[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CONGRESS MUST PASS THE JOBS BILL

  (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, this morning I read an editorial in the 
Wall Street Journal that criticizes the unemployment program, saying, 
``let's lay off everybody, pay them for not working, and watch the 
economy really boom.''
  To criticize the system that's keeping millions of Americans afloat 
during this recession is appalling. Cutting benefits will drastically 
reduce their ability to buy goods and pay their mortgage. Does anybody 
really think that would be good for the economy?
  When those workers' unemployment insurance benefits run out, they 
have no other support. We can't just tell millions of Americans that we 
don't care what happens to them. Maybe the Wall Street Journal thinks 
that only tax breaks for the superrich can help the economy, but most 
of you will remember the previous administration tried that, and the 
only thing it brought us was the worst economy since the Great 
Depression.
  If we don't pass this jobs bill tomorrow, 1.2 million Americans will 
lose their benefits by June. Is that good for anybody? I say not. Vote 
``yes'' tomorrow.

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