Betty Sutton

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. It's called Stop American Jobs from Going Down the Drain Act.

Ms. SUTTON. You mentioned our water and our sewer infrastructure, which is important, critically important. And as we build that out, I have a bill that's called Stop American Jobs from Going Down the Drain Act, and what that would do is it would require that when we build that water----

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for his leadership. Representative Garamendi has been a strong voice for the people of this country, standing up for the middle class, and it is my privilege to join you down here on behalf of the hardworking people of Ohio. I think that we begin by noting that we think that the true measure of America's economic success is the well-being of American families, not just the stock market or corporate profits. Now, I know that you've already talked about this, but it's just so important that we focus on the fact that the promise of America must be for all Americans, not just the wealthy few. So we come to this floor and we once again look at a couple of things. One of them--we've heard it many times, but it bears repeating--you know, even some of those who have done so well in America now are calling on us to have them do well by America. We've heard Warren Buffett say--here's a chart that shows that his income was $46 billion, his tax rate is 17.7 percent. His secretary's income is $60,000 and his secretary's tax rate is 30 percent. And to quote Warren Buffett, he says: ``My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress.'' So even he is calling on Congress, and we join him in that call because it's so important that we focus on what is the backbone of this country. What makes this country so great is the strength of its middle class, and we know that it has been squeezed and squeezed and squeezed. We are now in a place where one in four homeowners are under water. That means owing more on their mortgage than their house is even worth. We know that college tuition and fees increased about 300 percent over the last 20 years, and graduates are now leaving school with an average debt of $24,000. Taxes for the richest 400 Americans were sliced in half as their income quadrupled and now are paying only 17 percent. Now, this is a complicated problem, and it's a serious problem; but the good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. We all know that the key, the solution to strengthening this great country and restoring the promise of the middle class lies in getting people back to work. So I'm very happy to hear you talking about your bill that deals with making sure that we're buying American--iron, steel and manufacturing goods--when we move into new industries in the future. And I have a number of bills that require the use of iron and steel and manufactured goods made in America when we build our infrastructure, which, of course, is one of the key components, that building of our Nation's infrastructure that our President is trying to make happen with the American Jobs Act. Why do we need to do that? Obviously we need to put people back to work, but we also have this: We have more than 2,700 miles of our roads in need of repair. That's greater than the distance between Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, California. Now, that's from the Research and Innovative Technology Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation. So we know that the need is extraordinary. What would this mean for our workers? Under the American Jobs Act, building new jobs for nearly 2 million unemployed construction workers. Can you imagine? We know that when we strengthen our infrastructure, we strengthen our middle class and we strengthen our Nation as a whole and its place in the world. So, with that, thank you again, Representative Garamendi, for being down here fighting the fight, because we can do things differently and get different results, results that work, not just for the privileged few, not just for the billionaires and millionaires, but for people out there who want nothing more than a chance, a fair chance at the American Dream.

Ms. SUTTON. That's correct. And it's very simple because it deals with our water and our sewer infrastructure, which is in desperate need of rebuilding in this country. And as we rebuild it, we can even multiply the jobs out if, as this bill requires, we use American iron, steel, and manufactured goods, because then the ripple effects of putting those folks who work in those industries, our ironworkers, our steelworkers, those who work in manufacturing, they also will have the benefit of us building out, in addition to our construction workers.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Congresswoman Fudge, I thank you for your leadership. You have been tremendous in this fight, and it is a fight that unfortunately we didn't ask for, but we must fight on behalf of the American people. There is nothing more important, there is nothing more American than the right to vote. You know, at a time when government officials from all levels of government should be focused on getting America back to work, unfortunately, we are seeing this scourge of voter disenfranchisement, legislation springing up State to State across this country, and we've heard a little bit about that already today. So over the past century, our Nation, as we expanded the franchise and knocked down all of the barriers that were so hard fought to increase electoral participation, in 2011 that momentum abruptly shifted. We've heard here tonight about how State governments across the country enacted an array of new laws, making it harder to register to vote in some States, and some States requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification, often of a type that as many as 1 in 10 voters do not have. Other States, like our State, have passed laws to cut back on early voting, a hugely popular innovation used by millions of Americans. Two States reversed earlier reforms and once again disenfranchised millions who have criminal convictions. But these new restrictions fall most heavily on a specific population. These would be insidious. Any attempt to prevent somebody from exercising their right to vote, of having the voice at the ballot box, would be insidious, but when you look at these laws, you start to see a pattern emerging. There is an effort to target voters who appear, who people think, some people think, may have a tendency to vote for one party over the other party. So voters who are being perceived as Democratic voters are being targeted by these laws. And why do I say that? What is the basis for me saying that? Because we have seen where these voter ID laws fall most harshly. We heard from the gentlelady from Wisconsin making the case, but it's really important. Let me just tell you a couple of examples. In Tennessee, 96-year-old Dorothy Cooper, a lifelong voter, attempted to secure the new ID that she would need to vote in the next election. When she arrived at the DMV, she was turned away because despite having her birth certificate, current voter registration card, and a copy of her lease, she did not have a marriage license--she was 96--a marriage license, to verify the change of name. In Texas, thanks to a new voter ID law, students may not use their school-issued photo IDs to vote, and we saw this in Ohio as well, an effort to try and restrict student IDs as a valid form of identification to vote. So in Texas, while Texans who possess concealed weapons permits are allowed to use their permits to vote, those with student IDs are not. This justification just seems a little bit arbitrary. And according to one State representative, it's that: ``Texas, you know, is a big handgun State so everybody has almost got a concealed handgun license over 21.'' That was the argument that was given for that distinction. But the bottom line is this. We are here on the floor tonight because we have people--we've seen the protests out there. We know that there are those, and they are holding signs, and they say: ``We are the 99 percent.'' We see the plight that our middle class families are facing throughout this country, but I think it's worthwhile to bring up that idea about the 99 percent, and I'll tell you why. Because the reality is there are those in this country who have a lot of power, and that's what that 99 percent and the upper 1 percent is about, right? And they have a lot of voice. You know why? Because they have a lot of money that they use to make their voice heard. But the truth is, the upper 1 percent that controls so much of the power and so much of the money in this country still only controls 1 percent of the vote--unless the deck is stacked. And so that 99 percent needs to have access to the voter box, because that is the place that we are all equal. So I am proud to stand with you to fight back against these efforts to suppress the vote and to stand up for democracy--democracy that was fought for and is still being fought for by our men and women in uniform. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for yielding.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Thank you, Representative Tonko. Thank you, Representative Garamendi. We do need to stand up together, stand up for seniors, push back those attacks on Medicare. We need to stand up for workers. We need to stand up for jobs, and we need to stand up and make sure that those who have done well in America do well by America. Wall Street and everyone needs to pay their fair share. I yield back the balance of my time

Ms. SUTTON. The President's proposal to put people back to work. We can't get rid of the long-term deficit in this country unless people go back to work. This is a great country that we have the privilege of serving, and we just want to make sure that we do right by the country and by the people who we are here to represent. We have heard it before, we know we have heard those out there who say corporations are people. Well, I say people are people, and those are those people I'm here to support. Representative Tonko.

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman. I thank you for laying it out in very simple terms. I mean, the fact of the matter is we can invest in America. We can put people back to work because we do have a long-term deficit that we're going to deal with, but the biggest deficit we have right now is a deficit of jobs. And we have no deficit of work. There is much to be done, and we've got a lot of people trying to do it, wanting the chance to do it. We could build our infrastructure; and when we build our infrastructure, we can do it with American iron, steel, and manufactured goods.

Ms. SUTTON. I hope that everybody will take that approach, and I thank the gentleman for his kind words. Do you know what? You're right. The workers can say it better than anybody. When I went to Wall Street, when I traveled there to stand with those who were standing up for fundamental fairness and opportunity, that really is the essence of what it is. I've heard from so many people in Ohio, and they've put it so well. I'll just share a couple of remarks they sent my way. Jessie from Silver Lake, Ohio, says: A strong working middle class is what drives an economy, not 25 percent of this country's wealth in the hands of the upper 1 percent. In a democracy, all votes should have the opportunity to rise. There will always be some with more money and some with less money, but this disparity now is disastrous for our future. Debbie from Avon, Ohio, says: We need to stop corporate greed. The rich are continuing to get wealthier and not pass down opportunities in the form of jobs to the people who are the most needy. People want to work for a living. We need the people who are benefiting the most to give people an opportunity by creating jobs. My fear is that we're creating a society where there is strong resentment. Alice says: Many big companies have not created jobs in the U.S. Instead, they've taken many of their jobs to the countries with the cheapest labor, the least regulations and few employee rights. This flies in the face of the Republicans' concern that taxes on the rich mean fewer jobs. On that point, every day in the United States we are losing 15 factories. Yet, here on this House floor, those on the other side of the aisle are content in trying to protect the loopholes that encourage jobs to be shipped overseas. We don't think that's a good idea. We don't think that's good for America. When I pledge allegiance to the flag, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America; but when multinationals pledge allegiance to the flag, I don't know who they pledge allegiance to. I think it's really important that people down here stand up for U.S. manufacturing and U.S. workers. Close those loopholes that continue to help ship our jobs overseas, and make some sense, frankly, of our trade policies. We need to really crack down on unfair trade practices like the currency manipulation. We passed that bill through the House last year, a bill that would have reined in China's currency manipulation. It is ready to go again. It passed in a bipartisan way. If the Speaker of the House would just bring it to the floor, we know that we would pass it. It's estimated it would create a million jobs. It could make the difference of a million jobs, and would cost us nothing. Yet, Representative Garamendi, there you stand with a plaque that is really important because, instead of going for those million jobs, what do we have?

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for his passion and for his brilliant remarks. There is brilliance in common sense, and we know that the American people get it. This is no secret. That's why they're speaking up. They're standing up for what has always made this country so great.

Ms. SUTTON. You are so right, Representative Garamendi. And at a time when all elected officials across all levels of government should be focused on jobs, we see our colleagues across the aisle here, the Republicans, offering nothing by way of jobs, and we see them fixated on protecting millionaires and billionaires and Wall Street banks that helped to drive our economy off the cliff. At the same time, they look to go after things like Medicare that our seniors depend upon. They look at cuts for nutrition programs that are so desperately needed. They want to take it out of the hide of our workers. It wasn't our workers who drove our economy off the cliff; and, frankly, they are not part of the problem. Getting them to work, back to work, the American people back to work, is the key to solving our problem. And they want us focused on jobs. So I'm so grateful that you are here, and I'm glad that, Representative Tonko, you are here to stand up for common sense, for a future that is as great as our past. Representative Tonko.

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman. And you put it so very well, and this chart also helps us begin with the starting point for what people out there are feeling. They know that something is fundamentally unfair. They know that something is very, very out of whack. They know that our economy suffered a Great Recession. They know that they are still suffering a Great Recession. And do you know what else they know? They know that Wall Street has recovered. They know that in 2009, after receiving trillions in taxpayer-funded bailouts, the top 38 financial firms gave record pay to their employees during that Great Recession. So they're calling on us for some increased fairness, taking some of this and translating it into opportunity. After all, it was the taxpayers who came to their aid. I am now happy to welcome Representative John Garamendi, a great leader, a guy who understands that we need to create jobs in this country, that we need to make things in America. Representative Garamendi, thank you for joining us.

Ms. SUTTON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm happy to be here on the floor in a way tonight because it gives me a chance to speak up for so many Americans, so many Ohioans that I have the great privilege to represent from Ohio's 13th Congressional District. The people that I have the honor to serve are hardworking folks, people who want nothing more than a government that works with them and not against them. In recent days we've seen and, frankly, for weeks now we've seen a number of Americans out in the street. The Occupy Wall Street movement has grown. It has spread throughout the country, and we still hear some people say that they're confused about what it is, that those who are out there protesting, what is their message. Well, a few weeks ago I traveled to Wall Street and joined the protesters to see what it was that brought them there. And while there are a number of voices, there was one theme that was extraordinarily consistent; and, really, what that theme was is there are so many people out there who are struggling. And they are just begging to be heard, heard by those of us who come here to represent them. And they want to be heard, not just their voices, but they want to see their voices reflected in policies that will improve their lives and their opportunities in this great country. We are a great country because we have a strong middle class. We have upward mobility that allows people who are willing to work hard, it's that American Dream, that if they're willing to work hard, that there will be a chance for them to take care of themselves and their families and find a way to live in a comfortable manner. But that dream is slipping away from so many; and so we see them gathered, sometimes at these protests, and we see them when we go home to our communities, because we know that American families have been suffering under the effects of this recession. And at the same time American families, so many workers and others are suffering, we're seeing some here in this body, and beyond the House of Representatives, we see them continuing to look out just for those who are at the very top of the heap. And so thus comes the phrase, ``we are the 99 percent'' that we hear echoed on Wall Street and throughout the United States, because they want to be recognized. They want to be heard, because the top 1 percent, those who control so much of the wealth and so much of the power in this country, they have a lot of money to speak with. They can speak through campaign contributions, and they do. And they can speak through sometimes secret committees that impact elections and impact policy, and they do. But who will speak for the rest of the people, for policies that will make sense to the American people, those who I have the privilege, as I said, to represent in Ohio? Those hardworking folks who just want a job, who just want a fair shake, who just want an opportunity? I believe in them. I believe in the American people, and I believe that if given a chance, they will take that chance and they will climb that ladder of opportunity. That's why we see kids, see students out in those protests. We see them, who have done everything we've asked them. They've gone to school, they've gone to college, and now they're trying to pay off that college debt, and there's no job. And instead of being focused on jobs here in this body, here we are at the end of October and the Republican majority has not brought any jobs agenda forward. Oh, yeah, we hear about--what do we hear about? We hear about the need for more deregulation. Well, the very thing that brings some of those to Wall Street, the fact that we had deregulation. Deregulation. It wasn't the college students that I speak of who drove our economy off the cliff, it wasn't the kids on Head Start, and it wasn't our seniors; and yet it is those groups that are being targeted here for cuts instead of those who drove our economy off the cliff. All that people want is for everybody to pay a fair share and for people in this country to have the chance, for those who are in the middle class to stop getting squeezed, and for those who aspire to the middle class to be able to reach for that dream that has served us so well. So that is why I come to the floor tonight, to speak up for those who are out there who are begging to be heard, not only their words, but to have their words reflected in a better way and a better day. So here tonight I'm very honored to see my colleague, Representative Tonko, who is a great leader, a man of great compassion and thoughtfulness, a problem solver, somebody who's looking for solutions for the people. The most innovative and capable people in this country have joined me tonight. Thank you, Representative Tonko, for being here.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, the Republican majority is at it again. With no real jobs plan, we've seen this majority attempt to thrust on the American people bills that strip them of their rights instead of putting them back to work. Make no mistake: Those proposing this know this extreme bill will not pass the Senate and it will not be signed into law by the President. This bill, at its core, is an attack on women, especially poor women. Its extreme provisions will jeopardize a woman's access to lifesaving care. It is outrageous that this Republican majority continues to focus on protecting subsidies for Big Oil, tax cuts for billionaires, and targeting women and their access to health care. Instead of working to help create jobs and empower women to improve their lives, the Republican majority is, instead, trying to pass this bill to allow hospitals to refuse to provide critical, lifesaving care. That means women in rural areas who may only have access to one hospital could be left to die. This isn't the time to be putting America's women at risk. This is the time to be putting them and all Americans back to work. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this extreme bill.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge an individual whose contributions have changed the lives of people in my district and throughout Ohio. William T. Locke served as the President and CEO of the Lorain County Community Action Agency in Lorain, Ohio for two terms; from 1986 to 1999 and again in 2007 to 2011. Throughout his tenure, William has led the Agency with temperance and humility, and always placed the needs families and seniors first. William has had an extensive career working in Community Action Agencies, which work to make our country a better place to live. In 1974, William began his career of community service as the Executive Director of the Portage County Community Action Council where he helped people achieve economic security. He was later appointed to lead the Office of Community Services within the Ohio Department of Development by Governor Richard Celeste in 1983. William left the State of Ohio to become the Deputy Executive Director for the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency before continuing on to the Lorain County Community Action Agency. In addition, William served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and received an Honorable Discharge. William Locke has made a difference in our community, and it is an honor to have worked with him to give children, families, and our seniors a better way of life. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and dedicated service of Mr. William T. Locke as he retires from the Lorain County Community Action Agency.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I would like to insert into the Record a letter from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in opposition to the free trade agreement. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Washington, DC, July 13, 2011. Dear Senator or Representative: On behalf of the approximately 725,000 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), I write to express my strong opposition to the proposed trade agreements with South Korea, Columbia, and Panama. All three are North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)-style pacts originally negotiated by President Bush. I urge you to vote no when they are considered by Congress. As I stated in a letter I sent you in December, 2010 regarding the South Korea agreement: ``It is long past due that common sense be applied to the issue of international trade. For the better part of two decades Americans have been told that free trade is good for workers and consumers. In reality, trade policies promulgated by both Democratic and Republican administrations have benefited multi-national corporations and their top executives. Although these policies have allowed consumers access to cheap (though sometimes toxic) products, they have come at a tremendous cost in the form of lost jobs, a shrunken tax base, diminished access to health care, and a reduced quality of life.'' Now, in addition to the South Korea agreement, the Columbia and Panama pacts will perpetuate the same job- killing provisions that gained their greatest traction in

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I would like to insert into the Record a letter from the AFL-CIO on Korea's labor violations. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, Washington, DC, July 6, 2011. Legislative Alert Dear Representative: As you will soon be asked to ratify the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, I would like to share important information regarding serious labor violations in South Korea. The AFL-CIO has learned disturbing allegations from our colleagues in the Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU). These allegations call into question the Government of South Korea's commitment to promote and defend not only the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (as promised in Chapter 19 of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement), but human rights more generally. The allegations center on concerted actions against two different employers. The first involves Hanjin Heavy Industries, which in December 2010 unilaterally dismissed 170 workers in violation of the employment security agreement with KMWU. Later that month, the union local began a strike, which included a sit-in protest inside the factory. We understand that, in June, Hanjin hired some 400 private contractors, who, together with 2000 riot police, forced most of the peaceful protestors out of the building. In addition, it is alleged that, for the protesters who remain on site in ``Crane 85,'' these security forces have limited the food and water available and cut off electricity. Instead of helping these workers, we understand that the Government of South Korea has imprisoned one striker, issued arrest warrants for four union leaders, and issued police summonses for an additional 240 union members in connection with its ``Obstruction of Business'' law. The ILO has repeatedly called on Korea to revise this law to bring it into conformity with the internationally recognized right of workers to exercise their freedom to associate. The second incident involves Yuseong Piston Ring (YPR), a major supplier for Hyundai Motors. On May 18, workers at YPR engaged in a two-hour work stoppage in order to protest management's apparent failure to implement a ``2-day shift system'' per an agreement signed with the workers in 2009. That day, YPR instituted a lockout that remains in place. When workers attempted to return to work on June 22, 150 private contractors physically attacked union workers with iron pipes, fire extinguishers, and other weapons. Some 20 union members were seriously injured, and four arrest warrants were issued for KMWU leaders. These allegations are made all the more disturbing with the impending vote on the Korea FTA. If these types of violations are occurring at a time when Korea should be putting its best foot forward in hopes of gaining trade concessions from the U.S., it is unlikely that the government will feel the need to better uphold its promises to guarantee fundamental rights for workers once the agreement is in place and Korea's internal labor relations are no longer under a microscope. While opinions differ on the underlying merits of the Korea FTA, the AFL-CIO asks that you oppose Congressional consideration of the FTA at least until the fundamental rights of South Korean workers to organize and bargain collectively are respected. I urge you to contact the Korean Government and make your views known on this important matter. Sincerely, William Samuel, Director, Government Affairs Department.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for the time. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to all of the raw trade deals coming to the floor tomorrow, because our families cannot afford the loss of any more jobs. Based on the myth that there is some sort of world free market, they call these deals ``free trade agreements,'' but there is nothing free about them. These NAFTA-type deals are not free to our workers, who will lose their jobs because of them. They're not free for our communities when more of our factories are boarded up and when more careers are packed up and shipped overseas as some of our multinational corporations, with no allegiance to America, search the world over for the lowest wages to be found. Common sense tells us that pittance wages paid to workers in other countries, like low wages here, will not empower people to buy our products. Enough is enough, Madam Speaker. Some of the same people here on the floor who are claiming these deals level the playing field for American manufacturers and jobs supported NAFTA, too. How has that worked for us? Since NAFTA was signed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we've seen approximately 5 million manufacturing jobs lost--over 350,000 of those jobs from my State of Ohio. These are not free deals. They are raw deals for the American people. Make no mistake. The fact that we're seeing more trade adjustment assistance being offered for passage alongside these deals is an admission that more Americans are about to lose their jobs with these deals. At a time when so many are struggling to find jobs, why would we pass a deal that we know will result in job loss? It's unconscionable that we would pass a deal with Colombia where they have allowed trade unionists and those standing for civil rights to be killed with impunity. If we pass a deal with Korea, according to the Economic Policy Institute, we could see our trade deficit increase by another $14 billion, and we could see another 159,000 jobs lost. This raw deal would be particularly bad for my district and districts around the country that support our domestic auto industry--auto suppliers and parts makers. Right now, Korea has the largest trade imbalance when it comes to cars, only importing 5 percent of cars sold. This won't change that. In fact, it will only make it worse by allowing Korea to keep out American cars if they don't meet certain standards. Madam Speaker, enough is enough. This bad trade deal pours salt into the wound already festering within the American manufacturing sector, and it will destroy opportunities for people right here in the United States. The American people don't want more bad free trade deals that aren't free. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote against this horrible, horrible package of trade deals. Enough is enough.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge an individual who has tirelessly advocated on behalf of working families in my Congressional District. John D. Wagner is a tenacious leader and has been a voice for workers in a career that spans several decades. As Executive Secretary- Treasurer of the Tri-County Regional Labor Council, John has worked to improve the lives of workers and promote the beliefs of organized labor so that working class families can have a fair shake. A member in good standing with the United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union #219, John served as the Business Manager and administered the business operations and always worked towards for best interests of its membership. John has never ceased in his efforts to address the issues and reality of working Americans. He is a political force who does not waver in his belief that each and every American deserves decent, affordable health care and a secure retirement after a lifetime of hard work. His voice and actions have inspired many, and we are grateful for his willingness to stand up for good wages and benefits for the middle class. Though he is retiring from the Tri-County Regional Labor Council, John will continue his service on the Barberton City Council, where he is highly regarded for his responsiveness to the concerns of the residents in Ward Three. I commend John on his service and I look forward to working with him to improve the quality of life for working families across Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the dedicated service of Mr. John D. Wagner as he retires from the Tri- County Regional Labor Council, American Federation of Labor--Congress of Industrial Organizations.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for the time. Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that the American people are very concerned about the failure of House Republicans to help the American people get back to work. But, Mr. Speaker, it seems that we may have it all wrong. It turns out that House Republicans have been working to create jobs, just not here in America. While the American people are suffering, H.R. 2587 gives big corporations which are already flush with profits and tax breaks yet another free pass to take jobs from hardworking American men and women and ship them overseas. Without the support of the National Labor Relations Board to help American families get a fair shake, we can only expect to see more layoffs, lower wages, and a bleaker future for America's middle class. Instead of stripping power away from the NLRB to ensure the rights of workers are upheld and handing it to corporations to bust unions and outsource jobs, we should be working to create good-paying jobs right here in America, right in Ohio. We should be working to level the playing field for the American workers, who are the best, hardest- working, most innovative workers in the world. It is time that the Republicans join us in that fight, and it's time that they join us in voting ``no'' on this rule and on this very bad legislation, H.R. 2587. Stand up for the American worker.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for his leadership. You have been a stalwart; and, boy, do we need leadership at this point. Here we are, it's been 29 weeks, more than 200 days since the Republicans took over the majority of the House, and not only have they not done anything to create jobs or help working families. Here we are today looking at what they have done. What have they done? After walking away from the table five times in negotiations to restore our Nation's fiscal health, House Republicans have passed a bill today to kick the can down the road so we can continue to have this debate over again in a matter of months. But make no mistake, this is a political dodge. Republicans could not agree on a long-term solution within their own ranks, so they just decided to take a vote on a bill that kicks the can down the road that they know there is not support for, and it's a part of this pattern. What have they been doing in this over 200 days? They have an agenda that aims to end Medicare, that guts Medicaid, that has threatened Social Security, and at the same time they have even targeted energy-efficient light bulbs. They have used time in this body to do all of these things, while at the same time fighting to preserve tax breaks for the wealthy, for Big Oil, and for companies that ship jobs overseas when at this time we know that we have a jobs deficit in this country. There is nothing more important that we can do than to, of course, make sure that America pays its bills, but the most important priority facing our Nation is to get America back to work because we can't solve that long-term deficit problem without people having jobs. And, frankly, the American Dream doesn't live if we don't have opportunities for families out there to go to work and take care of those that they love, to send their kids to college. That's another thing that the Republican agenda has targeted, to put college out of reach again of so many middle class families. Well, I'm glad to be here with the gentleman from California and my other colleagues to make sure that we explain to the American people that there are people who get it, people who know that the number one priority is to put people back to work, to focus on building our infrastructure, to strengthening U.S. manufacturing, because we know that we have to be a country that makes things, that makes things made out of American iron and steel and manufactured goods; that every time you have a manufacturing job, that there is a ripple effect of four more jobs, or if it's in the auto industry, it's 10 more jobs. We know that if we are not a country that manufactures things, then we are at the mercy of those who do. It is incumbent upon us to stand up to make sure that we focus the agenda. We've got to stop this political theater, deal with getting the debt ceiling issue dealt with for the long term, not for 6 months, not for 6 months and be right back at this again, leaving the American people to wonder, seniors to wonder whether they're going to get what they need in their Social Security checks, veterans to wonder whether they're going to get what they need. We really, really know that the priority has to be on jobs, and we implore our Republican colleagues to join us. Two hundred days is too long; 200 days is more than the American people and the American families that I am so honored to serve can take. We must focus on getting people back to work.

Ms. SUTTON. I just want to say one more time, because I know that the people that I represent in northeast Ohio, they don't want government on their backs but they do want government on their side, and how do we show that we're on their side? We focus on the issue that matters to them the most, and all they want is a chance. They want a chance at that American Dream. How do we do that? We do that by focusing on jobs, and we do that by focusing on this agenda to Make It in America. What does that mean? It means policies that make sense regarding trade, that instead of fighting to protect companies as the Republicans are through this whole default debacle, instead of protecting those companies that ship jobs overseas, we want to level the playing field, to allow our manufacturers and our workers to fairly compete because we know that they are the best in the world and given a chance, a fair chance, they will not only compete, they will out-compete anybody in the world. We need tax policies that make sense. We need to focus on not only manufacturing but building our infrastructure. The world is working on building their infrastructure, and here we are, we heard the cuts that are going on aimed at our infrastructure. It is time, it is past time, that we turn to the hard work of putting America back to work, because while we have a jobs deficit, we don't have a deficit of work that needs to be done. Let us get away from this risk of default, let us settle the matter, allow America to pay its bills, because if we don't, we're going to lose even more jobs. Economists tell us we're going to lose 700,000 more jobs if America defaults. We don't want to go in that direction. We want to go in the direction that allows our workers, our companies and our country to make it--Make It in America.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, frustrated in that, as we sit here on the brink of the financial unknown, families in my district are left hanging, worrying about jobs. The bill we're debating today fails to address America's number one priority of creating jobs. Instead, it puts us in the exact same position 6 months from now, threatening working families with deep, unbalanced, unfair cuts while protecting tax cuts for millionaires and big corporations that ship jobs overseas. It has been 200 days of this new Republican-led Congress, and what have we seen? We have seen them target Medicare, working families, the environment, and education--we've even seen them use up time to target energy-efficient light bulbs--but what we haven't seen them do is target job creation. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this risky plan and to responsibly raise our debt limit so America can pay its bills and so this Congress can get serious about creating good-paying jobs.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Ms. SUTTON. I am opposed in its current form.