[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 141 (Wednesday, September 21, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H6279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REBUILD THE AMERICAN DREAM JOBS FRAMEWORK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, this summer I took part in the Speak Out 
for Good Jobs Now! Rebuild the American Dream tour. Thousands of 
concerned Americans packed rooms across this country to share their 
stories of hardship, unemployment, and struggle. From these stories, my 
colleagues in the Congressional Progressive Caucus and I wrote the 
Rebuild the American Dream Jobs Framework, which outlines how we will 
put America back to work and get our economy moving again. I wanted to 
take some time today to share some of the stories and realities that we 
heard on this tour.
  My first story is from Kimberly Lawrence from my State of Arizona. 
She says, ``I waited more than 30 years to finally receive a modest 
inheritance from my grandmother's property. I used the money to make 
improvements on my home that my husband and I were buying, and to open 
my own childcare business. It happened that the year I opened is the 
same year the economy failed. I struggled to hold on, but when the new 
Governor of Arizona stripped away childcare subsidies and at the same 
time raised licensing fees by 200 percent, I lost nearly all of my 
clientele.
  ``I lived in a town that relied on hospitality jobs, which, coupled 
with all else, crippled the local economy and forced me out of 
business. My husband was laid off from his cabinet-maker job. And now, 
after struggling, our home is in foreclosure and set for auction. 
Everything I hoped for had finally taken shape, just to be ripped away. 
I have since left my husband and am now searching for a job in 
California. I have been applying and sending resumes for 6 months now 
and have had only two interviews. I am 50 years old, sleeping on my 
sister's couch, with nothing to look forward to in my retirement. I 
suppose I simply won't have that pleasure.''
  The next story comes from Bhisma Ramdass of Florida:
  ``I live in Palm Beach County. I work for the largest hospital 
corporation in the world. I also had another job to make ends meet.

                              {time}  1040

  ``I had a daughter that was born premature. The economy got bad. I 
lost money from the other job. Took time off to care for my wife and 
baby. Unable to make full payments to Chase for the mortgage, they 
eventually foreclosed my home. My wife and three girls moved out. Chase 
got money from the Federal Government for my house, and they got my 
house. Do I owe them money if they sell my house for less than I owe? 
Is that fair? I have worked hard since I was 15 years old. I have 
provided for my family and gladly pay my taxes. Is that fair?''
  The final story is also from Arizona, Thom Reiser:
  ``I'm retired and moderately well off financially. I've been doing a 
great deal of research on the economy and the history of these United 
States. I believe the middle class has suffered very much in the past 
30 years. There's been a great shift of wealth. However, my greatest 
concern is for the present economy. We need to put people back to work. 
A second stimulus is needed, but aimed directly at the jobless. Much of 
these funds should be given to states for immediate relief. Teachers, 
police, firefighters, and many others have lost their jobs, plus others 
that have to create jobs and infrastructure on our roads. Also, those 
unemployed should be retrained to do useful work while they're 
unemployed. Thank you for listening.''
  The American people are demanding we do something to get America back 
to work. These were just three of the stories we heard. I hope that we 
listened, and I hope that all of Congress listened. The urgency is 
jobs. The demand from the American people is jobs. And our 
responsibility is to provide the American people with the opportunities 
of employment and a secure future.

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