It was a bipartisan vote on the Budget Control Act, which spelled out how we would reach this terrible moment if the supercommittee failed. I sincerely hope we never reach this moment, that there is a good-faith effort by both parties to…

Mr. Speaker, I rise because whether you call it a fiscal cliff or a slope, there's no denying the environmental wreckage hitting a metaphoric ledge will have. Under the sequester, the National Park Service would likely have to close…

I think it's something like $850 billion that would come out of the Medicaid fund. I know.

Let me just say one area in which I disagree a bit with you. Most Americans support these programs. I'm talking about huge percentages of Americans--Republicans, Democrats, Independents--who say, no, we don't think that Medicare, Social…

Part of the solution. Can I just ask, Mr. Speaker, how much time we have remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Denham). The gentlewoman from Illinois has 5 minutes remaining.

Along rail lines, along highways, of course, that's the engine of commerce that keeps not only our wheels turning, but the stores--everything going, all of the infrastructure.

Some people say it didn't create any jobs. Well, I think the testimony is that many of our colleagues, almost all of our colleagues, showed up at the ribbon cuttings.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be here representing the Progressive Caucus and talking about our fiscal situation now that I think a lot of people out there are worrying about, confused about, don't know how it's really going to affect them…

I think, actually, you have done a service to make people understand that there are those who are deeply offended by it and that we should all learn what to say so as not to offend people.

Thank you very much. I appreciate both--you know, sometimes as legislators we like to think we're always right, and sometimes we make mistakes, inadvertent mistakes. And coming to the floor to actually clear the air I think is really…

You were talking about how government helps to prime the pump. So government spends money, and it spins out and often becomes commercialized. There are three ways that we can really deal with our economy right now to make it stronger: We…

Let me just say that right now we're paying very low interest because people do have confidence in our American economy and in those Treasury notes and it is a good, safe, and solid investment. And I yield to the gentleman.

Let's talk about that for a minute. It seems that there are those on the Republican side of the aisle who are willing to go to the mat to protect tax cuts for the very wealthiest Americans, people who make $250,000 and more. Of course, our…

I rise in strong support of this motion to instruct. I join my colleagues first in congratulating Congresswoman Davis for the enormous work that she has done to protect the women of Afghanistan, and I thank my Republican colleagues, too…

You were talking about a difference in philosophy and even economic philosophy. There are those who call that top 2 percent the job creators. Well, if that's true, then where are the jobs? Because most of the growth, almost all of the…

When we have a situation in this country where the top 1 percent of Americans, 1 percent, control as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent, that's not a healthy situation. I don't want to moralize about it. It's just not a healthy situation.

I have to tell you, I introduced legislation that actually would increase the taxes on people starting at a million going up, ratcheting up, different tax brackets up to a billion dollars. {time} 1410 And I've got a lot of very rich people…

Let me end with this since we just have a couple of minutes. As we face all these negotiations that are going on, I think there's a couple of bottom lines. One--and the President has been very clear--we are going to have to ask the…