U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California is in Iowa today campaigning with Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell. Pelosi told reporters in Iowa that re-electing Boswell to Iowa’s third district will help Democrats gain control of the House and push a new “middle class” agenda.
Pelosi says on the very first day of Congress Democrats would make America safer by passing the recommendations of the 9-11 commission, passing a minimum wage law and repealing subsidies for companies that send jobs overseas, broadening access to education by cutting in half the interest students pay on student loans and making college tuition tax deductible.
Pelosi says Democrats would also roll back subsidies for big oil companies and invest in alternative fuel research for everything from bio-fuels to wind energy. Pelosi says the plan would call for 75 percent of cars manufactured to be “flexible fuel” cars in seven years. “America’s farmers are going to save the auto industry in America,” Pelosi says.
Boswell unveiled a plan to give a tax credit of up to $4000 for college tuition and expenses. He says while that sounds like a lot, with the cost of education, it’s just a start according to Boswell. Boswell says the tax credit would pay dividends.
Pelosi says there are roughly 50 competitive races in the U.S. House this year and if Democrats win one third of those races — they can take control. Boswell faces Jeff Lamberti, a Republican lawyer from Ankeny, in the November election.