[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 175 (Monday, December 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H12753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WITHOUT WORK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

  (Mr. GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the 
American worker. As we wrap up our work for the year, 8.7 million 
Americans are without jobs this holiday season.
  The administration keeps promising economic growth will bring job 
growth. Yet, even on the heels of an impressive third quarter of 
economic growth, the job market has not taken off.

                              {time}  1115

  The Labor Department reports that only 57,000 jobs were added to the 
economy last month, a figure that represents only one-third of 
economists' prior expectations.
  We all know there are deeper economic problems contributing to the 
loss of American jobs. Our trade policies have produced record-level 
trade deficits and have only encouraged American companies to send 
good-paying jobs overseas where they take advantage of cheap labor.
  However, as we sit here with 1 day left in the session, we need to do 
what we can today to help better the lives of the American workers. We 
all know that the administration talks about cutting taxes and putting 
money in our pockets, but typically the American working class gets 
very little of this extra money. What I want to know is if the 
administration is so intent on putting money in our pockets, why they 
are eliminating the overtime provisions that are in this omnibus bill 
we are talking about today. Why will they not extend the unemployment 
benefits? These are policies that give America's workers more money 
every single pay period. And if there is ever a need for extra cash, it 
is during the holiday season.

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