Rob Andrews: “I congratulate the chairwoman and my friend, Mr. Brady, for bringing to the floor very good legislation that recognizes…”

“I congratulate the chairwoman and my friend, Mr. Brady, for bringing to the floor very good legislation that recognizes the value of the best and brightest young Americans competing in the fields of math, science, and innovation. But America is not going to compete very well if we don't solve the budget sequester that surrounds us here today. We're in a global economic competition where we will fall behind if we do not act by this Friday. Beginning this Friday, according to economists, a conservative estimate of the number of jobs lost in our country will be 750,000. There are those who believe that the job loss may exceed 2 million jobs. Now, ladies and gentlemen of the House, there is a proposal in the well before the House that would postpone this job loss. Mr. Van Hollen has offered a proposal that would postpone the sequester and save these jobs and still reduce our deficit by cutting subsidies to huge oil companies who do not need those subsidies, by cutting subsidies to huge agribusinesses who do not need those subsidies, by saying that people who make more than $2 million a year should pay a rate of taxation that does not let them exploit loopholes and other deductions. To date, with the sequester looming, the majority in this House has done nothing to address this problem--not one bill, not one hour, not one debate, not one vote.…”