Then “Certain industries, such as construction and manufacturing, are likely to experience particularly strong job growth under a recovery package that includes an emphasis on infrastructure, energy, and school repair.” (page 2) “The estimates suggest that 30% of the jobs created will be in construction and manufacturing, even though these industries employ only 15% of all… Read more

Washington, DC - Early last year, the Department of Treasury hired the Urban Institute to conduct a study of Treasury’s debit card pilot program.  The program was intended to encourage taxpayers to receive their tax refunds on pre-paid debit cards but was suspended after only 2,000 of the 808,000 taxpayers contacted elected to participate.  After repeated requests from… Read more

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee today said a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) analysis confirms the Obama Administration circumvented Congress to waive bipartisan welfare work requirements. The GAO analysis, requested on… Read more

Then "A well designed recovery plan will not only create numerous jobs, but also many jobs paying good wages and providing full-time employment." (The Job Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, January 2009) Now "While a majority of jobs lost during the downturn were in the middle range of wages, a majority of those added during the recovery have been low paying,… Read more

As Americans prepare to honor the economic contributions of workers this Labor Day, they are faced with yet another year of disappointing labor data, courtesy of the failed economic policies of the Obama Administration.  As described below, the “Obama Recovery” has come to be defined by: 1.  Persistently disappointing job and unemployment figures, 2.  Declining… Read more

American incomes declined more in the three-year expansion that started in June 2009 than during the longest recession since the Great Depression, according an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Sentier Research LLC. Median household income fell 4.8 percent on an inflation-adjusted basis since the recession ended in June… Read more

Washington, DC – Today, Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement as Russia becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).  In July, Camp, along with Ways and Means trade leaders, introduced legislation granting Russia permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to ensure that U.S. employers, workers, farmers and ranchers benefit from Russia’s… Read more

Today, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Research Foundation issued Problems and Priorities, its quadrennial survey of problems and challenges facing small business owners.  The report highlights the failure of many Obama Administration policies to address the needs of small business.  Rising health care costs was first among the top 10 concerns facing… Read more

Washington, DC – In anticipation of tomorrow’s anniversary of the signing of the historic, bipartisan 1996 Welfare Reform law, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) today released a report detailing the Obama Administration’s efforts to undermine work requirements in multiple government benefit programs as well as encourage expanded dependence on a variety of government… Read more

Recently, Vice President Biden stated, “Number one, I guarantee you, flat guarantee you, there will be no changes in Social Security.”  Biden’s comments follow those made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who said that Social Security “is fine.”    This is bad news for those who will see their Social Security disability benefits slashed by 21 percent beginning in just… Read more