[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H7477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              FISCAL CLIFF

  (Ms. HANABUSA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. HANABUSA. Madam Speaker, when Chairman Bernanke first coined the 
phrase the ``fiscal cliff,'' he was really describing the perfect 
storm. The fiscal cliff is not only sequestration, the impact of the 
Budget Control Act, but also includes and is not limited to the 
expiration of the Bush tax cuts, unemployment insurance, the SGR, the 
AMT patch, the debt limit, other tax provisions. Ergo the perfect 
storm--major issues that this Republican-controlled House will not 
address until the wealthy are protected.
  We must address a sufficient number of these provisions to avert the 
perfect storm. To do so, we must look to the building of public 
confidence so that we can continue steady growth in the economy and 
jobs, the true way to avert the cliff. This is why we must do what is 
best for the middle and working class first: extend the Bush taxes for 
the middle class, extend unemployment insurance, SGR, the AMT patch, 
delay the sequestration--those items which we can all agree upon. We've 
got to get to work.

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