Census Bureau released a report on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage. Despite a small increase in 2007, real median household income is still below that of 2000, and the number of people living in poverty grew to 37.3 million last year, up from 36.5 million last year. Other findings include:

The number of Americans living in poverty grew to 37.3 million (12.5 percent) in 2007, up from 36.5 million in 2006, and despite improvements over the past three years, real median American household income is still below that of 2000.

The number of Americans without health insurance totals 45.7 million — even though the percentage of Americans without health insurance did fall from 15.8% in 2006 to 15.3% in 2007. That improvement is only due to the government health care programs of Medicare and Medicaid, which Democrats created and have always championed and which Republicans continue to try to slash. Indeed, employer-provided health insurance and other private health insurance continued to erode in 2007.

Today’s economic news from the Census covers 2006-2007 and does not take into account the consequences of the economic downturn that began late last year. Since January, the number of American jobs has dropped by 463,000 and the unemployment rate has climbed to 5.7 percent — the highest level in more than four years. Real earnings have decreased by 3.1 percent over the past 12 months.

Speaker Pelosi released the following statement on the report:

Today’s Census report confirms that the economic worries of American families are all too real and underscore the urgent need for a New Direction on the kitchen table issues facing American families.

Since George Bush became President, Americans are coping with rising costs of health care, energy, groceries and education. Since 2000, the real median income of non-elderly households has declined by nearly $2,200, nearly 6 million more families are living in poverty, and 7 million more Americans are without health care coverage. It is no wonder that families worry that the American Dream is no longer in reach – they are working harder, but are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to make ends meet.

Americans cannot afford another four years of Bush economic policies that Senator John McCain is promising, which have resulted in an economy on the brink of recession that is leaving middle-class families behind.