Extended Unemployment Benefits Are Hurting Main Street

Floor Speech

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Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my concerns about the current state of the economy and the worker shortages that employers face due to the Democrats' extended unemployment benefits.

As a small business owner for 51 years, I have seen a lot. I know firsthand how challenging a year of government-mandated shutdowns have been for business owners.

The enhanced unemployment benefits in last year's CARES Act were meant to be temporary and targeted to the effects of this COVID-19 pandemic. Now, over a year later, and thanks to the success of Operation Warp Speed and the Trump administration's focus on vaccine development, the economy is ready to fully open. Yet, millions of Americans who can return to work are choosing a government paycheck over earning an income.

Unemployment was never meant to be a full-time job. We are telling people it is a career, for crying out loud, and living off the government for more than 26 weeks while you are capable of working will only delay our economic recovery.

In Texas' 25th Congressional District, hundreds of small businesses are feeling the effects. They simply cannot operate their businesses if employees refuse to return to work. States need to enforce unemployment laws. If employees are offered a job and they refuse it, unemployment benefits should immediately expire.

Enhanced weekly payments will continue to eliminate the incentive to return to work. Under no circumstances should they continue past September.

Vaccines are widely available if people so choose, but there are no longer excuses to remain on the sidelines.

Before the pandemic, we had the greatest economy in modern history. Certainly the best I have seen in 51 years. For all the right reasons, and with thanks to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by President Trump and Republicans, we had more jobs than people.

However, under President Biden and House Democrats, we have more jobs than people, because what they ultimately want is to make Americans reliant on the government. It is simply called socialism. It is victims versus patriots.

In God we trust.

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