Three Major Crises

Floor Speech

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Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is not only my friend and colleague but also not well enough acknowledged as the largely singular author of the Commitment to Civility by the bipartisan freshman classes in 2017. That document, unfortunately, is too well hidden. I thank you again for all the work you did because you laid it out, and it is more applicable today than it was back 4\1/2\ years ago.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support for getting America back to work. That support, if I spoke as loud as the support that I gave, you would probably have to tone down the microphone system.

As we look toward the future and to getting our economy back on track, I am increasingly concerned with the Federal Government's indiscriminate, uncalculated interference.

In April, we saw the unemployment rate increase to 6.1 percent at a time when you have more ``help wanted'' signs out than you can imagine. Frankly, as I drive across my district in the beautiful part of northern Michigan where summer has just now thought about arriving, and I see all those ``help wanted'' signs hanging in the windows of countless small businesses. That number, unfortunately, comes as no surprise, given the current administration's policies.

We in Congress should be thoroughly angered that with so many businesses looking for help, we instead advance policies that encourage people to stay unemployed.

The expanded unemployment benefits served a positive and caring purpose when businesses were being forced to close in response to the pandemic a year ago. However, as more Americans get vaccinated, and we return to a more normal life, the need is not the same as it was in March 2020.

Instead, the extra $300 a week President Biden and the Democrats gave in their latest relief bill to those who stay unemployed does little but distort the job market, disrupt our supply chains, and encourage many to simply stay home instead of finding a job.

Meanwhile, the backbone of our economy, small businesses across the country, are struggling to find enough workers, despite offering competitive wages, benefits, and, in many cases, hiring bonuses.

To start addressing this problem, States like Michigan should immediately end their participation in the enhanced supplemental unemployment program.

The only way for us as a country to fully recover from this pandemic is by having the Federal Government stop sabotaging our economy and instead encourage Americans to get back to work.

The dignity of work, of a job well done, cannot be underestimated when it comes to bolstering our citizens with a sense of faith in the future and faith in our country.

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