Political Quotes

“I want to address the bill before us tonight. Despite the best efforts of Senate Democrats to strike a balanced and fair compromise--to avert tax hikes on Americans making less than a quarter of a million dollars, to avert the expiration of unemployment insurance, to avert the damaging automatic spending reductions--we instead have before us a package that is at best a half- measure. This is not how we should govern. However, the bill before us is better than the alternative facing millions of Americans. If we do not act, taxes for the middle-class will rise tomorrow, support for unemployed workers will lapse, Rhode Islanders will be hurt, and our economic recovery could suffer another Republican induced economic setback. Unless this bill is signed into law, starting January first, taxes rise on every American and hundreds of thousands middle-income Rhode Island families will see their taxes increase by an estimated $2,200 in 2013. Rhode Islanders numbering 37,000 would lose a tuition tax credit to help them pay for college and 103,000 Rhode Island families raising children would see an average tax increase of $1,000 because they would no longer qualify for the Child Tax Credit. The economy is tough enough for most Rhode Islanders, and they shouldn't be asked to absorb a hit like that due to the stubbornness of the other side of the aisle. This bill will also continue unemployment insurance for 2.1 million Americans and almost 9,000 Rhode Islanders.…”