Boozman: Stimulus Bill Includes Too Much Spending

Press Release

U.S. Representative John Boozman today voted to protect taxpayer money by voting against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"We need to work to stimulate the economy, but the bill brought to the House floor is a burden to taxpayers and their children and grandchildren. We need to work in a bipartisan effort to give the American people what they are asking for, jobs and tax cuts" Boozman said. "I have serious concerns with a bill that carries a $800 billion plus price tag and fails to address how many jobs if any at all that will be created."

"Jobs need to be our number one concern but instead this legislation focuses on too much spending. The bill includes billions of dollars in spending that will have minimal impact on the job growth of our economy."

Billions of dollars of spending in the bill include:

$50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts

$600 million to buy new cars for government workers

$462 million for equipment, renovation and renovation of facilities at the Centers for Disease Control

$1 billion for the Follow-Up To The 2010 Census

"There are programs that are well deserving of funding but if those programs don't create jobs or cut taxes, they don't belong in this bill. Transportation and infrastructure funding is a great solution to solving the funding gap for roads, bridges and public transportation. This not only creates jobs but it's spending all Americans can benefit from. Unfortunately, less than 10 percent of this bill is designated for infrastructure."

"We need a plan that jumpstarts our economy. Tax cuts make a dramatic impact more quickly than government spending and this legislation doesn't include enough tax relief. We can do better and we have to do better during these tough economic times."

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