[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19838]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            PAYROLL TAX CUT

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, today the House will debate extending the 
payroll tax cut. I strongly urge extending this tax cut. If we don't, 
tens of millions of New York families will see an average tax increase 
of $1,000 next year, and as many as 400,000 jobs could be lost 
nationwide.
  But, frankly, it is ridiculous that we are considering this 
legislation on the floor today. With so many unrelated riders attached 
to the bill, we know it is dead on arrival in the Senate. This charade 
will create anxiety among middle class Americans that their taxes are 
about to go up, and it will create economic uncertainty during the 
holiday season when so much of our economy is based on consumer 
confidence and spending.
  The same Congress that took us to the edge of a government shutdown 
and defaulting on our debt is again choosing brinksmanship over 
leadership, regardless of the impact on our economy and the middle 
class.
  I urge the House to reject this bill and pass a clean extension of 
the payroll tax cut that we know will pass the Senate and become law 
immediately.

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