Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4438, American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2014
Floor Speech
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Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I raise this point of order not only out of concern for unfunded mandates, but to highlight the failure of Republican House leadership to protect the long-term unemployed, low-income citizens, and others who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.
I raise this point of order because the bill before us would add $156 billion to the deficit to provide permanent tax breaks for businesses while doing nothing for the 2.6 million Americans living with the constant nightmare of having no job, no food, no money, no lights, no gas, no college tuition money, and no unemployment check.
H.R. 4438 is 15 times the cost of helping the 2.6 million Americans who are looking for jobs that have been shipped overseas, jobs that have been downsized or outsourced, or jobs that simply do not exist. Please tell me, Mr. Speaker: What are they supposed to do?
H.R. 4438 would give $156 billion in tax breaks for businesses but do nothing for the 72,000 additional Americans who lose benefits each and every week. An estimated 74,000 Illinoisans lost benefits on December 28, 2013, with 38,000 of these citizens living in Cook County alone. Forty-two thousand Illinoisans exhausted their benefits in the first 3 months of 2014. H.R. 4438 completely fails these Americans, many of whom stood on the Capitol steps yesterday pleading with Republican leadership to do the right thing. But the heartless response has been and continues to be refusal to help hardworking Americans struggling to provide food, shelter, clothing, and medical care for their families.
Now is not the time to cut, deny, or delay unemployment benefits. Failure to continue emergency unemployment benefits threatens the continuation of our economic recovery, costing over 200,000 greatly-needed jobs. The expiration has already drained almost $5 billion from our national economy in the first quarter of this year. In Illinois alone, this loss of Federal aid means the loss in purchasing power of $23 million each week--money that could be used to support local businesses, buy gasoline, pay utility bills, provide copayments at doctors' offices, clinics, hospitals; purchase groceries, and pay children's graduation fees. Every $1 in unemployment insurance generates $1.63 in economic activity. I say let us practice good economy, let's be reasonable, and let's have a heart. In my State of Illinois, the unemployment rate remains 8.6 percent, and in much of my district it is more than 20 percent. Finding a job is not easy, but people are still trying.
Government leaders have a responsibility to protect our citizens and our country, especially during times of national crisis. Instead of helping Americans who already are hardest hit by the economic crisis--including older Americans, low-income Americans, veterans, and members of minority groups--Republicans prioritize $156 billion in unpaid-for business tax breaks and tell the American people that it is all about fiscal responsibility and deficit reduction.
Mr. Speaker, extending unemployment assistance is a true demonstration of leadership and our national commitment to all Americans, not just the most secure. Refusal to help these citizens is an unacceptable, abject, and mean-spirited approach to leadership.
I urge that we reject this rule and the underlying bill by voting ``no'' on this motion until the Republican leadership puts people first and provides unemployment insurance to the 2.6 million Americans struggling to keep their lights on and gas in their automobiles, to pay rent and mortgages, and to feed their families. I urge that we vote ``no'' on this rule and to the bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
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