Washington, D.C. – In advance of President Obama's State of the Union address this evening, Representative David Price (NC-04) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives urging his colleagues to pass a full-year extension of the payroll tax cut right away. Rep. Price stressed that Congress should move past the manufactured budget crises that characterized the previous legislative session, which created economic uncertainty and drove public opinion of Congress to new lows, and begin consideration of the President's broader jobs agenda. President Obama has said this is a "make or break" moment for the economic recovery and our middle class. The text of Rep. Price's remarks is below.

See video of Rep. Price's remarks

Last year, as we lurched from one congressionally-manufactured crisis to another, uncertainty plagued families and businesses, and the American people's confidence in our ability to do their work plummeted.

In the first few months of the new year, we can right these wrongs and proceed in a deliberative, mature manner to address our nation's problems.

As the President will reiterate tonight in his State of the Union Address—this is a "Make or Break" moment for our economic recovery, our middle class and those trying to reach the middle class.

Extending this payroll tax cut will put an average $1,000 in the pockets of workers this year. Let us not play games by threatening to raise taxes on 160 million workers if you don't get your way on one bargaining chip or another.

We should pass a full year extension of the payroll tax cut right away, and then move on to the President's broader jobs bill that would create jobs and put us on a faster road to recovery.

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