[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16543-16544]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we Democrats have been saying for more than 
4 months it is time for the House to pass a middle-class tax cut, which 
we approved here in the Senate in July. As the days until the country 
goes over the fiscal cliff tick by, more and more Republicans have 
joined our chorus. They realize the Republican leaders' unwillingness 
to compromise sooner has put them in a real bind. So reasonable 
Republicans are asking their House leadership to allow a vote on the 
Senate-passed legislation. What was once a trickle has become more of a 
flood.
  Last week, Republican Representative Tom Cole said it was time to 
give middle-class families certainty that taxes won't go up by $2,200, 
on average, on January 1.
  Then Tim Scott, Republican, a conservative Republican from South 
Carolina, admitted the Senate's middle-class tax cut would surely pass 
the House since it will take only 26 moderate Republican votes to 
ensure passage.
  I don't agree with columnist David Brooks--on occasion I don't agree 
with him, perhaps most of the time I don't agree with him--but no one 
can ever dispute the brilliance in writing of this columnist for the 
New York Times. He is a great journalist. He writes so well and 
explains things so well. I have great admiration for him.
  He wrote yesterday, ``Republicans have to realize that they are going 
to have to cave on tax rates.'' That is the way it is, ``they are going 
to have to cave on tax rates.''
  Then on Tuesday, the day before yesterday, the senior Senator from 
Maine, Olympia Snowe, urged House Republican leaders to end the 
suspense for middle-class taxpayers. They shouldn't have to wonder, 
Senator Snowe said, whether ``we will ultimately raise taxes on low- to 
middle-income people.'' I assure them, we won't raise taxes on the 
middle class and the poor. That is what Olympia Snowe said.
  On Wednesday, Senator Susan Collins joined her colleague from Maine, 
agreeing the idea of ending the suspense for the middle class ``has 
merit.''
  Yesterday it seemed every practical Republican left in Washington was 
suddenly willing to say out loud what we have known for weeks: The only 
remaining option is for the House to pass the Senate bill. Dozens of 
House Republicans signed onto a letter urging Speaker Boehner to take 
the last exit before the cliff.
  Neither President Obama nor Democrats in Congress have been ambiguous 
about our proposal to provide economic security for 98 percent of 
American families and 97 percent of small businesses, while asking the 
wealthiest 2 percent to contribute a little more to stop this runaway 
debt.
  Now even a dyed-in-the-wool conservative such as Senator Coburn from 
Oklahoma has endorsed the Democratic approach. Here is what he said:

       I know we have to raise revenue. I would rather see the 
     rates go up than eliminate tax credits and deductions that 
     benefit the middle class.

  He has been heavily involved in everything that has happened the last 
several years in Washington dealing with what to do with the debt. When 
he joins in, that is significant, so it is apparent how this will end. 
The only question is when will it end. How long will Speaker Boehner 
make middle-class families wait for relief, and how long will he force 
the financial markets to wait for certainty? The longer he delays, the 
greater the risk to our economy.
  So, John Boehner, who is my friend, I urge you, you don't have to 
listen to me. Listen to your own caucus. Listen to prudent members of 
your own party and around the country. We can argue whether to give 
more unnecessary tax breaks to the wealthy tomorrow. We can discuss 
responsible ways to reduce our deficit next week. We can reform our Tax 
Code next year, but we must give economic certainty to the middle class 
now, today. Democrats agree, Independents agree, the majority of 
Republicans agree, and the American public agrees by a huge margin. 
Even dozens of CEOs from major corporations, whose personal taxes would 
go up under our plan, emphatically agree. I have been saying for weeks 
the only

[[Page 16544]]

people who aren't on board are the Republicans in Congress, but now 
even they are crying out for compromise. I only hope my friend John 
Boehner is listening.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader is 
recognized.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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