Ed Markey: “For millions of Americans, after 8 years of laissez-faire economics, they know it is just a fancy word for ``left…”

“For millions of Americans, after 8 years of laissez-faire economics, they know it is just a fancy word for ``left behind.'' Fixing the economy is not a spectator sport. That's what has been going on for 8 years. And that's what's going on with the Republicans here today. This bill creates or saves 3.5 million jobs. It provides tax cuts for 95 percent of Americans. It spurs a green jobs revolution. It has health IT that will revolutionize medicine with privacy and security built in that I requested and the majority has placed in this bill. There's more money in this bill after 5 years of cutting the NIH budget, there's a dramatic increase in the NIH budget to find a cure for cancer, for heart disease, for Parkinson's and for Alzheimer's. This is a revolution in health care, in energy and in job creation. This bill must be passed today and break with the 8 years of laissez-faire, which has hurt every single American family. Vote ``yes'' on this bill. Today we're responding with determination and bold action to combat the most severe economic crisis our country has faced since the Great Depression. For years, as hardworking American families struggled to make ends meet and the economy shed millions of jobs, Republicans told us not to worry--we are in the midst of a ``jobless recovery'', they said. But ``jobless recovery'' is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms, like jumbo shrimp or Salt Lake City nightlife--it just doesn't exist.”