New agenda for Congress this fall

(Kingston) - With Congress just recently from returning from the August recess, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) discussed the top legislative items he believes must be addressed before the legislative year ends. From homeland security to foreign policy to the minimum wage, Hinchey said that Congress has a lot of important work to do before it adjourns for the year.

“The threat of a terrorist attack on the United States is very real, but you wouldn't know that by looking at how Republicans in Congress and the president have funded homeland security projects,” Hinchey said. “Each year, less and less money is being invested in securing our borders, screening airplanes and cargo, and new emergency communications equip- ment. This is the exact opposite of what the Congress should be doing. My Democratic colleagues and I are going to be fighting to reverse the course that Republicans have set and invest in homeland security to keep New Yorkers and all Americans safe.”

With the five-year anniversary of September 11th, just last week, Hinchey renewed his call for a dramatic increase in homeland security spending. The congressman discussed how the recently foiled terrorist plot to destroy up to 10 international flights serves as a reminder that al Qaeda and other terrorist groups pose a clear and present danger to the security of the United States.
Hinchey highlighted how the Bush administration has talked about improving homeland security, but has failed to actually provide adequate resources needed to accomplish that goal. The Republican-controlled Congress and President Bush have approved dramatic cuts to homeland security funding despite the threat of another terrorist attack looming greatly over the nation. New York as a state saw its share of homeland security grants get cut by more than 38 percent from 2005 to 2006. Additionally, New York’s share of the overall amount available to states in homeland security grants dropped from 11.8 percent to 9.8 percent of the national pot. Hinchey said that he and his Democratic colleagues will be fighting for a homeland security package that provides an increase in funds and directs them to states with the greatest need, which would place New York at the top of the list.

Additionally, Hinchey discussed the latest in Iraq, Israel and Lebanon, and offered a vision of what he believes the Bush administration and the Congress should be doing in the coming months to strengthen security and lay the groundwork for long-term peace in the Middle East. The congressman blamed the Bush administration’s hands-off approach to the Israeli peace process as a major cause in the continuing instability in the region. Hinchey added that the situation in Iraq continues to get more dire with more Americans being killed on a daily basis. He said it is time for the United States to set a clear timetable for leaving Iraq because the situation is only getting more inflamed by a continuing American presence.

Hinchey discussed the minimum wage debate in Congress and highlighted how Republicans have attempted to block an increase for the past decade, including their most recent maneuver which tied an increase in the minimum wage to a $1 trillion tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, which is what’s spent on homeland security, education, student loans, and veterans’ health care combined. Congress hasn’t raised the minimum wage in a decade. If a deal to increase the minimum wage is not reached by the time Congress adjourns for the year, it will mark the longest period without an increase since the rate was established in 1938. Hinchey discussed the pressure he and other Democrats in Congress will be putting on Republicans and the White House to allow a straight up or down vote to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour.

“The priorities of the Republican-controlled Congress and the White House are quite clear: putting millions of dollars in the pockets of the richest Americans is more important than increasing an outdated minimum wage by $2.10 per year,” Hinchey said. “The current minimum wage is insufficient for Americans to live on in 2006 when gas prices are soaring, housing costs keep rising, and health care and other necessities constantly increase. A modest increase in the minimum wage is the least Congress can do to help ensure each American has the ability to earn a wage that will allow them to get by. Americans should never have to choose between paying for medicine and food and increasing the minimum wage will help accomplish that goal.”

Congress is supposed to adjourn for the year by the beginning of October, but it is widely believed that additional work will be conducted in November and December. Pictured Above: Congressman Maurice Hinchey