FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             CONTACT: John Donnelly

     September 28, 2010                                                                   (317) 848-0201

Burton:  Democrat Leaders Are Threatening The Unthinkable

“In just 95 days, $3.9 trillion in tax increases will drain every income bracket in America.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement about the looming $3.9 trillion tax increase that Democrat leaders have vowed not to address before adjourning Congress this week:

“The Democrat leaders in Congress are threatening the unthinkable, as they plan to adjourn this week while leaving our businesses and families to ponder what could be the largest tax hike in American history.  In just 95 days, $3.9 trillion in tax increases will drain every income bracket in America.  The unemployment rate is flirting with double digits again, the national debt is heading towards $14 trillion, and now our economy is embroiled in uncertainty about taxes.

“To leave our fragile economy in this state of uncertainty is an abject failure to govern.  Even worse, the Democrat leaders have abandoned the American people based on a cold, political calculation ahead of the November elections.

“As it stands today, over 30 Democrats have joined a united Republican party on this critical issue, and if given the opportunity to vote on the House floor this week, our bipartisan coalition could stop the uncertainty and stop the tax hikes on every income bracket.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        CONTACT: John Donnelly
August 6, 2010                                                                                                  (317) 848-0201

Burton Slams Democrats' Latest Bailout Scheme

Political Bailout Bill Prompts Special August Session Of Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement as members of the House of Representatives return to Washington for a special August session to vote on a $26.1 billion bailout for Medicaid and teachers unions:

“The ‘bailout for the States’ is typical fare for this Democrat Majority.  Rather than create lasting jobs or learn any lessons from this painful recession, Speaker Pelosi and company continue to throw money at problems and hope it sticks.  Bankrupt States have themselves to blame, and, like California and New Jersey, should be forced to make drastic spending cuts to get their finances in order.  Unfortunately for our economy, this is an election year, and ‘tough decisions’ aren’t part of the Democrats’ campaign platform.

“With November firmly in mind, this $26 billion States’ bailout contains a $10 billion political payout for the bosses of teachers unions.   Rather than let States pare down administrative costs and make necessary cuts to bloated and unsustainable pension plans, the Democrats have seized these budget failures as an opportunity to ingratiate their union-sponsored political base ahead of the upcoming elections.

“Even worse, this bailout forces American businesses to foot the bill for the union payout through a massive tax increase.   The Democrats’ flawed logic holds that taxing foreign subsidiaries of America’s worldwide corporations will rightfully penalize them for ‘sending our jobs overseas.’  In reality, this tax simply makes it more difficult for American businesses to bring foreign earnings back to the United States for investment.   During the recent economic downturn, America’s corporations flooded foreign earnings back to the United States in order to remain financially solvent.  With this tax, the next economic recession becomes much more dangerous, as the private sector will be less able to help itself and more dependent on government bailouts.”

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MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                        CONTACT: John Donnelly
July 1, 2010                                                                                            (317) 848-0201

Burton Statement On The Extension Of Unemployment Benefits

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 5618, the Democrat's unpaid for extension of unemployment insurance benefits:

“I support helping the millions of long-term unemployed people, especially the affected Hoosiers in the 5th district.  However, the American people know it is not right to simply add the cost of extending unemployment insurance to our overdrawn national credit card. Someone has to pay when the government spends money.

"Because of our dangerous level of national debt, I cosponsored a plan that would have used unspent 'stimulus' funds to pay for the extension of unemployment insurance, COBRA, and the current poverty guidelines until September 25, 2010.  In short, we hoped to extend the benefits without increasing our debt.  Inexplicably, Speaker Pelosi barred the House from voting on this bipartisan, commonsense approach.

"Instead, the Democrat leadership forced through H.R. 5618, the unpaid for unemployment insurance extension that excluded COBRA, and did so under a process that would not allow Members to amend the legislation.  Speaker Pelosi did not need to divide the House and add $33 billion to the national debt today, but she chose this path in order to paint conservatives as unsympathetic to the unemployed.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

"I voted against this bill, not because I oppose helping the unemployed, but because of what I’m hearing from my constituents, the people I represent, who are opposed to adding another $33 billion to our $13 trillion mountain of national debt. 

"Look around the world. Countries are drowning in debt. According to a long-term budget outlook released today by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the federal debt will represent 62% of our nation's economy by the end of this year, the highest percentage since just after World War II.  At the end of 2008, the debt equaled about 40 % of the nation's annual economic output, according to the CBO.

"As we saw at the recently concluded G20 Summit in Canada, the Democrat leaders of our government seem among the last in the world to recognize that reckless spending and debt endanger every job in America."

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On Tuesday June 22, 2010 Rep. Burton spoke to congress about the direction of the economy and suggested that the way to turn the economy around is to cut taxes, not raise them.

MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                        CONTACT: John Donnelly
June 15, 2010                                                                                         (317) 848-0201

Burton Statement On President Obama's Oval Office Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement in response to President Obama's Oval Office address on the Gulf oil spill and energy in America:

"The Gulf oil spill is a tragedy for our ecosystem and our economy, and I believe a disaster of this magnitude required President Obama's leadership and bold countermeasures from day one.  Nevertheless, it was important to see the President address the nation tonight and outline his strategy for cleaning the spill.

"President Obama also used this address to recommit his Administration to imposing a devastating national energy tax called 'cap-and-trade.'  At a time when our economy is struggling to recover, a national tax on energy would cost America millions of jobs, and force American families to pay over $3,000 more per year in higher energy bills. 

"Americans must know that a national energy tax will not clean up the Gulf oil spill, or prevent another disaster in the future.  I believe President Obama should focus on controlling and cleaning this oil spill, and then advance forward with a bipartisan energy reform effort in Congress that improves our energy infrastructure without raising taxes or sacrificing a single American job."

Background:

Visit http://burton.house.gov/pages/cap-and-trade to learn more about the national energy tax called "cap-and-trade" and for information about Rep. Burton's alternative approach, the American Energy Act.

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