Committed to Equality; Working for Young Americans
Committed to Equality
The recent outbreak of youth suicides around the nation by LGBT teens who have been teased and bullied is a clarion call for our country that we must take immediate action to stop the bullying now. Our schools and society must affirm the respect that each and every child deserves and ensure the safety of all kids. If you are a child who is hurt and suffering, please know that it does get better, and there are people prepared to talk and get you help at The Trevor Project and the San Francisco LGBT Community Center.
As we continue our work to ensure the equal rights of every American, I am confident that the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy will be history by the end of the year. As a court challenge continues, I continue my call for a moratorium on any further discharges. The House has already passed legislation to repeal this policy, but Senate Republicans refuse to even allow the debate – putting partisan politics above our troops and our values.
We will not stop until we finish ending discrimination in the military and in the workplace by repealing DADT and enacting the fully-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
Working for Young Americans
The Democratic-led Congress is working to address issues that affect America’s students and young people – from raising the minimum wage to the largest investment in college aid in history. Below are highlights of the 111th Congress’ accomplishments for young people.
Congresswoman Pelosi greets San Francisco City Hall Fellows on Treasure Island.
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act: Makes the largest investment in college aid in history, at no cost to the taxpayer
- Invests $36 billion over 10 years to increase the maximum Pell Grant to $5,550 in 2010 and to nearly $6,000 by 2017
- Starting in 2014, borrowers will not have to pay more than 10 percent of their discretionary income in loan repayments
- Invests $500 million a year for the next four years in improving our community colleges
Affordable Care Act: Allows young people to stay on their parents’ health plan until their 26th birthday
Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act: Creates and saves about 319,000 Education jobs
America Competes Act: Creates scholarships for 25,000 new highly qualified math and science teachers over the next 5 years
Minimum Wage Increase: In 2007, provided the first minimum wage increase in 10 years – raising the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour in three increments over two years
Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights: Provides tough protections for credit cardholders, including prohibiting retroactive interest rate hikes on existing balances and banning double-cycle billing (charging interest twice for balances paid on time)
Please feel free to forward this information to your family and friends. To learn more about these efforts, to express your views, or to sign up for email updates, please visit my Web site. I am now on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi.