[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)] [House] [Page H7651] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1220 DEFINING CHOICES FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS (Mr. BRALEY of Iowa asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, as the American middle class continues to endure tough economic challenges, the deadline looms for extending middle class tax cuts that will provide continued relief when it is needed the most. Standing in our way are Republicans who are holding the middle class hostage in favor of giving added tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, even though these bonus tax breaks would add $700 billion to the national deficit. So what is at stake? These middle class tax cuts will provide 98 percent of Americans who face a tax increase on January 1 the much needed relief that they deserve. For the typical middle class family, that means the loss of $2,000 next year. The Republican demands would mean that those making more than $1 million a year would receive an average of $100,000 annually, and the middle class would be saddled with $700 billion in new debt to pay for multimillion-dollar tax cuts for billionaires. In tough times like these, millionaires should be giving charity, not getting it, and that is the choice that the American people should be demanding that we make. ____________________