Frank Pallone: “Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague on the other side, and I have heard this so many times now. With respect, the…”

“Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague on the other side, and I have heard this so many times now. With respect, the notion that the Republicans have already passed a bill that is much broader belies the fact that they are not willing to move in the conference to do anything. This conference has not even met on this bill. I know this gentlewoman is well-intentioned but she suggests that somehow the House Republicans have passed a better bill, well, what good is a House-passed bill versus a Senate-passed bill in any case, unless there is actually a conference, and there is an effort to try to come together and pass a bill that will go to the President? There has been absolutely no effort on the part of the House Republicans to meet in conference or to try to come to any kind of an agreement with the other body, so that we would have a bill that is finally passed. And the suggestion that somehow we are going to include all of these other tax measures in additional tax cuts, that is not possible under the circumstances. We know that that will simply increase the deficit. It will cost a lot more. And the reality is if we are going to do anything, the only thing we could possibly do at this point would be to pass the Senate version, and they are not willing to do that.”