Statements by:

Sen. Evan Bayh
Rep. Steve Buyer
Sen. Richard Lugar
Rep. Baron Hill

 Senator Bayh wrote an editorial for The Wall Street Journal*.    :

Deficits and Fiscal Credibility

A Democratic senator says no to a huge federal spending bill.

This week, the United States Senate will vote on a spending package to fund the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year. The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 is a sprawling, $410 billion compilation of nine spending measures that lacks the slightest hint of austerity from the federal government or the recipients of its largess.  The Senate should reject this bill. If we do not, President Barack Obama should veto it.

The omnibus increases discretionary spending by 8% over last fiscal year's levels, dwarfing the rate of inflation across a broad swath of issues including agriculture, financial services, foreign relations, energy and water programs, and legislative branch operations. Such increases might be appropriate for a nation flush with cash or unconcerned with fiscal prudence, but America is neither.

Drafted last year, the bill did not pass due to Congress's long-standing budgetary dysfunction and the frustrating delays it yields in our appropriations work. Since then, economic and fiscal circumstances have changed dramatically, which is why the Senate should go back to the drawing board. The economic downturn requires new policies, not more of the same. Our nation's current fiscal imbalance is unprecedented, unsustainable and, if unaddressed, a major threat to our currency and our economic vitality.

The national debt now exceeds $10 trillion. This is almost double what it was just eight years ago, and the debt is growing at a rate of about $1 million a minute. Washington borrows from foreign creditors to fund its profligacy. The amount of U.S. debt held by countries such as China and Japan is at a historic high, with foreign investors holding half of America's publicly held debt. This dependence raises the specter that other nations will be able to influence our policies in ways antithetical to American interests. The more of our debt that foreign governments control, the more leverage they have on issues like trade, currency and national security. Massive debts owed to foreign creditors weaken our global influence, and threaten high inflation and steep tax increases for our children and grandchildren.

The solution going forward is to stop wasteful spending before it starts. Families and businesses are tightening their belts to make ends meet -- and Washington should too.

The omnibus debate is not merely a battle over last year's unfinished business, but the first indication of how we will shape our fiscal future. Spending should be held in check before taxes are raised, even on the wealthy. Most people are willing to do their duty by paying taxes, but they want to know that their money is going toward important priorities and won't be wasted.

Last week I was pleased to attend the president's White House Fiscal Responsibility Summit. It's about time we had a leader committed to addressing the deficit, and Mr. Obama deserves great credit for doing so. But what ultimately matters are not meetings or words, but actions. Those who vote for the omnibus this week -- after standing with the president and pledging to slice our deficit in half last week -- jeopardize their credibility.

As Indiana's governor, I balanced eight budgets, never raised taxes, and left the largest surplus in state history. It wasn't always easy. Cuts had to be made and some initiatives deferred. Occasionally I had to say "no." 

But the bloated omnibus requires sacrifice from no one, least of all the government. It only exacerbates the problem and hastens the day of reckoning. Voters rightly demanded change in November's election, but this approach to spending represents business as usual in Washington, not the voters' mandate.

Now is the time to win back the confidence and trust of the American people. Congress should vote "no" on this omnibus and show working families across the country that we are as committed to living within our means as they are.

Mr. Bayh, a Democratic senator from Indiana, served as governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997.

*Wall Street Journal, March 4, 2009. LINK

Senator Bayh, you wouldn’t have to write these “cover pieces” if you just did the right thing.  Instead, you voted for the “Stimulus Package”.  We’ll let your actions speak for themselves!

 Congressman Buyer Says*:

Buyer says "congress should encourage investing and consumer spending and this is done through immediate tax relief—decreasing the capital gains tax, working families’ income tax, and small business tax. Small businesses are the heart of job creation and we should nurture their environment."
*INside Indiana Business.com


Freedom and competitive spirit of Americans will be our stimulus.  Bravo Congressman!

 Indiana Ninth District Congressman Baron Hill sent this email explanation of his vote on the "Stimulus Package" in response to a constituent who asked him to be fiscally responsible and vote no:

Monday, February 23, 2009 7:10 PM

From:

"Congressman Baron Hill" (removed)

To: 
(removed)  

February 23, 2009 

Dear Mr. Parker,

Thank you for contacting me about H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  I received numerous calls and emails from constituents as Congress debated how to revive the U.S. economy, and hearing your insights was extremely important during this process. 

           Our nation is currently in the midst of a severe recession. The U.S. has shed more than 3.6 million jobs since this recession began, with 600,000 of these jobs lost in the last month alone.  The nation's poor economic climate is being felt locally in Indiana as well.  The unemployment rate for Hoosiers is now higher than the national average at 8.2 percent, and 266,469 Hoosiers were unemployed in December. 

           The New Year has not brought a respite to our nation's economic troubles.  Every day another company is announcing massive layoffs and more individuals are watching their hard-earned retirement savings deplete.  During the last few weeks, Congress considered legislation to help jumpstart our shaky economy.  On February 13, 2009, I voted to approve the conference report of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The President signed H.R. 1 into law on February 17, 2009.  While my fiscal conservative nature gave me pause at spending so much money, I believe the cost of doing nothing would have been far more devastating to our economy.

 
Further, I am pleased to report I was successful in getting many of the provisions I believe will not immediately stimulate our economy removed from the package.  With the support of my Blue Dog colleagues, we removed provisions that would have: provided a tax break for Hollywood film producers, funded sodding the National Mall, allocated money for the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and funded the creation of a polar-ice breaking ship for the U.S. Coast Guard.
  

Although not perfect, this legislation addresses both our immediate and long-term economic issues.  The bill provides significant tax relief for Hoosier families and businesses. The bill would cut taxes for more than 95% of working families in the United States by providing a refundable tax credit of up to $400 for working individuals and $800 for working families. The bill also makes large investments to the states for short-term transportation and infrastructure projects, and allocates much-needed funding to restore state Medicaid and education programs.  H.R. 1 also provides new incentives for renewable energy projects and science and research-based programs that will help us stay competitive in the global economy. 

In addition, the stimulus package delivers critical support to the State of Indiana to ensure individuals receive their full unemployment benefits. With the Indiana Department of Workforce Development's funds almost exhausted and more people applying for unemployment benefits daily, this federal assistance is imperative.

I am also pleased that the legislation is directed at those who need it most-hard-working families, not Wall Street or big bank executives.  To this end, I helped secure a provision that would provide a homeownership tax credit to first-time homebuyers.  H.R. 1 also imposes new compensation limits for executives at financial institutions receiving government funds.
 

While I believe it is not the time to be ideologically rigid at the expense of Hoosier families, my support of this stimulus package should not serve as an indication of future fiscal measures that will receive my vote.  I am now more than ever committed to making sure Congress returns to long-term fiscal reforms, such as statutory pay-as-you-go budgeting (PAYGO).
  

Thank you again for contacting me about this important legislation. The President has created a website (www.recovery.gov) which will detail how the stimulus funds are spent, and how grants and awards are allocated.  If you would like additional information, or have further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at 202.225.5315. If you would like to receive periodic email updates on my Congressional activities, please visit http://baronhill.house.gov. 

Congressman Hill, your constituent asked for FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY and that call didn’t seem to influence your vote! How can you claim to be Fiscally Responsible? You voted FOR the bill, A TRILLION dollars of socialism hiding in the sheep’s clothing of a crisis.

You trumpet $8 a week of tax cuts.  Look for the economy to skyrocket on that! 

Then you brag about the pork in the bill.  Is that your idea of fiscal responsibility?   PORK, PORK, PORK.  Just let us spend our own money; you don’t have to take it to have Washington spend it better for us. 

Then you say, don’t let this vote represent your position on fiscal responsibility, from now on you'll be good.  Oh Yea, I’ll start my diet tomorrow, now where is the 5000 pound box of chocolates?  My granddaughter doesn’t have ONE TRILLION DOLLARS to loan you!

Please Congressman Hill’s contact information to let him know how responsible you think he is!

 Here is Senator Lugar's statement on the "Stimulus Package":

Press Release of Senator Lugar

Lugar Statement on Stimulus Package

Monday, February 9, 2009

U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar made the following statement this evening on the Senate’s consideration of the economic stimulus package:

"I support responsible, targeted action to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, encourage exports, and assist those who have been impacted by the downturn in the economy. While there were several provisions in the stimulus bill before the Senate that I supported, on balance, a heavy package of spending proposals that could not take effect for years does not achieve these goals. Regrettably, the package does make certain that our children will face hundreds of billion dollars of additional debt.

"The stimulus bill considered by the Senate is a sprawling affair, with massive spending for a wide variety of projects, some of which are completely unrelated to the immediate economic challenges before us.

"Further, the bill contains provisions that threaten to undermine the very economic growth it purports to stimulate, placing American businesses and their workers in danger of trade-based retaliations and escalating financial protectionism.

"The U.S. Treasury Department estimates that new net borrowing could increase more than three times from $788 billion in 2008 to as much as $2.5 trillion in 2009. This is more than 10 times greater than the level in 2006 or 2007. This raises serious questions as to whom in what countries around the globe will buy our bonds to cover this debt, especially with hostile trade provisions in place. Already, more than half of our treasury debt obligations are held by foreigners, most significantly by China and Japan, who are also facing financial difficulties."

The Senate voted 61-36 this evening to end debate of the bill and is scheduled to take the final vote on the bill tomorrow. Lugar voted against ending debate.

Bravo Senator Lugar for your support of Americans against socialism.