[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 191 (Tuesday, December 13, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H8745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
A RESPONSIBLE TAX EXTENDER PACKAGE
(Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, 160 million Americans stand on the brink of a
tax hike. Republicans in Congress need to get serious about working
together on a bipartisan package to extend the payroll taxes for the
middle class and renew unemployment benefits.
The Republican extender package reduces eligibility for unemployment
benefits by 40 weeks. It would require everyone receiving benefits to
have a GED. My dad, who only had a third-grade education, would not be
eligible. And it cuts $21 billion from affordable health care programs,
causing 170,000 Americans to become uninsured.
Republicans are asking seniors to pay more for their Medicare, and
they're asking the Federal employees to have serious cuts or salaries
frozen until the year 2015. Yet they refuse to ask millionaires and
billionaires to pay one more cent. No taxes, no jobs.
Let's pass a responsible plan to extend the payroll tax and
unemployment benefits before it's too late.
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