Obama Hails Payroll Tax Cut Passage as ‘Big Deal’
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The White House(EVERETT, Wash.) — President Obama Friday hailed Congress’ extension of a payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance benefits as “the right thing” and a “big deal” in a speech on manufacturing at a Boeing assembly facility in Washington state, the largest building in the world by volume.
“Just before we got here, Congress did the right thing, and voted to make sure that taxes won’t go up on middle-class families at the end of this month,” Obama said, “and I’m going to sign this bill right away when I get home.”
“That’s a big deal,” Obama added. “And I want to thank Congress for listening to the voices of the American people.”
The president made the remarks after a tour of new Boeing 787 Dreamliners that served as the backdrop for his speech. He praised the planes as a poster child for a resurgence of U.S. manufacturing and exports.
“Here at Boeing, business is booming,” he said. “This company is a great example of what American manufacturing can do. And the impact of your success goes far beyond the walls of this plant. Every Dreamliner that rolls off the assembly line here in Everett supports thousands of jobs in different industries all across the country.”
Obama said what’s happening in Everett can be replicated in other industries and states across the country. He also outlined a series of modest proposals his administration is pushing to encourage U.S. manufacturers.
“If we want an economy that’s built to last, we have to do everything we can to strengthen American manufacturing,” he said, “and make it easier for companies like Boeing to create jobs at home and sell their products abroad.”
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