McCarthy: The Swamp Is Back
Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, recently spoke on the US House Floor.
McCarthy was Tuesday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”. Here are his words:
“Madam Speaker — I am about to say something the American people won’t want to hear.
The Swamp is back.
Every day since January 20, Democrats have sided with their special interest allies and ignored the real needs of the American people.
The result is the bill before us today. Or should I say tomorrow. Congress won’t actually vote on this bill until 2 AM, Saturday.
Why? Because Democrats are so embarrassed by all the non-COVID waste in this bill that they are jamming it through in the dead of night.
We ran the numbers — the amount of money that actually goes to defeating the virus is less than 9 percent.
Less than 9 percent!
So don’t call it a rescue bill. Don’t call it a relief bill. Call it the Pelosi Payoff.
If you’re a friend of the Speaker, you do pretty well under this bill. But for the American people, it’s a loser.
Consider Medicare. Tonight, CBO confirmed that this bill would cause $36 billion in cuts to Medicare starting next year.
If you vote for this bill, I want you to go back to your district, look seniors in the eye, and tell them why you voted to cut their health benefits.
Or consider the blue state bailout. This bill calls for states and local governments to receive $350 billion dollars. Most states are not in financial distress. Nearly half saw an increase in revenue last year. And some, including my home state of California, actually have a budget surplus.
But none of that money is tied to reopening.
Or consider elite institutions — Harvard and others. This bill calls for them to receive hundreds of millions of dollars. But Harvard already has a $40 billion endowment.
Compare that to K-12 education. This bill allocates only $6 billion to help reopen American schools in FY 2021. More than two-thirds of the education funding would not be spent until 2023 or later.
Almost every one of this bill’s 592 pages includes a liberal pipedream that predates the pandemic.
Check the fine print.
On page 97, it hands out health care subsidies to illegal immigrants.
On page 347, it fast-tracks $1.5 billion to Amtrak, which hasn’t even spent the $1 billion from the last package.
On page 306, it gives federal employees up to an extra $21,000 to help cope with virtual schooling.
But if you are one of the millions of parents outside of Washington who are struggling through school closures — including the million mothers who had to quit their jobs to take care of kids home from school — you are ignored.
And on pages 358, it funnels $140 million for a subway tunnel near Speaker Pelosi’s district.
When you add it all up, the size of this payoff is jaw dropping: $1.9 trillion in new spending.
It is the single most expensive spending bill ever.
But will it help people get back to work? No.
Will it help students get back in the classroom immediately? No.
Will it help get vaccines to those who want it? No.
It doesn’t spend a third of the entire cost of the bill for another two years — undermining the claim that this bill is ‘urgent.’
It doesn’t have any guardrails to protect against fraud — which has already cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars, including in California.
It just throws out more money without accountability — even though we have over one trillion dollars in unspent funds from the last bill.
President Biden promised unity, but Democrats are delivering one-party rule.
“Madam Speaker — Based on the facts, the Democrats’ spending bill is too costly, too corrupt, and too liberal for the country.
To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say it is bloated.
To those who say it is urgent, I say it is unfocused.
To those who say it is popular, I say it is entirely partisan and has the wrong priorities.
Republicans will support whatever is needed to get Americans back to work, back to school, and back to health. After 12 months of struggling, suffering, and sacrificing, that’s what Americans want, what they need, and what they deserve.
That’s why, Republicans will introduce a Motion to Recommit to bolster the resources families can access to help children cope with the emotional stress of school closures.
Our proposal would shift $140 million from Speaker Pelosi’s subway to grants that would be used for mental health services for kids.
It puts students first, not the Swamp.
Democrats have conveniently ignored the education and mental health crisis affecting our children. But failing to address it is unacceptable.
Families deserve answers. Tonight, they will finally get them.
Our colleagues are going to go on the record and say whether they support a $140 million subway or grants for kids’ mental health.
I yield back.”
The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
