[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2061]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      STANDING WITH IBEW AND IN SUPPORT OF PAYROLL TAX LEGISLATION

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to stand with 
IBEW in my district, the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, when they 
have challenged a company that is in fact doing poor work in our city, 
so much so that the city electrical inspector had to shut them down.
  When are we going to be for our workers and to help them?
  I rise today to indicate my support for the payroll tax legislation 
that just passed. It was, in essence, after long months of negotiation 
and pleading for the 160 million people to get payroll tax relief and 
to get those who are unemployed seeking work to get their due in 
unemployment insurance. It does have the opportunity for 99 weeks for 
those in districts that are suffering from unemployment.
  It doesn't take any money from Medicare, doesn't raise the benefits. 
And certainly, it doesn't require those onerous burdens of 
unemployment--GED and drug testing--except in certain circumstances.
  But why in the heck did we have to burden our Federal employees by 
taking the skin off their back to pay for this bill?
  Let's respect and know that our Federal employees serve us. Let's get 
a better policy to be able to help Americans provide for the 
unemployment, and yet not put the pain and burden on Federal employees.
  I oppose that and will continue to oppose that. But I'm glad that 
there are those who will get payroll tax relief and unemployment 
relief.

                          ____________________