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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION
CONTACT: Adam Buckalew
PRINTABLE VERSION
CONGRESSMAN HARPER'S GUEST COLUMN IN THE CLARION LEDGER
WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, I joined 177 Republicans and 11 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives in opposing the economic stimulus package rushed to the floor by the liberal Democratic leadership. This bill bypassed the standard committee process. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) forced this bill to the floor without time for the House of Representatives and you, the voters, to have a full understanding of exactly what is hidden within the 647 pages of a bill that would ultimately cost taxpayer’s nearly $1.2 trillion in new federal government debt. What does this mean to your family? It means $10,500 in new wasteful federal government deficit spending for your family and every family in America.
Not only does this legislation expand numerous federal programs, it creates 32 new government programs. During a time when Americans are losing jobs and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat, we should not expand a federal government that is already too large.
The federal government has a fleet of 642,000 vehicles. Now we’ll have to buy an additional $600 million in new cars for federal workers. Furthermore, you will pay for $50 million for the National Endowment of the Arts, $650 million for the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Program, $400 million for localities to buy energy efficient buses and $1.1 billion for Amtrak. There is also $2.25 billion for national parks, whose chief lobbyist is the son of House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.), according to The Washington Times. But wait, there’s much more wasteful spending. How about $335 million dollars for additional STD prevention programs? Or the $50 million included for injury prevention programs?
House Republicans rejected the idea of funding these non-stimulative programs for one reason – it won’t work. The common sense answer is to allow taxpayers to keep more of their hard earned money. I joined House Republicans in supporting an alternative plan that would create double the number of jobs at half the cost. However, the Republican plan was defeated on the House floor.
Most jobs in the United States are created by small businesses, so we must give them immediate tax relief. In addition, the federal government taxes unemployment benefits. One of the ideas proposed by Republicans is to temporarily make unemployment benefits tax free so that those individuals between jobs can focus on providing for their families. Republicans proposed a tax deduction for purchasing health care as well as a tax credit of $7,500 for home buyers in this unstable real-estate credit market. These reasonable solutions for struggling families throughout Mississippi would provide an immediate boost to our economy.
This is the worst economy since the Carter Administration which was only turned around late in President Reagan’s first term. You can not turn the economy around by spending money you do not have. We should prioritize spending, help our small businesses by reducing taxes and make America energy independent.
I thank you for the opportunity to serve in Congress and I’m proud of the House Republicans for standing firm against this wasteful federal government spending bill. As I have said before, the American people know we cannot borrow and spend our way back to prosperity.
