Janice Schakowsky

I sent a letter, along with 20 colleagues, to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson voicing our concern about the delays.

This is an important topic, and I'm glad to start this congress on such a critical issue.

I am principally concerned about the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing.

I am glad that they are really looking at social determinants and looking at health disparities and that we were able to include in a lot of the research and provisions of the Affordable Care Act that health equity and eliminating health…

The impact of globalization on smaller manufacturers and American workers is far more uneven.

We have an issue here that I think our committee ought to definitely explore.

I agree with the president. We need to focus here in Congress on how we attract more jobs to our shores.

Manufacturing is a great place to start.

You mentioned even playing field a couple of times. So in your testimony you mentioned the un-sustainability of the race by businesses to find the lowest cost wages or lowest taxes around the world.

We know that global competition in manufacturing is far more intense today than it was 3 decades ago.

So the lack of predictability itself is a problem, though, is it not?

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.

But let me just say this: the other philosophy, though, is that if you have a robust middle class of consumers who will actually have enough money in their pockets, middle class people, hopefully even including those who aspire to the…

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…

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.

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…

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.

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.

Think about the potential in the energy industry if we just help to promote some of these clean, renewable energy technologies. One of the things on this cliff is the end of the wind energy production tax, which has been so incredibly…

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

I'm not talking about children. The poorest adults are people over 65 years of age and persons with disabilities. Their median income is $22,000 a year. The median income for older Americans is $22,000 a year. Really? Somehow this is a…

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…

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.

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.

I think it is completely unfair... that is included in your fraud prevention numbers, and I think that it is a fraud to do that to children.