[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 19 (Monday, February 6, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S329-S330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  AVIATION AND PAYROLL TAX CONFERENCES

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, today, I am pleased the Senate will pass the 
aviation jobs conference report. This measure is the first long-term 
reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration in almost 5 
years. The FAA has worked under 23 short-term extensions since 2007. In 
fact, the FAA was shut down last year. That is right, workers were 
furloughed and construction at airports terminated.
  The 4-year compromise we will pass this evening doesn't give everyone 
everything they want, but that is the way legislation is. It will, 
however, finally give the FAA the ability it needs to properly maintain 
a world-class air travel system.
  The aviation jobs bill will also create thousands of jobs--about 
300,000--and it will protect airline workers and improve safety for 
travelers. This legislation will create badly needed jobs and it will 
give the FAA the ability to finally upgrade the country's air traffic 
control system.
  Today, America relies on World War II era technology to track 
aircraft and to guide them to safe landings. An upgrade to modern 
satellite technology is long overdue. The aviation jobs bill will 
finally make that critical investment possible. It will invest more 
than $24 billion in airports and runways across the Nation and on 
modern air traffic control equipment.
  I am very happy that Democrats and Republicans were finally able to 
reach this compromise. I wish the spirit of compromise would also 
extend to ongoing conference committee negotiations on a year-long 
payroll tax cut. I was dismayed to read this morning that rank-and-file 
Republicans in both Chambers are on the fence over whether we should 
extend this break for working families. More than 160 million Americans 
will benefit, with an average family savings this year of $1,000. That 
is taxes they won't have to pay.
  Republicans are questioning whether Americans need that extra cash, 
and they are once again playing politics and putting our economy at 
risk at a crucial time when we need to work out a compromise. Democrats 
have offered

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to meet them halfway--even more than halfway--but Republicans will not 
take yes for an answer. In exchange for extending this middle-class tax 
break, Republicans are insisting, among other things, that we pass an 
unrelated ideological piece of legislation that will make our water 
less safe to drink. This would allow mercury and other carcinogens to 
be put in our water supply.
  That is a pretty stark compromise: We will give you a payroll tax cut 
for 160 million Americans if you will let us continue to put things 
such as arsenic and mercury in the water of the American people. That 
is not a very good deal.
  Not only that but they are refusing to close tax loopholes, such as 
giveaways to oil companies making record profits. Instead, they insist 
on more handouts to millionaires and billionaires before they will do 
anything that will benefit the middle class.
  The American people have spoken and spoken clearly. Working families 
need this money. They need this thousand dollars to put food on the 
table and gas in the car. And they won't tolerate Republicans holding 
their money hostage to extort a political payback.
  They did this last December. In fact, I thought Republicans got the 
message in December when they took a beating for opposing this tax cut. 
I hope they won't pick this losing fight a second time. But time is 
running. If they do choose to fight, as we try to put more money back 
in the pockets of 160 million working Americans, the outcome will 
eventually be the same. Democrats will not give in when it comes to 
protecting the middle class. That is why we will prepare a fallback 
plan in case Republicans refuse to cooperate. Our legislation will 
prevent a tax hike on middle-class families, extend unemployment 
benefits, protect seniors on Medicare from losing their doctors, and 
extend expiring tax provisions. And it will be free of unrelated 
ideological legislation designed to please the radical right.
  Stopping a $1,000 tax increase on virtually every American family is 
too important to be bogged down with sweeteners for the tea party. 
Senate Democrats will be prepared to act with or without Republican 
cooperation. Republicans must make a choice. They can force a thousand 
dollar tax increase on American families to strengthen the tea party or 
they can compromise to strengthen the middle class. The choice is 
theirs.
  Mr. President, would the Chair announce the business of the day.

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