[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2456-2457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           ECONOMIC STIMULUS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Edwards of Maryland). The Chair 
recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, President Obama said from the outset that 
we need a bipartisan plan that creates jobs first and foremost. House 
Republicans are prepared to work with our new President on a plan that 
does just that. Why? Because Americans are looking for real solutions 
to the legitimate economic problems facing families and small 
businesses around our country.
  Americans like Dan, a constituent of mine, who worked for 30 years 
for a company in my district. He was laid off last month when his 
company downsized. His wife e-mailed me recently saying, and I will 
quote, ``We struggle, but we manage to pay our mortgage, not spend more 
than we have, and we have learned to cut back. Please stop the insanity 
of more taxpayers' money going out in the `stimulus' handouts.''
  This is the first time that this couple has contacted my office. They 
didn't contact me because of the burdens they are facing. They 
contacted me because of the burdens this trillion dollar-plan will 
place on future generations. This couple has two college-age sons, both 
who were aspiring to have advanced degrees. In addition to the debt 
they will incur for their education, she's very concerned about the 
debt their sons will have to shoulder as a result of our actions.
  Madam Speaker, there are men and women like this couple all across 
our country who deserve better than this $1 trillion handout. It 
creates too few jobs, piles too much debt on our children and 
grandchildren, and includes too much wasteful spending.

[[Page 2457]]

  In short, I don't believe that it meets President Obama's standard, a 
standard where he wants to preserve and create new jobs in America, as 
do Republicans here in this Congress.
  My colleagues and I, I think, are offering a better solution--an 
economic recovery plan that will create twice as many jobs as the plan 
proposed by the House Democrats last week, in half the time and at half 
the cost. This fast-acting tax relief lets families, small businesses, 
homebuyers, and job seekers keep more of what they earn and, in fact, 
does create twice as many jobs.
  After Wednesday's vote, President Obama said, ``I hope that we can 
continue to strengthen this plan before it gets to my desk.'' Well, on 
behalf of the couple that contacted me in my district, and millions of 
other Americans, let's hope that the Senate can do a better job and, 
when we get to conference, have a bill that really will help American 
families and small businesses create new jobs in America and heal our 
ailing economy.

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