[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 193 (Thursday, December 15, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H8983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, CHANUKAH, AND KWANZA, LET'S PASS A CLEAN 
                                  BILL

  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. This year and every time the Democrats have tried 
to do the right thing for the American people, the Republicans say 
``no'' unless they add their poison pills. In the past, that might have 
led to negotiations that might have ended in a bipartisan solution--but 
not so today.
  Today, Republicans are trying to force us to accept the Keystone 
pipeline before we are sure it is safe for the communities it will 
traverse and won't make the air we breathe dirtier than it already is. 
The President is right to wait until those things are assessed. In 
their zeal to kill the Affordable Care Act, they want to slash the 
Public Health and Prevention Fund and other programs that keep people 
healthy and reduce health care costs for families and our country.
  Democrats have been calling for passing our Make It in America and 
other jobs bills, but the Republicans insist on jobs that damage the 
public health and on killing jobs in the only sector that is growing--
health care. Because they have not helped the recovery, our fellow 
Americans still need the payroll tax deduction and unemployment 
insurance and a fix of doctors' Medicare reimbursements so that they 
can continue services to the millions of Americans on Medicare.
  Let's do a clean bill in the spirit of Christmas, Chanukah and 
Kwanza.
  A big ``welcome home'' to our troops. I thank them all for their 
service.

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