“House Republicans voted yesterday to raise taxes on the middle class. House Republicans stand alone, and unless they act responsibly and agree to the bipartisan short-term bill approved by Senate Republicans and Democrats, millions of Americans will see a tax hike.”

“Just when we think we have seen the last of each other, here we are again. And we are prepared to stay here until the job really does get done, when the American people will have a payroll tax cut.”

“Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to pay tribute to the passing of a man whose legacy to San Francisco is a great one. I rise to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Warren Hellman: a community leader, a San Francisco legend, and an American success story. Sadly, Warren passed away on December 18th surrounded by his loving family. It’s the way he lived: surrounded by his loving family.”

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor today against the refusal of the House Republican leadership to allow a vote on the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which passed with bipartisan support in the… Continue

“Good evening everyone. We came back to Washington. On Saturday when we heard that the Senate had passed the bipartisan bill overwhelmingly–89 votes, 39 Republican Senators voting for a negotiated, bipartisan agreement, negotiated by Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell–we were very hopeful that by now the President could have signed this bill. It was even acknowledged as a victory by Speaker Boehner, who had insisted that the negotiation take place between Majority Leader and Minority Leader in the Senate. But that’s then; this is now.”

“Good evening. How are you? Well, here we are, coming together to fight for a middle-income tax cut, a payroll tax cut for the middle class, which grows the economy. The American people want that. They want jobs. This will create jobs. They want the tax cut. This will happen. They want us to work together. We have done so.”

“Today, Americans, the men and women of the Czech Republic, and people around the world mourn the loss of President Vaclav Havel – a defender of freedom, a champion of human rights, and an apostle of hope. He was a dissident, a playwright, a political icon, and the father of the ‘Velvet Revolution.’ His words helped bring down an empire; his deeds helped give birth to a democratic Europe; his leadership inspired the forces of liberty, justice, and peace for all humanity.”

“The Republican Tea Party’s tax increase will hurt the middle class and hinder the economic recovery. And they know it.”

“President Obama and Democrats in Congress insisted we would not go home for the holidays unless we passed a payroll tax cut for 160 million American workers and extended unemployment insurance benefits for those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Republicans opposed a payroll tax cut for the middle class until Democrats made the issue too hot to handle.”

“Today, the House came together in a spirit of compromise to keep the doors of the federal government open. With strong leadership and determination, Democrats beat back most Republican riders to eliminate critical initiatives and undermine the health and economic security of our nation.”