On the recordDecember 20, 2012
I thank the gentleman from California. Mr. Speaker, the President owns this economy. He owns the high unemployment rate--the 23 million Americans who are unemployed or underemployed. He owns the lack of jobs, lack of opportunities. He owns the $750 billion annual deficit that he has had for the 4 years. It is time for the President to step up. {time} 1430 Now, knowing that this fiscal cliff was going to take place for well over a year now--in fact, people have seen it coming long before then-- the President has not acted in good faith and put alternatives on the floor for us to vote on. What we're doing here today is three things. Number one, we are moving a centralized negotiation back to where it should be, a decentralized basis so that 435 House Members can vote, can speak on it and express their opinion. Now, hopefully, beyond that, the Senate can take it and amend it and change it and do whatever they want, but this debate belongs inside the United States Capitol. What the Speaker is doing today is giving us that opportunity. Last year, we heard so much about the 99 percenters. This is going to give tax relief to those 99 percent, and it's permanent. I know how long it's taken us to do something with the death tax. That is in this bill. This is good for the economy. It's good for economic growth, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule.
