[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 185 (Monday, December 5, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8161-S8162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            PAYROLL TAX CUT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, last week, my friend the Republican leader 
tried to convince us that Republicans realize it would be disastrous to 
raise taxes on the middle class. Here on the Senate floor, he quoted 
half a dozen news reports as evidence that the Senate Republicans 
support an extension of payroll cuts for 160 million American workers. 
I said at that time I was skeptical the Republicans support this tax 
cut. It turns out I was right. Last Thursday the Republicans shot down 
the Democrats' proposal to cut taxes for middle-class Americans, 
supposedly on the grounds it raised taxes on the richest of the rich. 
But a few minutes later the Republicans also shot down their own 
proposal--one they had placed on the Senate floor--to expand the 
payroll tax cuts even though it was paid for with their own hand-picked 
reductions in government spending. Well, they shot that down. They only 
got 19 votes plus the vote of the cosponsor.
  Whatever my friend Senator McConnell may say, it is obvious that the 
Republicans are not interested in preventing a $1,000 tax increase on 
nearly every family in the Nation from taking effect on January 1. 
Democrats will not relent on keeping taxes low for the middle class.
  Today Senator Casey will unveil a modified version of the proposed 
payroll tax cut that he introduced last week. Like our previous 
proposal, it will cut back taxes for 160 million American workers. That 
is 160 million workers, including 1.2 million Nevadans. This proposal 
will allow the average family to keep $1,500 to spend on necessities 
next year. Like our previous proposal, it will be fully paid for with a 
mixture of spending cuts that Republicans have already agreed to and a 
tiny surtax on the top .2 percent of Americans. Every spending 
reduction was agreed to by a bicameral group of Republicans in the 
supercommittee, so we know they support these cuts--or they should 
support these cuts. In an effort to make our proposal more palpable to 
Republicans, we conceded significantly to cut the tax on income above 
$1 million and make it temporary.
  Democrats know how important extending and expanding the payroll tax 
cut is to working families. It is also important to our economy. 
Economists of every political persuasion agree that if Republicans 
block this proposal--raising taxes on American families by

[[Page S8162]]

$1,000 next month--it will have an immediate negative impact on our 
economy. It will halt our still fragile recovery in its tracks and drag 
us back into a recession.
  We all know Congress cannot afford to play chicken with the economy. 
That is why Democrats are committed to passing the tax cut. Republicans 
need to be prepared to meet us part way. We are offering a serious 
proposal with meaningful concessions, including spending cuts to which 
Republicans have already agreed.
  The scaled-back, temporary tax on the very richest Americans--a group 
with an average income of $3 million a year--is also an attempt to get 
Republicans onboard to pass what they say they want to do. We know a 
few of them said publicly that they are open to asking millionaires and 
billionaires to contribute to our economic recovery. I was happy to see 
those press reports. I hope we have the courage to vote accordingly, as 
one Republican did last Thursday. One Republican voted the right way.
  I repeat, this is a serious proposal and the Republicans should take 
it seriously. Here is why: Americans, regardless of political 
affiliation, say they wholeheartedly support the Democrats' plan to cut 
taxes for middle-class families. Fifty-eight percent of Republicans 
agree we should extend payroll tax cuts for 160 million American 
workers. Further, Americans overwhelmingly support our proposal to have 
millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share to help this 
country. Americans from every corner of the country agree. Democrats, 
Republicans, and Independents agree. When asked if they support a plan 
that would require people making more than $1 million to contribute a 
little more to ensure this country's economic success, the results were 
decisive: 75 percent, or three-quarters of Americans, said yes. Wealthy 
Americans agree. Two-thirds of people making more than $1 million said 
they would gladly contribute more. A supermajority of Republicans 
agrees, with two-thirds supporting the idea. Even a majority of 52 
percent of members of the tea party agree. It seems the only place in 
the country they cannot find a majority of Republicans willing to speak 
up for sacrifice are Republicans in the U.S. Senate. Republicans across 
the country support our plan and the way to pay for it. Republicans in 
Congress dismiss it at their peril. I repeat, Republicans dismiss this 
at their peril. The American people are watching what my Republican 
colleagues will do.
  Mr. President, will the Acting President pro tempore be so kind as to 
introduce the business of the day.

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