[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16139]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         MIDDLE INCOME TAX CUT

  (Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, in the course of the 
election the President made it very clear that he was supporting the 
extension of the middle income tax cut and everyone, 100 percent of the 
American people, would benefit from it--100 percent of taxpayers, small 
businesses, wage earners, and the rest.
  Republicans are saying that rather than passing that, they want to 
hold it hostage to giving an additional tax cut to people making over 
$250,000 a year. That's not negotiating; that's hostage-taking.
  So today on the floor of the House, the Democrats have proposed a 
discharge petition which, if it receives 218 signatures, that's only a 
couple dozen Republicans joining the Democrats, it would automatically 
come to the floor and I predict would receive overwhelming support of 
the House of Representatives.
  The American people want us to work together. We are in agreement on 
this subject. Why--why, my Republican colleagues--can we not vote on 
something where we have agreement, where we have fairness that will 
work to create jobs, to reduce the deficit and will again have 
fairness.
  This is the heart of the matter that is holding us here. As the 
public watches--what is this about--this is about the $250,000 line 
that the President said in the campaign that he would honor and that 
this legislation today brings to bear.
  I urge my colleagues, out of 435 Members of the House, we only need a 
couple dozen Republicans to sign the discharge petition. Each one of 
them holds the key to a $2,000 tax cut for the middle class.
  Either sign the petition, urge the Speaker to bring the bill to the 
floor, or explain to your constituents why you do not want them to have 
this $2,000 tax break for 100 percent of the American people. Please 
sign the discharge petition. Let's get this done this week. We could 
bring this bill up under unanimous consent. The message would be clear 
to the American people: we heard you in the campaign. Be fair, do 
something that works, work together. This gives us that opportunity.

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