[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SO-CALLED ECONOMIC STIMULUS BILL
(Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, some people look at the huge, so-
called economic stimulus bill and think it's a Christmas present. But
the Federal Government is not Santa Claus. Elves are not producing this
money. This money isn't free, and the American people will get the
bill.
The $1 trillion in spending and interest equals more than $9,000 for
every taxpayer. And the unprecedented deficit will inevitably hike
inflation and damage the economy.
Only $90 billion, or 12 percent of this spending spree, will
stimulate the immediate creation of jobs which are needed now. Most of
the spending doesn't occur for 2, 3 or 4 years.
It would be far more effective to provide tax incentives and
investment credits to the small businesses of America that already
create 70 percent of all the jobs.
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