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Stimulus Process Demonstrates Little has Changed in the House

January 28, 2009
Weekly Columns

We are facing a global recession and a federal response is needed. But the so-called stimulus package that was recently passed busts the federal budget while doing next-to-nothing to truly stimulate our economy. Congress just spent 300 percent more on this legislation than was spent in all of World War II, and a staggering 1200 percent more than was spent during the New Deal. And while the legislation will create some government jobs, it does so at an outrageous expense to the taxpayer. In fact, for every job this stimulus package will create, the government will spend nearly $250,000. Adding insult to injury, most of the job-creating tax measures for small businesses have virtually been eliminated from this stimulus bill.

The legislation was comprised of three sections, two of which were actually reasonable - tax relief for middle class families, and investment in critical infrastructure. Unfortunately, these provisions made up a small portion of the overall spending. The vast majority of the spending in this legislation falls into the category of discretionary spending. Some of the more questionable programs funded in this section include $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and $200 million for repairs to the National Mall in Washington DC.

Even more problematic are the expanded government programs that will require perpetual funding in order to sustain them into the future. Stimulus legislation, by its very nature, is intended to be one-time spending. By creating ongoing programs through stimulus legislation, Congress has created a scenario that will eventually require one of three options: deep funding cuts in admirable programs like Pell grants, dramatic increases in future deficits or significant tax increases. This is not a road map to economic recovery; it is a recipe for disaster.

The process through which this legislation came into being was as deeply disappointing as the end product. Despite sincere offers of bipartisan cooperation from both the Republican minority, as well as President Obama, Speaker Pelosi once again chose to shut the Republicans out of the debate. On the eve of the vote I spoke on the floor of the House and asked the Speaker to make a modest procedural change that could have allowed us to make the legislation better, and would have created an opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to work together for a change. I suggested that the legislation be brought to the floor in three separate bills - one addressing the tax cuts, one addressing infrastructure spending, and one addressing discretionary spending. Had this been allowed to occur, I am convinced we would have had broad bi-partisan support for two of the three bills - tax cuts and infrastructure investment- and a much reduced price tag on the discretionary spending. Unfortunately the Speaker appears to have little interest in allowing the minority party to play any meaningful role in her House of Representatives and this suggestion was ignored.

Our nation is facing a growing economic crisis the likes of which most of us have never seen. It is truly a time to set partisanship aside and work together to find a way to weather the coming storm. The House Republicans are prepared to work with President Obama where we can find common ground. And I believe the President when he says he is willing to do likewise. Hopefully, for the sake of the country, Speaker Pelosi will eventually come around to the same point of view.

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