Date: 2011-12-16
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker. Happy holiday to America. Let me reinforce that we live in a great country. and that is evidenced by the opportunity of Members to come to this democratic body and the other body to speak about the values of this Nation and the importance of our democracy and our responsibility to address the concerns of all Americans. It is good for us to have an opportunity for a dialogue and to be able to listen to each other. I know that Ill be joined shortly by the whip of this Congress. Mr. HOYER. So let me just quickly say that I remember serving in this Congress when President Bush was the President. and I always made the point that once we are elected. even as we come from constituency. even as we come out of tough political battles. it really is the oath that we take that ensures that we represent all of America. whether we have the glory of coming from a State that is claiming progressiveness or one that is conservative. When we get on that train or airplane or drive that car and come to Washington. D.C.. we represent all of America. So let me quickly just say that youre looking at a stack of papers that represent the approach that my Republican friends took to fund the needs of the American people. Under the Democratic Caucus and the Democratic Congress of last Congress. we had the appropriations bills. almost 12 of them. come to the floor. and Members openly debated all of the issues around the different bills dealing with transportation. housing. homeland security and defense. They had an opportunity to be on the floor. The constituents could email or call or say what is that in this particular bill. But under this Republican leadership. this is what they brought us and gave us 1 hour to read these pages because of the emergency of funding the American people. Thats not a way to run a country. Its not Democratic or Republican. Its not conservative or liberal. Its just not the way. And I would offer to say that were committed and should have done this weeks ago. extending the payroll tax relief. providing for 160 million working Americans and extending the unemployment. helping 6 million Americans. You see. I dont believe that those Americans care whether we are conservative Republican. whether we twitter. whether we email or whether we speak on the floor of the House. They want us to abide by the oath that we take when we stand and affirm our relationship with the United States and our obligation and duty to the American people. When our soldiers who are coming home now. yesterday being the last day of war in Iraq. the casing of the colors. not one soldier that I visited in Iraq or Afghanistan ever put up and said. Im a Republican or Im a Democratic. Every one of them was proud to be an American. And thats what we are obligated to do on this floor. You know. it saddens me to report to you and the American people. my colleagues. that the banks of America have $64 trillion in their accounts. refusing to spend it. to yield. to loan it to small businesses or those who want to buy homes. Our businesses have over $1.12 trillion in cash on hand. It saddens me to hear that businesses who are protected by our flag and our soldiers and can do business in a democratic setting. just because of wanting more money. they will lift up their business and take it to another country and remove the employees who invest in this country. It saddens me. I ask the simple question: Where there is a benefit. is there not burden? And I do want to correct any impression that we tax Americans 90 percent. Yes. we need tax reform. real tax reform. We need to help Americans keep money in their pockets. But I can tell you. out of $10. we dont take $9. We want people to be able to work and reap the benefit of their work. But may I just share with you that America is an umbrella on a rainy day. that when there are hurricanes and tornados and earthquakes. you expect us to come running and restore your communities. You expect us to take care of the dams and bridges. the highways. to ensure that Americas infrastructure is working. that the electric grid can withstand a cyberattack. a potential homeland attack. if you will. After 9/11. you asked America why. and you wanted us to get busy and get to work and ensure the homeland is protected. And I sit on the Homeland Security Committee. Every day our responsibility is to read the fine lines in the classified information to make sure that we are in front of the terrorists. whether its a lone wolf or whether it is a massive attack. We have been fortunate. because of our young men and women in the military. because of our intelligence community. that we have not had a major attack on our soil since 9/11. Thats what the government is all about. You cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater. And we have some other responsibilities as well. The responsibilities of ensuring our children are safe and that we dont allow and condone sexual abuse of our children or bullying of our children. Yes. you can make a national statement on that. though we want families to get help and children to get help. but the circus that is going on in Penn State is so unacceptable. Ive introduced legislation to stop the Federal funding of any entity that covers up or tolerates child sexual abuse. I have introduced legislation to make a stand against the bullying and ask communities and school districts to establish best practices to help our children and families. And then it is important to note that we do need to have the harmony and the collegiate collaboration that really speaks of this grand place. this august institution of which weve had so many opportunities. One of our Members was interviewed in one of our newspapers here on the Hill. and he spoke eloquently as a protector of this institution. one who had been here even as a page. and he mourned for the lack of collegiate interaction. Everybody thinks its a joke to call people names. I do not. For we all come in different shapes. sizes. and colors. and it is unfortunate that groups get condemned because of their race. because of their sex. or because of where they come from. their lifestyle. their background. who they represent. who they come on the floor and attempt to advocate for. I do not in any way disallow anyone who comes with a different perspective from one that I may be suggesting today. and that should not generate namecalling. And the press loves it. They love to see us namecall against each other. They make that the story of the day. They dont talk about the yellow ribbons that Members wore. both Republican and Democrat. commemorating the return of our soldiers. And I personally thank them because I came to them and asked them to do so. I thank themthe Speaker. the leader. the Majority Leader. and of course the whip. leadership coming together to say thank you to our troops. Members. why dont we. as we go through our holiday season. turn ourselves around. Lets not give fodder to the media. who simply likes to ridicule and make us look as if were doing nothing. And whether or not I agree or disagree. I know Members are in their offices or in their districts and they are responding to the needs of our constituents. And as I speak to our constituents back home. as we send this bill to the President and appropriations come that will help you in housing. help you in transportation and the environment. it is important for our local officialsand I look forward to working with my own City of Houston. lets be responsible in these dollars and make sure that the monies get to those who are in need. So that when constituents sit back home and they see the debating going on here and the ire going on here and maybe some of the disagreements. and then they wonder. Where is my help coming? Weve sent it to the States. weve sent it to the cities. and its important for you to hold them accountable as to the resources that are needed to improve your quality of life. So Im here today to announce that were not going home. were just pausing. because we have to come back and make sure that the payroll tax cuts are extended for working Americans. so that we can ensure that we dont lose 400.000 jobs and help 160 million Americans. many of them the families of soldiers that are returning home. And then. of course. it is important for us to ensure that the unemployed6 million of themand some even beyond that. the 99ers whove come up against the wall of no unemployment insurance. are taken care of. And can I just say to you. unemployment insurance is not a handout. I spoke with someone just the other day who had four boys that they had to take care of. was working and now on unemployment. trying to find work. But they worked. This is their insurance. This is the wisdom of America. to not let people be abandoned. And so I would hope that we would find the collegiate ability to give the media back home and here more positive messages to take back and not utilize. if you will. the media waves in the First Amendment to ridicule an institution that so many of us and all of us hold dear. not for us being here present. not for any personal status. but we hold it dear and near because of the history of this place. So many decisions have been made. The early Founding Fathers had a smaller setting just outside of these Chambers. but this is how we have come to be the longest lasting democracy. because we view this place as a place to work out our differences and not a place to raise our differences. Weve had some major crises in this country. Id like to have been here and imagine what the Members were addressing in the 1929 collapse when. if you read your history books. people were jumping out of windows. primarily in places where they felt the financial impact. Congress had to come together. Decisions might not have been the best. but they made it through the 1930s. I know my grandparents have spoken about what that depression was really like. And then a President by the name of Franklin Delano Roosevelt dealt with World War II. but also dealt with the dismal conditions of this Nation and put America back to work to bring about the prosperity of the 1950s. I have the greatest hope that we have that potential. And I know that President Obama believes in job creation and has done so3 million jobs and more to come. And rather than focus on a company that would disregard the patriotic obligation to hire Americans and think that its so easy to pick upand it is. We are a democracy. We have no restraints on anyone planting their business anywhere. moving their business anywhere. But to think that we have lost the patriotism that would cause me to say. You know what? Im going to suck it in. keep these hardworking Americans workingin whatever State it isand Im not going to fall victim to greed and leave. but Im going to stay put and make sure that I am taking care of the American people. thats what I would hope to see in this country. all of us pulling ourselves together and pulling up our bootstraps. and making sure that we have the ability to work hard. and to ensure that as we work hard we can make this country a great place. That is the challenge that we have. And I might say this one thing about bailouts and investments. you dont know how excited I amand Im not from Michiganto be able to applaud again the automobile industry. because we were right in there recognizing that it wasnt just making cars in Detroit. It was all the car dealerships and all the guys and ladies that supported the Boy Scouts and boys and girls clubs and little leagues that were going to be impacted. Oh. look at them now. many of them just rolling along. selling American cars again. That was the right thing to do. And when we came after 9/11 and airlines came to us saying we just cant make it. and we had to extend a helping handI wouldnt even call it a bailoutbut they needed us because of the horrific tragedy and attacks and murderous actions of 9/11. And thank goodness we did. and look. there are families being reunited on Americas airlines today. Sometimes the government has to do what is unpopular for the greater good. Yes. there are more things to do with the financial industry. there are questions to be answered about foreclosure that still continues. There is work to be done to help our families restore their wealth. There are questions to be asked about the wealth disparity. the numbers of impoverished. the children that are literally living in poverty. the numbers of families that are on supplemental food assistance. 46 million. But for one moment. I have never thought that America was not a great country. I never doubted her. In spite of the accusations and the namecalling that comes about in the political process. I never doubt the greatness of America.