The Hill Report: Week of February 9 - 13, 2009

Today, every House Republican and seven Democrats voted against the largest spending bill in American history. With a price tag of $789 billion ($1.1 trillion including interest), this bill exceeds the current cost of the entire Iraq war. Despite bipartisan opposition, the Democrat Majority has chosen to capitalize on an economic crisis by today passing a trillion dollar spending spree that offers very little hope of job creation or economic growth.

Unfortunately for the American taxpayer, this “stimulus” bill went from bad to worse as the House-Senate Majority “compromise” reduced small business tax relief to a mere one-third of one percent of the bill. Simply stated, the bill would provide the equivalent of $1.10 a day in tax relief for American workers—hardly enough to have any impact on our economy.

Instead of stimulating the economy by allowing more families and businesses to keep significantly more of what they earn, this bill will grow the size of government and increase the national debt ceiling to a record $12 trillion—adding to the debt by nearly $9,400 per American family. As Senator John McCain aptly describes it, this bill is “generational theft,” passing ultimately trillions of dollars in national debt onto our children and grandchildren.

Although Minority members of Congress were given fewer than 15 hours to review a 1,073-page bill before voting on it, we do know that the legislation is more about stimulating the government and rewarding political allies than growing the economy and creating jobs. This massive spending bill includes:

• $300 million for federal procurement of plug-in golf carts.
• $400 million for NASA to study climate change.
• $1 billion available for sexually transmitted disease (STD) education and prevention programs.
• $2 billion available for ACORN, an organization accused of practicing unlawful voter registration and intimidation techniques.
• $97 billion for 31 new government programs and billions more for government programs already deemed “ineffective.”

This is unacceptable—especially at a time when millions of Americans have lost their jobs and families are making tough financial decisions to make ends meet. Our struggling economy needs decisive, sensible solutions that empower private sector job growth and provide incentives for investors to return to the American marketplace.

As you may remember, House Republicans have proposed an economic growth plan that would create approximately 6.2 million jobs in the next two years—that is twice as many jobs at half the cost of the proposed “stimulus” bill, according to the methodology used by President Obama’s senior economic advisors. Highlights of our plan include:

1. Immediate Tax Relief for Working Families: We propose reducing the lowest individual tax rates from 15% to 10% and from 10% to 5%. As a result, every taxpaying-family in America would see an immediate increase in their income with an average benefit of $500 in tax relief under the new 10% bracket and $1,200 under the new 15% bracket. A married couple filing jointly could save up to $3,200 a year in taxes.

2. Help for America’s Small Businesses: Small businesses (those employing fewer than 500 individuals) employ about half of all Americans, yet these businesses are often subject to tax rates that siphon away one-third or more of their income. We propose to allow small businesses to take a tax deduction equal to 20% of their income. This would immediately free up funds for small businesses to retain and hire employees.

3. Assistance for the Unemployed: We propose to make unemployment benefits tax free so that individuals between jobs can focus on providing for their families. The plan would also extend unemployment benefits from March to December 2009.

4. Stabilizing Home Values: The real estate market is paralyzed as potential buyers wait on the sidelines for prices to fall even further. This is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. To encourage responsible buyers to enter the market and stabilize prices, we call for a home-buyers credit of $7,500 for those buyers who can make a minimum down payment of 5%.

Despite our common-sense ideas to improve the economic stimulus legislation, Democrats in Congress unilaterally shut out House Republican input for the bill, going so far as to negotiate the House-Senate agreement behind closed doors without a single Minority member in the room.

The American people deserve transparency and fiscal responsibility from their government—not record spending devised by back-room deals. They deserve a government that empowers private sector innovation and job creation—not one that systematically takes over the free-enterprise system. They deserve a government that works for them—not the other way around.

That is why I will continue to stand ready to work with President Obama and the Majority in Congress to craft a fiscally-responsible economic stimulus plan that creates jobs and grows the American economy. The American people deserve better. 

National Salute to Veterans Week
On Monday, I visited hospitalized veterans at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) to recognize the National Salute to Veterans Week (February 8 – 14). I enjoyed the opportunity to visit with patients at the Dallas VAMC and to thank them for the great sacrifices they have made.

National Salute to Veterans Week is recognized each year during the week of February 14. In addition to thanking our veterans, the National Salute to Veterans Week is designed to raise community awareness of VA medical centers and to encourage citizens to visit hospitalized veterans.

As you may know, the Dallas VA Medical Center has cared for America’s military veterans for over half a century and is a long-standing partner with The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. The Dallas VAMC serves approximately 500,000 veterans in 38 counties in North Texas and in two counties in southern Oklahoma.

During my visit, I also met with Hospital Director Joseph Dalpiaz, Chief of Staff Dr. Clark Gregg, and other hospital administrators to tour the Dallas VAMC and to discuss veterans’ care—especially relating to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Our veterans deserve the utmost respect and the highest level of care, and I look forward to working with Director Dalpiaz and Dr. Gregg in the future to further improve hospital operations and to increase support and funding for the VA.

This week and throughout the year, I hope that North Texans will take a few moments to reach out to a soldier or veteran to express their thanks. To find out how you can contribute to National Salute to Veterans Week, please visit https://www.volunteer.va.gov/NationalSaluteVeterans.asp.

As Congress adjourns today for a week-long District work period, I look forward to spending time with my constituents in the 32nd District. As always, I value your opinion and I encourage you to let me know your thoughts on issues in Congress.

Have a good weekend.