Congresswoman Haley Stevens of Michigan delivered the Weekly Democratic Address

TRANSCRIPT

“Hello, I’m Congresswoman Haley Stevens, and I represent the 11th District of Michigan. “I’ve spent my career standing up for working people, from helping save the U.S. auto industry during the greatest economic crisis of our time, to working in a manufacturing research lab focused on the future of work in the digital age. “I ran for Congress to continue that work, to deliver for the middle class, and this week the House of Representatives did just that by passing the Butch Lewis Act. “The Butch Lewis Act is a pragmatic, bipartisan solution to the multi-employer pension crisis that could have devastating consequences for workers, retirees, businesses and taxpayers if we do not take action. “Over one million hard-working Americans stand to lose their hard-earned retirement benefits through no fault of their own, which is why it was so important that the House of Representatives passed Butch Lewis this week, ensuring the economic security of our middle class. “In the first 200 days of the 116th Congress, the House of Representatives has taken strong action on our For The People agenda — delivering for the middle class, by passing legislation that will improve people’s lives. “Let’s review what we have done to lower the cost of health care and expand economic opportunity for you and your family. “We have passed bills to strengthen protections for people with pre-existing conditions, lower prescription drug costs, and bring down health care premiums. “We passed the first meaningful legislation in years to prevent gun violence and address climate change. “We went toe to toe with the culture of corruption in Washington, and we stood up to protect Dreamers, we fought for the rights of the LGBTQ community. We passed the Paycheck Fairness Act to close the gender pay gap, and we reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act to defend the freedoms of survivors. “And earlier this month, we voted to gradually increase the minimum wage to ensure that anyone working full-time in this country earns enough to make ends meet. Passage of this legislation would allow 33 million hard-working Americans to join and stay in the middle class. “Make no mistake about it – we have exercised our patriotic duty to hold this Administration accountable by conducting aggressive oversight and ensuring our national security by protecting the integrity of our elections. “The Democratic House Majority has made transparency and accessibility two of our top priorities, holding town halls and listening to our constituents in communities across this great nation. “It has been an incredible 200 days, but one thing is clear – we aren’t going to stop working for you and your family. Districts like mine in Michigan, home to auto suppliers and incredible public schools. We are here to serve our teachers, our students, retirees, and veterans. “We live in a magnificent country and we are going to make this government work for you – For The People. “I am so proud of what we have accomplished in this 116th Congress so far, and we will keep working to lower health care costs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, and expand economic opportunity. “Thank you, and God Bless America.”