On the recordDecember 31, 2012
The 112th Congress has been defined as the least productive Congress in recent memory. And now we run the risk of being the Congress whose action will cause real harm to our country's economic future. The American people have consistently said they want Republicans and Democrats to act like adults and work together on the challenges we face. And yet here we are again, facing a critical financial deadline with no agreement in place to avert the so- called fiscal cliff and to protect seniors, middle class families, and business owners while we reduce our debt. There's just too much at stake right now for this Congress to keep playing the games of brinksmanship and partisan politics. Over the last 10 years, as I've met with Rhode Islanders from Woonsocket to Newport and everywhere in between, I've heard one clear message: now is the time for those of us who serve in this Chamber to get this hard work done on behalf of the men and women who sent us here. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to spend less time assigning blame to each other and instead pass a comprehensive plan that averts the fiscal cliff, cuts our debt, and protects middle class families, seniors, and small business owners. ____________________
