[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21361]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             GOP AS GRINCH

  (Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. It's Grinch time in Washington, Mr. 
Speaker. One is incredulous that the House Republicans would oppose a 
tax cut for 160 million Americans, but that's just what they're going 
to do today.
  Is this bill perfect? No. There are aspects upon which both sides 
disagree. But it is the area of agreement that should be the most 
important: Congress stops playing hostage politics and halts the tax 
hike on 160 million fellow citizens.
  Saturday's Senate vote was 89-10--not just liberals, I say to my 
friend from South Carolina--with all members of the Senate leadership, 
Republican and Democrat, voting in favor. If House Republicans vote 
against this compromise, they will ring in the new year with a tax hike 
of their own making.
  If House Republicans were serious about wanting certainty, as they 
claim, they would vote for this bill today and guarantee that 160 
million Americans won't pay higher taxes on January 1.
  Mr. Speaker, rejecting this bill and holding up the payroll tax cut 
and unemployment benefits will be a true example of how the GOP Grinch 
stole Christmas for 160 million Americans.

                          ____________________