H5534 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE August 1, 2012 

with a bipartisan agreement in December of last year, they chose to walk 

away. Unfortunately, they appear 

ready to do so again. When it comes to 

extending tax cuts to the middle class, 

Democrats and Republicans agree; both 

believe we ought to do so. So we have 

agreement. That agreement has been 

reflected in a Senate-passed bill, Mr. 

Speaker, as you know. 

So with millions faced with the uncertainty of whether their taxes will go 

up next year, why haven’t we acted? 

This should be an easy vote for an 

overwhelming majority of Members to 

say, Let’s extend these tax cuts we 

agree on, and then debate what we 

don’t agree on. It should be easy. But 

the Republicans, Mr. Speaker, are continuing to do what they do so often, 

have done best this Congress—obstruct, 

delay, and walk away. 

In December, by holding hostage an 

extension of the payroll tax cuts for 98 

percent of our taxpayers, Republicans 

walked away from the middle class. 

They walked away from their responsibility to seek compromise on job creation and economic recovery. They 

walked away from negotiations over 

deficit reduction, setting up the dangerous sequester that now looms at the 

end of the year. The sequester exists 

because Republicans pursued a policy 

of placing the Nation’s debt at risk. 

Today, sadly, they are walking away 

from the middle class and working 

families once more, demanding their 

way or nothing on tax cuts. No tax cuts 

for the middle class, they insist, without an additional tax break for the 

upper 2 percent of income earners. In 

other words, we agree on 98 percent. We 

don’t agree on 2 percent. Rather than 

doing that which we agree upon for 98 

percent of the American taxpayers, we 

will hold them hostage until we get 

agreement on the 2 percent. Of course 

if we agree on the 2 percent, it will add 

a trillion dollars over 10 years, if followed for 10 years, to our deficit and 

debt. 

Republicans’ plan of tax cuts for the 

wealthy hasn’t worked before, and it 

won’t work now. Under President 

Reagan and both Presidents Bush, deficits climbed. Democrats want to return 

to the successful policies we had under 

President Clinton, when we had the 

most successful economy, 4 years of 

balanced budgets, and 4 years in which 

we did not increase the national debt. 

I say to my friends on the Republican 

side of the aisle, Mr. Speaker, we’ve 

had many opportunities to work together this year to address our challenges, but each time our Republican 

colleagues have walked away. In doing 

so, they broke a central promise in 

their pledge to America—that is, the 

promise to let the majority work its 

will. 

We could have extended the payroll 

tax cuts without a fight. We could have 

found a big and balanced solution to 

deficits. And we could be voting today 

on a tax cut extension for 100 percent 

of Americans who make up to $200,000. 

Or, if they’re a couple, $250,000. But in 

each case, Mr. Speaker, Republicans 

moved not towards the center but to 

the right to placate the extreme wing 

within their party. 

Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, Representative RICHARD HANNA of New York, a Republican, said this about his party in 

Congress: 

I have to say that I am frustrated by how 

much we—I mean the Republican Party—are 

willing to give deferential treatment to our 

extremes in this moment of history. 

The gentleman from New York went 

on to say: 

We render ourselves incapable of governing 

when all we do is take severe sides. If all people do is go down there and join a team, and 

the team is invested in winning and you have 

something similar to the shirts and the 

skins, there’s not a lot of value there. 

Congressman HANNA in this instance 

is right. Republicans have been unable 

to govern. Again and again, this Republican House has received compromise bills from the Senate but has 

been incapable of agreeing to legislation or passing a version that could become law. 

That was true on transportation. It’s 

true on the farm bill, and it’s true on 

Violence Against Women. And it’s true 

on this tax bill. Examples include, as 

I’ve said, Violence Against Women and 

the farm bill, postal reform, the highway bill, FAA reauthorization, and 

many others. Instead of focusing on 

winning politically, they ought to be 

concerned about governing effectively. 

They could learn much from our outstanding Olympic athletes. In team 

sports like soccer and basketball, athletes who normally compete against 

each other at home have come together 

as one team, Team USA. They’ve won 

gold; they’ve been successful. We could 

be as well if we came together as Team 

USA. 

Those athletes may harbor rivalries 

most of the time. They may not be 

used to working together. And they all 

know that when the cauldron is extinguished, they’ll once again wear different colors. But right now in London, 

they’re all wearing red, white, and 

blue, and they’ve set their differences 

aside to achieve victory together. We 

ought to follow their example. Republicans ought to follow their example. 

We have a chance today to be one 

team and make possible what we agree 

ought to happen. Again, we agree on 98 

percent of the proposal. Let’s agree on 

that, and agree to debate that on which 

we don’t agree. So I say to my Republican friends, stop walking away from 

the middle class and start working 

with us to get things done on their behalf. 

Let me quote someone I don’t usually 

quote, Newt Gingrich, when he was 

Speaker of this House when we were 

considering a compromise that he and 

President Clinton had agreed to, and so 

many of his Republicans colleagues, 

Mr. Speaker, as you may remember, 

opposed Newt Gingrich’s efforts. He 

said: 

I would say for just a minute, if I might, to 

my friends who were asking for a ‘no’ vote, 

the ‘perfectionist caucus.’ 

He concluded his remarks in urging 

them to vote for a compromise agreement: 

So the question is: Can we craft a bill 

which is a win for the American people because it is a win for the President and a win 

for the Congress? Because if we cannot find 

a way to have all three winning, we do not 

have a bill worthy of being passed. 

The President has indicated he will 

not sign the Republican bill, and the 

Senate won’t pass the Republican bill. 

But again, my friends, Mr. Speaker, as 

you know, we have agreement on 98 

percent, and we are hung up because we 

don’t have agreement on the other 2 

percent. 

Speaker Gingrich went on: 

Now, my fine friends who are perfectionists, each in their own world where they are 

petty dictators, could write a perfect bill. 

And he concluded: 

In a free society, we have to have give and 

take. We have to be able to work. 

Mr. Speaker, Americans must lament 

the fact that they see their Representatives agreeing on 98 percent of a proposition and will not pass it. They will 

not pass it because the perfectionist 

caucus has promised in many respects 

to one individual American we will not 

raise taxes ever. We won’t pay for what 

we buy, even if we think it’s important. 

Mr. Speaker, both parties have an opportunity today to stand up and reflect 

agreement and do something positive 

for the American people, do something 

positive for the American economy, do 

something positive to grow jobs in 

America. Do something that will give 

certainty and confidence to the overwhelming majority of Americans, who 

will say that Congress can work. 

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It can, as families understand they 

must do every day, reach compromise, 

come together, reason with one another and give and take, as Speaker 

Gingrich said. 

Let us hope, Mr. Speaker, that we reflect the best in us today, not the 

worst, not the confrontational inclination, but the inclination to come together, to make America better and to 

make sure that the American people, 

who are working hard every day, don’t 

see a tax increase on January 1 as a result of a ‘‘perfectionist caucus’’ unwilling to compromise, unwilling to pass 

an already-passed Senate bill that will 

give 98 percent of Americans confidence that they will not receive any 

tax increase on January 1. 

What a good thing that would be for 

America, for the American people, and 

for the American economy. Let’s work 

together. America expects us to do 

that, and that’s what we ought to do. 

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RECESS 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair 


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August 1, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5535 

declares the House in recess until noon 

today. 

Accordingly (at 11 o’clock and 11 

minutes a.m.), the House stood in recess. 

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AFTER RECESS 

The recess having expired, the House 

was called to order by the Speaker at 

noon. 

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PRAYER 

Reverend Michael Catt, Sherwood 

Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia, offered the following prayer: 

Lord God, I give thanks to live in a 

free land, blessed by You. Since the 

days of the Pilgrims who sought freedom from religious and political tyranny, You have blessed this land. You 

have guided us through wars, recession, 

and prosperity. We owe our existence 

to Your sovereign hand. 

May those elected to represent the 

people follow the teachings of Your 

Word. We pray for all in authority that 

we may live in peace. Please guide the 

Congress, regardless of political persuasion, to follow the words of Micah 6: 

He has told you, O man, what is good. 

What does the Lord require of you but to do 

justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly before your God? The voice of the Lord 

will call to the city. It is sound wisdom to 

fear Your name. 

In the name of my Lord Jesus, I pray. 

Amen. 

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THE JOURNAL 

The SPEAKER. The Chair has examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and announces to the House 

his approval thereof. 

Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved. 

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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman 

from Colorado (Mr. PERLMUTTER) come 

forward and lead the House in the 

Pledge of Allegiance. 

Mr. PERLMUTTER led the Pledge of 

Allegiance as follows: 

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the 

United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, 

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 

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WELCOMING REVEREND MICHAEL 

CATT 

(Mr. SHULER asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 

Mr. SHULER. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today to recognize today’s guest chaplain, Dr. Michael Catt. Dr. Catt is the 

senior pastor at Sherwood Baptist 

Church in Albany, Georgia. I’m honored to welcome Dr. Catt, his wife, 

Terri, and his daughter, Hayley, to the 

U.S. House of Representatives today. 

Dr. Catt has served as senior pastor 

at Sherwood Baptist Church since 1989. 

The church has 3,000 members and has 

averaged 100 baptisms each year. Thousands have joined the church from Albany and 29 surrounding communities. 

The church has evolved from a neighborhood church to a regional, multiethnic congregation with members 

from 11 nations. 

Most notably, under Dr. Catt’s leadership, Sherwood Baptist developed an 

out-of-the-box church outreach. Dr. 

Catt’s goal is to change the world from 

Albany, Georgia. While this may sound 

and seem like a radical or even ridiculous statement from a pastor in southwest Georgia, it has, in fact, become a 

reality through Sherwood Pictures. Dr. 

Catt has served as executive producer 

of ‘‘Flywheel,’’ ‘‘Facing the Giants,’’ 

‘‘Fireproof,’’ and ‘‘Courageous.’’ Each 

of these major motion pictures serves 

to influence the world for Christ. 

I am honored to call Dr. Catt a 

friend, and I look forward to how God 

continues to use Dr. Catt in the future. 

I ask my colleagues to welcome Dr. 

Catt and his family as he leads us 

today in opening prayer. 

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 

PRO TEMPORE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. 

MILLER of Michigan). The Chair will 

entertain 15 further requests for 1- 

minute speeches from both sides of the 

aisle. 

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THE POWER TO TAX IS THE 

POWER TO DESTROY 

(Mr. POE of Texas asked and was 

given permission to address the House 

for 1 minute and to revise and extend 

his remarks.) 

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, 

‘‘The last thing you want to do is to 

raise taxes in the middle of a recession 

because that would take more demand 

out of the economy and put business in 

a further hole.’’ 

That’s what the President said in 

2009, but that was then and this is now. 

If Congress doesn’t act, Americans will 

face higher taxes when the clock 

strikes midnight on December 31 of 

this year. The President’s solution is 

to raise taxes on some. That would 

eliminate 700,000 jobs in our country; 

60,000 of those would be lost in my 

home State of Texas. The tax increase 

will cost the average American a year’s 

worth of groceries—$4,000. 

Madam Speaker, almost half of 

Americans pay no Federal income tax 

at all. What we need are more taxpayers, not more taxes. We need to 

renew the so-called ‘‘Kennedy-ReaganBush tax cuts.’’ No tax increases on 

Americans. Because the power to tax is 

the power to destroy, and the last 

thing we should do is raise taxes in a 

recession. 

And that’s just the way it is. 

DON’T FORGET THE LITTLE 

PEOPLE 

(Ms. HOCHUL asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) 

Ms. HOCHUL. Madam Speaker, 

‘‘Don’t forget the little people.’’ That’s 

what a gentleman said as he grabbed 

my hand and looked into my eyes at 

the Sanborn Farm Museum French 

toast breakfast on Saturday morning. 

‘‘Don’t forget the little people.’’ 

Who are these little people? I’ll tell 

you right now, these are millions of 

moms and dads sitting at their dinner 

table tonight trying to cover their worried expression from their kids as they 

look over their family finances, wondering whether Congress is going to 

step up to the plate and give them the 

tax break they so desperately deserve. 

Only in Washington will people tell 

you you need to address our growing 

out-of-control deficit by spending a 

trillion dollars on tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. And not just 

that. That puts us into further debt 

with the Chinese. I’ve got a problem 

with that. 

It seems simple to me. If we want to 

cut our deficit, we cut spending, and we 

also ask those who benefited from tax 

breaks for the last decade to pay their 

fair share. 

Like many of us, I’m with the little 

people and I’m with the middle people. 

Let’s vote for a middle class tax cut 

today. 

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STOP THE TAX HIKES 

(Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked 

and was given permission to address 

the House for 1 minute and to revise 

and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam 

Speaker, let the countdown begin. 

Come January 1, the President and the 

Democrats plan to raise taxes on hardworking families and small business. 

That’s right. Instead of reining in 

their out-of-control spending, the 

President wants all Americans to hand 

over even more of their hard-earned 

money to the Federal Government. It’s 

not smart to raise taxes ever, and certainly not in a struggling economy. 

With 3 years of sky-high unemployment across the country, record-breaking deficits, and countless new rules 

and mandates coming from the White 

House, the solution is simple: Stop 

these job-killing tax hikes. 

It’s time to rewrite the Tax Code, 

work on pro-growth tax reform, and 

get this economy working again. Stop 

the Democrats’ massive tax hikes to 

pay for their Big Government agenda. 

The American people want, need, and 

deserve better. 

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b 1210 

DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE 

POSTAL SERVICE 

(Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 


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