Cancel the August Recess to Do the People's Work

Floor Speech

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, creating opportunity for hardworking American families and reigniting the American Dream should be the top priority of this Congress, but instead, we are about to embark on a 1-month legislative recess as the House Republican leadership continues to block action on legislation to create jobs and to grow the middle class.

Legislation awaiting action in an up-or-down vote is piling up: legislation to raise the minimum wage; to renew emergency unemployment insurance; to pass comprehensive immigration reform; to rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges, and ports; enacting a manufacturing policy so that we can make things in America; and voting on paycheck fairness to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work.

Passing all these policies would jump-start the middle class and expand opportunity for all Americans. But instead, instead of taking those up, we are about to leave town for a month of undeserved time off.

We should get to work on the work of the American people. They expect that from us, and they deserve nothing less.

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