[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 8, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H1342-H1343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IN SUPPORT OF AMERICANS NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY INFLATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Rose) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of every American 
being negatively affected by inflation caused by President Biden and 
congressional Democrats' reckless spending policies over the last year.
  Inflation isn't something that happens overnight. It occurs as a 
direct result of the bills passed right here in this body and the 
President's executive actions. Since President Biden stepped foot in 
the Oval Office and Democrats gained control of both branches of 
Congress, their actions have directly resulted in the highest inflation 
levels in 40 years, since the year I was a junior in high school.
  I recall when President Biden and congressional Democrats' first 
legislative priority was a $1.9 trillion bill disguised as COVID 
relief, but in reality, only 9 percent of funds went directly to 
combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, it was a Progressive wish 
list of socialist ideas designed to transform American society from one 
of capitalism to socialism. Even the White House called it the most 
progressive piece of legislation in the history of the United States.

  After that, Democrats wasted the entire legislative year using the 
budget reconciliation process to bypass the Senate filibuster and to 
pass their so-called infrastructure bill which was, in

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reality, another piece of legislation costing more than $1 trillion, 
that builds more debt than it builds bridges or roads.
  When the bill passed the House, inflation was already on the rise, 
and gas prices had increased 50 percent over the prior year. Instead of 
addressing these issues before they got out of hand, Democrats have 
used their political capital in an attempt to reshape the very fabric 
of our society and take another giant leap toward the United States 
becoming another socialist country. As a consequence, the cost of 
everything has continued to rise while inflation rages on with reckless 
abandon and no end in sight.
  Unfortunately, the madness did not end there. Despite already passing 
two bills with price tags over a trillion dollars, President Biden and 
congressional Democrats saved the worst of all for last--their build 
back broke bill that was thankfully defeated in the Senate but would 
have added a staggering $5 trillion in new spending.
  In just 1 year, House Democrats passed legislation equating to almost 
$10 trillion which, unbelievably, amounts to a full one-third of the 
current U.S. national debt. They acted like kids in a candy store with 
their parents' credit card. But in reality, their actions are even 
worse than that because in this case they are actually using their 
children's and grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's credit card, 
and even though they have more than maxed out the credit card, new 
purchases are never declined.
  Economists warned of an impending recession as we got closer to 
reaching the debt limit last year. America's fiscal house was flooding, 
and the Democrats chose to raise the roof rather than stop the 
flooding. On a party-line vote, Democrats voted to impose the largest 
nominal increase in the debt cap in the history of our country, and in 
doing so, once again denied all reality that their out-of-control 
spending would directly result in inflation, the steep and cruel tax 
levied on all Americans.
  You would think that after passing so many spending bills in the 
trillions of dollars that they would be able to pass a standard 
government funding bill, but you would be wrong. Congressional 
Democrats and President Biden have not achieved this once; in fact, we 
are already almost halfway through the current fiscal year and, in an 
ironic twist, are still operating under the spending priorities of 
President Donald Trump; that is, until the House votes on the 
Democratic appropriations bills tomorrow, which we have yet to read and 
will likely cost taxpayers additional trillions of dollars.
  Trillions of dollars spent, and what do we have to show for it? 
Higher prices on everything, real wages for all Americans declining, 
and an economy dependent on government expenditures. We are getting 
exactly what President Biden and congressional Democrats want: 
Socialism. These are not the ideals on which America was founded. Every 
step they take diminishes capitalism, the engine of our economy and the 
engine of our standard of living, and it also diminishes freedom, the 
engine of our national soul. But regrettably, that is President Biden's 
America.
  The fact of the matter is that President Biden's administration will 
stop at nothing to satisfy their far-left base.

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