Rep. Smucker: $1.9 Trillion Bill is Not a Relief, Stimulus, or Rescue

Washington- Today, Rep. Smucker voted against the final passage of H.R. 1319, a $1.9 trillion progressive spending wish list and released the following statement:

"This bill does not crush the virus, does not help Americans get back to work, and does not get students back in the classroom. This final bill has been called "COVID-19 relief." Only nine percent of the $1.9 trillion in spending goes towards public health spending, while billions are spent on non-COVID-19 related policies. This bill has been called "a stimulus plan." It is not. If this is a stimulus plan, where are the jobs? President Biden's administration has ignored requests from my Republican colleagues on the House Committee on Ways and Means to inform us of how this bill will create jobs. This bill is called the "American Rescue Plan" but who is it really rescuing? It provides $350 billion in bailouts to states, many of whom are experiencing record revenues. This bill is not COVID-19 relief, stimulus, or a rescue package." said Smucker.

"Let's call this legislation what it really is: a progressive spending wish list. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer both have said this is the "most progressive" legislation. And it was recently described by Washington, DC publication, Politico, as the ‘the greatest expansion of the welfare state since LBJ [President Lyndon Johnson].'"

"After working together on five previous bipartisan pieces of legislation to help the nation respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, congressional Democrats have decided to go it alone. They voted down good faith efforts to improve this legislation and to make the spending more targeted to help those impacted by COVID-19. Every Member of Congress supports continued relief to those in need, but Democrats are going on a spending spree, sending funds to places where it does not need to go and not even requiring the dollars to be spent this year. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has said, "gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to return to its prepandemic level in mid-2021" without any additional spending. The bill would increase our debt and deficit massively, triggering over $300 billion in cuts from Medicare over the next decade. The American people deserve better," said Smucker.

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