Newsroom
December 12, 2012 — Press Item
“Everything's on the table. That doesn't mean we're for what's going to be on the table, but we need to have a full consideration of the whole gamut of things that are creating this issue and that can solve this issue. We need to not go over the fiscal cliff. We need to come to an agreement, and the President, I think, is working hard to get there.”
Approaching the Fiscal Cliff: More Calls for Balanced Solution, Preventing Middle Class Tax Increase
December 11, 2012 — Press Item
As we get closer to the deadline to reach a solution to the fiscal cliff, a growing number of Republicans have publicly supported the idea of passing middle class tax cuts now to protect families and small businesses from a tax increase on January 1 while negotiations continue on higher tax rates for the wealthiest two percent in our country:
December 5, 2012 — Press Item
When I say everything needs to be on the table… I want everybody to put their cards on the table and tell me what they’re going to do. … Now there’s some things we are absolutely not going to do… we’re not going to voucherize Medicare, we are not going to privatize Social Security. We believe very strongly that we need additional revenues if we’re going to get our country on a fiscally sound basis.
December 5, 2012 — Press Item
“All I said yesterday was … we need a balanced package and we need to all come to the table honestly, realizing we have differences of opinion, but also realizing this is a math problem. It shouldn't be a philosophical problem or ideological or partisan problem, it's a math problem. We have to get America on a fiscally sustainable path and in order to do that, we’re going to have to have a balanced package. We’re going to have to look at additional revenues.”
December 4, 2012 — Press Item
Today, I signed the discharge petition filed by Rep. Tim Walz that would bring to the Floor an extension of tax cuts for 98% of Americans and 97% of small businesses. These middle class tax cuts were extended by the Senate in July, and the House ought to take action immediately to provide certainty to families and small businesses that their taxes won’t go up on January 1.
December 4, 2012 — Press Item
Democrats remain committed to reaching agreement on a balanced solution to the fiscal cliff. President Obama’s proposal would cut the debt by $4 trillion over 10 years, ask our nation’s wealthiest to pay their fair share, and make strategic investments to create jobs and grow our economy. While Republicans have taken the positive step of putting a proposal on the table, it lacks the specifics needed to meet the challenge we face. Why didn’t they include specifics? Because their math doesn’t add up. A significant amount of revenue is needed, which can’t be reached by continuing tax breaks for the wealthy, as Republicans insist on doing.
November 30, 2012 — Press Item
With time running out, it is imperative that Congress take action before the fiscal cliff hits to prevent tax increases on middle class families and turn off the damaging and arbitrary spending cuts of the sequester. Going off the cliff isn’t an option. It will take a balanced solution, and for the first time it looks like some Republicans are starting to agree.
November 30, 2012 — Press Item
“Everybody believes we ought not to go off the cliff. Sequester is not a good idea, and if we went off the cliff it would have substantial adverse effects on the economy. Nobody wants to go over the cliff including, in my opinion, [Speaker] John Boehner. However, we ought not to hold hostage middle-class tax cuts.”
August 22, 2012 — Press Item
“CBO’s update of its Budget and Economic Outlook released this morning couldn’t paint a clearer picture of our fiscal challenges. If Congress fails to resolve the so-called ‘fiscal cliff’ by the end of this year, according to the CBO’s projections, the first half of 2013 will plunge us back into recession and sharply increase unemployment.
August 2, 2012 — Press Item
“Mr. Speaker, we are now at some point and time going to conclude four weeks in session with little to show for it. Over the past month, the Republican Do-Nothing Congress has continued its relentless pursuit of message over substance.
August 2, 2012 — Press Item
"What Leader Cantor has done and what the Republican party in the House of Representatives have done is once more snatched delay and defeat from the jaws of victory. The Senate passed a bill which would give 98% of Americans assurance that they would have no tax increase January 1. The Republicans have now deep-sixed that, unfortunately. They know full well that the bill they passed yesterday will not pass the Senate."
August 1, 2012 — Press Item
“Once again, Republicans have pursued confrontation over compromise. By rejecting a bill on which there was clear agreement that extended middle class tax cuts, Republicans snatched delay from the jaws of victory. The President supports extending middle class tax cuts, and the Senate has passed it. We all agree that we want to make sure middle class families do not see a tax increase next year. But Republicans want to hold the middle class tax cuts hostage to additional tax cuts for the wealthy.
August 1, 2012 — Press Item
“Designed to fail, that's what this bill is – designed to fail. And, very frankly, you made sure that it was going to fail when you passed the amendment that added the reform bill and this bill together. Designed to fail – how sad.
July 30, 2012 — Press Item
Middle class families are facing an increase in their taxes in January, and House Republicans are the only ones standing in the way of preventing that from happening. Last week, the Senate passed a bill stopping the tax hike on middle class families and businesses, which Democrats introduced in the House today. While Republicans are playing political games that put middle class Americans at risk, the House could take action immediately to extend rates on income up to $250,000 while asking our nation’s wealthiest to pay a fair share towards our fiscal challenges by passing the Senate bill. It is time for Republicans to stop holding 98% of Americans hostage to providing tax breaks to the top 2% in our country.
