Rep. Markey speaks on the payroll tax and unemployment insurance extension

Mr. Speaker, tax cuts delayed are tax cuts denied.

Last year, just before the holidays, the House Republicans extended the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires—no strings attached.

And this year, Republicans won’t even allow a vote to extend middle class tax cuts.

Republicans want to procrastinate.
Democrats want to legislate.

When it comes to millionaires, Republicans are Santa Claus.  For the Middle Class, they're the Grinch.  

This isn’t ‘Mission Impossible.’ We don’t need Tim Cruise to save seniors, the Middle Class, and the unemployed. We just need to pass the Senate compromise right now.

By not allowing an up-or-down vote on this bipartisan compromise, Republicans are raising the curtain about their real priorities: millionaires and billionaires.  

Americans don’t need more meetings.  They don’t need more debate.  They just need us to make sure their taxes do not go up on New Year’s Day.  

Today, we can protect the Middle Class, seniors and the unemployed by passing the bipartisan compromise right now.  

Do it NOW!