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As a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, one of my chief responsibilities is to track how funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 were spent. After numerous congressional hearings and countless reports, my colleagues and I have found an unacceptable amount of stimulus dollars that were grossly mismanaged and poorly prioritized.
It is hard to believe that it has already been 10 years since our nation was brutally attacked by al-Qaeda terrorists. The horrific images of that tragic September morning still remain fresh in our minds.
On Thursday, September 8th, President Obama has asked congressional leaders to convene a joint session of Congress in order to lay out a series of proposals that the he believes should immediately be adopted in order to rebuild the American economy and create jobs.
As we approach the mid-point of the August work period, I am interested to see the work of the “Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction” begin, and I will be even more interested in the final product that they are challenged to produce to the Congress.
For too long, the federal government has been allowed to engage in an irresponsible spending spree that has resulted in the accumulation of a $14 trillion, job-crushing debt. On November 2nd, 2010 the American people sent a clear message that they will not tolerate any more of this behavior from Washington and they fully expect the federal government to learn to live within its means.
If No Agreement is Reached on the Debt Limit We Have the Ability to Pay Social Security and Medicare
If the debt limit is not increased by the August 2nd deadline, I am committed to ensuring that seniors will continue to receive their Social Security checks and Medicare benefits. The truth is that the federal government collects more than enough revenue on a monthly basis to continue to make Social Security, Disability and Medicare payments on time.
In Washington, the status quo is virtually sacred. All too often, it seems as if there is actually a bias against getting something done, creating negativity among voters towards the political process. I, like many voters, expect a Congress willing to tackle tough problems quickly – problems like the debt, deficit spending and tax reform.
One year ago, President Obama proudly announced the beginning of his “Recovery Summer”, a public relations blitz aimed at promoting his $787 billion dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
But what did American taxpayers really get for this enormous sum of money?
In Tennessee, we have become all too familiar with the high price of gasoline that we are forced to pay each time we visit the pump. During these difficult economic times, rising energy costs are causing even more financial strain on American families.
firmly believe that as Members of Congress we have a responsibility to tell our constituents the truth. The unfortunate truth regarding Medicare is that it is going bankrupt. If anyone tries to tell you different they are either misinformed or not being straightforward with you.