Tim Ryan: “May 31 is going to be quite a sad day in the history of the United States Congress, but I believe that the real tragedy…”

“May 31 is going to be quite a sad day in the history of the United States Congress, but I believe that the real tragedy is for 36,500 Ohioans and over 2 million Americans whose unemployment benefits will expire on May 31. I do not understand how we can look these people in the eye. I think it is disgraceful. I think it is shameful. How do we look those Americans in the eye who are struggling to feed their kids, who do not have work, and we tell them that we have a solution to the problem? What is the solution? I do not believe it is adopting the President's leave-no-millionaire-behind plan. Ever since this President has taken office, we have said we are going to cut taxes. We have a recession, we are going to cut taxes; the economy is down, we are going to cut taxes; you want to go to war, we are going to cut taxes; if tuition goes up, we are going to cut taxes; if health care goes up, we need to cut taxes; and if schools are cutting the year short because they cannot afford to educate their kids, we are going to cut taxes. We hear a lot, Madam Speaker, about compassionate conservatism, when it seems the only thing being conserved in the United States Capitol is compassion. I do not understand what is compassionate for the 8.8 million unemployed people in this country. To me, leaving them hanging is cruel. I do not understand what is compassionate for the 80,000 workers who are exhausting their unemployment benefits every week.”