Rep.David Obey

“The unemployment numbers released today are better than expected. If they hold over the next several months, it will mean that we could be at the turning point for job creation. There is still a long way to go, but these numbers mean that we have gone from 700,000 jobs lost per month at the end of the Bush Administration, to 111,000 jobs lost last month, to only 11,000 jobs lost this month."

     
Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman John Murtha (D-PA), the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman John Larson (D-CT), the Chairman of the Democratic Caucus, and eight other Democratic Members introduced legislation today that would end the practice of paying for the war in Afghanistan with borrowed money by imposing a war surtax beginning in 2011.

     As we celebrate Veterans’ Day this year, it’s important to remember that while we may be divided on where we stand on the war, this nation must be united in seeing that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are welcomed home with all the compassion this grateful nation can muster. Supporting our troops is a mandate – not a slogan. This Congress has taken many steps to help our troops, our veterans and their families during this economic crisis.

     
Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, tonight made the following statement about the House passing the

Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009:

     This is a landmark day in the history of our country – this legislation can open the door to health coverage to over 35 million Americans and begin to make healthcare more affordable for virtually everyone. It’s been seventy years in coming.

     
Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) yesterday voted for passage of legislation to speed up implementation of the Credit CARD Act, which was enacted earlier this year.

“If we are interested in achieving sustained job growth,
we need to do more to put people back to work”

    

     Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, made the following statement after the announcement that US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 3.5% in the third quarter of 2009:

     
Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) announced that yesterday, the House and Senate Conference Committee for the FY2010 Interior Appropriations bill, “Approved an historic $475 million down payment for the restoration of the Great Lakes.” The legislation, which the House and Senate will soon vote on for final approval, would fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) which was requested by the President and shepherded through Congress by Obey who chairs the House Appropriations Committee.

     
Wisconsin and Minnesota’s two senior Members of Congress have brokered a deal that will keep new clean air rules from devastating shipping on the Great Lakes. At the same time the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin implementing new rules aimed at reducing sulfur emissions throughout the United States, including the Great Lakes region.

     
Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) announced that starting today over 185,000 servicemembers who have had their enlistments involuntarily extended since 2001 can now apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay. The 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Bill which Obey, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and John Murtha (D-PA), Chairman of the Defense Subcommittee, shepherded through the House provides $734 million to retroactively pay servicemembers and veterans $500 for every month they served under the stop-loss orders since September 11, 2001.

     
Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) today made the following statement about the passing of Jay Johnson:

“I was very sorry to hear of the death of Jay Johnson. He was a well-liked and well-respected colleague. He was a solid newsman before he was elected to Congress and he was a fine and decent representative of Wisconsin during the two years he served in the House of Representatives. My sympathies go out to his family.”