Tens of thousands of Americans, from teenagers to baby boomers, soon will get a fresh chance to lend a helping hand in a time of need.

The House voted 275-149 Tuesday for a $5.7 billion bill that triples positions in the Clinton-era AmeriCorps program, its largest expansion since the agency’s creation in 1993, and establishes a fund to help nonprofit organizations recruit and manage more volunteers.

Congress was sending the bill to President Barack Obama, who often cites his years as a Chicago community organizer for giving him his political start. Obama has made national service programs a high priority. His budget proposal calls for more than $1.1 billion for the programs, an increase of more than $210 million.

The president, who began an eight-day European trip Tuesday, plans to sign the measure when he returns to Washington.

“I call on all Americans to stand up and do what they can to serve their communities, shape our history and enrich both their own lives and the lives of others across this country,” Obama said in a statement.

With the nation plunging deeper into a recession, Obama and backers of the effort see it as a way to channel a rising desire among Americans to help their neighbors.

“History has … shown that in time of crisis, Americans turn to service and volunteering for healing, for rebuilding and for hope. The spirit of generosity in the American people is one of the greatest assets of our nation,” Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said during debate on the bill.

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VIDEO – Rep. George Miller (D-CA) discussing this legislation:

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TRANSCRIPT (after the jump):

Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States — (applause) — she’s around here somewhere.

I have come here tonight not only to address the distinguished men and women in this great chamber, but to speak frankly and directly to the men and women who sent us here.

I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is a concern that rises above all others. And rightly so. If you haven’t been personally affected by this recession, you probably know someone who has — a friend; a neighbor; a member of your family. You don’t need to hear another list of statistics to know that our economy is in crisis, because you live it every day. It’s the worry you wake up with and the source of sleepless nights. It’s the job you thought you’d retire from but now have lost; the business you built your dreams upon that’s now hanging by a thread; the college acceptance letter your child had to put back in the envelope. The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere.

But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken, though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before. (Applause.)

The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation. The answers to our problems don’t lie beyond our reach. They exist in our laboratories and our universities; in our fields and our factories; in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth. Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure. What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more. (Applause.)

Now, if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that for too long, we have not always met these responsibilities — as a government or as a people. I say this not to lay blame or to look backwards, but because it is only by understanding how we arrived at this moment that we’ll be able to lift ourselves out of this predicament.

The fact is our economy did not fall into decline overnight. Nor did all of our problems begin when the housing market collapsed or the stock market sank. We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before. The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year, yet we keep delaying reform. Our children will compete for jobs in a global economy that too many of our schools do not prepare them for. And though all these challenges went unsolved, we still managed to spend more money and pile up more debt, both as individuals and through our government, than ever before.

In other words, we have lived through an era where too often short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity; where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election. A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. (Applause.) Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn’t afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day.

Well that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here.

Now is the time to act boldly and wisely — to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity. Now is the time to jumpstart job creation, re-start lending, and invest in areas like energy, health care, and education that will grow our economy, even as we make hard choices to bring our deficit down. That is what my economic agenda is designed to do, and that is what I’d like to talk to you about tonight.

It’s an agenda that begins with jobs. (Applause.)

As soon as I took office, I asked this Congress to send me a recovery plan by President’s Day that would put people back to work and put money in their pockets. Not because I believe in bigger government — I don’t. Not because I’m not mindful of the massive debt we’ve inherited — I am. I called for action because the failure to do so would have cost more jobs and caused more hardship. In fact, a failure to act would have worsened our long-term deficit by assuring weak economic growth for years. And that’s why I pushed for quick action. And tonight, I am grateful that this Congress delivered, and pleased to say that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is now law. (Applause.)

Over the next two years, this plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs. More than 90 percent of these jobs will be in the private sector — jobs rebuilding our roads and bridges; constructing wind turbines and solar panels; laying broadband and expanding mass transit.

Because of this plan, there are teachers who can now keep their jobs and educate our kids. Health care professionals can continue caring for our sick. There are 57 police officers who are still on the streets of Minneapolis tonight because this plan prevented the layoffs their department was about to make. (Applause.)

Because of this plan, 95 percent of working households in America will receive a tax cut — a tax cut that you will see in your paychecks beginning on April 1st. (Applause.)

Because of this plan, families who are struggling to pay tuition costs will receive a $2,500 tax credit for all four years of college. And Americans — (applause) — and Americans who have lost their jobs in this recession will be able to receive extended unemployment benefits and continued health care coverage to help them weather this storm. (Applause.)

Now, I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work. And I understand that skepticism. Here in Washington, we’ve all seen how quickly good intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending. And with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right.

And that’s why I’ve asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort — because nobody messes with Joe. (Applause.) I — isn’t that right? They don’t mess with you. I have told each of my Cabinet, as well as mayors and governors across the country, that they will be held accountable by me and the American people for every dollar they spend. I’ve appointed a proven and aggressive Inspector General to ferret out any and all cases of waste and fraud. And we have created a new website called recovery.gov so that every American can find out how and where their money is being spent.

So the recovery plan we passed is the first step in getting our economy back on track. But it is just the first step. Because even if we manage this plan flawlessly, there will be no real recovery unless we clean up the credit crisis that has severely weakened our financial system.

I want to speak plainly and candidly about this issue tonight, because every American should know that it directly affects you and your family’s well-being. You should also know that the money you’ve deposited in banks across the country is safe; your insurance is secure; you can rely on the continued operation of our financial system. That’s not the source of concern.

The concern is that if we do not restart lending in this country, our recovery will be choked off before it even begins.

You see — (applause) — you see, the flow of credit is the lifeblood of our economy. The ability to get a loan is how you finance the purchase of everything from a home to a car to a college education, how stores stock their shelves, farms buy equipment, and businesses make payroll.

But credit has stopped flowing the way it should. Too many bad loans from the housing crisis have made their way onto the books of too many banks. And with so much debt and so little confidence, these banks are now fearful of lending out any more money to households, to businesses, or even to each other. And when there is no lending, families can’t afford to buy homes or cars. So businesses are forced to make layoffs. Our economy suffers even more, and credit dries up even further.

That is why this administration is moving swiftly and aggressively to break this destructive cycle, to restore confidence, and restart lending.

And we will do so in several ways. First, we are creating a new lending fund that represents the largest effort ever to help provide auto loans, college loans, and small business loans to the consumers and entrepreneurs who keep this economy running. (Applause.)

Second — second, we have launched a housing plan that will help responsible families facing the threat of foreclosure lower their monthly payments and refinance their mortgages. It’s a plan that won’t help speculators or that neighbor down the street who bought a house he could never hope to afford, but it will help millions of Americans who are struggling with declining home values — Americans who will now be able to take advantage of the lower interest rates that this plan has already helped to bring about. In fact, the average family who refinances today can save nearly $2,000 per year on their mortgage. (Applause.)

Third, we will act with the full force of the federal government to ensure that the major banks that Americans depend on have enough confidence and enough money to lend even in more difficult times. And when we learn that a major bank has serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy.

I understand that on any given day, Wall Street may be more comforted by an approach that gives bank bailouts with no strings attached, and that holds nobody accountable for their reckless decisions. But such an approach won’t solve the problem. And our goal is to quicken the day when we restart lending to the American people and American business, and end this crisis once and for all.

And I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for the assistance they receive, and this time, they will have to clearly demonstrate how taxpayer dollars result in more lending for the American taxpayer. (Applause.) This time — this time, CEOs won’t be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks, or buy fancy drapes, or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over. (Applause.)

Still, this plan will require significant resources from the federal government — and, yes, probably more than we’ve already set aside. But while the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an economy that sputters along for not months or years, but perhaps a decade. That would be worse for our deficit, worse for business, worse for you, and worse for the next generation. And I refuse to let that happen. (Applause.)

Now, I understand that when the last administration asked this Congress to provide assistance for struggling banks, Democrats and Republicans alike were infuriated by the mismanagement and the results that followed. So were the American taxpayers. So was I. So I know how unpopular it is to be seen as helping banks right now, especially when everyone is suffering in part from their bad decisions. I promise you — I get it.

But I also know that in a time of crisis, we cannot afford to govern out of anger, or yield to the politics of the moment. (Applause.) My job — our job — is to solve the problem. Our job is to govern with a sense of responsibility. I will not send — I will not spend a single penny for the purpose of rewarding a single Wall Street executive, but I will do whatever it takes to help the small business that can’t pay its workers, or the family that has saved and still can’t get a mortgage. (Applause.)

That’s what this is about. It’s not about helping banks — it’s about helping people. (Applause.) It’s not about helping banks; it’s about helping people. Because when credit is available again, that young family can finally buy a new home. And then some company will hire workers to build it. And then those workers will have money to spend. And if they can get a loan, too, maybe they’ll finally buy that car, or open their own business. Investors will return to the market, and American families will see their retirement secured once more. Slowly, but surely, confidence will return, and our economy will recover. (Applause.)

So I ask this Congress to join me in doing whatever proves necessary. Because we cannot consign our nation to an open-ended recession. And to ensure that a crisis of this magnitude never happens again, I ask Congress to move quickly on legislation that will finally reform our outdated regulatory system. (Applause.) It is time — it is time to put in place tough, new common-sense rules of the road so that our financial market rewards drive and innovation, and punishes short-cuts and abuse.

The recovery plan and the financial stability plan are the immediate steps we’re taking to revive our economy in the short term. But the only way to fully restore America’s economic strength is to make the long-term investments that will lead to new jobs, new industries, and a renewed ability to compete with the rest of the world. The only way this century will be another American century is if we confront at last the price of our dependence on oil and the high cost of health care; the schools that aren’t preparing our children and the mountain of debt they stand to inherit. That is our responsibility.

In the next few days, I will submit a budget to Congress. So often, we’ve come to view these documents as simply numbers on a page or a laundry list of programs. I see this document differently. I see it as a vision for America — as a blueprint for our future.

My budget does not attempt to solve every problem or address every issue. It reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited — a trillion-dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession.

Given these realities, everyone in this chamber — Democrats and Republicans — will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me.

But that does not mean we can afford to ignore our long-term challenges. I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves; that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity.

For history tells a different story. History reminds us that at every moment of economic upheaval and transformation, this nation has responded with bold action and big ideas. In the midst of civil war, we laid railroad tracks from one coast to another that spurred commerce and industry. From the turmoil of the Industrial Revolution came a system of public high schools that prepared our citizens for a new age. In the wake of war and depression, the GI Bill sent a generation to college and created the largest middle class in history. (Applause.) And a twilight struggle for freedom led to a nation of highways, an American on the moon, and an explosion of technology that still shapes our world.

In each case, government didn’t supplant private enterprise; it catalyzed private enterprise. It created the conditions for thousands of entrepreneurs and new businesses to adapt and to thrive.

We are a nation that has seen promise amid peril, and claimed opportunity from ordeal. Now we must be that nation again. That is why, even as it cuts back on programs we don’t need, the budget I submit will invest in the three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future: energy, health care, and education. (Applause.)

It begins with energy.

We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century. And yet, it is China that has launched the largest effort in history to make their economy energy-efficient. We invented solar technology, but we’ve fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in producing it. New plug-in hybrids roll off our assembly lines, but they will run on batteries made in Korea.

Well, I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root beyond our borders — and I know you don’t, either. It is time for America to lead again. (Applause.)

Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation’s supply of renewable energy in the next three years. We’ve also made the largest investment in basic research funding in American history — an investment that will spur not only new discoveries in energy, but breakthroughs in medicine and science and technology.

We will soon lay down thousands of miles of power lines that can carry new energy to cities and towns across this country. And we will put Americans to work making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save billions of dollars on our energy bills.

But to truly transform our economy, to protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America. That’s what we need. (Applause.) And to support — to support that innovation, we will invest $15 billion a year to develop technologies like wind power and solar power, advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more efficient cars and trucks built right here in America. (Applause.)

Speaking of our auto industry, everyone recognizes that years of bad decision-making and a global recession have pushed our automakers to the brink. We should not, and will not, protect them from their own bad practices. But we are committed to the goal of a retooled, reimagined auto industry that can compete and win. Millions of jobs depend on it. Scores of communities depend on it. And I believe the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it. (Applause.)

None of this will come without cost, nor will it be easy. But this is America. We don’t do what’s easy. We do what’s necessary to move this country forward.

And for that same reason, we must also address the crushing cost of health care.

This is a cost that now causes a bankruptcy in America every 30 seconds. By the end of the year, it could cause 1.5 million Americans to lose their homes. In the last eight years, premiums have grown four times faster than wages. And in each of these years, 1 million more Americans have lost their health insurance. It is one of the major reasons why small businesses close their doors and corporations ship jobs overseas. And it’s one of the largest and fastest-growing parts of our budget.

Given these facts, we can no longer afford to put health care reform on hold. We can’t afford to do it. It’s time. (Applause.)

Already, we’ve done more to advance the cause of health care reform in the last 30 days than we’ve done in the last decade. When it was days old, this Congress passed a law to provide and protect health insurance for 11 million American children whose parents work full-time. (Applause.) Our recovery plan will invest in electronic health records and new technology that will reduce errors, bring down costs, ensure privacy, and save lives. It will launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American, including me, by seeking a cure for cancer in our time. (Applause.) And — and it makes the largest investment ever in preventive care, because that’s one of the best ways to keep our people healthy and our costs under control.

This budget builds on these reforms. It includes a historic commitment to comprehensive health care reform — a down payment on the principle that we must have quality, affordable health care for every American. (Applause.) It’s a commitment — it’s a commitment that’s paid for in part by efficiencies in our system that are long overdue. And it’s a step we must take if we hope to bring down our deficit in the years to come.

Now, there will be many different opinions and ideas about how to achieve reform, and that’s why I’m bringing together businesses and workers, doctors and health care providers, Democrats and Republicans to begin work on this issue next week.

I suffer no illusions that this will be an easy process. Once again, it will be hard. But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and our conscience long enough. So let there be no doubt: Health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year. (Applause.)

The third challenge we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education in America.

In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite.

Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish.

This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education — from the day they are born to the day they begin a career. (Applause.) That is a promise we have to make to the children of America. (Applause.)

Already, we’ve made an historic investment in education through the economic recovery plan. We’ve dramatically expanded early childhood education and will continue to improve its quality, because we know that the most formative learning comes in those first years of life. We’ve made college affordable for nearly seven million more students — seven million. (Applause.) And we have provided the resources necessary to prevent painful cuts and teacher layoffs that would set back our children’s progress.

But we know that our schools don’t just need more resources. They need more reform. (Applause.) That is why this budget creates new teachers — new incentives for teacher performance; pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We’ll invest in innovative programs that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. And we will expand our commitment to charter schools. (Applause.)

It is our responsibility as lawmakers and as educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. So tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country — and this country needs and values the talents of every American. (Applause.) That’s why we will support — we will provide the support necessary for all young Americans to complete college and meet a new goal: By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. That’s is a goal we can meet. (Applause.) That’s a goal we can meet.

Now, I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education. (Applause.) And to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations, I ask Congress to send me the bipartisan legislation that bears the name of Senator Orrin Hatch, as well as an American who has never stopped asking what he can do for his country — Senator Edward Kennedy. (Applause.)

These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a parent — for a mother or father who will attend those parent/teacher conferences, or help with homework, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, read to their child. (Applause.) I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father, when I say that responsibility for our children’s education must begin at home. That is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. That’s an American issue. (Applause.)

There is, of course, another responsibility we have to our children. And that’s the responsibility to ensure that we do not pass on to them a debt they cannot pay. (Applause.) That is critical. I agree, absolutely. See, I know we can get some consensus in here. (Laughter.) With the deficit we inherited, the cost — (applause) — the cost of the crisis we face, and the long-term challenges we must meet, it has never been more important to ensure that as our economy recovers, we do what it takes to bring this deficit down. That is critical. (Applause.)

Now, I’m proud that we passed a recovery plan free of earmarks — (applause) — and I want to pass a budget next year that ensures that each dollar we spend reflects only our most important national priorities.

And yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office. My administration has also begun to go line by line through the federal budget in order to eliminate wasteful and ineffective programs. As you can imagine, this is a process that will take some time. But we have already identified $2 trillion in savings over the next decade. (Applause.)

In this budget — in this budget, we will end education programs that don’t work and end direct payments to large agribusiness that don’t need them. (Applause.) We’ll eliminate — we’ll eliminate the no-bid contracts that have wasted billions in Iraq — (applause) — and reform — and — and reform our defense budget so that we’re not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don’t use. (Applause.) We will — we will root out — we will root out the waste and fraud and abuse in our Medicare program that doesn’t make our seniors any healthier. We will restore a sense of fairness and balance to our tax code by finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas. (Applause.)

In order to save our children from a future of debt, we will also end the tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. (Applause.) Now, let me be clear — let me be absolutely clear, because I know you’ll end up hearing some of the same claims that rolling back these tax breaks means a massive tax increase on the American people: If your family earns less than $250,000 a year — a quarter million dollars a year — you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat: Not one single dime. (Applause.) Not a dime. In fact, the recovery plan provides a tax cut — that’s right, a tax cut — for 95 percent of working families. And by the way, these checks are on the way. (Applause.)

Now, to preserve our long-term fiscal health, we must also address the growing costs in Medicare and Social Security. Comprehensive health care reform is the best way to strengthen Medicare for years to come. And we must also begin a conversation on how to do the same for Social Security, while creating tax-free universal savings accounts for all Americans. (Applause.)

Finally, because we’re also suffering from a deficit of trust, I am committed to restoring a sense of honesty and accountability to our budget. That is why this budget looks ahead 10 years and accounts for spending that was left out under the old rules — and for the first time, that includes the full cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Applause.) For seven years, we have been a nation at war. No longer will we hide its price. (Applause.)

Along with our outstanding national security team, I’m now carefully reviewing our policies in both wars, and I will soon announce a way forward in Iraq that leaves Iraq to its people and responsibly ends this war. (Applause.)

And with our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat al Qaeda and combat extremism. Because I will not allow terrorists to plot against the American people from safe havens halfway around the world. We will not allow it. (Applause.)

As we meet here tonight, our men and women in uniform stand watch abroad and more are readying to deploy. To each and every one of them, and to the families who bear the quiet burden of their absence, Americans are united in sending one message: We honor your service, we are inspired by your sacrifice, and you have our unyielding support. (Applause.)

To relieve the strain on our forces, my budget increases the number of our soldiers and Marines. And to keep our sacred trust with those who serve, we will raise their pay, and give our veterans the expanded health care and benefits that they have earned. (Applause.)

To overcome extremism, we must also be vigilant in upholding the values our troops defend — because there is no force in the world more powerful than the example of America. And that is why I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, and will seek swift and certain justice for captured terrorists. (Applause.) Because living our values doesn’t make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger. (Applause.) And that is why I can stand here tonight and say without exception or equivocation that the United States of America does not torture. We can make that commitment here tonight. (Applause.)

In words and deeds, we are showing the world that a new era of engagement has begun. For we know that America cannot meet the threats of this century alone, but the world cannot meet them without America. We cannot shun the negotiating table, nor ignore the foes or forces that could do us harm. We are instead called to move forward with the sense of confidence and candor that serious times demand.

To seek progress towards a secure and lasting peace between Israel and her neighbors, we have appointed an envoy to sustain our effort. To meet the challenges of the 21st century — from terrorism to nuclear proliferation; from pandemic disease to cyber threats to crushing poverty — we will strengthen old alliances, forge new ones, and use all elements of our national power.

And to respond to an economic crisis that is global in scope, we are working with the nations of the G20 to restore confidence in our financial system, avoid the possibility of escalating protectionism, and spur demand for American goods in markets across the globe. For the world depends on us having a strong economy, just as our economy depends on the strength of the world’s.

As we stand at this crossroads of history, the eyes of all people in all nations are once again upon us — watching to see what we do with this moment; waiting for us to lead.

Those of us gathered here tonight have been called to govern in extraordinary times. It is a tremendous burden, but also a great privilege — one that has been entrusted to few generations of Americans. For in our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill.

I know that it’s easy to lose sight of this truth — to become cynical and doubtful; consumed with the petty and the trivial. But in my life, I have also learned that hope is found in unlikely places; that inspiration often comes not from those with the most power or celebrity, but from the dreams and aspirations of Americans who are anything but ordinary.

I think of Leonard Abess, a bank president from Miami who reportedly cashed out of his company, took a $60 million bonus, and gave it out to all 399 people who worked for him, plus another 72 who used to work for him. He didn’t tell anyone, but when the local newspaper found out, he simply said, “I knew some of these people since I was seven years old. It didn’t feel right getting the money myself.” (Applause.)

I think about — I think about Greensburg — Greensburg, Kansas, a town that was completely destroyed by a tornado, but is being rebuilt by its residents as a global example of how clean energy can power an entire community — how it can bring jobs and businesses to a place where piles of bricks and rubble once lay. “The tragedy was terrible,” said one of the men who helped them rebuild. “But the folks here know that it also provided an incredible opportunity.”

I think about Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, South Carolina — a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She had been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this chamber. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, “We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters.” That’s what she said. We are not quitters. Applause.)

These words — these words and these stories tell us something about the spirit of the people who sent us here. They tell us that even in the most trying times, amid the most difficult circumstances, there is a generosity, a resilience, a decency, and a determination that perseveres; a willingness to take responsibility for our future and for posterity.

Their resolve must be our inspiration. Their concerns must be our cause. And we must show them and all our people that we are equal to the task before us. (Applause.)

I know — look, I know that we haven’t agreed on every issue thus far — (laughter.) There are surely times in the future where we will part ways. But I also know that every American who is sitting here tonight loves this country and wants it to succeed. I know that. (Applause.) That must be the starting point for every debate we have in the coming months, and where we return after those debates are done. That is the foundation on which the American people expect us to build common ground.

And if we do — if we come together and lift this nation from the depths of this crisis; if we put our people back to work and restart the engine of our prosperity; if we confront without fear the challenges of our time and summon that enduring spirit of an America that does not quit, then someday years from now our children can tell their children that this was the time when we performed, in the words that are carved into this very chamber, “something worthy to be remembered.”

Thank you. God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you. (Applause.)

From MyDD:

You may have noticed that lately many of my Breaking Blue posts have focused on the impending demise of internet radio and with it, the Pandora internet radio that I so adore.

Nancy Scola did a masterful job detailing the situation in a post a few weeks back. But a short summary of the situation is that a recent rate increase passed by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), and backed by RIAA, significantly increased the rates for internet music broadcasters – to the point where it will bankrupt most of them once it goes into effect.

Luckily, the CRB is part of the United States Copyright Office of the Library of Congress. Which means it comes under congressional jurisdiction. So last week, Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA) along with Republican co-sponsor Don Manzullo (R-IL) introduced the Internet Radio Equality Act:

The Inslee-Manzullo Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R. 2060, would provide royalty parity for Internet radio providers. It would vacate the CRB’s March 2 decision and apply the same royalty rate-setting standard to commercial Internet radio, as well as satellite radio, cable radio and jukeboxes. A transition rate of 7.5 percent of revenue would be set through 2010.

There’s an extra sense of urgency around all of this as the rate increases are set to go into effect on May 15th and the official website for the campaign to save internet radio, SaveNetRadio.org, has taken to calling it “The Day the Music Dies.”

Late last week I was forwarded an email announcing that Tim Westergren, the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer for Pandora, would be in town on Monday lobbying Congress and had arranged for a DC townhall of sorts. Pandora being my favorite internet music broadcaster and me being a blogger of sorts with an admittedly selfish interest in saving internet radio, I RSVPed for the event.

I arrived at the sleek new be bar by the Convention Center about 40 minutes into the event, in the midst of question and answer session with the aforementioned Pandora founder Tim Westergren. About fifty or so people were seated, a mix of DC professionals, musicians, and generally people who looked a lot cooler then myself. Some government employees mentioned that they depended on Pandora to help get them through their day, since the federal government blocks a lot of websites, but Pandora was not yet one of them.

Also present at the event was a lawyer who represented an interest that I was never quite clear on. She claimed she was independent, then something about working for artists rights, and then seemed to come off as a shill for the RIAA. Her focus seemed to be an attempt to divide the internet radio coalition by focusing on the difference between the big and small broadcasters (Pandora is one of the largest) and that the big broadcasters were taking advantage of musicians. The issue itself is, of course, complex and higher rates could translate into more money for the artists broadcast on internet radio stations. But the loss in revenue from almost every internet radio station going off the air seems like it would be a much much great loss, which was the point expressed by several artists present at the event. She also attempted to introduced the idea of a secret last minute deal for the big broadcasters and screwing everyone else, which was denied by the Pandora folks.

I got a chance to ask a question of Tim, asking him whether or not he and the other internet broadcasters viewed this as primarily an Internet or Music fight. He answered that without hesitation that they viewed it as a music fight. He listed off the coalition that had been assembled including musicians, listeners, the broadcasters, NPR, profit and non-profit companies (note the common theme – music). Activist organizations and even major internet companies you’d think would be interested were noticeably absent from his list.

This actually took me by surprise, since I had thought of this fight primarily in a context similar to the internet fights we’ve been engaging in, like net neutrality. But I guess I can understand why an internet music company would view and approach this through a music prism.

He noted that the forces that they were going up against which would be familiar to those following the net neutrality fight. They’re going up against very intrenched forces, which have influence derived from long-developed relationships with lawmakers, which their young industry doesn’t have the luxury of building before May 15th. Westergren called this moment a “watershed,” a “pivotal point in music space.”

Tim noted the grassroots efforts of listeners and bloggers and was particularly proud that their campaign to fax members of congress had shut down the fax infrastructure on the Hill. It was almost a surreal moment, the founder of a pioneering internet venture, speaking about how a main achievement of their campaign to apply pressure to Congress was crashing the fax machines on Capitol Hill. It was at this moment that I decided that the save internet radio movement might benefit from the netroots taking a stronger interest.

As “The Day the Music Dies” fast approaches, there’s a huge opportunity for the progressive netroots to join with a coalition and help notch another victory for the internet. Or music. Or whatever category this one would fall into. Plus we could introduce some of our patented “make congress pay attention to us” techniques to take us beyond the crashing the faxes stage of activism (to crashing gates).

You can start by heading over to SaveNetRadio.org and contacting your Representative and asking them to support the Inslee-Manzullo Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R. 2060. I’ll be doing an interview with Tim Westergren from Pandora and speaking with someone from Congressman Inslee’s office later this week, so check back soon for my follow-up.

SaveNetRadio.org

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Disapproving of the decision of the President announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That —

(1) Congress and the American people will continue to support and protect the members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving or who have served bravely and honorably in Iraq; and

(2) Congress disapproves of the decision of President George W. Bush announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.

Each member of the House has been given five minutes to speak on this resolution. The Democrats have made this resolution as straightforward and as easy to grasp as possible. What does a non-binding resolution do, you may ask? It sends a clear message to the White House that Congress (via the American people) reject Bush’s policy of sending more troops to referee a civil war in Iraq.

NPR’s Morning Edition has more on this great debate.

Think Progress has more…

This really sucks for Team America. Darcy would have made an excellent Congresswoman. However, all is not lost. Our hope is that she will run again in 2008 and win!

Darcy appeared on DoubleSpeak a couple months back. Take a listen to our interview.

Rep. Sherrod Brown
Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate

Kyle McDermott, Ohio ALF-CIO
State Political Coordinator

Ben Waxman, Ohio AFL-CIO
State Field Director

Music by Marah, Highway Dave and The Varmints, and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.

Rep. Sherrod Brown
Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate
Ohio
Website

Sherrod Brown was born in Mansfield, Ohio. He attended Yale Law School and earned a master of arts degree in education and public administration from Ohio State University in 1981.

Rep. Brown served as an Ohio state representative from 1975 to 1982. In 1982, he won a four-way Democratic primary and was elected Secretary of State.

Brown was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992 and has served the 13th District for 13 years. He is running against Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) in 2006 and all public polls indicate that the race is virtually tied.

Connie Schultz, Brown’s wife, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist on leave from Cleveland’s Plain Dealer newspaper. Brown has two daughters and two step-children.

Kyle McDermott
Ohio ALF-CIO
State Political Coordinator
Website

Ben Waxman
Ohio ALF-CIO
State Field Director
Website

Kyle McDermott and Ben Waxman work for the Ohio AFL-CIO. Kyle serves as the State Political Coordinator and Ben Waxman works as the State Field Director for the AFL-CIO’s Take Back Ohio voter mobilization program.

“The Ohio AFL-CIO was formed in 1958 to battle a right-to-work campaign backed by Ohio Republicans and big businesses. Since that merger of the state’s craft and industrial unions, the Ohio AFL-CIO has been at the forefront of struggles for political power and economic and social justice for working families. Our strength derives from 650,000 union men and women who are affiliated with the Ohio AFL-CIO through 48 international unions and 1,600 local unions. Along with 300,000 union retirees, they are the individuals who provide the collective power of the Ohio AFL-CIO.”

MUSIC:

Marah
“The Demon of White Sadness”

Highway Dave and The Varmints
“Tangy Honey Thang”

Dan Maffei, Candidate for U.S. Congress
New York’s 25th Congressional District

Zack Space, Candidate for U.S. Congress
Ohio’s 18th Congressional District

Russell Hughlock
BuckeyeStateBlog.com

Eric Vessell
Online Organizer, Progress Ohio

Music by Phillip Flathead, Giant Bear, and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.

Dan Maffei
Candidate for U.S. Congress
New York’s 25th Congressional District
Website

Dan Maffei was born and raised in Syracuse, NY. He has considerable experience working in politics and has served some of the most prominent politicians in a generation, including Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Senator Bill Bradley, and Rep. Charles Rangel.

Dan recently ran the victorious Syracuse mayoral campaign of Democrat Matt Driscoll and through this experience gained a deep understanding of the important issues facing both the urban voters of Syracuse and the rural voters who live in other parts of this diverse district.

Dan Maffei owns a home in DeWitt, just east of Syracuse. He is currently a self-employed business owner and frequent guest lecturer at numerous universities.

Zack Space
Candidate for U.S. Congress
Ohio’s 18th Congressional District
Website

Zack Space, a former football player, has spent his entire life living and serving in Ohio. He attended undergrad at Kenyon College and received his law degree from Ohio State University.

In 1986, Space started a law firm with his father Socrates focusing primarily on consumer rights. In 2001, Space ran successfully for the position of Dover County Attorney and was handily re-elected for that position in 2003. Space is married to Mary Wade and they have two children Gina and Nicholas.

Russell Hughlock
Blogger, BuckeyeStateBlog.com
Website

Russell Hughlock runs BuckeyeStateBlog, Ohio’s leading political blog. His site gets over 30,000 hits per day and he is hoping to increase that number during the 2006 and 2008 elections.

Eric Vessells
Online Organizer/Blogger, Progress Ohio
Website

Eric Vessells, formerly of Plunderbund is now a blogger and online organizer for the newly formed organization, Progress Ohio.

MUSIC:

Phillip Flathead
“The Ballad Of Timothy Leary”

Giant Bear
“Mermaid’s Purse”

We’re off. Ohio treated us well. Onward to Michigan.

We spent the day today with a good friend in Columbus, OH and now we’re now driving north on 23 towards Ann Arbor, MI.

We finished up our Massachusetts episode and Josh is uploading it to the website as I type. As always, the internet connection isn’t always reliable, so sometimes a lengthy download becomes an epic lengthy download.

I’ll tell you, Ohio is the center of the universe for 2006 politics. There a multiple competitive House seats that are in play and there is also a hot Senate and Governors race. Political junkies couldn’t ask for more.

The TV ad war is also heating up. Every commercial break features numerous political ads and some are just off the chart wacko. Take gay marriage for example.

The gay marriage issue is big here in Ohio and there is an organization (I forget the name) running non-stop ads that feature two men, one dressed in a tuxedo and one in a wedding dress and they are standing at the alter as a narrator is preaching about ills of the two men being able to wed and live together. It is pretty sick. However, not as sick as the airplane (yes, I said airplane) that was circling Columbus today dragging an anti-abortion banner that had a picture of a fetus. Absolutely inappropriate, incredibly sick and outright disgusting.

A huge win for the Democrats in one month means a huge win in Ohio. We can’t take back Congress without a victories on the ground in the Ohio; particularly the OH-1, OH-15, OH-18.

We’ll be up bright and early tomorrow and heading to the Michigan vs. Michigan State Football game where we will interview Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI). They are both tailgating at the game – meeting voters and pressing the flesh.

Look for the new DoubleSpeak episode soon. We’ll put it up as soon as possible – by the time the head hits the pillow tonight.

More from the car later on and then we’ll keep you updated on the Michigan leg of the trip over the next two days.

Enjoy the night…

-Peter

Democrats Winning Key Races
A series of Reuters/Zogby tracking polls shows very good news for Democrats. Of those races surveyed, Democrats hold leads in races for 11 out of 15 key Republican-held House seats.

Highlights:

* In IL-6, Tammy Duckworth (D) edges Peter Roskar (R), 43% to 38%, in the race to replace retiring Rep. Henry Hyde(R-IL).

* In OH-18, Zack Space (D) leads Joy Padgett (R), 45% to 36%, in the race to replace Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH).

* In CT-4, Diane Farrell is beating Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT), 46% to 41%.

* In CO-7, Ed Perlmutter (D) leads Rick O’Donnell (R), 45% to 34%, to replace Rep. Bob Beauprez (R-CO), who is running for governor of Colorado.

* In IN-9, Baron Hill (D) is beating Rep. Mike Sodrel (R-IN), 46% to 38%.

* In IN-2, Joe Donnelly is ahead of Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN), 49% to 39%.

Remember, Election Day is still over 30 days day away. Anything can happen. If you’re fed up and want change, go volunteer for your local Representative today.

Team DoubleSpeak just wrapped up disc one of Bill Clinton’s autobiography, My Life. I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of the book, read to me by the one and only, Bubba Clinton.

We’re stuck in traffic and are eager for things to clear up so we can get to Ohio by Monday Night Football. (Go Birds!)

In today’s Congressional Pedophile watch: Foleygate is really heating up. We are listening to news reports and it seems the fallout is continuing and really starting to spiral. It is beyond understanding to me why the GOP leadership covered up this story.

They had a pedophile in their ranks and instead of doing what was right for the country, they did what was right for their political party. They allowed Foley to get away with a free pass and now that they got caught in their web of lies, they are all back pedaling – trying to figure out a way to justify their unconscionable actions.

The Florida GOP has picked state Rep. Joe Negron to replace Foley on the ballot in the November election. This interesting thing is – Negron will have to run under Foley’s name. As the law stands now, it is too late to replace Foley on the ballot.

I wonder how they’ll end the TV commercials:

“What Rep. Foley did was despicable and beyond comprehension. As your Representative in Congress, I’ll never betray the public trust and I’ll stay off AIM, period! Let’s put this Foley debacle behind us – I’m Mark Foley and I approve this message.”

The Dems shouldn’t have any problem picking this seat up. You thought Florida voters were confused in 2000! Oye.

What a wild and crazy world we live in.

More from Ohio later.

-Peter

Dianne Farrell, Candidate for U.S. Congress
Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District

Tim Tagaris, Internet Director
Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate

Nancy DiNardo, State Democratic Party Chair
Connecticut

Music by John Vanderslice, Adam and Dave’s Bloodline and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.

Diane Farrell
Candidate for U.S. Congress
Website

America loves a good rematch and Diane Farrell’s race in the Connecticut 4th is most certainly a fight worth tuning into. Diane lost her 2004 election to Republican Chris Shays by only a 4% margin. Her race is now one of the most heavily targeted Congressional races in the country.

Diane just wrapped up her second term as the first selectwoman of the town of Westport, Connecticut. She has served numerous positions in local government, church and community groups, as well as President of both the Westport Young Women’s League and the Coleytown Elementary School Parent Teachers Association.

Diane was born in New Rochelle, New York and moved to Westport, Connecticut with her family in 1958 at the age of 3.

Tim Tagaris
Internet Director, Ned Lamont U.S. Senate
Website

Tim Tagaris is a former Marine and netroots organizer who has worked for numerous political campaigns, as well as for the Democratic National Committee. Tim built GrowOhio.org for Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) before leaving to help Paul Hackett set set up his internet team for the special election against Jean Schmidt in the Ohio 2nd.

Nancy DiNardo
State Democratic Party Chair
Website

Nancy DiNardo began her political career in 1971 when she was elected as a member of her local Town Council. Nancy has served as the Chairperson of her Democratic Town Committee in Trumbull, Connecticut for almost 20 years and has been on the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee since she was first elected in 1998.

MUSIC:

John Vanderslice
“Trance Manual”

Adam and Dave’s Bloodline
“Afermarket Blues”

This first entry today won’t be long because we’re finishing up some work here in Cheshire, CT and then driving back to New Haven for some interviews.

Later this afternoon we’re driving due north to Rhode Island, home of one of the most closely watched Senate races in America between embattled Republican Lincoln Chaffee and Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse.

We had a great night sleep, some tasty (healthy) food and we’re all feeling good.

Tonight, more writing and producing!

Keep an eye out for our next episode with Joe Sestak (PA-07) and Lois Murphy (PA-06) – the episode should be up within the hour.

-Peter

“Wow, right now the heat index is higher than Bagdad. Maybe we should have Congress march around the streets in full gear and see what it’s like there.”

Crazed cop-beater/Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney is once again in big political trouble. A new Insider Advantage Poll has McKinney badly trailing her runoff opponent, DeKalb County Commissioner Hank Johnson.

After publicly suggesting that George W. Bush had foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks, voters in Georgia’s 4th Congressional District rejected McKinney’s brand of racial demagoguery in 2002 and instead elected Democrat Denise Majette to represent them. Luckily for McKinney, Majette left the House after just one term to wage an ill-advised, losing campaign for U.S. Senate in 2004, allowing McKinney to reclaim her House seat.

This year, the punditocracy thought McKinney would easily vanquish the lesser-known Johnson. The chattering class was wrong: after garnering less than 50% in the primary on July 18, Johnson and McKinney duke it out in an August 8 run-off.

Hank Johnson, on the other hand, promises “to restore respect to progressivism.” That’s a promise DoubleSpeak likes.