Dem Caucus Leaders: Democrats Won’t Leave Until Congress Acts for Working Families

Washington, D.C. - House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (CT) and Vice Chairman Xavier Becerra (CA) held a press avail after the Democratic Caucus meeting today on the need for Congress to address Jobs, and extend unemployment insurance and the middle class payroll tax cut before Congress leaves for the holidays.

Below is the transcript and video

Chairman Larson: I wanted to read a letter from one of my constituents that underscores the current situation that I believe many Americans face.

Signe Martin wrote the following: “I’m asking you to please provide emergency funds to extend unemployment benefits for myself and the many, many people like me and in my situation. I have no one who will take me in, or can afford to do this. How can you not agree that this is comparable to a natural disaster, when individual lives are at stake? And you act as though you are to leave us to be swallowed up by the dark abyss of uncertainty.”

This Democratic Caucus is united in the fact that we will not leave Washington, D.C. until we have passed an unemployment extension for those like Signe Martin, who are in need of this relief. And we will not leave until the payroll tax is adapted, because that is required to assist the citizens of this country in a fair and equitable manner that our President has called for.

The Vice Chair of the Caucus.

Vice Chair Becerra: Mr. Chairman, I think all of us have heard from constituents like Signe and we are there as the Chairman said, to be sure that no one in Congress should go home for Christmas until we have passed this payroll tax cut for the 160 million working Americans.

One quick fact – what happens if the Republicans hold this payroll tax cut hostage? We’re told about 400,000 Americans will not get a job or keep their job.

The interesting part about that is that the Republicans are holding the payroll tax cut hostage because they want to preserve and protect millionaires from having to pay – help pay – for the cost of this tax cut.

How many millionaires? About 300,000.

So, for 300,000 millionaires, Republicans are willing to sacrifice 400,000 working Americans.

That’s where we are today.

This is December. We’re getting ready for Christmas. Some folks are not paying attention to the American people. The American people are way ahead of the politicians. They say do this in a bipartisan way. Even Republicans throughout the country are not where Republicans in Washington, D.C. are.

It’s time for our Republican colleagues to join us and do what all Americans – Republican and Democrat alike are saying what we should do – and that is help Americans get back to work.

Chairman Larson: Thank you.