[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2097-2098]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          THE STIMULUS PACKAGE

  Mr. LEE. Mr. President, I now choose to turn to another topic--a 
topic that is important to many Americans, a topic that relates to an 
important anniversary we are recognizing.
  Today, we are highlighting the third anniversary of President Obama's 
failed stimulus package.
  The President promised 3 years ago that the stimulus would create 
what he

[[Page 2098]]

characterized as millions of jobs. But today, unfortunately, 
devastatingly, there are nearly 13 million people in America who are 
still unemployed and many millions more have even given up on looking 
for jobs.
  Three years ago, the White House said that because of the stimulus 
package, unemployment would not exceed 8 percent. That has not 
happened. In fact, the unemployment rate has topped 8 percent for 36 
straight months now--the longest stretch of high unemployment since the 
Great Depression. The Congressional Budget Office predicts it is going 
to go even longer. We will not see sub-8 percent unemployment, 
according to the CBO, until 2014.
  The President sold his stimulus package to the American people by 
claiming he would make immediate investments in what he characterized 
as ``shovel-ready'' jobs. But last June, the President acknowledged 
that ``shovel-ready was not as shovel-ready as we expected.'' 
Nevertheless, a lot of money has been spent, as we have been waiting 
for these jobs to materialize--jobs that never quite came about.
  In fact, some of it was spent in ways that have nothing to do with 
stimulating the economy. For example, consider some of the ways in 
which this stimulus money has been spent. Mr. President, $760,000 was 
spent on interactive dance software; $1.2 million was spent on a train 
museum; $2 million was spent to study ant behavior; $762,000 was spent 
to study improvised music--I am not sure what that is, but I am sure it 
is lovely, not necessarily deserving of scarce Federal resources--
$300,000 to track weather on other planets--great if one lives on 
another planet, not so great if one lives on Earth in a country that 
has accumulated an unprecedented debt exceeding $15 trillion--$153,000 
for an indoor water park; and $712,000 to develop a ``machine-generated 
humor'' system--in other words, a joke machine.
  This big joke is on the American taxpayer. Unfortunately, it is no 
laughing matter.
  In the last 3 years, we have added more than $4 trillion to the 
national debt, we have recorded the three largest annual deficits in 
our Nation's history, and we are on pace for a fourth straight deficit 
exceeding $1 trillion.
  This week, the President submitted a budget that calls for adding $11 
trillion in new debt over the next decade. His own Treasury Secretary 
calls the level of spending unsustainable, and it is.
  Despite the overwhelming evidence that his stimulus package has 
failed, the President has called for additional increases in spending.
  I know the President is a good man. I also know he faced a difficult 
economy when he took office. But the President is unwilling to tell the 
truth to the American people about what lies ahead, about some of the 
challenges we face. I think he needs to do so, and he needs to 
acknowledge the fact that this stimulus package has failed so we can 
avoid making similar mistakes in the future.
  Today we cannot celebrate the anniversary of the President's 
stimulus. Rather, we must lament a tremendous lost opportunity by this 
administration to put this country back on the right track over these 
last 3 years.
  For the sake of future generations, I hope it is not too late to 
change course.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will please call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted 
to finish my speech regardless of the time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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