[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12181-12182]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    GOP ADULT MOMENT IS LONG OVERDUE

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, members of the House leadership 
have walked away from the negotiating table three times and continue to 
push their plan to cut Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid 
benefits, protect the top 2 percent of Americans at the expense of 98 
percent of our families, pass a short-term deal that would lead to 
credit downgrade, higher interest rates, and a tax hike on every 
American and repeat this crisis next year.
  Let me read you some emails that I've received:
  ``I'm a disabled 57-year-old gentleman who is restricted in a 
wheelchair. I thank God I live in a country where I am able to receive 
disability income like millions of other disabled Americans and Social 
Security recipients. I'm afraid if the Republican leadership gets their 
way, I'll soon be living on the street.
  ``I'm very concerned that the default would cause even more dire 
straits for the average homeowner/worker than even currently exists. 
That does not even count the repercussions that would result from 
higher interest rates, falling dollar in the global economy, and lower 
earnings on annuities and other investments, such as decreasing 
principles.''
  What we need is not a Republican plan or a Democratic plan; we need 
an American plan to deal with our debt that will take care of it so we 
don't have all of these dire consequences next Tuesday.

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