Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time America has faced an economic crisis, but it may be the first time that one entire political party will sit on the sidelines with their arms crossed, their fists clenched, and their rhetoric numb to…

The country needs this package. I urge support. I think we ought to get on with it. Economists generally agree that the Nation is facing one of the most dire economic crises in our history. Over the past three months 1.8 million jobs have…

I rise in support of this economic recovery package--a bold, urgent plan to create American jobs and to move to long-term economic growth. Every day reminds us of why this recovery package is so critical and urgent, and it reminds me of…

I have no objection to what the language in this motion to instruct conferees says. I do have one caution: every day that we do not take action, an additional 20,000 Americans lose their jobs. And that is accelerating. I don't intend to go…

And every person who loses one-third to one-half the value of their 401(k)s because of the continuing unraveling of the economy. That is who will pay. We need to stop the political rhetoric and recognize this problem is serious enough that…

I think that if we have large and serious economic crisis coming at us, that response needs to be large, bold and aggressive, and that's what I believe the President's package is. Now, this package is $820 billion. It represents less than…

I yield myself 1 minute. Let me simply say in response to the gentleman's comments, that indeed I believe that Republican ideas have been included. I have had dozens of conversations with members of the minority side of the aisle who would…

I must say I am amused when I hear the reference to 'socialized medicine.' Does anybody really believe that it's socialized medicine if we are putting $2 billion in this legislation in order to help change our medical records from paper…

Madam Speaker, the last people in the world I will take lectures from on fiscal responsibility are those Members of this House who voted for the Bush economic programs that borrowed $1.2 trillion and then took us into a war which, before…

Every week that we delay is another 100,000 or more people unemployed. I don't think we want that on -- on any of our consciences.

Every week we delay is another 100,000 or more people unemployed. I don't think we want that on any of our consciences.

States, and Wisconsin among them, have long believed that passenger rail is the missing link in our national transportation policy.

I want to thank the Chairman for his extraordinary commitment towards recognizing how important infrastructure is to the recovery of this country and of the economy.

He is a great gain for the executive branch of Government, assuming he is confirmed, but he is a great loss to the Congress as an institution.

Mathematics is the universal language, but so is pain and so is the human hunger for opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, we've heard a lot of comments tonight about what there should or should not be in this legislation, and I agree with many of those comments. And honestly, just once, acting as chairman of a committee, I would like to put…

Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee, I've spent the last 6 months fighting for passage of the emergency unemployment extension. The American people needed a helping hand back in…

no one can visit the American cemetery at Normandy without gaining a profound appreciation for the courage and the sense of self-sacrifice demonstrated by every one of our soldiers who fought to take that beach and begin the liberation of…

Can you name one or can't you? The fact is there's not a single piece of Member pork in this bill. You ought to know.

Just Imagine! The mortal sin that we're accused of committing on this side of the aisle is believing that we ought to provide some additional economic assistance to people who have been hit the hardest by economic dislocation and have been…

We pay for that by providing what the majority leader refers to as a patriots' premium, a one-half of 1 percent increase in taxes for the most fortunate people in this society who make more than a million bucks a year. If you think that is…

I yield myself 1 minute to answer the gentleman's question. The gentleman wants to know why do we have money in this bill for the census? Simple. It's because the Secretary of Commerce asked us to put it in because they've had a huge…

I hope the House will forgive my laryngitis today. Madam Speaker, I have just heard complaints from the minority side of the aisle about the process by which this proposal is being brought to us. This criticism about process comes from the…

I think those GIs recognize this is supposed to be a seamless society. We're supposed to help take care of the people who are in the most trouble, and I don't apologize for using some of the money that we use for veterans benefits. I don't…

Let me simply make the point, there is virtually nothing in this bill that hasn't been around here for months. This is not new material. The President's war request has been around here for months, as the gentleman himself has indicated…