Waiving Requirement of Clause 6(a) of Rule XIII with Respect to Consideration of Certain Resolutions and Providing Consideration of Motions to Suspend the Rules

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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, as was correctly pointed out, Republicans had ample opportunity to vote for tax cuts for Americans. As was amply pointed out just a moment ago, 95 percent of the American people got a tax cut under the Recovery Act, and 0 percent of the Republican Caucus voted in favor of it. So there again, when average Americans get a chance for a tax cut, no. When rich folks get a chance for a tax cut, absolutely.

By the way, those tax cuts don't have to be set off. During the Bush administration, well over $700 billion worth of tax cuts were not set off at all. And now we're just asking for a little bit of money for average working Americans who have worked for a benefit, Mr. Speaker, to get a little bit of help when they really, really need it. No, we're not asking for a set-off for unemployment insurance benefits because it's an emergency.

It's an emergency for that mom trying to get some cereal to put it on the table for her kids. It's an emergency for that dad who's trying to pay rent so they don't get thrown out. It's an emergency for that family who is facing foreclosure because they cannot pay their mortgage because they have been out of work. It's an emergency. It is appropriate not to have to set it off because those are the rules that we have been living by in this body for years and years and years. Now, because of partisanship, Republicans don't want to go by those rules, they want to make political hay and delay, delay people's help when their help should be coming.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is 2.5 million Americans have to wait another day because Senate Republicans have to make a political point. That is a shame. That is too bad. If the caucus opposite, if the Senate Republicans really have a heart for the American people, they will prove it by stopping their unsympathetic and relentless delay of unemployment insurance benefits.

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