Below are Pelosi's remarks from the press conference:
“Thank you all for coming. I’m pleased to be joined by four leaders in Congress on the child tax credit: Tom Daschle, the Senate Democratic Leader; Charles Rangel of New York, Ranking Democrat on Ways and Means; Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, Chair of the Steering Committee; and Michael Michaud of Maine, a freshman who has already made his mark on this and on other critical issues.
“It has been 42 days since the Senate passed the expanded child tax credit, and 33 days since the House passed a bill. The President says he wants to quickly sign the extended child tax credit.
“So what’s the hold up? It’s the Republican leadership in the House. The House Republicans are the only ones standing between 12 million children and the extended child tax credit. Those children include 250,000 children of military families.
“Democrats will insist that we don’t leave the House without it.
“At about the same time that Members of Congress head home for the August recess, checks will be sent to those families fortunate enough to be included in the Republicans tax bill. This is simply wrong.
“Families who make between $10,500 and $26,000 are just as hard working, and they pay taxes too. They deserve the same tax credit as those who make far more.
“And this is good for the economy. Having the child tax credit go to these working families who will spend that money on necessities injects demand into the economy and creates jobs. It’s good for the economy. It’s good for the families. It’s good for the children.
“Time is running out for the children of America’s working and military families. The Republican leadership must step aside and allow a vote on the Senate expansion of the child tax credit before the August recess. Until Republican leaders do the right thing, House Democrats will use every procedural weapon in our arsenal to force a vote.
“When we talk about using every arrow in our quiver, every weapon in our arsenal, every tool at our disposal, it is motivated by the necessity of protecting America’s children from what the Republicans have in store for them.”
“We are bringing this issue up within the context of other assaults on America’s children. Last week, the Republicans left millions of children behind by cutting $9 billion from the Leave No Child Behind bill in the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill. It takes place at a time when they’ve had an all-out assault on Head Start.
“The American people want to see us standing up. You are going to see the women in Congress be the lionesses to protect the cubs, to protect the children. And we want to see all of the Members of Congress coming to the defense of America’s children."
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