Henry Cuellar

Washington, Jan 2 -

Congressman Henry Cuellar released the following statement after the House passed the Senate legislation to make tax cuts for the middle class permanent, extend critical tax credits for working families, and avert the so-called “fiscal cliff”:

"This compromise and the accompanying vote were long overdue. It was imperative that Congress got together to support the bipartisan, Senate-passed legislation to avoid going over the “fiscal cliff”.  In order to stop $500 billion in automatic tax increases on 99 percent of American households, prevent massive cuts, and halt interruptions in critical services, both sides had to make concessions. While this is not the bill I would have drafted and no one is likely to be happy with every provision, I understand that immediate action with the most consensus was required for the sake of strengthening the U.S. economy and protecting our fellow Americans.

It is important to note that the inability of Congress to work in a bipartisan way over the past few years to take on our toughest issues created this crisis. Unfortunately, if we fail to learn the lessons of this narrowly-averted crisis, the Congress may end right back up in a similar spot in the near future. Each member of Congress has a responsibility to work together to craft common sense solutions to the nation's challenges. We were sent here to roll up our sleeves, get to work, and build consensus on the tough issues.  I hope the new Congress does a better job at that."