On the recordAugust 2, 2012
The American people expect Congress to work to get our economy back on track, to promote economic growth, and to provide families and small businesses with some certainty when it comes to their taxes. The Senate passed legislation to ensure that middle class families do not see a tax increase at the end of the year. Yesterday, House Democrats offered the identical bill, one that the President would sign, yet our Republican friends passed a plan that will raise taxes on 25 million middle class families by preserving tax breaks for the wealthiest among us. We need to end this kind of political gamesmanship that has held our economy back. Against this backdrop, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have decided to leave town for almost 40 days with a long list of unfinished business: postal reform, the Violence Against Women reauthorization, the farm bill, comprehensive jobs legislation, the Make It in America agenda, a balanced and big plan to solve our deficit, and tax cuts for the middle class. We should remain here and do the work the American people sent us to do. ____________________
