Fact: The latest documents on the President’s Budget, released yesterday, assume an average unemployment rate of 8.1% in 2009, well below current CBO and Blue Chip forecasts.   *click on the chart for a high resolution image   Fact: On Sunday, the President’s Economic Adviser,… Read more

(REMARKS AS PREPARED) Today’s hearing offers a valuable chance to review the effects of Democrats’ so-called economic stimulus legislation on workers and especially the unemployed. But instead of discussing how many unemployed Americans have gotten a job -- because that didn’t happen in the wake of last year’s stimulus bill, much less this year’s -- our colleagues will tout how many… Read more

Attached is a presentation detailing how President Obama’s budget raises energy taxes on every American, prodding Democrats to create a massive “Energy Stamps” program to “protect the poor.” However, in this spread-the-wealth scheme, the average middle class household is left paying at least $1,600 each year in higher energy taxes. Related Document: Energy Stamps Power Point ### Read more

Q: Higher energy prices? Yes. Q: Any goods not rise in price? Unlikely. Q: Drag on economy that reduces income and payroll receipts by 25%? Yes. Washington D.C. – The Ways & Means Committee held a hearing today on addressing price volatility in climate change legislation.  Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Dr. Douglas Elmendorf engaged… Read more

Washington, DC – While the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office’s analysis of the President’s budget impact on the deficit has created an uproar among both Republicans and some Democrats, the continued job losses should not be glossed over, according to Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI). “To paraphrase: it’s the jobs, stupid,” said Camp.  “The… Read more

(REMARKS AS PREPARED) Today’s hearing is about two things.  The first is the large backlog in Social Security and SSI disability claims, and efforts to reduce it.  That is a big problem, which we should work to fix.  The second, and in the long run more important, thing this hearing is about is the plummeting credibility of our Democrat colleagues and the… Read more

Editorial Big Government: Even many liberals thought the 1996 reform ended the welfare debate forever. That Congress' stimulus unravels that landmark law proves again the mindlessness of its unprecedented spending spree. The Monica Lewinsky scandal didn't spur prominent Clinton administration staffers to resign on principle. It was President Clinton's embrace of the Republican… Read more

SUBCOMMITTEE ON INCOME SECURITY AND FAMILY SUPPORT HEARING ON GLOBAL WARMING AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES MARCH 12, 2009 [AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY] Chairman McDermott’s announcement for this hearing began with this statement:  “A major international assessment released in 2007 highlighted the clear consensus in the scientific community that the Earth’s climate has unequivocally… Read more

After this evening’s conference committee meeting on the stimulus bill, at which Chairman Obey indicated the Congressional Budget Office was scoring bill text, yet no bill text was provided to conferees, no amendments were allowed, and only opening statements were made, Ranking Members Camp,  Lewis, and Grassley sent the following letter to Senate Appropriations  and Stimulus Conference… Read more

(REMARKS AS PREPARED) Mr. Chairman, while it is clear we must act, we must ensure the action we take actually stimulates the economy and lays the foundation for real, sustained job creation in the private sector.  Much of the negotiations and deals I have heard and read about, which took place behind closed doors and before this conference even convened, seem to result in this… Read more