Rangel: Let's Focus On Helping Americans By Passing The Payroll Tax Cut With No Strings Attached

Statement

Congressman Charles Rangel issued the following statement after the payroll tax cut was approved by the House with a vote of 234-193.

"It looks like this August Body will continue to work until we find some solutions to the problems facing millions of Americans who have lost their jobs, their homes and their savings through no fault of their own and are surviving on a limited income.

It has taken some time for the Democrats in the House to persuade Republicans that this is not the time to lay off people and stop spending, even though that has to be a part of the ultimate solution our country's problems. It is not only an insensitive thing to do; but the economics of it all doesn't make sense. If people don't have the resources to purchase their needs, then, of course, our small businesses are the ones that suffer financially. As a result of that, they may have to lay more people off.

This Congress has considered what is referred to as the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011. This means that we will now appear to be united, as an entire Congress saying that we must continue to have this low-income tax cut that working people rely on to continue beyond its expiration on December 31.

There are some people that claim that a lot of Americans don't pay any taxes. You can't tell that to a person that works hard each and every day and when they get home and look at the check and see how much less it is after they pay into the system. Just because it's not federal income tax, they still pay into their social security or their health benefits. President Obama, in his wisdom, and this Congress supports that we extend relief of the payroll tax for the reason that there are so many people with need this relief, especially during this time of the year.

We seem to have this same controversy every year, because for whatever reason, Republicans can't seem to understand what unemployment insurance is all about. I shouldn't say all Republicans, but I'm talking about those who belong to the Republican Party that truly believe if the federal government gives someone a helping hand at a time what they have lost their job, that it is convincing them that they should not look for work. But they are forgetting that the reason why we are such a great country is because of our working middle class. It's because Americans enjoy working hard.

Republicans have now mixed in the Keystone Energy Pipeline to this issue. At a time when so many Americans go to sleep at night, worrying about whether they are going to get the payroll tax break or the unemployment benefits that they rely on, Republicans are introducing provisions that have nothing to do with issues on hand, and will only impede the passing of crucial legislation. We must wipe all of this extra stuff off the table and let us stay focused on helping Americans."

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