David Obey: “I am sad to say that I think this bill is a prescription for a second-rate economy for the American people because it…”

“I am sad to say that I think this bill is a prescription for a second-rate economy for the American people because it declines to make the long-term investments that are necessary in education, in health care, in job training, in worker protection and the like. I will be voting against the previous question on the rule and the rule itself because the Committee on Rules did not make in order the amendment that I had asked them to make in order which would have done one very simple thing: it would have provided an additional $11.8 million in funding for high-priority education, health and worker protection programs. It would have provided that same amount, $11.8 million, in deficit reduction; and it would have paid for that by reducing the supersize tax cuts for people who make over a million dollars a year. Right now they are expected to get on average a $140,000 tax cut this year. We would have limited their tax cut to only $36,000, the poor devils. They would have to get along with only $36,000. I make no apology about wanting to make these investments. We are the greatest country in the world. We have the greatest economy in the world. We are the world's leader in technology. We are the world's leader in almost everything, but we did not get there by not making crucial investments year after year after year.…”