Obama Economy

Floor Speech

Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, before President Obama leaves for his 2-week-long vacation at Martha's Vineyard, he has a lot of work to do.

Contrary to what he said in Austin, Texas, this month, Americans are not better off than when he took office in 2009. In fact, his policies are hurting families and businesses everywhere.

He should focus on what House Republicans are doing and cooperate by getting his party leaders in the Senate to act on more than 40 bills to get our economy moving, get people back to work, and roll back his administration's harmful policies like Dodd-Frank and ObamaCare--the major force behind the transition to part-time America.

Under President Obama, the average unemployment rate tops 8 percent; we have got 47 million people on food stamps; 48 million people between the ages of 18 and 64--the very heart of our workforce--have not worked one day in the last 12 months; and nearly 91 million people over age 16 aren't working at all; almost 50 percent of the unemployed have stopped looking for work; and 76 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. The list could go on and on.

We can fix this through real tax reform, getting the government out of health care, energizing the energy business, and ensuring America remains the world's superpower with a strong and well-equipped military.

As a business owner and job creator for more than 40 years, I know that the constant threat of tax hikes, overregulation, and massive government overhauls hurts businesses, it burdens families, lowers income, and stifles the economy. Everyone is simply playing defense in America.

That is why the House continues to pass pro-jobs bills that empower Americans and strengthen the economy. These are real solutions that will improve the quality of life for generations to come.

So I urge Harry Reid and the Democrats in the Senate to take up these bills now before President Obama leaves for vacation.

In God we trust.

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