[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 145 (Tuesday, November 12, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H8063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TIME FOR CONGRESS TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMY

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, during morning hour and once again, I want 
to thank or congratulate, I should say, the Republicans on their 
election victories last Tuesday, but I would say that now that they 
will control both the House and the other body, as well as the 
presidency, they have the obligation to address the Nation's economic 
woes. They cannot continue to mask the economic slump that we face.
  During the last week, there was news, this is in the International 
Herald Tribune from November 2 to 3 of this year, and it says, 
``Indications that the United States may be headed for a renewed slump 
have piled up over the last week, with weakness spreading from 
manufacturing to employment to consumer spending. The bad news 
culminated Friday with reports of a rising jobless rate and softness in 
a variety of other indicators.
  ``The government reported that the unemployment rate rose last month 
to 5.7 percent from 5.6 percent the previous month.
  ``In yet another bit of bad news, a survey that tracks activity of 
corporate purchasing managers, a key gauge of manufacturing strength, 
showed another drop. The Institute for Supply Management said its 
manufacturing index fell once again.''
  The Republicans are in the majority now and soon in both Houses. They 
have to address the economy. It is their obligation to do so, Mr. 
Speaker.

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