State Representative Darren Soto (D-FL) Will Deliver the Democratic Hispanic Radio Address This Sat.

Democratic National Committee Weekly Hispanic Radio Address
For Immediate Release: August 17, 2007

Washington, D.C. - Florida State Representative Darren Soto will deliver the Democratic Hispanic radio address this Saturday. Representative Soto was elected in April during a special election in Central Florida, the first victory for Democrats in a special election in that state since 1999. Soto's election also represents the gains Democrats have made in the Hispanic community in Florida and around the country. Soto will discuss the impact that the increase of the minimum wage at the federal level will have on millions of Americans, including 2.3 million Hispanics, which was approved by the Democratic Congress this year after ten years of obstructionism on the part of the Republican Party. Soto will also address other legislation Democrats have passed in Washington, including measures to make it easier for students to pay for college, for parents to save more for their children's education, and to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program, which will give millions of children more the coverage they need, when they need it.

The expansion of the children's health program faces a veto threat from the President. In his address, Soto calls on listeners to stay involved, and to challenge their members of Congress and Senators to vote to override the President's veto. Soto sums up his message simply, reminding listeners that "together we can make the difference, and put the American Dream back where it belongs, within reach."

The audio of Soto's address will be heard through local Univisión Radio, Latino Broadcasting Company, Radio Fórmula, Radiovisa, Radio Bilingüe, and CNN en Español Radio affiliates after 11:06 a.m. ET on Saturday.

The audio can be downloaded using the following link:
http://www.democrats.org/page/-/audio/radio_addresses/081807_hispanicradio_darrensoto.mp3

Translated Text in English

Good Morning. This is State Representative Darren Soto from Florida on behalf of the Democratic Party.
 
Working pro bono as an attorney in my community, I've seen first hand the challenges families face to make ends meet. I learned early on about the value of hard work from my parents, and know the sacrifices they made every single day to create more opportunities for me. But for too many Americans today, making ends meet is getting harder and harder, in particular for those who earn the minimum wage. Ask anyone in that position, and it becomes all to clear that getting ahead while working at the minimum wage is hard to do, no matter how hard you work. And while paying everyday bills is tough enough, inflation, soaring gas prices and the high costs of health care are leading too many of our fellow Americans to fall behind.
 
Despite the harsh economic realities millions of Americans face every single day, it took ten years for our representatives in Washington to raise the minimum wage, with Republicans in Congress blocking it every step of the way.
 
With your vote in November, that changed. Together we elected Democrats across the country who kept their word and passed a minimum wage increase at the federal level to $7.25 an hour. That extra money will make a tremendous difference for America's workers and their families. On average, for the 2.3 million Hispanics who will see a raise as a result of the increase, it can mean 9 months worth of groceries, or 11 months of home heating and utilities, or 22 months of clothing. More than six million children whose parents earn the minimum wage will also benefit. And in recognition of their brave service to our country, Democrats in Congress also passed an increase in pay for all of our men and women in the military, in order to help them and their families make ends meet.
 
Democrats are keeping their promises in other areas too. Democrats in Congress this year provided aid and helped make the student loan system work for students rather than the banks. And Democrats passed a child tax credit to help parents put money away for college for their children. For the millions of families struggling with the costs of health care, Democrats in Congress passed an expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program to ensure millions of more children get the care they need, when they need it. Highlighting the difference between the parties, President Bush has threatened to veto it.
 
That's why our vote matters. No one should put politics ahead of the well being of our children. Our Democratic leaders in Congress are taking America in a new direction and have accomplished more this year than Republicans did in the past six. But we need to do our part too.
 
This is Darren Soto for the Democratic Party urging you to contact your members of Congress and the Senate and let them know you support the children's health program and want them to vote to override the President's veto, and urging you to stay involved. Together we can make the difference, and put the American Dream back where it belongs, within reach.
 
Thank you for listening.