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Pence: “More Big Government Spending On A Liberal Wish List Of Programs Won't Cure What Ails the American Economy”

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FEBRUARY 3, 2009

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Note: To view the speech, click here

WASHINGTON, DC -- Following are the remarks delivered by Congressman Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, today on the floor of the House of Representatives, in opposition to the Democrat stimulus bill:

“Our nation is in a recession and millions of Americans are hurting. Many have lost their jobs and many more millions worry that they'll be next. It is absolutely right that our new President and this Congress take decisive action to stimulate this economy. But the legislation brought to the floor last week and legislation being considered on the Senate floor this week in the form of the Democrat stimulus bill is not the answer.

“Last week, House Republicans unanimously rejected the so-called stimulus bill that was brought to the floor by Democrat leadership and we urge our Senate colleagues to do likewise. House Republicans unanimously opposed the Democrat spending bill for a variety of reasons, but among them, first, the bill that Democrats brought to the house was not about stimulating this economy but more about stimulating government and debt. It included wasteful government spending that has nothing to do with creating jobs.

“As I asked on this floor last week, what does $50 million to the National Endowment for the Arts have to do with creating jobs in Indiana? What's $400 million for climate change research going to do to move people from the unemployment line to the factory line? In legislation before the Senate this week, $20 million for the removal of small to medium-sized fish passage barriers or $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading trails for ATVs is not going to put this economy back on track. And, it was exactly that kind of wasteful government spending that resulted in unanimous Republican opposition last week.

“Well, the average American is starting to catch on. We're starting to see support for this so-called stimulus bill eroding across the country and leading economists are catching on as well. And, as the Republican Leader said just moments ago, we oppose this bill unanimously not just for what was in it but for what wasn't in it. The Republicans have what we believe to be and what history proves is a better solution to get this economy moving again.

“Republicans proposed a broad range of fast-acting tax relief proposals that would bring immediate relief to working families and small businesses giving the American people and American families more of their hard-earned dollars to get this economy moving again. The bill that House Democrats brought to the floor last week was not then about stimulating the economy. Under the guise of stimulus, House Democrats brought a partisan bill to the floor. It was really more of a wish list of long-standing liberal priorities that have little to do with putting our economy back on its feet.

“Now, having originally promised that a stimulus bill would be temporary and targeted, House Democrats brought to the floor this week and the Senate is considering new legislation that is more about as the Speaker said, and I quote her with great respect, about ‘taking America in a new direction.’ Respectfully, Madam Speaker, I thought what we were doing is trying to pass a temporary stimulus bill that would create jobs, not reorder all of the priorities of the federal government along liberal democratic lines.

“The truth be told, not only are the American people catching on about this bill but many leading economists are. Some 300 economists recently published a full-page newspaper article, advertisement, rather, opposing this bill and conservative economist Martin Feldstein, who supported a fiscal stimulus bill, came out late last week describing the legislation that came before the House as, ‘an $800 billion mistake.’ Feldstein wrote, I believe in The Washington Post, quote, ‘the problem with the current stimulus bill is not that it's too big but that it delivers too little extra employment and income for such a large fiscal deficit. It is worth taking the time to get it right.’

“House Republicans, leading economists and average Americans are opposing this so-called stimulus bill for one reason and one reason only: it won't work and it's a disservice to taxpayers.

“More big government spending on a liberal wish list of programs won't cure what ails the American economy. And House Republicans do have a better solution: fast-acting tax relief for working families and small businesses. And, according to analysis and economic models used by President Obama’s own economic advisors, when those models are applied to our plan the results are clear: not the two million to three million jobs that the Democrat plan boasts it will create in the next several years but rather six million jobs would be created under the Republican proposal at half the cost. Twice the number of jobs at half the cost is a better solution. Let's put politics aside and do what's best for the American people.”

###

For Additional Information

Contact Matt Lloyd or Mary Vought at
(202) 226-9000 or matt.lloyd@mail.house.gov

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Pence: “More Big Government Spending On A Liberal Wish List Of Programs Won't Cure What Ails the American Economy”

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