[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 156 (Thursday, December 2, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H7859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TAX CUT FOR 98 PERCENT OF TAXPAYERS

  (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for fairness, for equality, and 
to simply stand up for what is right. I support a tax cut for our 
Nation's working families and middle income community. In my district, 
that includes 98 percent of taxpayers, over 342,000 individuals. What I 
do not support, and what our Nation simply cannot afford, is a tax cut 
for millionaires and billionaires.
  In fact, Republicans are holding hostage the extension of 
unemployment benefits at the expense of tax cuts. Six thousand eight 
hundred individuals in my district make over $250,000 a year. 
Conversely, 6,400 individuals in my district will lose their 
unemployment benefits at the end of this month. The choice--6,800 
billionaires and millionaires, or 6,400 hardworking families that will 
not be able to pay their bills, put food on their table, or heat their 
homes on a cold winter's night. I stand with the middle income and 
working families of my district.
  And what happens to the local economy? If we do not extend 
unemployment benefits, my district alone could see the loss of tens of 
millions of dollars in economic benefits, including small business 
losses each and every month.
  Mr. Speaker, the moral and economic choice is clear. I stand with our 
working families and our middle income community.

                          ____________________