[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 22]
[House]
[Page 29707]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              JOB CREATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 2 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, a headline in the Wall 
Street Journal last week read, Job Cuts Loom as Stimulus Fades. Therein 
lies the jobs problem. The Democratic stimulus plan was poorly designed 
as a job creator. Government money doesn't do a very good job of 
stimulating the private sector to invest. The American people know that 
true economic stimulus starts with tax relief for working families and 
small businesses. They know that burdening those same families and 
businesses with an expensive health care program with unknown 
consequences is a job killer. They know that placing additional energy 
taxes on the public through the cap and trade system makes businesses 
pull back on any new investments for the fear of the unknown costs they 
will face. A stable economy with no surprises looming in the future 
will give confidence to businesses, and they are the true economic 
engines of our country. Tax relief promises more capital in the hands 
of those who invest in the future.
  At the time of the stimulus vote, Republicans wanted more funds put 
into highway construction and Army Corps projects, but that didn't 
happen. The President has acknowledged that jobs are a problem by 
holding a jobs summit just this last week. He knows that more than 15 
million Americans are looking for work. Let's hope he chooses a new and 
better path.

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