[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 4 (Friday, January 13, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS?

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 13, 2012

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, where are the Republicans?
  Democrats stand ready to extend tax cuts for 160 million middle 
income Americans, unemployment insurance, and making sure seniors can 
keep their Medicare doctors.
  But where are the Republicans? The February deadline is rapidly 
approaching and conferees should be meeting.
  But to date, the Republicans haven't called a single meeting to 
discuss these critical economic benefits. Where are they?
  According to the Majority, we are in session. This is an attempt to 
prevent the President from making critical appointments tasked with 
protecting American consumers and workers.
  But as I stand in this empty chamber it is clear the House is not in 
session. The Majority cannot have it both ways.
  Under Republican rules: pro forma sessions are ``real'' and can stop 
Presidential nominee appointments, but I'm not recognized to speak on 
the floor.
  Under their rules, critically important bills that would block the 
debt limit and force our nation to default for the first time in its 
history can be introduced, but I can't speak.
  Under Republican rules, extensions of remarks that reflect the exact 
words I would speak on the floor can be put in the Congressional 
Record, but I can't actually be heard saying those words on the House 
floor.
  They can introduce their bill to cause a default but I can't be 
recognized to talk about extending middle class tax cuts or creating 
jobs.
  This is the absurd reality of the Republican pro forma legislative 
session.
  The clock is ticking on the American people and the Majority seems 
unconcerned.
  Right now, the Speaker and the Chairman of the Ways and Means 
Committee, a member of the conference committee, are in Latin America. 
No meetings of the Conference Committee have been convened.
  The payroll tax cut in effect for 2011 provided $110 billion of tax 
relief to 159 million American workers. If the payroll tax cut is not 
extended by the end of February, middle class families making $50,000 
will see their taxes go up by $1,000.
  Extending the payroll tax cut will boost consumer demand, sustaining 
our economic recovery and encouraging job creation. Lack of demand 
continues to be a significant barrier to economic growth and hiring. 
Consumer spending represents roughly 70 percent of our economy, and 
consumer confidence is at levels not seen since the recession.
  According to the Chief Economist of Moody's Analytics, Mark Zandi, 
continuing the payroll tax cut for employees will result in $1.25 of 
economic growth for every $1 of budgetary cost.
  Federal unemployment programs are also slated to expire. As a result, 
over 6 million will lose benefits over the next year.
  The Economic Policy Institute estimates that allowing these Federal 
unemployment benefits to expire would hurt consumer demand and thereby 
cost the U.S. economy 528,000 jobs. And would mean $45 billion less in 
assistance to unemployed workers, and $70 billion less in economic 
activity. That reduction in purchasing power would lower GDP by 0.4 
percent.
  The Congressional Budget Office has indicated that providing extended 
unemployment benefits is one of the most effective job creation 
strategies available during a period of high joblessness, stating 
``Households receiving unemployment benefits tend to spend the 
additional benefits quickly, making this option both timely and cost-
effective in spurring economic activity and employment.''
  The Federal government has never allowed emergency extended benefits 
to expire when the jobless rate has been anywhere close to its current 
level of nearly 9 percent. In fact, Congress has never allowed an 
emergency unemployment program to end when the unemployment rate is 
higher than 7.2 percent. We must not be the first Congress to do so.
  The American people deserve a House Majority prepared to work for 
them.

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