Steny Hoyer: “I thank the gentleman very much because he makes a good point. When President Obama became President, of course, we were…”

“I thank the gentleman very much because he makes a good point. When President Obama became President, of course, we were in a deep trough as the gentleman remembers. {time} 1115 It was January of 2009, and we sat around the Cabinet table. I was the majority leader then as well, and I said: Federal employees ought to get no cost-of-living adjustment, Mr. President. The country is in a deep trough. Many people are hurting in this country, and we should not have a COLA adjustment this year. I supported the second year of not having a COLA adjustment because we were still in a problem. Mr. Chairman, you will not find any record of my standing on this floor saying that we ought to give Federal employees a COLA while so many people in the country were struggling without a job and losing their homes. So I just wanted to tell the gentleman that when a Democrat was President of the United States, I told the Federal unions--all of whom supported me--Look, the country is in trouble. But we are not in trouble now. The President talks about what a great economy we have and what low unemployment we have. So now is the time to give them that raise. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman for yielding.”