Pelosi Update

With this year’s celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Social Security and the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, House Democrats are proud to announce the inclusion of retirement security as a pillar to our economic agenda, When Women Succeed, America Succeeds.

On Tuesday, we were reminded of the rich and diverse immigrant heritage that is the heart of our country. Immigration is the constant reinvigoration of America, and each generation of immigrants makes America more American. Every May 5th has served as an opportunity to honor the proud history of our Mexican neighbors, and to celebrate the generations of contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanic Americans have made to the United States and specifically to San Francisco.

This week, I was proud to join with Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez and Democratic Members to unveil the Raise the Wage Act by Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Bobby Scott. The legislation would raise the federal minimum wage to $12 by 2020 and tie future minimum wage increases to increases in the median wage in order to account for inflation.

Earth Day reminds us of the vital role we must play in protecting the world’s wildlife, public lands, air and water for the next generation. For the past forty-five years, April 22 has served as a clarion call to fulfill our shared responsibility of shaping a healthier future. ‘It’s Our Turn to Lead’ is more than the theme of this year’s events, it is a challenge to confront the climate crisis, practice conservation and cultivate the promise of clean energy. By protecting our environment and pursuing cleaner technologies, we can meet the challenges we face.

It is simply wrong that 52 years after President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, there is still a pay gap between women and men in America. Tuesday was Equal Pay Day, which symbolizes when, more than three months into the year, women’s wages finally catch up to what men were paid in the previous year.

On Thursday, we celebrated the 88th birthday of the late farm labor movement leader, César Chávez, whose extraordinary leadership and commitment to justice continue to inspire civil rights movements in our country and around the world. Chávez galvanized the farmworkers’ movement to guarantee that workers who grew and picked the food that helped feed our nation could also provide for their own families.

Since its creation nearly 50 years ago, Medicare has represented a promise to the American people: that after a lifetime of work, seniors deserve the access to quality health care. This week, I was honored to join my colleagues inpassing historic bipartisan legislation by a vote of 392-37 to protect millions of seniors from losing access to their Medicare physicians.