Congressman Bachus Votes No on Spending and Tax Increases
WASHINGTON – Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) today voted against the Democrat majority’s $3.6 trillion budget resolution that spends, borrows, and taxes too much.
Instead, Bachus supported an alternative budget offered by House Republicans that puts America on the path towards economic recovery by curbing wasteful spending, allowing small businesses and working families to keep more of their money through broad-based tax cuts, and controlling our growing debt.
Congressman Bachus’ prepared statement for floor debate follows.
It seems that every day brings news of another large government program, intervention, mandate, or tax.
Sometimes the expansion is subtle. Sometimes it’s more direct.
Just months into this Congress, this Majority has pushed an additional $350 billion in TARP funds out the door without additional oversight, passed a $410 billion spending bill full of wasteful pet projects, and handed our children and grandchildren the tab for the largest single spending bill our nation has ever seen in the form of a $1.2 trillion so-called stimulus bill.
Today, their budget calls for taxpayers to commit another $3.6 trillion more of their hard-earned money without transparency or adequate oversight. This budget spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much. It expands government control on a scale that we have never seen before, not even during the New Deal.
If you had told me a month ago that Congress wanted to increase the tax burden on charitable contributions, I would have said it’s an April Fool’s joke. But the fact is that if donations to charities go down, the government will say it has to step in. But there will be a big difference . It will be the government choosing what it wants to support and how. It can support groups like ACORN instead of my local church or local charity. Instead of allowing people to support their own causes and make their own choices about their charitable contributions, the government will expand into what will obviously and clearly be a restriction on private charities as their funds are restricted. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an April Fool’s Day joke and that is what is being proposed this very week, restricting private contributions.
The higher taxes on energy will cost the average American household more than $3000. As a heavy user of coal, Alabama will be especially hard hit by the cap and trade tax. Electricity costs per capita in Alabama could go up by more than $1500, among the highest in any state. Our families and manufacturers can’t afford that, especially in this economy.
But I wanted to know what my constituents thought about this budget and in just a few days I received more than 600 responses. Here are quotes from their letters.
From Barbara in Clanton: “As a small business, we cannot afford to pay any more taxes right now. I don’t think our employees can cope with higher fuel prices. I am very concerned about the exploding federal budget deficit.”
From Danielle in Pelham: “My goal is to become a small business owner and I’m concerned that any higher taxes on small business will squash my chances of making this goal a reality.”
From Randy in Pell City: “I don’t want any more energy increases. Our electric, propane, and gas bills have gone up far more than my husband’s wages.”
We are witnessing a relentless expansion of the federal government, and I, for one, am worried. So are the American people. That’s why Republicans offered solutions in our budget aimed at creating jobs and economic growth, not more government and not more unaffordable debt.
The American people understand that this generational theft must end. The Republican budget reflects their priorities, and moves the country in the right direction towards economic recovery.