[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14123]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         LET'S GET BACK TO WORK

  (Mr. CICILLINE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the 
responsibility that this institution has to the American people to 
finish the work they sent us here to do.
  Partisan gridlock may make 2012 one of the Congress' least productive 
years in decades. That's why this institution has seen some of the 
lowest public approval ratings in history.
  The American people expect better from their elected officials. They 
know that Members of Congress should be acting like adults and working 
with Members on the other side of the aisle to get things done. Each of 
us should remember the people we serve: the seniors who worked for 
years to secure a successful retirement, the students who took out 
loans to help pay for college, the middle class families who are 
concerned about their long-term economic security.
  Rather than meeting for only 8 days this month, as Republicans 
propose, let's remain here, pass the American Jobs Act that the 
President proposed over a year ago, put aside partisanship, roll up our 
sleeves, and get back to work for the people we serve.

                          ____________________