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If the national debt is on the cusp of reaching $30 trillion, inflation is running rampant at a 30 year high across this country, and the economy is seemingly collapsing from all sides, why is Washington pushing through trillions upon trillions of dollars in more irresponsible spending? That is a common question that many people are asking right now – including myself. Last week’s vote on the so-called “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” proved to be another example of why insatiable appetites for more government spending are bankrupting America. Let’s talk about it.
Supporters of this infrastructure bill – now on track to become law – always reference the state of crumbling roads and bridges across the country. However, look at the finer details. According to an analysis conducted by the Heritage Foundation, earmarks found within this infrastructure law allocate almost $105 billion to subsidize railroads and public transit compared to only $110 billion to improve roads and bridges. Additionally, tucked away in this bill is an expansion of the inflationary Davis-Bacon Act that will apply to all energy construction projects. The cost-inflating effects of this proposal would literally limit the purchasing power of taxpayer dollars for these infrastructure projects – a giveaway to unions at the public’s expense.
Economist Kent Smetters at the University of Pennsylvania recently cautioned that this infrastructure law won’t produce stellar results. He stated that the alleged economic effects that have been touted will ultimately become muted because of more government borrowing, spiking interest rates and the crowding out of investment in projects with quicker turnaround times. This means that the government will be paying for projects that may not even have a payoff for everyday Americans. Does that sound like meaningful progress to you?
You will be pleased to know that last Friday I cast a strong “NO” vote against this bloated monstrosity along with 200 of my Republican colleagues in the People’s House. This kind of runaway government spending is downright irresponsible, and I refuse to support policies that put even more of a burden on hardworking taxpayers and families across the 5th District.
My Thoughts On OSHA’s New “Emergency” Rule
The newest “emergency” rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that requires private companies to enforce a COVID-19 vaccine-and-testing mandate is outrageous. The federal government should not control every aspect of American workers’ and business owners’ lives. From worker shortages to rampant inflation and a broken supply chain, job creators are already paying the price for Biden’s poor leadership. Job creators should not be forced to become the vaccine-and-testing police for him, too. This coercive mandate will create substantial uncertainty, outrageous costs, and unforeseen liabilities.
We need to empower businesses and workers to make the decisions that are best for them, not Washington. Let me be very clear: playing Russian Roulette with Americans’ freedoms will not end well.
A New Bipartisan Effort
On Monday, I joined Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rick Allen (R-GA), and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) in introducing bipartisan legislation to expand American workers’ access to secure retirement. The Retirement Improvement and Savings Enhancement (RISE) Act simplifies and clarifies reporting and disclosure requirements related to retirement plans, ensures more part-time workers are offered opportunities to join retirement savings plans, and enables employers to provide small financial incentives to spur more participation in retirement plans. It is crucial to help Americans plan for retirement, and they deserve to enter retirement more secure and more prepared.
To read more about this legislation, click here.
Quote of The Week
“Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was – by a taxpayer.”
-Donald Rumsfeld
Have a blessed weekend.
Sincerely,
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