Today on Veterans Day, we pause to honor the brave men and women and their families who sacrifice in defense of our freedom.
As we pause to honor America's veterans today, please take a minute to read about some of our great Democratic Members of Congress and our newest candidates who have worn the uniform in defense of our nation:
John Boccieri was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. The grandson of coal miners, steelworkers, and carpenters, he went to college on a baseball scholarship, then joined the U.S. Air Force. He has served in the military for 14 years, including four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has represented eastern Stark County for eight years in the Ohio legislature as a State Representative and State Senator. John lives in Alliance with his wife and four children.
Congressman Boswell has spent his life serving his country and his neighbors. Whether it was during his twenty distinguished years in the United States Army, twelve years in the Iowa Senate, or during his six terms in halls of Congress, Leonard has committed himself to serving the people.
A Commander (select) in the United States Navy Reserve, Chris Carney served multiple tours overseas and was activated for operations Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle, and Southern Watch.
After 9/11, Chris served at the Pentagon as an intelligence analyst and senior adviser on intelligence and counterterrorism issues. Chris coordinated counterterrorism activities in the Middle East and later worked on the integration of national-level intelligence products in the effort to destroy international terrorist networks.
Prior to being elected to Congress, Rep. Massa spent a total of 24 years on active duty as a Naval Officer. He served in Desert Storm, and later as Special Assistant to General Wes Clark in Panama and then again when Clark served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces. Rep. Massa later served on the staff of the House Armed Services Committee, where he was an outspoken advocate on behalf of the troops.
On November 4, 2008, Walt Minnick made history with his upset win and was elected to represent Idaho's First Congressional District in Washington, D.C. He serves the people of Idaho as an effective, bipartisan, conservative problem-solver who pledges to always do what's "Right for Idaho." Rep. Minnick served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War before beginning his career in politics, working for the White House in the 1970s.
Bill Owens has devoted his life to creating jobs, bringing economic development to the North Country, and serving his country. As a Captain in the United States Air Force, he proudly served at Plattsburgh Air Force Base. When the base was closed he helped create the Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corporation to ensure the land was used to create jobs, and currently there are more than 500 jobs based there as a result of his leadership.
The son of a WWII veteran, Gary Peters was 34 years old and a successful financial manager living in Oakland County when he raised his right hand and took the oath of an officer in the US Navy Reserve. Gary went on to train as a Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist, a logistics officer, and a sharpshooter - and served part of his reserve duty in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch.
Following the terrorist attacks on September 11th, Gary signed back up for the Navy Reserve, and again served overseas in support of US operations. During his twelve years of service, he received numerous awards and citations, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
During his military career, Patrick served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in New York, a prosecutor in North Carolina, and an associate professor of Constitutional Law at West Point. When September 11th happened, Murphy went into his commander’s office and volunteered to deploy. His first deployment was to Bosnia in 2002 and the second was to Baghdad, Iraq from 2003-2004. While in Baghdad, Patrick served as a Captain in the Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division, and was later awarded the Bronze Star for Service.
After returning home, Patrick won his first election and he was sworn in on January 4, 2007.
Joe Sestak was elected to Congress in 2006 to represent the 7th Congressional District where he was born and raised. During a distinguished 31-year career in the United States Navy, Joe attained the rank of 3-star Admiral and served in the White House, Pentagon, and in operational commands at sea. He is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to either branch of Congress. He attended the Naval Academy and later earned a Ph.d. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University. After retiring from the Navy, Joe returned home to Delaware County, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Alex, and proudly represents the 7th District.
Bryan Lentz is an Iraq War Veteran, former prosecutor, and state legislator with the experienced leadership to make government work again for our families. Bryan was born and raised in southeastern Pennsylvania and from early in life he learned the importance of service to country and community. A graduate of Georgetown University with a law degree from Temple University, Bryan and his wife Jen are proud to call Delaware County home. In his two terms in the State Legislature, Bryan has worked tirelessly to make state government accountable and responsive to the needs of all Pennsylvanians. He will bring this same spirit of service and tough, principled leadership to Washington.
After going to Duke on an Army ROTC scholarship, Tommy Sowers began his 11 year career in the U.S. Army, commissioned in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He graduated Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger and Belgian Commando Schools. Tommy led a combat engineering platoon in Kosovo and represented the 1st Infantry Division in the Best Ranger Competition.
Following graduate studies at the London School of Economics as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar for Missouri District 6080, Tommy attended the Special Forces Qualification Course graduating 1st in his class. At 10th Special Forces Group, Tommy led a team of Green Berets. In two deployments to Iraq, he conducted a wide range of counterinsurgency operations and was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and two Bronze Stars.
As a freshman at the College of Charleston, Rob made the decision to enlist in the Marine Corps, and in January of 1995, he began basic training at Parris Island, SC. Shortly after his promotion to Sergeant, Rob was selected to become a Marine infantry officer. In his 13 years in the Marine Corps, Rob was deployed to Albania, Yugoslavia, Djibouti, Liberia, and twice to Iraq. For more information about Rob’s time in the Marines, click here.
Let's make sure to keep America's veterans in our thoughts.
Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson voted to pass critical Health Care Reform this past Saturday. Watch the video below to learn why Rep. Halvorson voted yes on Health Care Reform:
On Fox News Sunday, DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen and Republican Congressman Mike Pence debated health reform and this past Tuesday's election results.
WATCH:
Caught on Camera: Mike Pence Admits NJ and VA Races Decided on Local Issues, President Obama Inherited Economy in Shambles
In his comments, Pence admitted this past Tuesday's VA and NJ gubernatorial election results were decided on local issues and that President Obama inherited an economy in shambles from Republicans.
Ryan Rudominer, National Press Secretary, DCCC: "House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence is correct that it was Republicans who pushed our economy over a cliff and left President Obama an economy in shambles. So now the question becomes, instead of sitting on the sidelines and rooting for failure, when will House Republicans actually work with Democrats to clean up the mess their backwards Right Wing ideology created?"
Excerpts from this morning's interview:
MIKE PENCE: Chris is absolutely right. The economy was in shambles when this president came to power... [Fox News Sunday, 11/8/09]
MIKE PENCE: Now, Ill stipulate, Chris, that all politics is local. People are voting on local issues in those [NJ and VA gubernatorial] races... [Fox News Sunday, 11/8/09]
DCCC CHAIRMAN CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: Im talking about 2008 election, the 2008 elections, when President Obama and the larger majority went into Congress. You know, with all due respect to Mike and his party, when President Bush -- and they had a lock on the Congress.
They did nothing about these issues, these rising costs, the fact that insurance companies could essentially abuse consumers. They did nothing about it.
And people back in 2008 said its time to step up on some of these issues. And thats what we did last night.
And I would point out that in terms of the elections last Tuesday, there were only two races in the country where what were doing in Congress at the federal level was at the center of debate, and those were the two congressional races. Both members of Congress won. Both of them voted yes last night on health care reform, so... [Fox News Sunday, 11/8/09]
On November 7, 2009, House Democrats made history for the American people, with the passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act.
Our legislation delivers on the promise of making affordable, quality health insurance available to every American - and laying the foundation for a brighter future for generations to come.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act includes a strong public option and will:
Ensure affordability for the middle class;
Provide security for our seniors;
End discrimination for pre-existing medical conditions;
Invest in wellness and prevention; and
Ensure responsibility to our children - by not adding a dime to the deficit.
This historic victory was won because grassroots Democrats stood up and spoke out. Grassroots Democrats insisted on a strong public option and you are the ones who stood by us and fought hard every step of the way.
Much work still remains before President Obama can sign it to make it the law of the land. But for now, we say thank you for helping House Democrats make history for America.
During last night's House Rules Committee
debate on health insurance reform, National Republican Congressional Committee
(NRCC) Chairman Pete Sessions compared being a woman to being a smoker and
endorsed the notion that big health insurance companies should charge women more
than men for health care. According to Open Secrets, Congressman Pete Sessions
has taken more than $400,000 from big insurance
companies.
"The NRCC and extreme right wing of the
Republican Party is totally out of step with women. First, the NRCC says that a
man ought to put the first woman Speaker of the House ‘in her place.' Then, NRCC
Chairman Pete Sessions compared being a woman to being a smoker while defending
his big insurance company pals' practice of charging women more than men for
health care," said Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee. "I don't know what's scarier, whether NRCC Chairman Pete
Sessions actually believes women are second class citizens or whether he
believes it's politically beneficial for the NRCC to say so. America's
mothers, sisters, and daughters deserve better than this divisive and biased
rhetoric from the National Republican Congressional
Committee."
Background
At last night's House Rules
Committee debate about health insurance reform, NRCC Chairman Pete
Sessions responded to a question about women paying more for
health insurance than men by saying, "Well, we're all different. Why should a
smoker pay more?" [Courthouse
News, 11/6/2009]
Representative Pete
Sessions has taken over $400,000 from insurance industry contributors. [Open
Secrets]
"Striking new
evidence has emerged of a widespread gap in the cost of health insurance, as
women pay much more than men of the same age for individual insurance policies
providing identical coverage, according to new data from insurance companies and
online brokers." [New
York Times, 10/30/2008]
Currently, women of child-bearing age
pay higher rates based on their gender and are routinely (and legally) denied
coverage if they are pregnant. Legislation pending in Congress would
dramatically change the rules [McClatchy
Newspapers; October 7, 2009]
Defending the
practice, one insurance spokesman called pregnancy a "matter of choice." To make
matters worse, many insurance companies consider C-Sections a "pre-existing
condition" while a subsidiary of United Health, one of the biggest insurance
companies in the nation, "simply rejects" women who have had C-Sections.
[San Francisco Chronicle, 3/24/09],
[New York
Times, 6/1/08]
When it's a choice between strengthening the Patriot Act, or showing up for the Tea Party Patriots, what's a GOP lawmaker to do? We'll give you one guess...
Several Republican members of Congress yesterday blew off votes on the signature anti-terror legislation of the post 9/11 era to attend Michele Bachmann's Tea Party rally against health-care reform.
Reps. Steve King of Iowa, Trent Franks of Arizona, Randy Forbes of Virginia, Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Louie Gohmert and Ted Poe of Texas all took time out yesterday for the "Super Bowl of Freedom," as Bachmann has called it. And all missed votes in the House Judiciary committee on Republican-sponsored amendments to the reauthorization of the Patriot Act -- measures that would have toughened the Act, but narrowly failed. Those votes took place, a committee staffer confirmed, between noon and two -- the very time when Republican lawmakers were rallying the Tea Party troops on the Capitol steps.
One year ago, grassroots supporters like you powered President Obama and House Democrats to history-making election victories across America.
One year later, you helped Democrat Bill Owens defeat Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and their extreme right-wing 'tea party' candidate Doug Hoffman in the NY-23 Special Election. Check out some of the media coverage of our historic win:
The Daily Show:
Hardball:
Daily Kos TV recaps how the right-wing pundits and tea party activists pushed aside Republican Dede Scozzafava in favor of hard-line conservative candidate Doug Hoffman, allowing the first Democratic victory in NY-23 since the Civil War:
Send your congratulations to Bill Owens for beating Tea Party Republican Doug Hoffmann in New York's 23rd Congressional District.
There has been plenty of hyperbolic rhetoric on both sides of the health care
debate, but this sign at today's GOP protest blows right past hyperbole and head
first into incendiary. The sign reads "National Socialist Health Care Dachau,
Germany - 1945" and shows a large pile of naked, dead bodies.
It's one
thing to argue that reform will hurt Americans' health care, it's a whole other
to suggest that reform will lead to systemic, mass genocide on par with one of
the greatest atrocities in human history.
(Photo: ThinkProgress)
Among the leaders that addressed the crowd were: Republican Leader
John Boehner, Republican Whip Eric Cantor, Republican Conference Chair Mike
Pence, and Republican Representative Michele Bachmann.
THIS is the type of extreme right wing
Republicans that RNC Chairman Michael Steele says they "will come after"
moderates for.
Jennifer Crider,
DCCC spokesperson said: "This is exactly the kind of outrageous extreme right
wing hatred that House Republican leaders should condemn, not encourage and
rally. What the heck is wrong with John Boehner, Eric Cantor, and their
Republican colleagues that this is the extreme right wing face that put on the
Republican Party? It's no wonder the number of people who identify themselves
as Republicans is an anemic 20 percent."
(Opinions expressed by these sites are not necessarily those held by us. So don't even try to blame us for things they say. It will just make you look lame. Seriously.)
