Paul Tonko: “Representative Garamendi, thank you again for bringing us together with this request for a Special Order. If…”

“Representative Garamendi, thank you again for bringing us together with this request for a Special Order. If Representative Kaptur could just take us back to that second chart that she shared with us earlier this evening and the measurement or the depiction of real average after-tax income. Now, you talk about the unfairness out there or the inability to go forward and tax fairly. When you look at that graphic, to see the injustice that's displayed just in simple line graph format, that flatlining of America's middle class from 1979 forward, that flatlining contrasted with that steep climb upward for those in the upper income brackets tells us the whole story. And people have said across this country, when I go home to the district, people say to me that they're concerned, they're upset. They've been taught, rightfully so, they've learned along the way that if you play fair, you roll up your sleeves and you abide by the rules that you should be able to have within your grasp that American Dream. The American Dream, one that allows for working families to climb the ladder. They don't feel that that's within their grasp today. And it's not only the injustice here that is measured on a chart--and be mindful, they don't reject the notion of working hard and scoring big, making money. They're not concerned about that. They honor that.…”