[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 5, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H8847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF GROWTH

  (Mr. TOOMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. Speaker, we all know we have got a weak economy right 
now. The slowdown that began in September of 2000 accelerated in 
September of 2001, and the result is that hundreds of thousands of 
Americans have lost their jobs as a result.
  What is our responsibility in Congress? I think it is to help to 
create an environment of growth and hope and opportunity to enable our 
neighbors to get back to work, and there are two vital ways we can do 
that.
  One is to pass an economic stimulus package that lowers the tax 
burdens that are keeping people out of work. We have done that in the 
House. The President supports that. I hope the rest of the necessary 
steps are taken soon.
  The second thing we can do is pass Trade Promotion Authority 
tomorrow. Give this President the authority to lower the barriers to 
open up foreign markets to American goods and services and help people 
get back to work producing those goods and services. The fact is, Mr. 
Speaker, that the American workforce is the most productive workforce 
in the world. If we are given a chance to compete, we win.
  Let us give this President the opportunity to open up those markets, 
give our workers the opportunity to compete and let people get back to 
work.

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