Sheila Jackson Lee: “The supplemental that this leadership passed was to create jobs, and I hope that the bill that comes from the Senate…”

“The supplemental that this leadership passed was to create jobs, and I hope that the bill that comes from the Senate will embrace the need for American jobs. In Ohio, the home of our minority leader, there is a 10.5 percent unemployment. Can anyone explain to me why the Republicans continue to obstruct the extension of unemployment benefits, benefits that will benefit those who work and who have worked and who need to pay their mortgages and provide food on the table? We need to extend unemployment benefits for unemployed Americans now. Again, we have another story. Here is a story of privatizing Social Security or extending the age before receiving Social Security. I remember the fight. I was here on the floor of the House when seniors were calling our phone lines and saying don't privatize Social Security. Thank goodness for the wisdom of our seniors. If we had privatized Social Security, it would have collapsed in the abysmal disgrace of Wall Street--no money. But Social Security has been paying on a faithful basis now for decades. We know that 72 percent of the American public don't want us to raise the age to be eligible for Social Security, but yet the minority leader wants to raise it so he can pay for the Iraq and Afghan war. Bring the soldiers home. Recognize that 36 million families are in need of Social Security. Seniors are in need of Social Security. Keep our Social Security the way it is--strong and solvent.”