Lewis Warns Against “Unfettered Spending Spree” on Stimulus Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Appropriations Ranking Republican Jerry Lewis today warned against the Democrat Majority’s proposed “economic stimulus” spending legislation.

The Democrat proposal has yet to be revealed to Members of Congress or the public. It is rumored to contain tens of billions in spending without offsets and many provisions that would, under any normal circumstance, not be considered stimulative to the economy.

“It is likely that this legislation will be a taxpayer-funded unfettered spending spree on programs that the Democrat majority couldn’t - or wouldn’t - move through the normal legislative process,” Lewis said.

“In this time of financial instability and national anxiety over the state of our markets, the first goal of Congress should be to do no harm. But, it appears that this enormous spending legislation would do just that,” Lewis said, “Spending billions of taxpayer dollars on programs and projects that will do little, if anything, to stimulate the economy is simply not the way to dig out of our economic troubles.”

This Democrat proposal comes on the tails of an $800 billion spending bill approved just yesterday, and in the midst of discussion on a $700 billion financial sector bail-out bill. It is likely that House Democrats will attempt to shove through this legislation tomorrow on a “same-day rule” which allows legislation to be voted on the same day it is introduced.