[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 151 (Tuesday, October 11, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S6360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             UPCOMING VOTES

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, this evening, the Senate will vote on 
legislation to end the unfair practice of currency manipulation by the 
Chinese Government. It is pretty clear by now that China undervalues 
its currency to give its own exports an unwarranted advantage in the 
global marketplace. This costs American jobs--lots of them. It costs 
lots of jobs by unjustly tilting the playing field against American 
manufacturers.
  America's trade deficit with China has ballooned from $10 billion in 
1990 to $273 billion today. It has cost 3 million American jobs 
already. Two million of those lost jobs came from the manufacturing 
sector.
  American businesses do not need special advantages to compete. They 
just need an even playing field.
  Tonight we have the opportunity to stop China from continuing to 
cheat American workers, pump $300 billion into our economy, and support 
1.6 million Americans jobs.
  This legislation has twice advanced in this Chamber with bipartisan 
supermajorities. Thirty-one Republicans voted to move this legislation 
to the Senate floor early last week. I urge each of them to stand firm 
in their support for this job-creating legislation--to stand with 
American workers rather than siding with China. I remind my Republican 
colleagues that those who revoke support of this important measure for 
the sake of partisan politics must answer, first of all, as we all do, 
to our constituents.
  Today, the Senate will vote to proceed to the American Jobs Act, 
President Obama's plan to put Americans to work without adding a penny 
to the deficit. This legislation will also ask the richest Americans to 
contribute their fair share to get our economy back on track.
  The President's plan will put construction crews back to work 
building the things that make our country stronger--roads, bridges, 
dams, sewers, water systems, and up-to-date schools where our children 
can get the best education possible.
  There are schools in our country that are not wired for the Internet. 
The average school in America is a little more than 50 years old. 
Technology has changed a lot since those schools were constructed, but, 
sadly, our schools have not. This work is essential, and Americans are 
desperate for jobs it will create.
  The American Jobs Act would also extend unemployment insurance for 
Americans who are still struggling to find work. Economists agree this 
boosts the economy because the long-term unemployed spend the money 
immediately on groceries, gas, and rent.

  This legislation would cut taxes for middle-class families and 
businesses--something Republicans have long supported. The President's 
plan contains many ideas that Republicans have supported consistently 
over the years, especially when their party controlled Congress or the 
White House or both. Republicans oppose those ideas now, I guess, 
because they have a proven track record of creating jobs--all these 
programs--but I guess Republicans think if the economy improves, it 
might help President Obama. So they root for the economy to fail and 
oppose every effort to improve it, and they resist anything the 
President proposes, no matter its common sense, including this jobs 
plan to create 2 million jobs, containing many of the issues the 
Republicans have supported many times.
  Americans have demanded Congress pass legislation to create jobs--and 
pass it now. Americans support our plan to fund job creation by asking 
people who make more than $1 million a year to contribute their fair 
share by a margin of 3 to 1. That is 75 percent. Mainstream Americans 
agree we cannot ask seniors and the middle class to go on shouldering 
the heaviest burden.
  Today we will see whether Republicans have gotten the message or if 
they still put the wants of millionaires and billionaires ahead of the 
needs of seniors and middle-class families. The American people demand 
that the Republicans finally admit that putting America back to work 
will require shared sacrifice--especially from those who can best 
afford to be part of the solution.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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