Rep. Grimm Statement on the 3-Year Anniversary of Obama's Stimulus Plan

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Michael G. Grimm (R,C)-NY issued the following statement:

"Based on the president’s own measures, the president’s so-called “stimulus” bill has been a complete and utter failure.  The Obama Administration took over at trillion dollars from hardworking taxpayers and promised that this enormous expenditure of borrowed money would “save or create” four million jobs, and keep unemployment below eight percent.   As we sit on the 36th consecutive month of unemployment above eight percent, the stimulus is checkered with broken promises, failed projects, millions of Americans still out of work, and has failed on its own terms.

"The president incessantly trumpeted the promise of countless “shovel ready” projects to the sell the public on the stimulus.  Such projects gave priority to special interest carve outs like Solyndra.  As the administration and Congressional Democrats eagerly experimented with taxpayer dollars for countless failed projects and bankruptcies, President Obama continues to sit idly on the Keystone XL Pipeline- a project that is important for our energy security and would create 20,000 direct, private sector jobs.  

"With 1.1 million jobs lost since the stimulus was enacted, the stimulus spent more than $1 million for every job America lost since it was enacted.  After four years of trillion dollar deficits and more that $15 trillion of debt, the president shows no sign of changing his tax and spend policies that simply fail to deliver.  We cannot keep spending money we don’t have on jobs we never get. 

"House Republicans are providing a pathway out of same failed stimulus proposals coming out the White House.  We have passed nearly thirty bipartisan jobs bills that are growing cobwebs on Majority Leader Harry Reid’s desk.  On this unhappy three year anniversary of the failed stimulus, I urge president to implore action by the Senate Democrat leadership and demand that they not continue to sit on these bipartisan proposals and do nothing.  The time for action and leadership is now."