Date: 2012-11-29
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I thank the distinguished gentleman. And. of course. who could help but listen to that very potent message. And we are better for the fact that you and the distinguished gentleman from Arizona have come together again toI call it standing in the gap and reinforcing to individuals who have never walked these Halls. The thing I want to just reinforce very briefly is how much all of us who have the privilege of walking these august Halls. sometimes on occasion looking at these ornate murals and recognizing the historic features and the history of this body. the largest democracy but the longest democracy. extending democracy in the world. that is the United States of America. And for this place called the House of Representatives. this honored place to be called the peoples House is for the very reason that we are the defenders. We are those who will stand in the gap. We will be there when others cannot and when others voices cannot be heard. So let me give you a picture of America because. for some reason. if we are not tied to the latest social media or maybe to our favorite cable stations. we cant imagine what happens across America. from California to New York. from the furthest State going to the North to our southern friends. including the great State of Texas. Every morning. every morning some family. some single mother. some single dad. some mother and father rise at 4:00 or 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning. And on some tables. there may be more than one would expect for breakfast. on some tables. there is no breakfast. They rush to prepare for the days work. They rush sometimes to get their children to schools that are far beyond bus stops. And the reason why I say that is many school districts have even cut out school buses. So that means that these hardworking Americans have to rush and get their children to school. And they go off to jobs that are 8. 10. 12 hours long. where they work all day. And maybe they had someonea grandmother or someonepick up the child. but maybe they did not. and. therefore. they have to either have extended public care or wind up picking up those children. But what I will say to you is that they toil and work every day. So this fiscal deadlinedeadlineis very serious to the Progressive Caucus and those of us who really believe that we would not be the patriots that we claim to be if we did not recognize the millions of Americanswith great humor. people were making jokes to the gentleman from Minnesota about the Powerball last night and how many people had tried to sign up for itnot out of greed. When they interviewed people. they were talking about charity and their friends and helping Mama get a better house and helping themselves get a better house. And something was said in our discussions today that the people who are trying to get into the middle class are the ones that we should be able to say to them. Your desires. the service you have given to your country. the work you do when you get up in those early morningssome of them are park attendants. Some of them are working in bus barns. They may not even be bus drivers or they may not be conductors. They may be working around. They may be working in the great work that we could not survive. we call it Departments of Sanitation. the same group of men at that time that Martin King went to Memphis for. And the reason why I call out what its like every morning before dawn when people get up and go to work is that they dont have time to do social media. They dont know when we are in negotiations about the fiscal deadline. but theyre hoping someone is here standing in the gap. And Social Security is earned. It is earned by these people. whether theyre in coal mines. as I said. whether theyre sweeping streets. whether they are children who are disabled. whether they are children of the deceased who the only thing that kept them going or is keeping them going is a Social Security death benefit that they got from their deceased parent. So it is important as we look to what we will be doing is that we understand that it is not those of us in this place that we speak of. And as we speak of the hardworking middle class. we must put into the mix those individuals that keep the lights on. those individuals that keep the streets clean. those individuals that are assisting those who are at homeour nurses. attendants. and aidesthose who are working in daycare centers. those persons who. when a fire in my district burned down a daycare center or something occurs. then you can be sure that there are workers who cannot work. And let me be clear: Since there was a tragedy in my community. I was not speaking of that specific tragedy. Im talking about if something stops you from working. something happens to your business and there are workers there. those workers are unemployed. but they had paid into Social Security. Which brings me to a couple of other points. and I will yield back to the distinguished gentleman. It is important that we maintain the extension of unemployment benefits because Im glad to say that I feel a surge in this economy. Things are getting better. Weve had some great Thanksgiving sale days. and people went out even on Thanksgiving Day. Then we had Black Friday and then Cyber Monday. And everybody is telling us that things are on the move. But it is important to recognize that the country churns if you keep the important safety nets of Medicare. Medicaid. Social Security. And that must be what we do. And then to add unemployment. unemployment insurance. You always have to say over and over again. the word "insurance" means that youve gotten some insurance to get you through a rainy day. Its not a handout. Its a hand up. But it is insurance. and youve earned it because you have worked and you are now unemployed and you are looking for work. So the unemployment insurance is to be something that we need to count as a safety net and one that is of great need. Now let me finish by trying to. again. reemphasize the importance of bipartisanship. And progressives are those who recognize what a great country this is. and we are progressive by the nature of some of the issues that we support. But we do not have a wall in front of our face and say that we dont believe in bipartisanship or we havent joined with some of our colleagues to make a difference for America. I truly believe that every set of policies have. maybe. relevancy as their past. and some policiesand Im going to add the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Acthave an unending life. But when you come to fiscal policy. because the economy churns and it goes in cycles. sometimes were up. and sometimes were down. Tax cuts of the nineties and earlier than the nineties with President Bush. before President Clinton and then thereafter with President Bush who came after President Clintonsometimes economic policies say its time for a rest. and those tax cuts. the top 1 and 2 percent. it is time for a rest. To be able to shore up. to say to every American that you will get a tax cut for $250.000 of your income. which includes 97 percent of small businesses is a reasoned response to the changing economy. The protection of the safety net is a reasoned response to the changing economy. And the recognition of the importance of Social Security. the recognition of the importance of Medicare and Medicaid. and the recognition of the importance that if youre unemployed of extending the unemployment. responds to the people who dont get their news on a regular streaming basis. They dont know whats going on up here. Theyre counting on us to stand in the gap and to make a difference in their lives. Some of them are working and some are on assistance. but theyre not defined by anything except that they are Americans that love their country. I hope as we go into 2013 and as we have the privilege of being sworn in again. that we will look at issues like a wealth tax. that we will look at issues that address equalizing the impoverished in this Nation. most of them children. Were not there yet. but I think that we would be even a greater countrywere a great country and the greatest country in the worldif we recognize that there is value to lifting all boats. that there is value to saying that youre on hard rubble times. and this great country wants to lift the boat so that any children that you are raising have the equal opportunity to achieve their greatness. To the gentleman of Minnesota and the cochair of the Progressive Caucus. let me thank you for your wisdom and your sense ofI think the characterization that Ive heard you state in many different instances and the characterization that I made today. We have an obligation to the people whose daily life is simply about trying to make it to the next day. I hope this Congress and I hope this process of negotiations and media debate and discussion dont ignore the fact that sometimes youve got to make sure that you respond to those who are now busily filling in those 12 hours of work. and the only thing theyre looking forward to is whether they will have enough for a dinner at home and to pick up those children and get ready for the next day. As Americans. many of whom have served their Nation. I feel an obligation to make sure that we stand in the gap on their behalf. I thank the gentleman for yielding. and I thank the gentleman for his leadership.