Van Hollen, Edwards, show support for ‘Invest in America’s Future’ plan

Rep. Chris Van Hollen addresses reporters: Progressive Maryland PhotoWASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) and U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) joined USAction, a non-for profit organization, and other members of Congress on Thursday, to show their support for the organization’s “Invest in America’s Future” proposal.

The plan is designed to target what USAction calls America’s “economic crisis,” with health care, energy and education being the center pieces. Marvin Silver, USAction’s campaign manager, described the plan as “long-term investments for our future.”

Van Hollen praised the proposal and thanked his new colleague, Donna Edwards.

“I want to thank USAction for putting together this action plan. I also want to thank my terrific new colleague from Maryland Donna Edwards,” Van Hollen said.

“We all know that former Senator Phil Graham, one of the top economic advisors to Senator McCain said the other day to the America people – ‘don’t worry about it. It’s all in your head. This is just a mental recession. Stop whining’ essentially. The American people know that their pain out there, their economic pain, is real.”

Rep. Donna EdwardsEdwards also showed her support for the “Invest in America’s Future” plan.

“We know that America’s in trouble and so I appreciate your leadership in taking the case to the American people. Not just for a couple of ideas but for a real plan for how to get us out of this,” said Edwards. “It is about security, it’s about opportunity and it’s about prosperity.”

She continued: “And the kind of security that I’m talking about is that we know, for example, that we can’t drill our way out of our energy crisis. No matter how much the other side tells us we can drill our way out of it we know that we can’t.”

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore) who was also scheduled to attend the press conference was unable. According to his press office, he was in the middle of a markup of one of his bills.