Jack Reed: “we are here because people are suffering throughout the country, most particularly the coldest States. Americans…”

“we are here because people are suffering throughout the country, most particularly the coldest States. Americans throughout this country--in the southland and in the northwest--understand that in Maine in the winter and in Washington State in the winter, people are freezing. Senator Collins' very poignant and very telling story about what happens when people are desperately cold should be remembered by all of us. I think it is astounding that we talk about poor people, trying to help them with a little bit of money for their heat and suggest that we take it from other poor people who use TANF money to feed their children so the other people can have heat. We talk of being responsible and say: Now we have to cut the deficit. I didn't hear that message weeks ago when we were talking about huge tax cuts to benefit the wealthiest Americans. That was not being responsible. We have a chance to help people, a last chance to help people this year who are literally freezing. It we do not take it, shame on us.”