Per my promise, I'm here to report back on what House Democrats are doing to hold Republicans and the President accountable. We returned from our April recess this week and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle wasted little time in getting down to business - namely, the business of serving wealthy corporate interests at the expense of the American people. So much of what we've done has already been covered on DailyKos, but thought it would be helpful to see everything in one place:
House Democrats, led by
Rep. John Conyers filed a
lawsuit against President Bush and the Administration for their unconstitutional actions on the Republican Budget Bill.
The Republican "Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act" was exposed for the toothless sham that it is. A classic page right out of the GOP playbook, it doesn't matter what your bill does (or fails to do), as long as it has a great title. Rep. Louise Slaughter led a spirited attack on this incomplete and inadequate legislation on the House floor.
Rep. Rahm Emanuel uncovered a Republican love poem.
House Democrats offered real solutions to America's high gas prices and dependence on foreign oil and put intense pressure on the Republican Rubber Stamp Congress to stand up to Republican big oil and gas company cronies. You may have heard of my disgust of the President's "energy" speech, but you can also watch more video highlights here.
Rep. Ed Markey offered a Net Neutrality amendment to prohibit broadband corporations from blocking, impairing, or degrading a consumer's ability to access lawful Internet content, applications, or services. Without Net Neutrality, corporate special interests will be able to charge extra fees and turn the internet into a multi-tiered network of bandwidth haves and have-nots. Though it was defeated in committee, Net Neutrality will get a second chance when the COPE Act comes to the floor next week, and you can still sign on as a citizen co-sponsor of the Markey Amendment. The Netroots have made a tremendous difference in this debate -- please keep up the good work.
And today, five House Democrats were arrested at the Sudanese embassy in DC protesting the atrocities in the Darfur region: Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Rep. John Olver (D-MA), Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).
In San Francisco it's hard to walk more than a couple of blocks without reading Margaret Mead's words, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Cliché or not, there is a reason her words resonate: they are true. This week in Congress, House Democrats have shown we are committed to changing business as usual in Washington. This week, the Netroots showed tremendous power and citizen advocacy on Net Neutrality. And this weekend, more citizens of this country will show we are citizens of the world as well.
The atrocities in Darfur continue - villages are engulfed in flames, women are brutally raped and children are kidnapped. Today, hundreds of thousands will spend another day living in sweltering heat and suffer from dehydration and malnutrition. And around the world, the clock will continue to tick. With each minute that passes in Darfur, the victims of this genocide lose a bit of hope for security and peace in their country. Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit an art exhibit featuring a series of illustrations that were drawn by children in Darfur. Image after image depicted the horrors of death, rape, destruction. Just imagine - these are nine-year-olds who were handed crayons, pencils, a sheet of paper. Without any direction, they drew women being carried away on horses, bombs falling from the sky, men storming villages with rifles. These children lost their homes and their families. We cannot allow them to lose hope.
On Sunday I will join thousands at a rally in Washington, D.C., and tens of thousands will gather at rallies across the country to declare "Not on Our Watch." How many hundreds of thousands will be killed in Darfur before the destruction is stopped? I urge everyone who can to attend a rally. This genocide will only be stopped by a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens speaking out.
(For more information please watch this video and visit www.SaveDarfur.org)