We as Democrats know that for too many Americans this promise is out of reach today. And we stand here committed to make sure that it is within their grasp.
We know that we must protect American workers and ensure that they have good jobs now and in the future, and that part of that -- and this is so critically important, as I represent Michigan and people that work hard every single day playing by the rules and who are skilled and who are doing exactly what we’ve told them to do in America and see that tax incentives are sending companies overseas, that they are losing that promise because the playing field isn’t level when we compete with countries like China.
And our legislation will take away those tax incentives, create new jobs by expanding infrastructure. Our leader, Senator Reid, has spoken for many, many years about the critical nature of investing in infrastructure, not only highways but water and sewage, to create jobs and to be able to invest in our country.
We will include that -- we are including that in our legislation. And we will encourage innovation for the future.
We’re also determined that America must have a trade policy that addresses our record trade deficit while we work to strengthen the enforcement of trade agreements and assisting workers who’ve been unduly burdened by unfair trading practices.
This is not about stopping trade. This is about standing up for America and making sure that the playing field is level. And I can tell you, on behalf of the businesses and the workers in Michigan, if it’s a level playing field, if the rules are enforced, we will compete and win.
Our plan also increases the minimum wage for 7.4 million workers, many of them, frankly, that serve us here, in this building, in this complex. These are people who serve our food and stock the shelves of our local grocery stores, that care for our children, our elderly parents. And our plan will expand opportunity for them and strengthen our economy as a result.
And let me just speak also to the other part of opportunity and that’s education. You know, I grew up in a home, contrary to Senator Reid, that had indoor plumbing.
(CROSSTALK)
STABENOW: I was a rich kid, yes.
(LAUGHTER)
Only one bathroom, but it was inside.
But my dad was ill when I was in high school.
STABENOW: And if it wasn’t for the federal government stepping in and providing me the opportunity to receive a tuition-free (ph) scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to go to college.
You know, folks were looking out for me and all the young people of our generation, whether they were on the G.I. Bill or whether they were like me and were in a family where there was a financial crisis and I needed an opportunity to be able to make it. And that opportunity was given to me and I have been blessed, as we all have today.
Our commitment is to make sure every single young person is blessed by knowing that that opportunity is available for them.
Now, we’re not suggesting they don’t have to work for it. We worked for it and that’s where the responsibility comes in. But we do know that as a country we are more successful if everybody has a chance to make it. And we are committed to doing everything possible to make sure that opportunity is there.
We will make sure from Head Start and child care programs, to K- 12 education, to college, to worker retraining, that the commitment is made so that everybody in our great country has an opportunity to be successful.
Senator Durbin spoke about health care, which is an incredible, important part of that opportunity, as well. But we also know that as we are focusing on opportunities, that we then each as Americans have a responsibility to step up and take advantage of it and to work hard and to play by the rules. And that our institutions have a responsibility, as well, whether it be business or government or community institutions, to be able to follow the rules, to be fair. And that is an important American value, as well.
I’m excited to a part of a team that is looking to the future of this country, that understands that when we create the security for our families, the opportunity for everyone to be successful and call on people to step up and be responsible for themselves and as a part of a community, that we truly keep America’s promise.
SCHUMER: Well, thank you.
And I want to thank my colleagues for their presentation and Senator Reid for his leadership here.
You know, the bottom line is very simple: The proposals we are making are far closer to what the American people want than the proposals you’ll hear later this afternoon from the Republicans.
We are talking about the meat-and-potato issues that people care about: security, jobs, health care.
They’re off on an ideological junket.
When I was campaigning, I didn’t hear about -- people didn’t tap me on the shoulder and say, "Senator Schumer, what about private accounts for Social Security? Senator Schumer, what about bringing democracy to the far corners of the world? Senator Schumer, what about reforming the tax code?" I didn’t hear any of those things.
I heard about good-paying jobs, good health care, good education and keeping our country safe and secure.
That is what we are talking about today. And even though we only have 45 votes, when you’re on the side of the people, when you’re not letting some far-over ideology take over your agenda, you’re going to prevail if you stick with it. And stick with it we will under Harry’s able leadership.
So this is a very important day for all of us because we are asserting a platform that is exactly in line with what the American people want and need in this changing 21st century; far more consonant with their wishes than the Republican platform.
Now, I’m here to talk about security.
SCHUMER: Without security, all the other things don’t matter.
And we Democrats are aware that we need to bring much better security here at home, and we have to back up our troops abroad and that we have to help our veterans once they have served us. And those are the three areas that we focus on.
First, we’re standing with our troops. You’re not supporting our troops overseas when you don’t have enough troops that they can protect one another. And we’ve seen that happen time and time again.
And so, as part of our proposal, we’re calling for adding 30,000 Army and 10,000 Marine personnel over the next two years.
You’re not supporting our troops when they don’t have the equipment and the armor that they need. We’ve all seen this documented. We’ve heard the stories of families and towns and villages and neighborhoods collecting dollars to give the soldiers the things they need and are not getting, particularly those in the Reserves and the National Guard.
We call for changes that will make sure every soldier who serves us has all of the equipment and protection that they need.
You’re not serving our soldiers when their families can’t really support themselves, particularly if you’re a reservist or a guardsman or -woman, because there’s a dramatic salary drop and you didn’t expect to be serving longer than the six months that has been traditional.
