Republicans and democrats, congress and the white house. The federal government and the states. The Public Sector and the private sector. Mr. Speaker, some might say that saying those things is a cliche. But as we all know, members are going to have to engage with and rigorous debate, and there it is going to be the clash of ideas, a rigorous debate, but it needs to be done with good faith and the spirit of compromise. I realize and some argue that compromise is a sign of weakness. In fact, one of the great strengths, mr. Speaker, of our nations founders, was their ability to compromise. The very structure of this institution, the United States congress, the very structure of our institution, which joined the peoples house, where we are all privileged to serve, with the United States senate, was known as what . The connecticut compromise, or the great compromise. That is the very basis of our founders. Too often we forget that while we should never, we should never compromise our principles, we must always, mr. Speaker, we must always be prepared to compromise in the service of our principles. A couple weeks ago, the economist described another example of compromise this one that Justice Brandeis described as one of the laboratories of democracy. The state of georgia. Conservative republican governor, are former house colleague, and the liberal mayor of atlanta, are clearly at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Yet they have managed to bridge the divide with a commitment to results. Mr. Speaker, together they have achieved significant gains for the good of georgia. Mr. Speaker, congress and the white house are perfectly capable of following that same model for the good of our country. Americans may be politically divided, but they are united in their desire to see their leaders in washington achieve results. Mr. Speaker, we know it is far from perfect, but i hope this bipartisan agreement can lay the foundation for continued work to address the tremendous challenges that we face as a nation. Millions of americans are out of work. The National Debt as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product is too high. Upheaval exists in nearly every region across the globe. Education and Immigration Reform must happen. The potential for a crippling cyber attack continues to be a threat. Climate change is a fact of life and, most recently, our families are reeling from the tragedy of newtoen. Theyre asked newtown. Theyre asking how we can prevent it from happening ever again, and how we can prevent guns from getting into the hands of dangerous people. These of the great challenges to which we all must rise, for which we all must find real solutions. I look forward to continue to do my small part as i follow the madisonia directn event returned to california as a private citizen. It has been an incredible honor, an incredible honor for me to serve in what i described, even though the senate often takes this label this is the greatest deliberative body known to man. I consider it an amazing honor to be able to serve. As i depart, and i hope there is no correlation to my departure, i believe that the United States congresscan actually be better than it has ever been. With that, i yield back the balance of my time. I rise today to urge what a colleague from georgia calls a legacy vote. Making permanent the tax cuts republicans enacted in 2001 and 2003. I could not agree more. Let me say why. We are making permanent tax policies republican originals they crafted. Back then, despite having a majority in the house and the senate and a republican in the white house, those policies were only temporary. That is because democrats refused to join republicans providing tax relief for working families. After more than a decade of criticizing these tax cuts, democrats are joining with republicans making these tax cut permanent. Republicans and the American People are getting something really important permanent tax relief. As big as that is, it is only the first step when it comes to taxes. This legislation settles the level of revenue washington should bring an. Next, we need to make the tax code simpler and more fair for families and Small Businesses. We need to pursue a comprehensive and fundamental tax reform to create the jobs we need and make american businesses and workers competitive in the global marketplace. Simply put, the tax code is a nightmare. Toooo complex, to timand timeconsuming, and too costly. 60 of taxpayers have to hire others to do their tax returns because the code is too complicated. As a result, the Tax Compliance industry would consume 6. 1 billion hours, the equivalent of 3 million fulltime workers. And yes, it is too costly. In a 2008, taxpayers spent 163 billion to comply with individual and Corporate Income tax rolls. Add to the fact that the u. S. Has the highest Corporate Tax rate in the oecd, and is not too difficult to imagine why many do not view america as an attractive place to invest and hire. Nothing about the bill we are considering tonight changes any of those realities. That is why the ways and Means Committee will pursue a comprehensive tax reform in the next congress. By making republican tax cut permanent, we are one step closer to a comprehensive tax reform that will strengthen our economy and create more and higher paid jobs for American Workers. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and get us one step for closer to tax reform and reserve the balance of my time. The gentleman from michigan. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The gentleman is recognized. This is a bipartisan bill, and i will try to keep it in that spirit. As we are here today on january 1, hours away from americans returning to work, markets reopening around the world, 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 nations economic wellbeing, and i want to emphasize, for its standing as the worlds most important economy. It is vital for 114 million middleclass families whose tax cuts are made permanent. It is vital for 2 million unemployed American Workers who need continuation of their insurance as they continue to look. For look it is vital as 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. It is vital for 25 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 help families pay for college and is vital to physicians and millions of their patients who would have been hurt by drastic cuts in medicare reimbursement rates. It is vital for businesses, for whom the expansion of tax provisions such as the r d credit and Renewable Energy credits that must continue in this great country of ours. And bonus depreciation to encourage business investment. I want to emphasize this somewhat with 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. Achieving the president s goal of asking the wealthiest 2 of americans to pay more while protecting 98 of families. That is what it does. 97 i want to emphasize this, contrary to propaganda from the other side, 97 of a Small Business is protected from any tax increase. This needs to be emphasized, especially in view of your chairmcomments. This package is vital for future deficitreduction efforts. Setting the stage for a balanced approach from here on out. Delaying sequestration. Yesterday, president obama again said he is committed to deficit reduction. But he emphasized several times, and i we have got to do this in a balanced, responsible way, with additional revenue 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 about time. The gentlemans time is reserved. Gentleman from michigan, mr. Camp. I yield three minutes to the distinguished chairman of the oversight committee, the gentleman from california, mr. Issa. The gentleman is recognized for 3 minutes. Mr. Speaker, i would like to be speaking for this bill, but i cannot. In the 12 years, almost to the day, that i have served with in this body, i have voted for every tax cut, every tax cut. I remember many of my colleagues, many of them friends, who each time we vote for them said, where is the pay for . Mr. Speaker, there is 4 trillion of new debt and deficit, and there is now pay for, and there is no anticipation of a payfor. To say two months ago a new congress will do what we are not doing today is something i cannot bring myself to do. I would like to vote for this because iv want americans to have lower taxes, but the other day in conference one of my colleagues pointed out that if in fact you are spending the money, you are taxing our future generation. We are taxing 1. 20 trillion next year. We are taxing 1. 20 trillion. We were not collected, but we are taxing 1. 20 trillion of deficit . The chairman of the ways and Means Committee rightfully said we are not simplifying the tax code. Were not making a better or more fair. We are not getting rid of the nascar loophole. We are not getting rid of the electric motor scooter loophole. Were not getting rid of a lot of tax things that are here. Most importantly, we are not taking things the president himself said he would be for, like getting the calculation of chain cpi, the Consumer Price index for Social Security and pensions right, which would reduce the deficit going forward. Because of what we are not doing, i cannot believe that this tax cut will in fact be followed with spending cuts to offset any part of this 4 trillion we are putting on the backs of future generations. I thank all of you who will vote for it. I cannot bring myself to vote for tonight. I yield back. I yield myself 15 seconds. Time after time, when republicans pass tax cuts and never brought 1 to the table to pay for them they thought that was a way to promote Economic Growth. How wrong they were. It is now my privilege to yield one minute to a person who has the title of leader, but who has been so much more. Who has valiantly lead our efforts we owe to nancy pelosi a real debt of gratitude for our being where we are today. With real pleasure, i yield one minute to our distinguished leader, the gentle lady from california. Recognized for 1 minutes. Thank the gentleman for yielding and thank him for his great leadership as a Ranking Member on the ways and Means Committee and for bringing the clarity wit our thinkin on this important to our thinking on this important subject were dealing with this evening. My colleagues we began the day with the vicepresident of the United States coming to the Democratic Caucus and speaking to us about legislation that passed the senate last night, and 898. That is absolutely historical. Legislation that he helped to negotiate, working with the republican and Democratic Leaders in the United States senate. It was a remarkable accomplishment because, as we all know, although we share the same goals we sometimes have different paths to achieving them. Reconciling our differences was a monumental task, especially with the time growing short. So we appreciate the leadership. Of the Vice President. We appreciate the leadership of republican and Democratic Leaders in the senate, and we thank Speaker Boehner for bringing this legislation to the floor. Public we can duplicate a strong bipartisan vote that was achieved in the United States senate. Why is that important . Because the American People told us in the election that they wanted us to Work Together. They have their differences, too. They understand this agreement. They also understand compromise. That is what this legislation represents. The previous speaker said he was voting for the bill for what was not in it. That is an interesting approach. We can judge be legislation we vote on for what is in it, or vote against it for what is not in it. At some point you strike a balance. You balance the equities where you come out in terms of making a choice . I hope the choice the American People will make tonight will reflect the well and keep the call of the American People to Work Together and follow the lead of the senate with a strong bipartisan support. What do they want us to do . What are the priorities . They want us to create jobs. They want us to grow the economy. They want us to invest in education. They want us to reduce the deficit. If they want us to strengthen the middle class. That is what this legislation does. It does so in a way that is an important first step. We talk much about what would happen, all the gloom and doom of what would happen if we went over the cliff. Lets talk instead about what happens if we do not go over the cliff. I believe that will go on, seeing the rule on the vote this wevening. I believe we will see the American People come together with a strong vote. We will increase, by voting in passing this legislation in a strong bipartisan way, we will increase the confidence of the consumer, of the markets, of business, other employers to hire more. We will extend Unemployment Insurance for people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. This is very important, not only to these individuals but there our economy, because this is money that is spent, creating jobs. We will extend tax relief for the middleclass, more than 98 of american taxpayers. More than 97 of american Small Businesses. We will support our middle class, strengthen net, extending the American Opportunity credit, the earned income tax credit, and the like. Our distinguished Ranking Member went through the provisions. It is important to see them in light of what they mean. By doing this, by voting for this agreement, we would demonstrate that we have listened to the American People. We have heeded the call once again as we Work Together in a bipartisan way. I want to salute president obama. He campaigned on strengthening the middleclass. I think all of us probably did. This is one way for us to fulfill that promise. Yes, to all those who say, all the other things that do not happen i do not know any piece of legislation i have ever voted for that did everything that i thought it should do. But this is a very, very strong first step as we go into the new year. Let us say send a message to the American People that, again, well this bill does not accomplish all we need to do, to strengthen the middleclass and reduce the deficit, is a good way for us to have a happy start to a new year by taking this first step. I hope that again, you balance the equities, the pros and cons of this legislation you will weigh heavily in favor of the message that it sends to the kitchen tables of america about the respect we have for them. Meeting their needs. Meeting the challenges. This great middleclass is the backbone of our democracy. Lets all be very patriotic tonight, support our middle class, support our democracy, a vote aye on this strong Bipartisan Legislation that passed 898 in the United States senate. Lets step up to the plate to do that in the house of representatives. I urge my colleagues to vote ate and yield back the balance this is the first set. Now we can move on to the next up we will and we can and will pursue a comprehensive tax reform for this year, 2013. Next, we need to address the fundamental drivers of our deficit and debt. That is out of control spending. With that, i urge support for this bill and reserve the balance of my time. 15 seconds. The gentleman is recognized. I do not want the chairmans statement about permanently how much revenue would be made available the president has been made clear there has to be a balanced approach. No one should be misled into thinking otherwise. No one. I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from new yorks, mr. Rendell. The gentleman from new york is recognized for 2 minutes. This is no profile in courage for me to be voting for this bill. It reminds me of a joke we used to have on lenox avenue someone stop hitting you in the head with a hammer and you were supposed to say, thank you so much for the relief. We created this monster. Were the ones u. S. At, at least congress has said we are the ones who said, at least congress has said, do what everyone but do not ask me to tax the wealthiest 2 of people in this country to pay their fair share. Why dont you Start Talking about cutting people off from Unemployment Compensation . Why do you think about not providing some much more for the aged . Why dont you start privatizing these banks . True this was not the america ideal when i came to the congress. This is something a handful of people from nowhe