House Republicans Bring Transparency to Stimulus

It's only Wednesday and this week has proven to be a busy one in Washington.  The economic stimulus is the focus of Congress' attention this week and with good reason.

With all the talk by Speaker Pelosi and her Democrat colleagues in the House about this Congress being the most "open and honest" in history, it took House Republicans to put those words into action yesterday afternoon to bring some transparency to the bloated and unfocused stimulus plan making its way through the House.

House Republicans offered a "Motion to Instruct Conferees" on the stimulus that asks that the House conferees not approve of the final conference agreement on the stimulus until the text of the legislation has been available in an electronic, searchable, and downloadable form for at least 48 hours prior to voting on the final agreement.

The Republican motion was put up to a vote.  The conclusion?  403 to 0.

Before Congress votes on a trillion dollar spending bill, the American taxpayer should be able to see what their hard earned dollars are being used for.  

But again, my colleagues and I aren't going to stop with this this motion.  We have an alternative to the trillion dollar spending spree the majority is promoting.  The Republican alternative will create 2.6 million jobs, more than twice the number created in the Democrats' bill at half the cost.  I encourage you to learn more about the Republican alternative.  My colleagues and I are on your side and we won't stop working to promote solutions that help our economy and hard working American families reach and achieve the American Dream.

Posted by: Bill

Shuster speaks out against the Democrats' stimulus plan

Moments ago, Congressman Shuster delivered a one minute speech on the House floor objecting to the Democrats' stimulus bill.  His remarks are posted below:

Congressman Shuster:

President Obama said that something must be done to stimulate our economy and I wholeheartedly agree. Unfortunately my colleagues on the other side of the aisle must have thought President Obama said, “Spend a trillion dollars of our children’s and grandchildren’s money on programs that drive up the national debt and do little to stimulate our economy.” 

The fact is, little of the dollars spent in the Democrats’ stimulus actually create jobs. For every $1 billion spent on infrastructure, upwards of 30,000 new jobs are created.  But the Democrat bill only directs 10 percent of the stimulus bill towards this proven job creator.

Instead of accepting a bill that is long on waste and short on substance, House Republicans have an alternative that provides lasting long-term tax breaks to help hard working families, home buyers and small business through these difficult times.

Basic economics teaches us that this high level federal spending will dramatically increase inflation. Madame Speaker, the American people do not need Congress to add to their list of economic problems.  We must address the true problem at hand and fix our economic crisis – not quench the Democrats’ thirst for more big government.

The Republican approach will work to pull our economy out of recession.  It’s time to put politics aside and put Americans first.  It’s time to adopt the Republican alternative.

Posted by: Press Secretary

Morning Must Reads

The Wall Street Journal: There's no stimulus free lunch

If the Democrats' stimulus were a country....

...which country would it be?

The Heritage Foundation has an answer and it's not pretty.

From Heritage:

The House passed “stimulus” bill costs $820 billion. The Senate compromise is currently $827 billion. Senators have compromised to only spend $7 billion more than the House version.

According to The Washington Post, the new plan would add additional debt costs of $350 billion over ten years. 

The Senate ‘compromise’ is equal in size to the entire Australian economy, and is enough money to send every current high school junior and senior to a 4-year private university and still have a spare $150 billion. In comparison, the last three Omnibus Spending Bills were $515 billion (FY’08), $464 billion (FY’07) and $388 billion (FY’06). 

The Senate ‘compromise’ would raise the government’s commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7 trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation’s home mortgages.

Posted by: Press Secretary

Jobs coming to Blair County

Congressman Shuster joined Governor Rendell and local Blair County officials to announce the creation of 480 jobs in Altoona.  

More information on the announcement can be read here. 

Morning Must Reads

Drudge Lead: Taxpayers Risk $9.7 Trillion on Bailouts as Senate Votes

"Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) -- The stimulus package the U.S. Congress is completing would raise the government’s commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7 trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation’s home mortgages."

Washington Post: If Spending is Swift, Oversight May Suffer

Washington Times: 'Doom' talk Scored as 'not Presidential'

Posted by: Press Secretary

Shuster's Op-ed on the Stimulus

Congressman Shuster wrote an op-ed on the Democrats' stimulus bill that has been published in newspapers throughout the 9th district.  The op-ed is posted below along with links to papers that have carried it:

Fix the Stimulus

By Congressman Bill Shuster

In times of national emergency Americans look to the President and Congress for leadership to fix the problems we face.  Our economy is in recession. Day after day, we hear reports of job cuts, bankruptcies and stock losses. Confidence in our economy is shaken and we need reassurance that our nation can regain its economic vitality.

Congress must put politics aside and put Americans first. President Obama has said that something must be done to stimulate our economy and I agree. But apparently, Speaker Pelosi and Democrat leaders in Congress thought President Obama said to spend a trillion dollars of our children’s and grandchildren’s money on wasteful liberal programs that drive up the national debt and do little to stimulate our economy. 

The Democrats’ stimulus plan will cost over a trillion dollars. Very few of the dollars spent will actually create jobs in the Democrats’ stimulus bill. Less than 10 percent is directed towards transportation and infrastructure – yet those funds will be responsible for creating nearly HALF of the new jobs slated for creation in the stimulus.  The rest of the money will feed an already bloated federal government.

Creating 30 new government programs at the cost of $130 billion will not move people out of the unemployment line. Nor do I see how $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, $500 million for climate satellites and $500 million for habitat restoration programs jump starts our economy.  Conservative estimates show that every billion we invest in infrastructure creates 28,000 jobs, yet less than 10 percent of the bill invests in this proven job creator. 

Rather than accept a stimulus that is long on waste and short on substance, House Republicans have an alternative that packs a lasting punch to help hard working families through these difficult times. Under the Republican plan, we can create twice as many jobs - 6.2 million to be specific – at half the cost of the Democrats’ bill. We’d do this by focusing on significant long term tax cuts for families and small businesses, providing tax credits to home buyers, and by cutting waste that has no stimulating impact on our economy.       

The best way to create jobs and grow our economy is to empower hard working Americans to keep and spend more of their own money.  Lower taxes lead to job growth, and if we create jobs we won’t need the expanded social spending that the Democrats have made the focus of their “stimulus.”

My Republican colleagues and I have offered common sense solutions to the crisis we face.  Up until now, they have been ignored due to Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat controlled Congress’ fixation on radically expanding an already bloated federal government. House Republicans continue to side with the American taxpayer and will not stop fighting for solutions that work.    

The Somerset Daily American:Not a Working Solution

Chambersburg Public Opinion: House Republicans have ideas to fix stimulus bill 

Altoona Mirror: Lower Taxes will Create More Jobs: