[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15044]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     GOP MISGUIDED PRIORITIES ARE NOT HELPING MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, House Republicans are ignoring the 
priorities of America's families. Once again they refuse to bring up 
one single bill that will help working families who are struggling to 
make ends meet.
  This morning I would like to offer my Republican colleagues a 
challenge: Name for me one bill that you have passed into law this year 
that has significantly helped middle-class Americans.
  The American people want a government that works for them, and right 
now under this House Republican majority, they are not getting it. 
Middle-class Americans are struggling. For 5 years their wages have 
remained stagnant, while everything else, housing and health care, 
energy costs, food, and college costs, has increased dramatically. If 
you factor in inflation, hourly wages are only .7 percent higher today 
than they were in 2001. Weekly wages are about the same.
  It is no wonder that a large majority of Americans are concerned 
about their futures. But House Republicans refuse to listen.
  Madam Speaker, America works best when we work together for the 
common good. It is time for a change in Washington.

                          ____________________