Maurice Hinchey: “there is nobody on this side of the aisle who believes that the extension of a mere 13 weeks of unemployment insurance…”

“there is nobody on this side of the aisle who believes that the extension of a mere 13 weeks of unemployment insurance benefit is a comprehensive response to the present recession, but we do understand that it is an important part of any response, and we do understand, as my colleagues do, it is the only thing that we can do practically at this moment. We have a bill here in this House which extends 13 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits. We could pass that bill now. But, Mr. Speaker, the majority side of the aisle will not put that bill on the floor. Instead, Members want to debate tax policy. We are happy to debate tax policy with the other side of the aisle. The other side of the aisle wants to pass a bill that will make it so that profitable corporations in America have no tax liability. They will pay no taxes to the Federal Treasury. Instead, that tax liability under the Republican proposal would inevitably be passed on to middle-income working people. If my colleagues want to debate those kinds of issues, bring that bill to the floor. We are happy to debate it, but for God's sake, let us do the one thing we can do today to help the people that need help. Every day 11,000 Americans exhaust their unemployment insurance benefits. We are leaving town today. The Speaker set the schedule. We are going on recess for 12 days. During that period of time, another 130,000 Americans will lose their unemployment insurance benefits.”