Tax Extenders Act of 2009
Floor Speech
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Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4213, and I thank the gentleman for yielding but also for his deep commitment to create jobs.
For months now the Congressional Black Caucus, which I am proud to chair, has been laser focused on turning this economic disaster inherited from the Bush administration around. Our focus has been jobs, jobs, jobs, and making sure that the chronically unemployed are included in our efforts. We have worked with President Obama and Speaker Pelosi, House and Senate leadership, committee chairs, and our coalition partners to develop a legislative strategy to address the needs of millions of Americans who are struggling in this tough economic environment.
I am proud to say that this bill provides $1 billion for summer youth jobs and an additional $2.5 billion to extend emergency funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
I want to thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Levin. I want to also thank Mr. Rangel and Obey and Miller and all of our leadership for working with us to include these provisions.
This bill also extends unemployment insurance, which really is a lifeline for folks struggling to keep their heads above water, just plain surviving, mind you, in both Democratic and Republican districts. Our actions today will make a huge difference for millions of Americans and help put people to work and close off egregious tax loopholes that subsidize companies which ship American jobs overseas. And we will finally pay the debt owed by our government to Black farmers and Native Americans.
But we still have a lot to do. We have to create direct jobs for people which will help turn the economy around and help tackle the deficit. I will cast my vote today for this lifeline on behalf of all of those individuals whose Members simply refuse to do so.
I urge my colleagues to do the morally correct thing and vote "yes.'' People want to work. This bill puts people back to work. It helps them survive until they find a job, and this is the patriotic thing to do.
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