[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13062]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         DARK CLOUDS ON HORIZON

  (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, today America has the number one economy in 
the world. It is the envy of the world. But there are dark clouds in 
the West, and an economic storm is brewing.
  Last year our trade deficit was over $670 billion, our Federal 
deficit was over $300 billion, and our economy lost many high-quality, 
high-paying jobs. Many in Congress have blamed big corporations for 
letting profits outweigh people. They have called the CEOs Benedict 
Arnold CEOs.
  Mr. Speaker, I think these Members are wrong and misguided. There are 
two divisions of costs for those who keep and create jobs in America. 
Entrepreneurs, small businessmen, small businesswomen and CEOs have 
costs they can control and costs they cannot control. It is the costs 
that they cannot control that have been driven by Congress. Barriers 
have been created by Congress over the last generation. Good intentions 
resulting in bad regulation has caused us to lose many of our jobs.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. Speaker, I am forming the Economic Competitive Caucus to deal 
with these issues by removing these barriers. With my colleagues' help, 
we will remove the barriers, bring back jobs, and make America 
competitive well into the future.

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