Make It In America and Create Jobs

Floor Speech

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise for one reason: to talk about creating jobs, jobs, jobs.

I have been a Member of Congress for 18 weeks, and I still have not seen any plan that would create jobs. My constituents are hurting. They need help, and I don't see any coming. They are losing their homes. They need jobs.

I did not come to Congress to ``drill, baby, drill.'' I did not come to Congress to hand out corporate tax breaks. And I did not come to Congress to end Medicare as we know it. I came to create jobs.

Graduations are happening all across the Nation, and I can't help but wonder, what sort of world will our graduates be entering? What will happen to the class of 2011?

Under the Republican budget plan, graduates are entering a world with job losses and stifled economic growth. Under the Republican legislative agenda, graduates are entering a world in which Big Oil is given a free pass, a free pass to ``drill, baby, drill'' with limited safety regulations and a free pass to drill with limited environmental safeguards.

Under the Republican-controlled House, new graduates are entering into a world in which their elected officials waste time and energy trying to repeal meaningful health care reform. Health care reform is creating jobs for the class of 2011. Thousands of students will be trained in the health care field. Don't repeal their jobs in health care. Leave ObamaCare alone. Leave their jobs alone.

A new graduate doesn't care about personal crusades lawmakers wage against women's rights and abortion. They care about jobs. They care about our Nation's future. They care about their future. Instead of political games, the time has come to focus on jobs. The time has come to focus on our Nation's future.

As States all across the Nation are facing severe fiscal problems, let's stop focusing on ways to end Medicare as we know it and ways to destroy the social support network that has taken generations to build in our country. Our seniors need Medicare. It is the safety net and infrastructure all seniors need as they grow older. Seniors are living longer. They get their prescription drugs, they can play with their grandchildren, and they are thriving under Medicare. Leave Medicare alone.

I propose that from now until August, each of us here in this Chamber come to Washington remembering the mandate from our constituents: focus on jobs, jobs, jobs. I don't care what kind of tea you party with. I don't care who your Presidential candidate is. I don't care how much press you garner. Join me in focusing on jobs, jobs, jobs.

Let's rebuild our manufacturing base, let's keep our beaches clean, and let's make it in America. Make it in America, baby, and create jobs, jobs, jobs.

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