American Recovery And Reinvestment Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, there is no question but that the Congress must act swiftly and boldly to counteract the downturn in the economy. But there's a difference between actions that are swift and bold and spending huge sums of borrowed money irresponsibly.

When the dust finally settles on this boondoggle, perhaps then we will face the facts regarding this colossal trillion dollar spending bill. And the fact is that the Pelosi-Obey bill isn't an economic stimulus plan at all, but a rampant spending spree, much of which has nothing to do with bailing out a sagging economy, but with a liberal litany of left-leaning, big government programs.

We need a true stimulus bill. That much we can all agree on. But it needs to be aimed directly at creating jobs. It needs to give real incentives to small businesses, which create three out of four new jobs in the country. It needs to have a strict oversight program, given the recent TARP fiasco. And it needs to solely focus on stimulating the economy, not a mandate to overspend on a broad range of government programs.

First, this bill is not aimed directly at job creation. According to the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan office, only 40 percent of the discretionary funds in this bill will actually stimulate the economy and create jobs by 2010. Economists all across the Nation question the wisdom of the U.S. Government's competing for debt financing, when our small businesses are struggling to refinance their own debt. How does squeezing out our small business owners help create jobs in this troubled economy?

Editorial boards across the country are questioning the spending priorities that have needlessly crept into this bill: $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, $200 million for tree trimming and sod planting on the National Mall, $150 million for Smithsonian facility upgrades, $16 billion in Pell grants for college students.

To quote The Washington Post, which I rarely do: ``All of those ideas may have merit, but why do they belong in an emergency measure aimed to kick-start the economy?''

If the majority wants to debate funding for the arts, let's do it in the annual Interior Appropriations bill. If the majority wants to increase Pell grant funding, bring it up through the annual education spending bill that's coming up shortly. And if you want to go out and borrow another $825 billion from your children in the name of saving the economy, we should demand that it be spent producing jobs for Americans.

The true drivers of this economy, the small business owners, are literally left out in the cold. While we're planting sod and cleaning up trash on the National Mall to the tune of $200 million, we are only allocating a fraction of that amount to our small business owners across the Nation in the form of tax breaks. It's not hard to see where the true priorities lie with this majority.

Second, who knows where this money will go? The bill fails to demand a full accounting of the funds before they are allocated. Last week's disapproval vote of more TARP funds would make you think that we'd learned a thing or two about writing a blank check to the administration without seeing how they intend to spend it. But apparently we haven't.

The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.

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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. When the Appropriations Committee considered this legislation last week, the minority put forth several thoughtful, fiscally-responsible proposals to prioritize infrastructure investment and demand greater accountability, all denied on a party-line vote.

I proposed an amendment that withheld a portion of these funds until a simple spending plan was submitted to Congress, a plan requiring expenditure details, all rejected. It's a sad day when the majority won't even allow the formulation of a plan before spending bonanzas begin.

Mr. Chairman, this bill should be about encouraging our small businesses to create jobs and providing the proper oversight and accountability that working families deserve. Unfortunately, this bill fails miserably on both counts.

If money is no object, if success is not your goal, if accountability is not important to you, vote for this bill. But I urge Members to oppose this bill and support a bill that actually creates jobs and demands accountability for the taxpayers.

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