Jump Starting The Economy

Floor Speech

Mr. McCONNELL. On the same subject, Mr. President, I think we all agree it is important to jump-start the economy, and this week we will have the opportunity, as the majority leader and I have been discussing, to have full debate and many amendments on how to do that and how to improve on the bill passed by the House.

Republicans agree with President Obama that we should trim things out that don't put people back to work. The standard he set for this bill is pretty simple and easy to understand. He wanted to incorporate good Republican ideas and trim the fat that won't put people to work right now. I think that is a pretty good principle. Republicans believe a stimulus bill must fix the main problem in the economy, which is housing. We need to fix housing first.

Republicans also believe we must put money back into the pockets of taxpayers, and we believe we must eliminate wasteful spending from this package.

The American people have real questions about the merits of spending tens of millions of dollars sprucing up government buildings here in Washington, for example, or removing fish barriers, rather than growing the economy and creating jobs. We will have an opportunity to further craft this measure as it moves through the Senate. Republicans are anxious to offer amendments, have debate, and have votes.

Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I thank the majority leader for deferring to me for a moment.

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