Date: 2012-01-24
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. last week. I came to the floor of the House to challenge the utilization of words because words matter. Candidates who are charging each other with a variety of sins decided to call President Barack Obama. who tonight will give us the State of the Union. the "food stamp President." For many of us who know our history. we might recall that in the 1940s and beyond. there were many who were on government cheese. In fact. many people I know today smile about that government cheese and peanut butter that they were given. They include doctors and lawyers and leaders of this Nation. teachers. people who are expanding opportunities for others. This Nation is a great country. and we are reminded that many who start from humble beginnings can ascend to the highest office or the barons and the leadership of corporate America. So the negative connotation of "food stamp President" is to denigrate those who receive it rather than to suggest that there are opportunities in this Nation that no other country can provide. So. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to talk about and look forward to the Presidents State of the Union as he speaks about income equality and challenges us. as a Nation. to come together. to move forward on expanding jobs. such as the Presidents American Jobs Act. But I raise for thought the problem of how we will come to that point. Im looking at an article that suggests that "Made in the USA" may be a relic of the bygone. It uses one of our most famous. one of our most imitated companies in the world. Apple. which speaks to the genius of America. I will never step away from acknowledging that we are the inventive. the innovative. the genius. the creative population because weve been given freedom by our Constitution. But when you ask the question why the iPhone is manufactured elsewhere and you hear comments about why the genius of this particular company has not been translated into a number of jobs. why decisions have been made to move manufacturing overseas. and you ask the question where is the corporate social responsibility. for example. and where is the generosity in terms of hiring American workers. well. we know that the international economy is intertwined. Companies once felt an obligation to support American workers even when it wasnt the best financial choice. We call that "American generosity." But I understand the bottom line. So it is important that we begin to look at the items that the President is talking about. jobs skills training. and to find a way to restore the modern manufacturing that will bring more jobs to America. Why do these companies move overseas? In this article. it suggests because of the supply chain and the way factories can be put up and put down in these foreign countries. Now. you tell me why we cant do that. I believe we can. It is all about focus and logistics. And tonight. as the President expands on his Kansas speech about how we are a great Nation. Im looking for ways to end that income inequality. to come together and make sure that those who make much can have the ability to share those dollars but yet still make a grand profit. I want to see us improve our supply chains and logistics. I want to see us get factories up and bring them down. We restored the American auto industry by commitment. dedication. and sacrifice. At last I heard. General Motors now is the number one manufacturer of automobiles in the world. How did it come about? Because Democrats came together and joined around. with a bipartisan support. the idea that we can create jobs. we can manufacture jobs. Let me just say this: I will accept the challenge tonight that the President will offer. and I will realize that a food stamp family today providing for their children are the presidents and CEOs and astronauts and inventors of tomorrow. Thats the kind of Nation that we are. I say it always. and I will say it again. "Food stamp" is a denigrating term when you say "food stamp President." as if the President does not want to create jobs. Were tired of the buzzwords and innuendo about certain groups. but I believe that we have a way of coming out of this. Mr. Speaker. now is the time. It is an urgency of now. It is the justice and equality that Martin Luther King and many other great leaders spoke of. It is this mosaic Nation of people from all walks of life that have shown the world were the greatest Nation in the world. Im looking forward to pursuing that in the 21st century. building jobs and saying. "God bless America."