30 Something Working Group

Speaker Pelosi’s "30 Something" working group consists of the Democratic Members of the House of Representatives who are under the age of 40. These Members are committed to engaging the next generation of Americans further in government and the political process. "30 Something" Members seek to talk and listen to young Americans about the issues they care about and how Congress can better represent their opinions on those issues. Click here to visit the 30 Something website >>
LATEST NEWS:
Associated Press: Stuffy and old and boring? Not these congressmen – May 19, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) – Picture the stereotype of a congressman making a floor speech.
“You think of the silver-haired chairman sitting up there — crusty, and he’s been in Congress 20, 30 years,” said Rep. Kendrick Meek, a former state trooper from Miami who is anything but old and crusty. “They’ve been around forever and ever and ever.”
“Stuffy and boring and old,” agreed Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a mother of three young children who congressional newspaper “The Hill” listed as one of the Capitol’s 50 most beautiful people.
Stuffy and crusty isn’t exactly the image that makes you want to stop on CSPAN as you’re channel surfing. So what will? Interesting props, maybe. Or younger House members talking in plain language and actually having a discussion about important issues instead of reading
from a script. And if you still can’t get voters to watch CSPAN, try an edgy (for Congress) video that will get the YouTube and Facebook generation to pay attention.
Continue reading>>
The Week of the Young Child – April 14, 2008
30Something Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz spoke about the Democratic Congress’ work for our children during the Week of the Young Child>>
“spOILed: Breaking Away From Fossil Fuels”
March 25, 2008 – Reps. Tim Ryan (OH-17), Kendrick Meek (FL-17), Jay Inslee (WA-01), and Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) take a look at the Energy Independence and Security Act.
30 Something Democrats: Vlogging the Union
January 28, 2008 – Reps. Kendrick Meek (FL-17) and Tim Ryan (OH-17) of the Democrats’ "30 Something" working group discuss the State of the Union in advance of President Bush’s speech.
Reps. Meek and Ryan: Bush’s Final State of the Union
January 22, 2008 – 30 Something Reps. Kendrick Meek and Tim Ryan chat about the coming State of the Union Address and their own preview they’ll give next week.
30 Something Democrats on Toy and Child Safety
November 15, 2007 – The New Direction Congress is responding to reports that American families and children are at risk because of lead paint in imported toys, recalls in faulty products, unsafe food, and questionable medicines. We are making certain that families have safe drugs, safe toys, safe food. Watch 30 Something Democrats Rep. Kendrick Meek, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Rep. Jason Altmire discuss toy safety with Edmund Mierzwinski, Consumer Program Director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
Behind the Scenes
November 7, 2007 – One year ago, the American people demanded a New Direction: to make America safer, to help restore the American dream, and to restore accountability and fiscal responsibility to the people’s government. Rep. Kendrick Meek films a behind the scenes view of the one year anniversary event:
Read about what the 110th Congress has accomplished>>
Watch more video highlights from the event>>
“30 Something” Democrats Vlog
November 6, 2007 – The members of the Speaker’s 30 Something Working Group are going to be vlogging in the coming weeks – offering behind the scenes views of what’s happening in Congress and conducting interviews with experts on subjects such as child safety. Rep. Kendrick Meek and Rep. Tim Ryan kick off the vlogging today:
College Cost Reduction Act Sent To President
September 18, 2007 – 30 Something Working Group member Rep. Jason Altmire joined Speaker Pelosi and other Congressional leaders in an enrollment ceremony in the Capitol, in which Speaker Pelosi signed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. This legislation is the largest investment in college financial aid since the GI Bill in 1944. She stated, “on behalf of the talented students who joined us today, and for millions more like them, we urge President Bush to support the dreams of middle-class American families by signing the College Cost Reduction and Access Act into law.” After the bill was enrolled, it was sent to President Bush for his signature. Watch:
Rep. Kendrick Meek on his trip to Iraq
August 31, 2007 – 30 Something Rep. Kendrick Meek returned yesterday from a Congressional Delegation trip to Iraq. He shares his views saying, “The American people are asking for our troops to come home. I think that should be the goal of the Congress – for our troops to come home. I think that there are some Members of Congress who feel that we should be there as long as we need to be there. I think that when you start looking at billions and billions of dollars that have been spent thus far on this war and then with the President just yesterday asking for an additional $50 billion dollars as though I was to ask you ‘let me borrow $50 dollars’ I think that that’s the kind of attitude that has been allowed to take place here in Washington for far too long and we need to bring an end to it.” Watch:
30 Somethings on the Minimum Wage Increase
July 24, 2007 – Working full time, a minimum wage worker brings home only $10,712 a year, nearly $6,000 below the poverty level for a family of three. Today, minimum wage workers will see the first federal pay increase in a decade. Raising the minimum wage means a $4,400 yearly pay raise—money that could pay for 30 months of college tuition at a public, 2-year college. 30 Something Members Kendrick Meek and Tim Ryan discuss the minimum wage increase: