House Speaker Urges Democratic Leadership to Offer Positive Agenda, Thanks Rank-and-File Democrats for Supporting House Republican Priorities

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) today urged the House Democratic Leadership to finally offer an agenda that reflects the vision of the Democratic party and thanked the many rank-and-file Democrats that have voted to support Republican priorities this fall.

"While Democrat leaders keep promising the American people an agenda, they remain on opposite sides of many Democrat rank-and-file members who continue to support House Republican priorities," Hastert said. "They have promised a blueprint by Thanksgiving, so we'll be waiting to see what they've come up with. We hope it will be full of new, cost-effective and innovative solutions to America's problems and not just another list of pricey programs to be paid by American taxpayers."

In the months since Labor Day, at least one half of the Democratic Caucus has broken ranks from their Leadership and joined the House Republican Conference in supporting several measures:

-- H.R. 1461 - Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005 (approved 331-90 -- 122 Dem ayes, Pelosi no, Hoyer aye)

-- S. 397 - Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005 (approved 283-144 -- 59 Dem ayes, Pelosi no, Hoyer no)

-- H.R. 554 - Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act of 2005 (approved 306-120 -- 80 Dem ayes, Pelosi no, Hoyer no)

-- H.R. 3824 - Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 (approved 229-193 -- 36 Dem ayes, Pelosi no, Hoyer no)