[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 183 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H8058]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
(Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I think there are four things the United
States of America needs to do to turn the economy around.
Number one, we need to balance the budget. We can do this on a
bipartisan basis just by reducing the duplications in government and
the overlap between State functions and Federal functions; also getting
through the waste, and then trimming off 1 percent over time to bring
revenues and spending at the same level. Right now spending is at 23
percent. Revenues historically have been at 18 percent. Common sense
says you need to balance those out.
Number two, we need to get rid of the regulatory overload on
businesses that are creating the jobs right now. Change regulations
from an ``I gotcha'' mentality to one that ``we're here to help because
we're in it together,'' for worker safety, environmental protection or
whatever. We can do a lot just by changing the attitude of the
regulators.
Number three, we need tax reform, tax simplification so that taxes
are fair. The Tax Code needs to be a half an inch deep and miles and
miles wide so that everyone is participating. Let's get rid of the
underbrush, all the loopholes.
Number four, and finally we need to drill our own oil. We cannot keep
importing 65 percent of our oil. We need to have an all-of-the-above
energy policy.
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