[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5911-5912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   DELIVERING FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dunn). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, for generations our Nation has celebrated 
the American Dream. I call it the American promise, the simple idea 
that if you work hard, you will be rewarded.
  The American promise means that, if you show up for work every 
morning and play by the rules, you will be able to take care of your 
family and, over time, your life will improve. Unfortunately, for many 
Americans, that promise no longer rings true today.
  Before the election of Donald Trump, more than 50 percent of 
Americans saw

[[Page 5912]]

our economic conditions worsening, and 50 percent of millennials think 
the American Dream is dead. When it comes to economic security for low- 
and middle-income workers, we flatlined: paychecks have frozen, and 
American families are having a harder and harder time making ends meet. 
As an uncle of mine used to say: When it came to the end of the month, 
it seems like you got more month than money to pay your bills.
  We need a renewed focus on improving the lives of everyday working 
Americans. That is why the Republican Policy Committee, which I chair, 
launched a task force for the American worker, and our first hearing is 
today.
  It is time to start delivering for the American worker and restoring 
the American promise.

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