[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 191 (Tuesday, December 13, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H8737-H8738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1050
        THE MIDDLE CLASS TAX RELIEF AND JOB CREATION ACT OF 2011

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Payne) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 3630, the 
Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act. This bill is yet another 
example of Republicans bringing a partisan bill to the floor which has 
no chance of becoming law.
  At this critical time in our economy, Republicans are continuing to 
pursue their own ideological agenda. Time and again, Republicans 
continue to choose brinksmanship over constructive engagement with 
Democrats. Allowing these extensions to expire would have a devastating 
impact on our economic growth and job creation.
  Republicans must put aside partisan differences and work with 
Democrats so that we can assist millions of Americans who lost their 
jobs through no fault of their own. Putting money in the pockets of 
American families should be one of our top priorities. It just seems 
like common sense.
  Although H.R. 3630 extends the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 
program until January 2013, it also lowers the amount of time benefits 
are provided from 99 weeks currently to 59 weeks. Furthermore, the bill 
also would allow States to require a high school diploma or being 
enrolled in classes for a GED to be eligible for benefits. The bill 
also offsets the cost by freezing Federal employee pay for another year 
through 2013.
  Although recent data has shown that the national unemployment rate 
has dropped to 8.6 percent, the African American unemployment rate rose 
at the same time from 15.1 percent to 15.5 percent. High African 
American unemployment rates are a direct result of the high job loss in 
the public sector. During the past year, while the private sector has 
added 1.6 million jobs, State and local governments have shed at least 
142,000 positions.
  Because traditionally there has been racial discrimination in 
employment, blacks have relied on government jobs in large numbers 
since the Reconstruction era. As a matter of fact, one of the

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first job openings for freed enslaved people was the United States 
Postal Service, which opened their doors and hired qualified ex-slaves 
during that period.
  We will be passing legislation that helps the private sector, but we 
also need to be concerned about the public sector instead of freezing 
or limiting their pay. As a matter of fact, the private sector has been 
very derelict.
  During World War II, even though the United States was way behind in 
our development of a war machine--ships, tanks, and boats--President 
Roosevelt had to send an Executive order to companies insisting that 
they hire African Americans because we were losing the effort, but they 
refused to break down racial discrimination even as we were being 
outmanned by our enemies. And so we find there is still the difficulty 
for African Americans to get into the private sector; and we find that, 
therefore, many are losing their jobs in the public sector.
  H.R. 3630 also makes large cuts in health care programs. It cuts over 
$21 billion from the Affordable Care Act programs, which will increase 
the uninsured by 170,000 Americans.
  Additionally, H.R. 3630 rolls back the Emergency Unemployment 
Compensation program substantially, making drastic cuts to Medicare, 
and contains controversial riders that should not be included in this 
bill.
  We should not risk tax increases on middle class families, dropping 
unemployment benefits for those out of work, or preventing seniors from 
accessing their doctors through Medicare by including unrelated and 
controversial provisions.
  The bill is fiscally careless, and it increases the deficit by $25.3 
billion over the next 10 years, according to CBO.
  Due to the more than $21.5 billion in provider cuts, the American 
Hospital Association is urging Congress to oppose this bill that will 
harm health care in communities across America.
  Important funding for preventive care that was included in the 
Affordable Care Act is also subject to billions of dollars in cuts. 
Changes in the bill will result in 170,000 more uninsured Americans.
  So, therefore, I urge defeat of this unfair plan, which also throws 
in the pipeline, which makes no sense.

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