We begin this year and this Administration in the midst of an unprecedented crisis that calls for unprecedented action. Just this week, we saw more people file for unemployment than at any time in the last twenty-six years, and experts agree that if nothing is done, the unemployment rate could reach double digits. Our economy could fall $1 trillion short of its full capacity, which translates into more than $12,000 in lost income for a family of four. And we could lose a generation of potential, as more young Americans are forced to forgo college dreams or the chance to train for the jobs of the future.

In short, if we do not act boldly and swiftly, a bad situation could become dramatically worse.

That is why I have proposed an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan to immediately jumpstart job creation as well as long-term economic growth. I am pleased to say that both parties in Congress are already hard at work on this plan, and I hope to sign it into law in less than a month.

It’s a plan that will save or create three to four million jobs over the next few years, and one that recognizes both the paradox and the promise of this moment - the fact that there are millions of Americans trying to find work even as, all around the country, there’s so much work to be done. That’s why this is not just a short-term program to boost employment. It’s one that will invest in our most important priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century.

Today I’d like to talk specifically about the progress we expect to make in each of these areas.

To accelerate the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double our capacity to generate alternative sources of energy like wind, solar, and biofuels over the next three years. We’ll begin to build a new electricity grid that lay down more than 3,000 miles of transmission lines to convey this new energy from coast to coast. We’ll save taxpayers $2 billion a year by making 75% of federal buildings more energy efficient, and save the average working family $350 on their energy bills by weatherizing 2.5 million homes.

To lower health care cost, cut medical errors, and improve care, we’ll computerize the nation’s health record in five years, saving billions of dollars in health care costs and countless lives. And we’ll protect health insurance for more than 8 million Americans who are in danger of losing their coverage during this economic downturn.

To ensure our children can compete and succeed in this new economy, we’ll renovate and modernize 10,000 schools, building state-of-the-art classrooms, libraries, and labs to improve learning for over five million students. We’ll invest more in Pell Grants to make college affordable for seven million more students, provide a $2,500 college tax credit to four million students, and triple the number of fellowships in science to help spur the next generation of innovation.

Finally, we will rebuild and retrofit America to meet the demands of the 21st century. That means repairing and modernizing thousands of miles of America’s roadways and providing new mass transit options for millions of Americans. It means protecting America by securing 90 major ports and creating a better communications network for local law enforcement and public safety officials in the event of an emergency. And it means expanding broadband access to millions of Americans, so business can compete on a level-playing field, wherever they’re located.

I know that some are skeptical about the size and scale of this recovery plan. I understand that skepticism, which is why this recovery plan must and will include unprecedented measures that will allow the American people to hold my Administration accountable for these results. We won’t just throw money at our problems - we’ll invest in what works. Instead of politicians doling out money behind a veil of secrecy, decisions about where we invest will be made public, and informed by independent experts whenever possible. We’ll launch an unprecedented effort to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending in our government, and every American will be able to see how and where we spend taxpayer dollars by going to a new website called recovery.gov.

No one policy or program will solve the challenges we face right now, nor will this crisis recede in a short period of time. But if we act now and act boldly; if we start rewarding hard work and responsibility once more; if we act as citizens and not partisans and begin again the work of remaking America, then I have faith that we will emerge from this trying time even stronger and more prosperous than we were before. Thanks for listening.

Yesterday, we received another painful reminder of the serious economic challenge our country is facing when we learned that 533,000 jobs were lost in November alone, the single worst month of job loss in over three decades. That puts the total number of jobs lost in this recession at nearly 2 million.

But this isn’t about numbers. It’s about each of the families those numbers represent. It’s about the rising unease and frustration that so many of you are feeling during this holiday season. Will you be able to put your kids through college? Will you be able to afford health care? Will you be able to retire with dignity and security? Will your job or your husband’s job or your daughter’s job be the next one cut?

These are the questions that keep so many Americans awake at night. But it is not the first time these questions have been asked. We have faced difficult times before, times when our economic destiny seemed to be slipping out of our hands. And at each moment, we have risen to meet the challenge, as one people united by a sense of common purpose. And I know that Americans can rise to the moment once again.

But we need action – and action now. That is why I have asked my economic team to develop an economic recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street that will help save or create at least two and a half million jobs, while rebuilding our infrastructure, improving our schools, reducing our dependence on oil, and saving billions of dollars.

We won’t do it the old Washington way. We won’t just throw money at the problem. We’ll measure progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve – by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world.

Today, I am announcing a few key parts of my plan. First, we will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won’t just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work.

Second, we will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s. We’ll invest your precious tax dollars in new and smarter ways, and we’ll set a simple rule – use it or lose it. If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money.

Third, my economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.

As we renew our schools and highways, we’ll also renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m President – because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world.

In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year.

These are a few parts of the economic recovery plan that I will be rolling out in the coming weeks. When Congress reconvenes in January, I look forward to working with them to pass a plan immediately. We need to act with the urgency this moment demands to save or create at least two and a half million jobs so that the nearly two million Americans who’ve lost them know that they have a future. And that’s exactly what I intend to do as President of the United States.

Thanks for listening.

And yet, as we act in concert with other nations, we must also act immediately here at home to address America’s own economic crisis. This week, amid continued volatility in our markets, we learned that unemployment insurance claims rose to their highest levels since September 11, 2001. We’ve lost jobs for ten straight months – nearly 1.2 million jobs this year, many of them in our struggling auto industry. And millions of our fellow citizens lie awake each night wondering how they’re going to pay their bills, stay in their homes, and save for retirement.

Make no mistake: this is the greatest economic challenge of our times. And while the road ahead will be long, and the work will be hard, I know that we can steer ourselves out of this crisis – because here in America we always rise to the moment, no matter how hard. And I am more hopeful than ever that America will rise once again.

But we must act right now. Next week, Congress will meet to address the spreading impact of the economic crisis. I urge them to pass at least a down-payment on a rescue plan that will create jobs, relieve the squeeze on families, and help get the economy growing again. In particular, we cannot afford to delay providing help for the more than one million Americans who will have exhausted their unemployment insurance by the end of this year. If Congress does not pass an immediate plan that gives the economy the boost it needs, I will make it my first order of business as President.

Even as we dig ourselves out of this recession, we must also recognize that out of this economic crisis comes an opportunity to create new jobs, strengthen our middle class, and keep our economy competitive in the 21st century.

That starts with the kinds of long-term investments that we’ve neglected for too long. That means putting two million Americans to work rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, and schools. It means investing $150 billion to build an American green energy economy that will create five million new jobs, while freeing our nation from the tyranny of foreign oil, and saving our planet for our children. It means making health care affordable for anyone who has it, accessible for anyone who wants it, and reducing costs for small businesses. And it also means giving every child the world-class education they need to compete with any worker, anywhere in the world.

Doing all this will require not just new policies, but a new spirit of service and sacrifice, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. If this financial crisis has taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people. And that’s how we will meet the challenges of this time – together. Thank you.

This week, I spoke with President Bush, who graciously offered his full support and assistance in this period of transition. Michelle and I look forward to meeting with him and the First Lady on Monday to begin that process. This speaks to a fundamental recognition that here in America we can compete vigorously in elections and challenge each other’s ideas, yet come together in service of a common purpose once the voting is done. And that is particularly important at a moment when we face the most serious challenges of our lifetime.

Yesterday, we woke to more sobering news about the state of our economy. The 240,000 jobs lost in October marks the 10th consecutive month that our economy has shed jobs. In total, we’ve lost nearly 1.2 million jobs this year, and more than 10 million Americans are now unemployed. Tens of millions of families are struggling to figure out how to pay the bills and stay in their homes. Their stories are an urgent reminder that we are facing the greatest economic challenge of our lifetime, and we must act swiftly to resolve them.

In the wake of these disturbing reports, I met with members of my Transition Economic Advisory Board, who will help guide the work of my transition team in developing a strong set of policies to respond to this crisis. While we must recognize that we only have one President at a time and that President Bush is the leader of our government, I want to ensure that we hit the ground running on January 20th because we don’t have a moment to lose.

We discussed several of the most immediate challenges facing our economy and key priorities on which to focus in the days and weeks ahead to ease the credit crisis, help hardworking families, and restore growth and prosperity.

First, we need a rescue plan for the middle class that invests in immediate efforts to create jobs and provides relief to families that are watching their paychecks shrink and their life savings disappear.

Then, we’ll address the spreading impact of the financial crisis on other sectors of our economy, and ensure that the rescue plan that passed Congress is working to stabilize financial markets while protecting taxpayers, helping homeowners, and not unduly rewarding the management of financial firms that are receiving government assistance.

Finally, we will move forward with a set of policies that will grow our middle-class and strengthen our economy in the long-term. We can’t afford to wait on moving forward on the key priorities that I identified during the campaign, including clean energy, health care, education and tax relief for middle class families.

Let me close by saying I do not underestimate the enormity of the task that lies ahead. We’ve taken some major actions to date, and we will need further actions during this transition and subsequent months. Some of those choices will be difficult, but America is a strong and resilient country. I know that we will succeed if we put aside partisanship and work together as one nation. And that is what I intend to do.

All across America, people are trying to figure out what the tough economic news of this past week means for them and for their families.

But for too many Americans, the economy didn’t start collapsing this week, this month, or even this year.

For too long, families have been asking questions as simple as they are profound:

Will I have a job next month? Can we afford to go to the doctor? To fill the gas tank? Is my house still worth what I paid for it? Will I be able to send the kids to college? Or retire?

Nothing less than our future prosperity and security are at stake in this election.

That’s why it’s been so disappointing that our opponents don’t seem to want to talk about the economy.

One of John McCain’s top political strategists recently said, and I’m quoting, “We are looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis.” He didn’t mean solving the crisis. He meant ignoring it and attacking Barack Obama. Well, most Americans don’t have the luxury of ignoring the economy.

The only new idea Senator McCain has offered in this financial crisis is to have taxpayers pay top dollar for bad mortgages all across America. John’s plan doesn’t demand that the outfits that helped dig us in this hole actually help families get out of the hole. Instead, it rewards them for their bad behavior and guarantees that American taxpayers will lose even more money than they’ve already lost.

Barack and I want to take a different approach. In this housing crisis, we’re going to make it easier for families to stay in their homes – we’re going to do it by changing the bankruptcy laws, and allowing judges to reduce the amount of money actually owed on the mortgage – not just the interest, but the amount of money owed to the bank.

Beyond that, we believe the values of our homes and the economic health of our communities are tied to one thing: jobs. And that’s why all of our plans for the future are about creating jobs.

Investing $60 billion in infrastructure to rebuild America, putting millions to work in renewable energy – wind, solar, biofuels, investing in education so we can out-compete anybody… All of our plans focus on strengthening our economy by creating jobs.

Barack Obama and I measure progress in terms of the dignity and respect that exists for the middle class.

How the folks like the ones I grew up with in Scranton and Wilmington, Delaware are doing. How the people Barack worked with on the South Side of Chicago are doing. This is the most important election of our lives. This is our chance to make the changes our country so urgently needs.

So I hope you’ll join me in these final days, in talking about the issues that matter to all of us … and in working to make sure that Barack Obama is the next President of the United States.

This is Joe Biden. Thank you for listening, and may God bless America and may God protect our troops.

"Over the last few weeks, I was back home on our ranch and traveling through most of Colorado. Everywhere I went, you see the effects of the last eight years. Jobs are disappearing. Health care is costing too much. And the cost of energy is through the roof. For farmers, diesel is costing more than four dollars a gallon. We simply can't afford it any more. Enough is enough.

"Democrats are working for change, and it starts with being honest about our energy future. We consume 25 percent of the world's oil, but we have less than 3 percent of the world's oil reserves. We simply can't drill our way to energy independence.

"In Colorado, we're doing our part on drilling. We have more than 34,000 active gas wells. And we're going to drill a whole lot more in the coming years.

"But we also know that drilling alone is not sufficient. Yet that was the only idea that John McCain and his friends at the Republican National Convention offered. ‘Drill, baby, drill' – that's not enough. We need it all.

"We need to replace the oil we import from countries that don't like us with alternative energy sources that we produce right here at home. Biofuels. Wind. Solar. Hydrogen. Geothermal. Clean Coal. American energy, American jobs. That's what we need.

"With the help of our farmers and ranchers and with Americans' hard work and ingenuity, we can grow our way to energy independence. To do it, though, we have to pass the tax incentives for renewable energy that Senator McCain and Republicans in the Senate have been blocking and opposing for months and years. We need an Apollo project that retools Detroit so that we can run our cars on the alternative fuels that we develop. And we need to give consumers a choice at the pump. Why not fill up with biofuels, if they're cheaper than gas? Why not have cars that get 100 miles to a gallon?

"Democrats are trying to solve these problems because we believe and know we can. President Bush and John McCain do not. All they want is more of the same.

"This week in the Senate, that choice will be clear as day. Democrats will be offering comprehensive energy solutions.

"I'm part of a small group of Senators from both parties who are working together to find bipartisan solutions to energy that we can all agree upon. But the thing is this: it's going to take more than a handful of Republicans who agree that we need a comprehensive energy plan. President Bush and Senator McCain have failed to show any leadership on this issue for the last eight years.

"Republicans have to decide whether they just want to talk about our energy problems on the campaign trail, or whether they will work with Democrats to actually solve them. If you're tired of $4 gasoline, if you're tired of a whole lot of talk without any action, if you're saying enough is enough, I hope you will tell President Bush, Senator McCain, and Members of Congress that it is time for honest solutions to our energy problems.

"This is United States Senator Ken Salazar from Colorado. Have a wonderful weekend."

The failed policies of George Bush and John Sununu have driven our economy into the ground and doubled the national debt to over nine trillion dollars. They have protected billions in tax giveaways for Big Oil and tax loopholes for businesses who ship jobs overseas rather than making a serious commitment to the development of clean alternative energy that can transform our economy and create thousands of new jobs. But just over a week from now, Republicans will assemble at their convention, and ask you for four more years of the same.

They’ll nominate John McCain to lead them. John McCain, who said he doesn’t know as much as he should about the economy. That’s certainly clear. Senator McCain keeps talking about the great progress our economy has made over the past eight years. He doesn’t get it. His economic plan is four more years of George Bush’s economic plan. Four more years of record spending, record deficits, record giveaways to the special interests and a reckless disregard for the middle class. But when Americans speak up and demand action, the Republicans tell us to be quiet. McCain’s chief economic advisor called America “a nation of whiners.” John Sununu told a group of small business owners in New Hampshire to “stop complaining about health care costs.”

Well, we will not stop speaking out until we fix this economy and make it work for the middle class again. This week, you’ll hear something different. In Denver, Barack Obama will lay out a new direction for jumpstarting our economy and rebuilding a strong middle class. It’s long past time for real action. Families don’t need more of the same old Bush-McCain-Sununu agenda – they need relief and they need it now.

That’s why I have proposed tax cuts up to 50% on health care premiums paid by small businesses for their employees and tax incentives to move small businesses toward energy efficiency. It’s why I have proposed a simplified and expanded tuition tax credit to help middle class families send their kids to college. It’s why Barack Obama has a plan to cut taxes for middle-class families and small businesses that puts up to $1,000 in the pockets of 95 percent of Americans – a plan that cuts taxes for middle class families three times as much as the Republicans would.

And we’ll do all this while bringing down the budget deficit, cutting unnecessary spending and government waste in Washington, and responsibly ending the war in Iraq. This November, the choice will be clear. We can’t afford a third Bush term and in New Hampshire, we can’t afford another six years of a Senator who supports the failed Bush economic policies that have devastated our economy. We’ve tried things their way, and they don’t work. I think it’s time for a new direction for America’s middle class families, and I hope you do, too.

This is Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire. Thank you for listening.

In recent days, we’ve seen two stark examples of exactly what’s wrong with Washington, and what’s at stake in this election.

First, we learned that the federal budget deficit could reach nearly half a trillion dollars next year.

Eight years after we had a record surplus, we’re now faced with record deficits. This mortgaging of our children’s future is a direct result of the Bush Administration’s dangerously failed fiscal policies.

Instead of helping Americans who are struggling, we’ve seen loopholes and lavish giveaways for corporations that ship jobs overseas, and tax cut after tax cut for the wealthiest Americans who don’t need them and didn’t even ask for them.

Now, Senator McCain proposes to continue these costly and unfair Bush tax policies. He would continue to put special interests ahead of Americans who are struggling, while short-changing the investments we need to get our economy moving again.

The second thing we learned this week was that the Iraqi government now has a $79 billion budget surplus thanks to their windfall oil profits. And while this Iraqi money sits in American banks, American taxpayers continue to spend $10 billion a month to defend and rebuild Iraq.

That’s right. America faces a huge budget deficit. Iraq has a surplus.

Now, Senator McCain promises to continue President Bush’s open-ended commitment to the war in Iraq, while refusing to pressure Iraqis to take responsibility for their own country.

Let me be clear: we are well over five years into a war in a country that had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. Our brave men and women in uniform have completed every mission they’ve been given. Our country has spent nearly a trillion dollars in Iraq, even as our schools are underfunded, our roads and bridges are crumbling, and the cost of everything from groceries to a gallon of gas is soaring.

Now think for a moment about what we could have done with the hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars that we’ve spent in Iraq. We could have rebuilt American schools and roads and bridges. We could have made historic investments in alternative energy to create millions of American jobs. We could have headed-off $4 dollar a gallon gas and begun to end the tyranny of oil in our time.

Instead, the President decided to spend our money on tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, and a war in Iraq that has already lasted longer than World War II. And Senator McCain has fully embraced these Bush policies.

So the choice in this election could not be clearer.

The American people are worse off than they were eight years ago. Everywhere I go, I meet people who are working hard for their families – but are still falling behind. Our government has lost touch with the most fundamental American values – the belief that everyone should be able to live the American Dream; the sense that we are all in this together as Americans.

Senator McCain talks about putting our country first, but he is running for a third term of the very same policies that have set our country back. We can’t afford to take that chance. We can’t afford to keep running up record deficits while we favor the few over the many. We can’t prioritize a misguided war in Iraq over the urgent needs of the American people.

I believe that we need to move in a new direction.

It’s time to restore balance and fairness to our economy, and to give working people immediate and meaningful relief.

It’s time to stop giving tax cuts to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and to put a tax cut into the pocket of 95 percent of working Americans and their families.

It’s time to end the war in Iraq responsibly by asking the Iraqis to take responsibility for their future and to invest in their own country.

It’s time to make a historic effort to end our dependence on foreign oil by investing $150 billion over the next decade in alternative energy and more fuel efficient cars, even as we push oil companies to increase production. This will create millions of new green jobs – good jobs that lift up our families and communities.

This is a defining moment in our history. We can either continue down a failed course, or we can choose a better future. With your help, I know that we can come together as Americans to meet the challenges of the 21st century, to renew our common purpose, and to reclaim the American Dream for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you and God bless America.

"Good morning. This is Congressman Henry Waxman of California, Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

"This was a great week in the House of Representatives for the children of America. On one single day, we passed two critically important pieces of legislation. The first, to reinvigorate the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and strengthen its ability to assure safe toys for our children. The second is legislation that provides the authority to regulate tobacco and stop tobacco companies from targeting our kids.

"Over the last eight years, the key federal agencies responsible for protecting the public health have been muzzled. The CPSC became almost defunct. The Safety Commission failed to protect children against dangerous levels of lead in toys, and it did nothing to stop the use of dangerous chemicals in plastic toys. This was one of the reasons that Senator Barack Obama and I introduced legislation in 2005 to make sure we banned lead from toys, and we have been fighting these issues ever since.

"When the science says that products that babies put into their mouths could be a threat to their health, the Safety Commission is supposed to act. But they did nothing.

"The Food and Drug Administration is another example. That agency has floundered under chronic underfunding and weak leadership. It has been slow to recall dangerous drugs and ineffective in protecting the food supply. At the Environmental Protection Agency, opportunities to advance protecting the environment have repeatedly been squandered.

"Too often, our watchdog agencies have been captured by special interests. And the people put in charge have been Republican cronies who have had little experience or interest in their government duties. Remember FEMA and Hurricane Katrina.

"But this week, Congress said the public interest must come first. The House and the Senate passed the bill to protect our children and say that the Safety Commission must keep lead out of toys; ban plastic-softening chemicals, called phthalates, from the toys kids can put in their mouths; and require science, not politics or corporate interests, to guide its actions.

"We also finally stood up to the tobacco companies. Fourteen years ago, I chaired the hearings at which the tobacco company CEOs swore under oath that nicotine was not addictive, cigarettes did not cause disease, and they did not target our children. Well, they of course lied.

"When the Republicans took control of the Congress in the next year and controlled it for the next 12 years, efforts on tobacco were stopped.

"But last year, Democrats regained the majority in the House, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made taking on the tobacco companies a top priority. And this week, we achieved an important milestone.

"With strong bipartisan support, we passed long-overdue legislation to stop advertising and promotions targeted to our kids; to stop the marketing of candy-flavored cigarettes clearly designed to attract our kids to smoking; to give the FDA the power to both regulate marketing and the manufacture of tobacco products to make sure that we can remove dangerous additives like formaldehyde and ammonia and begin the process of figuring out how to make cigarettes less addictive.

"Tobacco is the only product that when it's used as intended kills. Every day, 1,000 kids take up this deadly habit. And each year, over 400,000 Americans die from smoking.

"I am proud to say that the House has finally passed legislation to protect our children from tobacco addiction and its devastating toll of death and disease.

"We are in the final months of President Bush's last term. But through our legislative efforts, we are giving the next Administration the tools it will need to start putting public health — and especially the health of our children — first.

"Government at its best can work. It was a very good week for the American public. And best of all, it was a very good week for our kids.

"This is Congressman Henry Waxman. Thanks for listening."

Good morning, I’m Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island.

I have just returned from visiting with our troops and commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq. I had the opportunity to travel with a bipartisan delegation that included Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. The heroism and dedication of our men and women in uniform inspires us all.

As someone who had the privilege of commanding paratroopers, I know the tremendous sacrifices that our troops are making. Some of the soldiers and Marines we met in the field are on their third and fourth tours of duty. And they deserve a policy that is worthy of their sacrifice.

Democrats have outlined a better strategy to carefully redeploy our forces out of Iraq … And give them missions of counter-terrorism; training Iraq’s military; and protecting our forces.

Make no mistake: This is a plan that seizes on the progress and sacrifices our troops have made in Iraq, and it recognizes the desire of the Iraqi people to take control of their own destiny.

During our trip, Iraqi leaders made it clear that they share these goals. Prime Minister Maliki told us that while the Iraqi people deeply appreciate the sacrifices of American forces, they do not want an open-ended presence of U.S. combat forces. We, in turn, had a very clear message for the Prime Minister: the Iraqi government needs to do more.

At a time when the war in Iraq costs $10 billion each month, Americans are paying $4 a gallon for gasoline, and our economy is struggling, we cannot continue down the path that President Bush and Senator McCain propose, writing blank check after blank check.

The United States has spent hundreds of billions of Americans’ tax payer dollars in Iraq.

More than 4,100 of our brave young men and women have been killed and 30,000 have been wounded. Their heroic efforts have bought the Iraqi government additional time, but so far that precious time has not translated into a sufficient political reconciliation that brings a lasting peace.

Unless the Iraqi government can make tough political compromises and deliver basic services to its citizens, then the gains our troops fought so hard to win could be easily reversed.

Our proposal to responsibly redeploy American troops out of Iraq will send a message to the Iraqi government that it must do more. And it will encourage more progress towards Iraqi self-sufficiency.

This new mission in Iraq is the right policy for the future. It is not an end to our support for the Iraqi people, but it is a transition that allows us to focus on the terrorist threats that have grown elsewhere, like Afghanistan.

During our trip, Senators Obama, Hagel, and I met with our commanders on the ground in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has regrouped and Al Qaeda has found safe haven.

The translation of “Al Qaeda” in English means “the base.”… And Al Qaeda is currently using the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan as a base for launching attacks on U.S. and NATO troops and the Afghan people.

Our intelligence officials report that the resurgence of Al Qaeda terrorists in this region now poses the most severe threat to our national security.

Yet alarmingly, and by its own admission, the Bush Administration does not have a coherent plan to destroy this threat and deny these terrorists safe havens.

In our meetings with President Karzai, we stressed our strong commitment to rooting out the terrorists and helping Afghanistan with its security and economic development. We urged him to work on a “more-for-more” basis: more resources from the United States and NATO, but also more action from the Afghan government to improve the lives of its people.

I was proud to join with Senators Obama and Hagel in thanking our troops in the field. These young men and women are serving with extraordinary courage, talent and distinction.

They get up each morning and cross the line of departure, risking their lives, and doing everything in their power to seize the objective.

With that indomitable spirit—and with a leader like Senator Obama who can restore hope and leadership and deliver real change—we will meet the challenges of our time.

Thank you.

"Good morning, this is United States Senator Patty Murray.

Last Sunday I pulled into the gas station near my home in Washington State and paid $4.45 per gallon.

Just a year ago, who could have imagined $4.45 for gas? Now, sadly, prices like this are a reality for families all across America.

We all know that there’s no simple solution to this crisis. America needs a long-term energy plan that reduces our dependence on oil by investing in alternative fuels -- but there are reasonable steps we can take to reduce oil prices now.

Recently, you’ve probably heard about drilling for more oil, and as long as it is done responsibly, that’s something Democrats support.

Oil companies already lease 68 million acres of federal land, which could nearly double U.S. production. They just aren’t using it.

That oil won’t drill itself. We believe it’s time for the oil companies to use that land – and to make sure that it stays in America – instead of shipping it to the highest bidder overseas.

Democrats also think it is time to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Right now we have more than 700 million barrels of oil sitting underground in Texas and Louisiana that can be used in times of emergency.

When President Bush’s father tapped into the oil reserve in 1991, prices went down immediately.

I don’t know what President Bush thinks, but four and half dollar a gallon gas is an emergency for America’s families. When was the last time the President filled his own tank?

In addition, Democrats believe we must rein in Wall Street and traders who are unfairly driving up oil prices.

With regard for nothing but their own profits, some traders are bidding up oil prices by buying huge quantities of oil just to resell at an even higher price.

You see, these traders never plan on actually using the oil they buy. They just keep buying it to inflate the price so that they can make more and more money when they turn around and sell it. The problem is, families like yours and mine are stuck paying the bill.

For nearly eight years now, the Bush Administration has turned a blind eye and let these questionable practices continue with virtually no oversight.

Some experts say that this kind of trading accounts for 20 to 30 percent or more of what we pay at the pump.

Nothing is certain in the oil markets, but experts agree the steps I’ve talked about should help to bring oil prices down and help families make ends meet.

We hope that President Bush and Senate Republicans will join us to reduce energy prices in the short term.

In 2001, when President Bush took office, gas was $1.46 a gallon. Today, in my state, it’s more than triple that. Clearly there’s something wrong with these tired policies.

But there’s a major difference between Democrats and Republicans on energy: Bush-McCain Republicans haven’t come up with anything more than drill, drill, drill.

Even John McCain recently admitted that his offshore drilling proposal has mainly “psychological” benefits.

Our families don’t need to “feel better” about spending $4 dollars and a half per gallon. American families need real action that gets real results.

That’s why we need to get serious about investing in the clean, renewable fuels that can power our cars, homes and offices in the future.

Wind, solar, and geothermal power are becoming more affordable every day.

And everyday, American scientists, innovators and venture capitalists are researching new technologies that could one day end our addiction to oil forever.

We should fast track their efforts by making new investments and keeping their taxes low. Democrats have repeatedly tried to provide tax credits for alternative energy, but each time, Republicans have said no.

We’ve tried things the Republican way for nearly eight years now. Unfortunately all we’re hearing from them now are gimmicks and tired old ideas – the status quo.

With record gas prices and our economy spiraling deeper into recession, Democrats think it’s long past time for a bold new direction. We hope that you do, too.

This is Senator Patty Murray from Washington state. Thanks for listening, and have a great weekend."

’"Good morning. I'm Congressman Chris Van Hollen from Maryland.

"Whether you're listening today while behind the wheel or in your home, there's no doubt you're feeling pain every time you pull up to the pump. As you know all too well, gas prices — which were less than a dollar fifty when President Bush took office — are now more than four dollars a gallon.

"This is no accident. In the first days of his presidency, President Bush put Vice President Cheney in charge of a secret Energy Task Force. They invited the top oil company executives into the White House and told them to bring along their wish lists.

"It's really no surprise what happened next. With two oil men in the White House, gas prices have nearly tripled, and oil company profits are up over 300 percent.

"We're all paying the price for these decisions -- not only at the pump, but when we buy groceries or when we drive or fly for business or to visit our families. And our already-struggling economy is getting pummeled.

"Americans are fed up every time they go to fill up -- and they're right to demand action. But instead of a serious response, President Bush and his allies simply repeat the same old line -- more drilling.

"Now let me be clear: Democrats support more drilling. In fact, what the President hasn't told you is that the oil companies are already sitting on 68million acres of federal lands with the potential to nearly double U.S. oil production. That is why in the coming days congressional Democrats will vote on 'Use It or Lose It' legislation requiring the Big Oil companies to develop these resources -- or lose their leases to someone else who will.

"But we know that drilling by itself will not solve the problem of high gas prices. We cannot drill our way to energy independence.

"In fact, the Bush Administration's own Energy Department concedes that drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge won't put a drop of new gas on the market for at least 10 years -- and it will only wind up saving American consumers about two cents a gallon 20 years from now.

"When Americans are getting sticker shock every time they pull into the gas station, we don't have 20 years to wait. We need action. Real action. Fortunately, there is something we can do right now.

"Earlier this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on President Bush to immediately tap part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in order to bring down runaway gas prices. This Reserve is the supply of oil our country has put away for a rainy day. It has never been more fullthan it is now. There are over 700 million gallons of oil there available for our use.

"And when it comes to the harm that gas prices are having on our families and our economy, America's rainy day is now.

"Presidents have tapped this Reserve before. President Bush's father did it in the early 1990s. President Clinton did it. Even this President Bush did it after Hurricane Katrina.

"We've tapped the Reserve for reasons of instability in the Middle East or high energy prices here at home. And we're facing both these challenges today — in addition to rampant speculation in our energy markets.

"If we responsibly used just some of this American stockpile of oil, we could give drivers quick and real relief at the pump.

"But so far President Bush has resisted our call. If he gave the go-ahead, new supplies would make it onto the market in just 13 days. But the only answer we're getting from him is, 'No.'

"Tapping America's rainy day oil supply isn't a long-term solution. We need to put in place a real energy policy -- one that frees us from dependence on foreign oil, uses American ingenuity and innovation to power our country with new clean technologies, and creates hundreds of thousands of new jobs while reducing climate change.

"But Americans who are hurting now can't just wait for the long term. The pain is not 'mental' and Americans are not 'whiners' as Senator McCain's top economic advisor Phil Gramm would have us believe. The pain is real, and we need immediate relief.

"A couple of months ago, I saw something that made me shudder. President Bush traveled to Saudi Arabia to plead with their king to pump more oil. And the Saudi king turned him down cold.

"I don't believe we should have an America that goes begging to other countries. We have our own oil stockpile set aside for a time of need. The President should free our oil now.

"The Big Oil companies and the energy speculators may not like the lower prices that would result from using part of our rainy day supply, but I'm pretty sure you won't mind.

"This is Chris Van Hollen from Maryland. Thanks for listening."

More than 230 years ago, John Adams -- one of the architects of America's independence -- wrote a letter describing the human cost of establishing our new nation -- a nation unlike any the world had ever seen -- a nation dedicated to freedom.

The letter was sent to his wife, Abigail. Two lines near the end of that letter speak directly to us.

He wrote, "Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom."

"I hope," he added, "you will make good use of it."

On this Fourth of July weekend, as we celebrate our nation's independence, we can be proud that the generations of Americans who followed John Adams have preserved -- and expanded -- our heritage of freedom.

Today, women and African Americans can not only vote for President, they can run for President. That is progress that would have astonished John -- and maybe even Abigail -- Adams.

But there is another change in America that would trouble our Founders greatly if they could see it -- that is the political gridlock today in Washington.

With gasoline at $4 a gallon and rising … an energy crisis … a global warming crisis … our economy in trouble … our military stretched thin … and more Americans every week losing their jobs, their homes, their pensions and their health care, America must change course.

But in the Senate, the Senate Republican leadership is determined to stop efforts to bring change to Washington. They have now shattered the record for the highest number of filibusters in history. Filibusters of course are the age-old procedural obstacles used to slow down or stop the Senate from debating and voting. Now before this Congress the record was 57 filibusters in a two year period of time. This Republican leadership has waged 78 filibusters and we still have six months to go.

Just last month, they blocked bills to combat global warming, halt the mortgage meltdown and bring down fuel prices. Last week, Republican Senators blocked a bill protecting the ability of many Medicare beneficiaries to see the doctor of their choice. The bill would have cancelled a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors.

That cut, which took effect on July 1st, could force many doctors to stop seeing new Medicare patients.

But it's not just the seniors who will suffer. Military families are also at risk because of this Republican filibuster.

Payments under TRICARE, the health care plan for active-duty and retired military members and their families, are tied directly to Medicare payment rates.

Now in my state of Illinois, nearly 156,000 TRICARE patients could be hurt by the Medicare cuts. All told, 8.9 million veterans and military personnel nationwide face reduced medical services because of these cuts.

And while Medicare and TRICARE payments to doctors are being cut, the Bush Administration is giving insurance companies that offer private "Medicare Advantage" plans a 3.6 percent raise.

These private "Medicare Advantage" plans -- created in 2003 when the Republicans controlled Congress -- cost taxpayers, an average of 13 percent more than regular Medicare.

According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, private insurers will reap $150 billion in overpayments over the next decade -- money we could better use to improve Medicare and cover some of the 47 million Americans who are uninsured. Instead, much of that money is going to advertising, overhead, big salaries for insurance company CEOs, big dividends for their stockholders.

There will be a lot of talk about patriotism over this Fourth of July weekend and many Senators will rightfully praise our military. But true patriotism means honoring the men and women in uniform who defend our freedoms -- not just with words and flag lapel pins, but with actions befitting their great sacrifices.

That's why the Veterans of Foreign Wars … the Military Officers Association … the National Guard Association … the National Military Family Association … the Military Order of the Purple Heart and more than two dozen other organizations representing millions of active-duty military members, veterans, and military families and survivors … all oppose the Medicare and TRICARE payment cuts.

House Democrats and Republicans have already come together with a strong bipartisan vote to block these cuts. It's time for the Republican Senators who are filibustering this measure to put our seniors and our military families ahead of private insurance companies and let the Senate pass this bill as soon as possible.

I'm Dick Durbin from Illinois. Have a happy Fourth of July weekend and thanks for listening.

Good morning. I’m Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico.

Across this country Americans are hurting – struggling to cope with the soaring cost of gas and groceries. And they know that Washington hasn’t done enough to bring prices down or to end our dependence on foreign oil. And they certainly know that we haven’t done enough to help struggling families in the short term.

A failure of leadership has gotten us into this situation and only real, honest leadership can get us out. When times are tough it’s easy to go with what seems like a quick fix. But in government, just like in our personal lives, quick fixes are gimmicks that often just make things worse.

John McCain is offering gimmicks that on the surface may sound good; but, in reality will cost us jobs and won’t help families. And they certainly won’t reduce our addiction to imported oil. Senator McCain’s gimmicks – a gas tax holiday that will save consumers at most a gas tax holiday that will save consumers—at most—thirty cents a day for three months, and offering a prize for inventing a car battery - are not answers. As former Secretary of Energy, I know they won’t work.

Barack Obama is proposing real solutions that will provide immediate relief to Americans and build a new energy economy for the future. Senator Obama will push for a second stimulus package that will send out another round of rebate checks to the American people. He’ll tax the record profits of oil companies and use the money to help struggling families pay their energy bills. He’ll provide a $1,000 tax cut that will go to 95 percent of all workers and their families in this country. And he’ll close the loophole that allows corporations like Enron to engage in unregulated speculation that ends up artificially driving up the price of oil.

Obama will also raise the fuel standards in our cars and trucks and provide financial help to our automakers and autoworkers to help them make this transition. He’ll invest $150 billion over the next ten years in alternative sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and advanced biofuels, creating up to five million new jobs.

President Bush and Senator McCain want to open our pristine wilderness lands and shorelines to unrestricted drilling. That is beyond irresponsible- it is dangerous and unnecessary. And will do nothing to provide immediate relief for families struggling with the high cost of gas. We’re not against responsible drilling. We believe the oil companies should drill on some of the millions of acres of land they already have but aren’t using, instead of snapping up new land and putting our natural resources at risk. We’re against irresponsible drilling. And the truth is we have just less than 2% of the world’s oil reserves but 25% of the demand. We can’t simply drill our way out of this energy crisis.

Barack Obama is offering a serious national commitment to transition our economy from our dependence on oil to clean, affordable sources of energy. He’ll make it a priority to finally reduce our dependence on foreign oil. And instead of giving out tax breaks to the oil companies, he’ll put tax breaks in the pockets of the middle class Americans who are the true engine of our economy.

As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s independence, let us all join with Senator Obama in a commitment to declare our independence from imported oil. Barack’s plan to build a new energy future and a stronger middle class is not a partisan issue- It’s an American issue. It’s the right thing to do.

This Fourth of July, please keep our men and women serving in uniform in your prayers and in your hearts. God Bless You, and God Bless America.

"Good morning, I'm Congressman Nick Rahall of West Virginia, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

"Hardworking Americans across the country continue to experience the crunch of record high gasoline prices. At more than $4 per gallon and rising, we know Americans must have relief at the pumps.

"While Democrats in Congress know that we cannot drill our way to energy independence and continue to advocate for the development of renewable fuels and increased energy conservation, we also know that we must increase our supply of oil in the interim.

"This week, President Bush and his Republicans allies rallied behind the oil industry's political agenda once again, and advocated opening more of America's federal land, including coastal areas, to drilling.

"This proposal will not bring the type of relief Americans deserve at the pump.

"Investigations by my Committee have uncovered that over 80 percent of the estimated oil and gas on federal lands are already available for drilling, or will be in the near future, without environmental challenge.

"If the oil industry would drill in those areas - available to them now - the amount of oil produced represents over 14 years of current U.S. consumption. And over 30 years of domestic natural gas use.

"Yet, we also found that Big Oil is more intent on speculating with the public's energy resources. Today, as I speak, the industry is sitting on 68 million acres of federal oil and gas leases already issued to them. That represents an area the size of the state of Colorado.

"Big Oil is stockpiling these leases, as they enjoy record profits, while Americans feel the pain at the pump.

"It is estimated that 68 million acres of leased land could bring to the market an additional 4.8 million barrels of oil. That would nearly double total U.S. production, and cut oil imports by one-third.

"However, President Bush and Senator McCain want to give them even more public resources so that the industry can speculate even further.

"Democrats in the House of Representatives are unifying around a bill I introduced along with other Democratic Leaders to end this speculation of the public's energy resources.

"Simply put, we are telling Big Oil to use it, or lose it.

"Our legislation would compel the industry to drill on those public lands it already controls. They would either have to produce from these lands, show they are being diligent in their development, or give up the right to control even more federal energy resources.

"In the next few weeks, Democrats will also propose bills that will close the 'Enron' loophole on petroleum futures trading that will allow more transparency and shine the light on speculators that have driven up the price of oil; punish price gougers; reduce fares for public transit and give consumers an affordable alternative.

"The Republican approach to Big Oil has been to coddle them, ever since Vice President Cheney first convened his energy task force in March 2001. Big Oil does not need to be coddled; it needs a kick in the backside.

"In response to Big Oil's scheming for more and more acres of public land, House Democrats are saying: 'You've got 'em; drill 'em.'

"I'm Congressman Nick Rahall. Thanks again for listening."