every once in a while, Congress is faced with a policy choice that clearly defines for the American people exactly who each member is fighting for. We are nearing one of those clarifying moments here on the Senate floor. Today, the authorization for emergency unemployment insurance expires. For the 15 million Americans who are struggling to put food on the table as they look for work during this Great Recession, the Republicans are demanding that we cancel the extra assistance we have provided since the economic crisis began. The Democrats will fight to ensure that this assistance to struggling middle class families continues through the holidays and through next year. Even as emergency unemployment assistance expires, the Republicans are demanding that the Bush-era tax cuts be extended for everyone. Most importantly for them, the Republicans are demanding that the wealthiest people in America receive a massive tax cut, on top of the hundreds of billions of dollars of tax cuts they have already pocketed over the last 10 years. The Republicans don't think a $6,300 tax cut per year is good enough for millionaires. They are demanding that millionaires receive $100,000 in tax cuts every single year--and if not, no one should receive anything. The cost for permanently extending the Bush tax cuts for people making over $250,000? About $700 billion over the next 10 years alone. Plus interest.
Editor's note · Context
Senator Durbin addresses the expiration of emergency unemployment insurance and tax cut proposals.
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