[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14610-14611]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         CONTINUING RESOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Williams) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the President yet again chose 
to bash Congress and blame the House Republicans for the failure of 
America's economy. I have seen him make this argument on television 
many times, but he never shows up on Capitol Hill to actually engage in 
productive conversations. He does talk, however, to the Russians, the 
Chinese, and the Iranians. This is no surprise. This is the same man 
who spends more time with Hollywood stars than Members of Congress.
  It is not Congress that will shut our government down--it's our 
President. I would argue that he already has shut the government down. 
Five years ago, unemployment was at 5 percent and the national poverty 
rate was at 12\1/2\ percent, and approximately 30 million Americans 
received food stamps. Today, unemployment sits at 7.6 percent, the 
poverty rate exceeds 15 percent, a staggering 47.8 million Americans 
are enrolled in the food stamp program, and 48 million people between 
the ages of 18 and 64 have not worked one day in the last 12 months.
  The President's economic agenda is only pushing us further into 
danger, and it's a disaster. For more than four decades, I have owned 
my business and I can say with certainty that today's

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economy is the toughest economy our country has seen from a small 
business standpoint.
  Everything from health care to taxes to regulations is killing 
businesses and forcing job creators to play defense. Rather than 
generating profits, businesses are saving profits. This isn't the sign 
of a rebounding economy.
  Despite this, in his public address to the Nation, President Obama 
said the economy has gained traction and continued to place the blame 
on Congress. What the American people need to hear are solutions, not 
sound bites. As a business owner, I know what it takes to create jobs. 
I live it every single day.
  First, we need true tax reform. Lower taxes mean more taxpayers and 
more income. More specifically, we need to cut taxes for all taxpayers 
across the board and quit picking winners and losers.
  The first step in doing this is cutting the corporate tax rate, the 
personal tax rate, the capital gains tax, the dividends tax, and 
eliminate forever the inheritance tax.
  The next step is to begin a dialogue on whether we should move to a 
fair or a flat tax. Either one of these is certainly better than what 
we have today.
  Second, we need to change health care policy. With the addition of 
ObamaCare, the government now comprises one-sixth of the Nation's 
economy. This is a complete travesty, and the private sector must be 
given more control of health care, not the Federal Government.
  Consumers should be able to shop across State lines, which will 
create more competition. As a result, premiums would go down and 
services go up. That's what competition does. Consumers also need to 
own their own health care, not their employer, and not the Federal 
Government. It needs to be tax deductible. It needs to be portable so 
you can take it with you if you retire, you lose your job, or move 
around.
  Third, we need to energize the energy business and not penalize the 
energy business. Let's favor an all-American approach for all sources 
of energy and let the private sector drive our energy, not our 
government. We do this by reducing regulations, letting the industry 
drill, and promoting the advancement of safe nuclear and alternative 
energy sources. Let the private sector tell us where to go.
  Developing our domestic energy sources will undoubtedly lower energy 
prices for families and businesses.
  Finally, we need to ensure America remains the world's superpower 
with a strong and well-equipped military. Our men and women in uniform 
must have the best equipment and must have the best training to fight 
for our freedom and our liberty.
  It shouldn't even be an option to balance our Nation's books on the 
backs of our military. Doing so diminishes our military's readiness and 
threatens our national security, and it simply shows weakness across 
the world.
  These are real solutions. They will allow businesses big and small to 
invest, to take risks, and they also will be rewarded. They show that 
the Federal Government believes in the private sector, believes in 
entrepreneurship, and believes in people getting checks and lets 
everyone feel good about themselves.
  We should never accept 7.6 percent as the normal level for 
unemployment. We should never accept a 15 percent poverty rate. We 
should never accept $2.5 billion in free cell phones. We should never 
accept 15 percent underemployment. We should never accept 52 percent of 
our college graduates who are either underemployed or can't get a job. 
And we should never accept an economy that creates more food stamps 
than jobs.
  It is time to wake up, America. Big Government has taken a toll on 
our families, our businesses, and our budgets. Let's get back to 
regular order in Washington and start passing responsible budgets that 
give our Nation much-needed certainty and security. Businesses and 
families do it every single day.
  There is no question that America is the greatest country in the 
world. In the unforgettable words of Abraham Lincoln:

       America is the last best hope of Earth.

  Let's keep it that way by believing in the people and not the Federal 
Government and not Big Government. Let's say good-bye to ObamaCare, the 
largest takeover of the people by the government we have ever seen in 
our history.
  It is truly our generation's Valley Forge. Let's be shepherds and not 
sheep, and let's be patriots and not victims. In God we trust.

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