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Contact: Dave Yonkman
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Hoekstra Votes against $825 Billion Washington Spending Spree
West Michigan Congressman Introduced Four Amendments that were not Allowed to be Brought up for Debate
Washington,
Jan 28 -
U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, today voted against an $825 billion Washington spending bill that included none of the four amendments that he offered to immediately stimulate the economy.
“$825 billion amounts to nearly as much as the annual discretionary budget for the entire federal government,” Hoekstra said. “We cannot continue to simply throw money at the problem with few conditions and little accountability.”
Hoekstra introduced four amendments aimed at jumpstarting the economy that House Democratic leadership would not allow to even come up for debate. One amendment would have enabled individual states to cut through federal red tape over a 36-month period by allowing them to allocate transportation, education and job training dollars in accordance with their respective priorities rather than inflexible federal formulas.
Another Hoekstra amendment would suspend the preferential status provided to Federal Prison Industries and inmate labor, and would have made $800 million to $1 billion in federal contracting opportunities available for competition among private companies and non-inmate workers.
Additionally, he introduced an amendment that would reduce the depreciation period for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration systems in commercial buildings from the current 39-year period to 20 years. He also offered an amendment that extends for one year the current 180-day limit for a tax deferral on like-kind property exchanges.
Hoekstra supported alternative legislation introduced by House Republicans that would stimulate the economy by creating jobs through free market solutions, including tax cuts and incentives.
“Congress can help the American economy by reducing the tax burden on small businesses and working families, as well as provide states with latitude in how they allocate federal resources,” Hoekstra said. “Allowing states and individuals to determine how they allocate their scarce resources is key to generating economic growth.”
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