Aloha from the Hill 9/23/15

Statement

Aloha Friend,

This Monday, while in Hawaii, I had the pleasure of speaking at the 27th ILWU Convention and extending my gratitude for the tremendous work being done across the country by labor unions. With the recent attacks being made against organized labor, it is crucial that now, more than ever, we stand united. As Ranking Member of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and the Workforce, I am committed to forwarding the priorities of our working class, I know that when our middle class succeeds, America succeeds.

Tomorrow, Pope Francis is addressing a joint session of Congress. I joined a few other members of Democratic Caucus in a video addressing the Pope and thanking him for his leadership on issues such as preventing climate change, eliminating poverty, and compassionate immigration policies. To watch the video, please click here. I am glad that so many of our Hawaii residents were able to make the trip out to see the Pope. I look forward to hearing his remarks. If you're interested in hearing Pope Francis' address tomorrow, September 24, you can do so by clicking here.

Finally, September 30th is the end of the fiscal year. The House of Representatives only has five legislative days left in September to address the upcoming deadline for funding through the next fiscal year. If no consensus is reached, the government will be forced to shut down. I spoke on the floor last week on the need to bring forward a long-term, bi-partisan budget bill to a vote.

Congress needs to put an end to these manufactured crises and we cannot waste any more time with political gridlock. We need to focus on what matters -- growing our economy, upgrading our aging infrastructure, and helping ensure that our citizens are able to obtain the American dream. As I said in my address to my House colleagues: Let's get to work. Let's come together. Let's answer the call of our constituents. And let's pass a budget. To watch my full remarks, please click here.

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