Floor Statements

“Mr. Speaker, tonight the President will once again walk into this chamber and lay out a vision for how to strengthen America in the years ahead.

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Price of Georgia said what the American people want. What the American people don't want is games. This is a game. This is a sham. This is a shame. What the American people want is honest legislation to address the challenges that confront us.

“I join in thanking U.S. Trade Representative Amb. Ron Kirk for his four years of dedicated service as America’s chief advocate for exports and fair trade practices.  Under his leadership, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative oversaw the opening of new markets for our businesses and the implementation of tougher trade enforcement rules that help ensure a level playing field for American products overseas.  Throughout this tenure, Amb. Kirk has stressed that when American businesses can compete fairly, they will prosper and create new opportunities for jobs here at home.  He has been a strong supporter of American workers and their role as the engine of our economic growth, and I was glad to have had the opportunity to work with him in developing parts of House Democrats’ Make It In America jobs plan to revitalize our manufacturing sector.  I wish him all the best as he embarks on the next phase in his career.”  

“Today, as President Barack Obama took his second oath of office to ‘preserve, protect, and defend’ our Constitution, we reflect on the challenges our nation has faced over the past four years, as well as the ones that lie ahead. President Obama has taken action to strengthen our economy, reduce our deficits, and increase our national security. We have made significant progress over the course of his first term, but we know more needs to be done to make the promise of the American Dream more accessible to every American.

"Sadly, with today's proposal we see a continuation of putting politics before policy, which the Republican majority pursued with a vengeance in the last Congress. To my knowledge, no responsible Republican leader believes that default will be anything other than disastrous.

“I want to congratulate all of the Members who represent New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and other jurisdictions who have been united in a bipartisan way to say: let us reach out, let us act now to help those who have been savaged by [Hurricane] Sandy.

“Mr. Speaker, it was to my profound disappointment that I learned last night that the House would adjourn the 112th Congress without providing assistance to the victims of Superstorm Sandy.

“There is, of course, a time for partisanship. There is a time for making our political points, and that time has been and it will be again. That time is not tonight.

I thank my friend, Mr. Smith, the Ranking Member [of the House Armed Services Committee]. I thank Mr. McKeon for the work they've done. I want to thank my friend [Congressman] Barney Frank for the thoughtful perspective he brings to the consideration of this bill.

Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. I thank my friend for yielding. I want to thank the Chairman of the Rules Committee for his efforts as well. Ladies and gentlemen of this House, we talk a lot, correctly, about creating certainty, alleviating uncertainty – alleviating angst among our people and among our economy. We have an opportunity to bring certainty to a large segment of America that they will not receive a tax increase on January 1.

“Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today from both sides of the aisle to stand with the people of Israel in support of their sovereign right to defend themselves against Hamas terror.

"I was saddened to hear about the passing of Arlen Specter. For thirty years, he served the people of Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate well, often working across the aisle to get things done. He was a moderate who put the needs of his constituents and country before politics - something seen all too rarely now. My thoughts and prayers are with his family."