[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   STUDY REVEALS MIDDLE CLASS WORSE OFF THAN THEY WERE FIVE YEARS AGO

  (Mr. PERLMUTTER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Speaker, 7 years of President Bush's economic 
policies have put a tremendous strain on middle-class families. Since 
2001, health care premiums have gone up almost $6,000, college tuition 
has increased by $2,500, and gas prices have more than doubled. With 
these increases and paychecks that have, on the average, fallen, it's 
no wonder that the majority of Americans say their economic situation 
has not improved in the last 5 years.
  While the Bush administration is eager to give tax breaks to the 
wealthiest of Americans and assist Wall Street firms like Bear Stearns, 
it does little to help middle-class families. Madam Speaker, the 
Democratic House recognizes the immediate need to help middle-class 
families, and that is why our budget prioritized middle-class tax 
relief and why we are proposing a second economic stimulus package.
  It's time for President Bush to put the middle class ahead of the 
wealthiest few.

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