Washington, DC – The following is the statement of U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL) from today’s hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on the Administration’s efforts to track stimulus spending and jobs created or saved:

“Today’s hearing confirmed that the Administration’s employment data is based on a system of garbage in, garbage out.  We have a multi-million dollar data reporting system and website to supposedly track stimulus spending that no one can trust.  Jobs have been reported created that did not exist, and GAO reported 10% of required reports were not even filed.

“Every day brings more examples of how this stimulus failed to create jobs and how the Administration’s claims of jobs created or saved are exaggerated.  To the dismay of taxpayers, the costly reporting system is being fed inaccurate information and various agencies cannot even agree on what qualifies as a full time government job.

“According to a Chicago Tribune report, $4.7 million in stimulus funds for schools in North Chicago supposedly saved 473 jobs – in a school district that only has 290 teachers.

“The Sacramento Bee reports that as many as one-fourth of the 110,000 jobs reported as saved by the stimulus in California were likely never in danger of being lost.

“And ABC reported that 30 jobs were reported to be saved in Arizona’s 15th congressional district.  Locally, 5 jobs were reported to be saved in the 86th congressional district of Florida.  The problem is there is no Arizona 15th congressional district or 86th Florida congressional district.”

“Just as the Administration pledged that unemployment would peak at 8%, yet we’re now at 10.2%, everything about this stimulus and its claims to create and save jobs for Americans is unfortunately based on a flawed system of garbage in, garbage out.”

Mica is the ranking member of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  He is also a senior member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which received testimony today from GAO, DOE and DOT.

Watch the videos at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP-bDe_g0s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBUmzabJjvU