Sander Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). (Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEVIN. Can I ask how much time we have remaining?

Mr. LEVIN. I yield 1 minute to a member of our committee, the Congresswoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez).

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself the balance of my time. This isn't: no budget, no pay. This is: 3 months, no certainty. It's been said it kicks the can down the road--a road paved with uncertainty. What this does, in a few words, is keep default hanging over the heads of this Congress and over the heads of the American economy and the American people. It's unwise to do that. We tried that in the summer of 2011. The Republicans more than flirted with it, and they flirted dangerously. Now they're pulling back. But instead of meeting this head-on, they essentially bring a bill here that presumes that it moves us ahead, when it moves us into more and more uncertainty. This is unwise. Politically, they think it's smart policy. For the American people, it's very dumb.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today funeral services are being held at the Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan for its beloved, esteemed Rabbi, Irwin Groner. Rabbi Groner served the congregation for over 50 years. He became a continuing source of wisdom and warmth of personality for numerous thousands as he served in various positions in the Jewish community in metropolitan Detroit and beyond. He was active in promoting good will among all faiths in metropolitan Detroit. His written works will continue to spread his words of wisdom in books of his sermons and his publications on Torah. Also persevering will be the feelings of the deepest affection among all of us blessed by his friendship. In his words: ``Our congregation has prayed together, wept together, rejoiced together, failed together and achieved together.'' Today his congregation and all privileged to know him join in tears for his passing and in prayers of gratitude for his life. Our heartfelt condolences go to his wife Leypsa and the entire Groner family.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. I now yield 2 minutes to another member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This is a bipartisan bill, and I will try to keep it within that spirit to the extent possible. As we are here today on January 1, hours away from Americans returning to work, markets reopening around the world, and all eyes focusing on whether this institution can govern, this legislation allows us to get done what we need to get done. This bill is vital for our Nation's economic well-being and, I want to emphasize, for its standing as the world's most important economy. It is vital for 114 million middle class families whose tax cuts are made permanent. It's vital for 2 million unemployed American workers who need continuation of their insurance while they continue to look for work. It is vital for 30 million middle-income Americans who otherwise would have been hit by the alternative minimum tax. And it's vital for 25, and I emphasize this, 25 million working families and students who benefit from the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps families pay for college. And it's vital for physicians and millions of their patients who would have been hurt by drastic cuts in Medicare reimbursement rates. It's also vital for businesses, through an extension of important tax provisions such as the R&D credit, and also renewable energy incentives that must continue in this great country of ours, and bonus depreciation to encourage business investments. But I want to emphasize this, somewhat in contrast to what our chairman has said: this legislation breaks the iron barrier that for far too long has prevented additional tax revenues from the very wealthiest. It raises $620 billion in revenue by achieving the President's goal of asking the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans to pay more, while protecting 98 percent of families. That's right, that's what it does. And 97 percent--I want to emphasize this, contrary to propaganda coming from the other side, 97 percent of small businesses from any tax increase. And, lastly--and this needs to be emphasized especially in view, Mr. Chairman, of your comments--this package is vital for future deficit reduction efforts, setting the stage for a balanced approach from here on out by delaying sequestration through 1-1 revenue to spending cuts. Yesterday, President Obama again said he is committed to deficit reduction, but he emphasized several times, and I quote: We've got to do this in a balanced, responsible way with additional revenues as well as spending cuts, so I urge its passage. This bill sets the important precedent I mentioned in terms of additional revenues as well as spending cuts. The time is urgent. The time is now. We should support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself 15 seconds. We Democrats sat on Ways and Means, time after time, when Republicans passed tax cuts and never brought $1 to the table to pay for it. They thought that that was the way to promote economic growth. How wrong they were. It's now my privilege to yield 1 minute to a person who has the title ``leader,'' but who has been so much more than a titular leader, who has valiantly led our efforts, and we owe to Nancy Pelosi a real debt of gratitude for our being where we are today. With real pleasure, I yield 1 minute to our distinguished leader, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself 15 seconds. I just don't want the chairman's statement that this settles permanently how much revenue will be made available. The President has made clear there has to be a balanced approach, and no one should be misled into thinking otherwise, no one. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEVIN. I will yield to my temptation to respond, and I will now yield 2 minutes to another distinguished gentleman, a member of our committee, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman an additional 20 seconds.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. LEVIN. I now yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz), our colleague-to-be on Ways and Means.

Mr. LEVIN. I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. LEVIN. I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. LEVIN. I now yield 2 minutes to Danny Davis, our colleague from Illinois who is soon rejoining us on Ways and Means.

Mr. LEVIN. I now, with pleasure, yield 3 minutes to another member of our leadership, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn).

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. LEVIN. We are going to vote soon, but first we want to hear from our whip, the distinguished gentleman from Maryland, who has worked so hard on these issues for decades. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. LEVIN. If the gentleman from Michigan is ready to close, I'll do the same and yield myself the balance of my time. I regret the last statements. It is not correct to say that the President has not been interested in deficit reduction. That is not true. It was the Republican leadership in this House that walked away from a big package. So I think it is troublesome that you come here apparently saying you're going to vote for this bill by launching an unfair, untrue representation of what's been going on. I want it to be very clear, because my guess is that the chairman will talk again that there has been a permanent level of revenue set by this bill. That is not correct. If that's an effort to get votes on your side, I want the record to be clear. I'm going to close by reading from the President's statement of yesterday: I want to make clear that any agreement we have to deal with these automatic spending cuts that are being threatened for next month, those also have to be balanced, because, remember, my principle has always been let's do things in a balanced, responsible way. The same is true for any future deficit agreement. Obviously, we're going to have to do more to reduce our debt and our deficit. I'm willing to do more-- He already has done substantial. --but it's going to have to be balanced. We're going to have to do it in a balanced way. And then he talks about the need to address Medicare.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.