[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18496]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          JOBS AND THE ECONOMY

  (Mr. CAO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, the present unemployment rate in the United 
States is 9.5 percent and climbing, and the American people are 
hurting. Our economic downturn is a challenge that will require prompt 
bipartisan action.
  As Congress moves forward with the national debate on the economy, it 
is imperative that we detract from illogical partisan bickering and 
avoid the empty political posturing that got us into this mess in the 
first place.
  The American people have real problems, and they want real solutions 
that require less talk and more action.
  I represent a district that is over 60 percent African American, and 
I have seen firsthand how this economic slump has disproportionately 
hurt minorities more than any other group in the United States. Among 
African Americans, the rate of unemployment and uninsured workers is 
highest.
  While there are a number of options for getting our economy back on 
track, it is important to remember that our Nation's proudest 
achievements have developed with a bipartisan, solutions-oriented 
consensus.

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