Rep. Becerra Challenges House Republicans To Take The 98 Percent Deal

"If you're in the middle class, shouldn't it feel like you're in the middle of America? Yet the politics of extremism is pushing the middle class to the very edge. The very edge.

"Our House Republican colleagues continue to ignore calls from the American people to extend the middle class tax cuts now.

"That politics of extremism is threatening to raise taxes on the middle class by the amount of about $2,200 starting January 1st.

"Republicans should once and for all join with Democrats and the American public to bring the bipartisan, Senate-passed, middle class tax cut bill to a vote on the House floor. Passage of the bipartisan, middle class tax cut bill ensures that 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses don't see a single tax increase next year. Democrats and two-thirds of the American people agree with the growing number of Republicans who are telling their Republican colleagues, 'Take the 98 percent deal. Take the 98 percent deal.'

"My friends, this is not the time to put the foot on the brake of our economic recovery. It's time to get our work done.

"Remember, colleagues, where we were four years ago? Four years ago, November, 2008, our country was hemorrhaging 800,000 American jobs. This November, we got the news -- 146,000 new jobs. It's time to continue that progress.

"Let's stop abiding by these pledges to special interests and start abiding by our pledge to the United States of America and to the people who elected us to serve the interest of all Americans and not those of special interests. Let's pass the middle class tax cut bill now."

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