[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10877-10878]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      PUTTING OUR COUNTRY AT RISK

  (Ms. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDWARDS. Madam Speaker, the ongoing stubbornness by my Republican 
colleagues to even entertain the idea of increasing revenues is putting 
our country at risk.
  Over the past decade, the top 2 percent of Americans making over 
$250,000 have done incredibly well. And while I have enjoyed reduced 
taxes as a result

[[Page 10878]]

of the Bush-era tax cuts, our seniors, our workers don't even come 
close. They have lost pensions, 401(k) plans, home values, and all 
that's left is Social Security and Medicare. As you can see here, these 
tax cuts are the primary contributor to our debt and deficit over the 
long term.
  Madam Speaker, default on America's debt would be catastrophic to 
both our economy and the world. It's time for my Republican colleagues 
to get serious. Stop playing with fire and put the future of the Nation 
first ahead of millionaires, corporations that avoid taxes and benefit 
from loopholes in the law, and ahead of those who would ship jobs 
overseas.
  So, no, seniors and those with disabilities didn't cause this 
deficit, as we can see, and the long-term debt, and they shouldn't have 
to cut their benefits to pay for it.

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