TODAY’S ELECTION IN
MASSACHUSETTS
January 20, 2010
DNC CHAIRMAN TIM KAINE’S STATEMENT ON
TODAY’S ELECTION IN MASSACHUSETTS
Washington, D.C. - Democratic National
Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine issued
the following statement on the results of
the special election in Massachusetts
tonight:
“I want to congratulate Scott Brown on
running a strong campaign and Martha Coakley
on being a strong voice for progressive
values.
"It goes without saying that
we are disappointed in tonight's result.
There will be plenty of time to dissect this
race and to apply the lessons learned from
it those to come this fall - but in the
meantime we will continue to work tirelessly
on behalf of the America people and we will
redouble our efforts to lay out a clear
choice for voters this November.
"I
want to thank our state parties and our DNC
and Organizing for America staff and
volunteers all across the country who have
worked tirelessly on this campaign and who
will continue to support President Obama and
work for the change we all believe is
essential to getting our nation moving in
the right direction again."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day
January 19, 2010
Democratic National Committee
Chairman Tim Kaine Releases Statement in
Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Washington – Democratic National Committee
(DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine issued the
following statement in recognition of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day:
“Today we
celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. and honor his legacy of
non-violent social change and justice. While
there is still work to be done, we take time
to acknowledge the tremendous progress we as
a country have made in combating racism,
bigotry and intolerance. Dr. King’s timeless
values of truth, courage, compassion,
dignity, justice, service and humility serve
as an example for all Americans to strive to
better themselves and their community.
“In a speech delivered shortly before
his untimely death, Dr. King challenged each
and every American to be a ‘Drum Major’ for
justice. Dr. King urged Americans to live up
to their ideals and strive to serve their
neighbors. This year as we honor the life
and legacy of Dr. King let us not just honor
his memory but also resolve to recommit
ourselves to family and community through
service.”
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine
Calls Senate Vote Historic Step.
December 22, 2009
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Calls Senate Vote
Historic Step, Praises Democrats for
Pressing Forward to Deliver Health Reform to
the American People.
Washington - Democratic National
Committee Chairman Tim Kaine issued the
following statement after the Senate voted
to suspend debate and move towards a vote on
final passage of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act. The vote on Monday
night was the first of three cloture votes
(which must achieve a 60 vote threshold)
before the historic health insurance reform
legislation can be brought to the floor for
a final up or down vote.
“Tonight the Senate took another
major step on the road to finally delivering
health insurance reform to the American
people.
“Thanks to the leadership of Majority
Leader Harry Reid (NV), Majority Whip Dick
Durbin (IL), Committee Chairmen Max Baucus
(MT) and Chris Dodd (CT) and countless
others, we are now closer than ever to
achieving historic reform that will provide
more stability and security to people who
have insurance and more quality affordable
options to those who don’t, while lowering
the high costs of care for families,
businesses and entire country.
“The Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act, if it, or health reform
legislation passed by the House of
Representatives were to become law, would
represent the most significant piece of
social and economic legislation since Social
Security, and would be the largest expansion
of health care coverage since Medicare
passed in 1965. “The Senate’s bill will
extend coverage to more than 30 million
Americans; end abusive insurance industry
practices, like denying coverage because of
a pre-existing condition or canceling
someone’s coverage when they get sick;
strengthen Medicare and extend the life of
the Medicare trust fund; help small
businesses provide their employees
affordable insurance; and it will reduce our
deficit by 132 billion in the first 10
years, and hundreds of billions more in the
years after that.
“Seven presidents have tried and
failed to reform our broken health care
system. But today, thanks to Democratic
senators who worked hard to find common
ground and the extraordinary leadership and
vision of President Obama, the fundamental
change that has eluded this country for
decades, is finally within reach.
“Unfortunately, not one Republican
senator voted to allow this legislation to
come to a vote on the Senate floor.
Throughout this debate, Republicans have
done everything in their power to delay and
obstruct progress. Instead of fighting for
the American people, they are advocating
passionately for the status quo - a scenario
in which 14,000 people lose their insurance
every day, small businesses struggle to stay
open and families live with the constant
worry of being one injury or illness away
from financial ruin. While it is shocking
enough that not a single Republican Senator
supports this important bill, the fact that
they have all stood firm to even deny any
opportunity for the bill to be voted on at
all demonstrates how badly they misread the
responsibilities of leadership.
“Democrats will not rest until we
deliver health insurance reform to the
American people.”
DNC Hails Decision
December 3, 2009
DNC Hails Decision to Keep in Place
Consent Decree Barring Republicans From
Voter Intimidation.
Washington, DC—DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and
DNC Vice Chair for Voter Registration and
Participation Donna Brazile issued the
following statement on yesterday’s ruling by
the United States District Court for the
District of New Jersey keeping in place a
consent decree barring the Republican
National Committee from voter intimidation
and asserting that Republicans still have an
incentive to engage in such illegal
practices. Late last year the RNC asked that
the consent decree, which it agreed to in
1982, be nullified, going so far as to argue
that because the President and U.S. Attorney
General are African American, there is no
longer any reason for Republicans to be
subject to limits on efforts to engage in
“ballot security measures.” To read the
decision, click here:
http://my.democrats.org/page/-/pdf/voter_protection/DNCvRNC_Opinion_12.1.09.PDF
“Yesterday's ruling is a victory for all
Americans who believe that every eligible
citizen should have the right to vote and
have their vote counted. It also represents
a resounding repudiation of the Republican
Party's trumped up claims of voter fraud.
Our great nation was founded on the
principles of equality and freedom, and our
founders envisioned the right to vote as
central to our ideals. Yet for years,
Republicans have engaged in deplorable
practices that intimidate voters and make it
more difficult for them to cast their
ballot.
“This is wrong, and it is illegal. As the
court made clear, these types of actions
stand in the way of Americans’ fundamental
rights under the Constitution of the United
States. Republicans would be better served
trying to engage minority and
under-represented voters rather than trying
to intimidate them. Yet there is
overwhelming evidence that these types of
practices still occur, that Republicans have
engaged in them in recent elections and that
without a consent decree barring such
actions Republicans will continue to have an
incentive to engage in them. That
Republicans, who attempted to use
foreclosure lists in the 2008 election to
deny people the right to vote in Michigan,
even asked the court to nullify this decree,
shows just how eager they are to continue
engaging in practices to suppress the
rightful votes of thousands of American
citizens.
“These are not the ideals that our
country was founded on, and they should not
be tolerated. We applaud yesterday’s
decision and recommit ourselves to fighting
to ensure that the right to vote is fully
protected. And we encourage Republicans to
work with us to reform our electoral system
to remove any impediments to voting and to
ensure our voting rights laws are enforced
consistent with the law.”
Tim Kaine Releases Statement in Honor of Veterans Day
November 11, 2009
Democratic National Committee (DNC)
Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following
statement in recognition of Veterans Day:
“Today, we honor those Americans who
have served throughout our nation's
history – from the wars on our own
shores to the beachheads of Europe, from
the rice fields of Southeast Asia to the
deserts of the Middle East, and from
across the world's oceans and seas to
those who serve stateside - and take the
time to thank them for their unflinching
courage and service.
“In the wake of the tragedy at Fort
Hood, and as we work to wind down our
operations in Iraq and determine the way
forward in Afghanistan, renewing our
promise to America’s veterans is just as
important as ever – not just today, but
every day.
“Providing for our veterans is
critical, not only because we have a
moral obligation to recognize those who
have sacrificed on our behalf, but
because our servicemen and women are a
tremendous resource who can help lead
the way as we continue our pursuit of a
more peaceful and prosperous world.
“President Obama and our Democratic
Congress have demonstrated a strong
commitment to our country’s veterans,
taking several steps in just the last 10
months to expand economic opportunity,
strengthen veterans’ health care
services, and improve benefits for our
troops and military families. Through
the post 9/11 G.I. Bill – the most
generous education benefit since the
original G.I. Bill of 1944 – more than
250,000 veterans will attend college in
just the next two years. President Obama
and Congress have worked to strengthen
the VA health care system by
transforming it into a 21st century
organization that prioritizes
community-based services, promotes
prevention and takes on the injuries
unique to modern warfare, including
post-traumatic stress disorder and
traumatic brain injury. And President
Obama requested, and Congressional
Democrats approved, a 16 percent
increase in the 2010 budget for the
Department of Veterans affairs, the
largest one-year increase in 30 years.
“Veterans and their families are the
only ones who can fully understand the
toll of their sacrifice. But we can,
through our every day actions, do our
best to see that they receive the very
best service, care and respect from
their country. Today we thank our brave
men and women for heeding the call to
duty, and we honor their selfless
service.”
Organizing for America
November 7, 2009
Organizing for America Will Hold
‘Thank You’ Activities for the US House’s
Support of Health Insurance Reform
OFA and Supporters of Reform Will
Hold Thank You Activities Across The Country
to Thank Representatives for Support of
Health Insurance Reform
Washington – The House of
Representatives passed landmark health
reform legislation on Saturday, marking a
milestone in the effort to pass
comprehensive reform this year. As
representatives return to their districts,
Organizing for America (OFA) volunteers will
be hosting “thank you” activities to thank
their Representatives for supporting health
insurance reform.
“We still have some work to do, but
today we are closer to reform than ever
before,” said OFA Director Mitch Stewart,
“and that is thanks in no-small part to the
tireless work and commitment of our
Democratic leaders in Congress. Over the
next several days, OFA volunteers will be
organizing and participating in various
thank you activities in an effort to
communicate a very simple message: thank
you. As we move into this final phase of
debate, we want our representatives in
Congress to know that they have the wind at
their backs.”
The House bill, the Affordable Health
Care for America Act, would extend coverage
to 36 million Americans and cut the deficit
by $104 billion over ten years. It achieves
the goals President Obama articulated during
his address to a Joint Session of Congress
in September. It will provide more security
and stability to people who have insurance;
provide more quality, affordable options to
those who don’t; and lower the costs of care
for American families and businesses. It
would end some of the insurance industry’s
worst practices, like denying coverage
because of a pre-existing condition, or
canceling someone’s coverage when they get
sick.
Organizing for America, a grassroots
project of the Democratic National
Committee, is committed to supporting
President Obama’s agenda for change. Over 2
million people have taken action as part of
OFA’s health reform campaign. Since June 6,
OFA has held 20,000 events in all 50 states
and every congressional district encouraging
support for President Obama's health
insurance reform plan. On October 20, OFA
helped to generate more than 315,000 calls
to Congress in a single day, more than three
times the initial goal.
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