[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 9, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE FIGHT FOR JOBS ON MAIN STREET

  (Mr. PERRIELLO asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PERRIELLO. Madam Speaker, within weeks in my district, we will be 
upon the summer construction season.
  Construction is not a Democrat idea or a Republican idea. It's just 
something we need to do to rebuild America. In fact, we'd be well on 
our way if it weren't for the gigantic snowstorms having set back the 
building season. We have a chance across the aisle, in a short period 
of time, to address the issue of construction.
  For my nieces and nephews, summer may just mean time off from school, 
but for many of our small businesses around the country, it means a 
time to gear up. Many have taken losses year after year, quarter after 
quarter, in the hopes that this year will be the time we can get back 
on top.
  If housing starts are not going to pick up in time, we know we can 
build other things. We can build infrastructure. We can retrofit 
existing building stock. These are good jobs that rebuild the 
competitive advantage of this country.
  This town is too paralyzed by partisanship. We have an opportunity to 
rise above that and to say, We will meet this summer construction 
season. We will not flirt with a double-dip recession just as we are 
starting to pull out of it. These are good commonsense ideas that make 
sense back on Main Street. That's what we need to be fighting for here.

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