[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 20, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H9948]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  0910
                          TODAY IS AN OUTRAGE

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous that the House Republicans 
will not allow the Senate bill to come up today that would extend the 
payroll tax cut, that would provide unemployment benefits for so many 
million Americans that are out of work, and also allow seniors to have 
their Medicaid reimbursement paid to their doctors so the doctors will 
accept Medicare.
  I cannot believe that, at the end of the year now, is this the 
Christmas present? Is this the New Year's gift that we're going to give 
to the American people, that their taxes are going to be raised, that 
they're not going to be able to have unemployment insurance if they're 
unemployed?
  And what does this mean for the economy, Mr. Speaker? Do the House 
Republicans want to send a message to the President right now when the 
economy is actually starting to improve slightly? This could easily 
send us back and make the economy go back into a tailspin. Do they 
dislike the President so much that they would risk the economy for 
that?
  I cannot believe that we're not going to have an opportunity today to 
vote on the Senate bill and to make sure that these things are 
extended, particularly the payroll tax cut, because that is very 
important for the economy. It's very important for small businesses. It 
is an outrage, Mr. Speaker.

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