Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) reintroduced H.R. 2202, the End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act. This legislation prohibits the use of federal funding for gender transition procedures and bars federal healthcare facilities, physicians, and providers from providing such procedures.

“Taxpayers should never be forced to fund gender reassignment surgeries and treatments. The End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act puts an end to the misuse of federal dollars on these controversial procedures, protecting taxpayers from being complicit in this radical agenda,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “I thank Senator Marshall for standing with me to ensure that taxpayer money is used for real healthcare priorities, not for funding gender experimentation.”

Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Rep. LaMalfa in introducing the Senate companion of this legislation.

“After years of radical gender ideology under the Biden Administration, it’s time for a return to common sense,” Senator Marshall said. “Americans have spoken loud and clear – they do not want their hard-earned taxpayer dollars paying for gender transition procedures. Sixty percent of Americans say sex is assigned at birth, and seventy-two percent of Americans think it should be illegal for doctors to perform gender transition procedures on minors. By prohibiting the use of federal funds for gender transition procedures, this bill restores the dignity of men and women across the country and delivers another major win for the American people.”

“There are only two sexes–male and female–and denying this biological truth hurts real people. Children who experience discomfort with their sex need the loving embrace of family, not risky drugs and life-altering procedures that send them down a one-way path of lifetime medicalization,” said Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel Matt Sharp. “ADF commends Sen. Roger Marshall and Rep. Doug LaMalfa for introducing the End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act, which prohibits federal funding for dangerous “gender transition” efforts on vulnerable kids. In no world should American taxpayers be subject to footing the bill for experimental procedures that harm children.”

BACKGROUND:

• Congressman LaMalfa previously introduced the End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act during the 116^th, 117^th, and 118^th Congresses.
• From 2016 to 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense spent approximately $15 million on gender transition procedures for only 1,892 service members.
• Twenty-five states and D.C. have Medicaid policies that explicitly cover transgender-related health care.
• Over 276,000 of the 1.3 million transgender adults are enrolled in Medicaid.
• The bill’s restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply to treatment of individuals with medically verifiable disorders of sex development, such as individuals born with atypical development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution, along with several of his California colleagues, to repeal the Biden Administration’s listing of the longfin smelt as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act.  If enacted into law, this resolution would halt the proposed designation of critical habitat for this fish species, as well as ensure California’s water remains available for those who need it most, families and farmers.

“This listing is just another example of out-of-touch environmental policies making it harder to store and deliver water in California. We are already dealing with a maze of arcane and oftentimes conflicting environmental regulations that make it nearly impossible to manage our water supply effectively for Californians up and down the state. This is in addition to permanent, mandatory water rationing imposed on households by California regulators. This listing adds another layer of bureaucracy, sending up to 200,000 acre-feet of water to the ocean each year, likely from Shasta Lake or Lake Oroville, instead of storing it for future use or making it available to Californians. This resolution repeals this unnecessary listing and ensures we can focus on solutions that support our farmers, strengthen our economy, and secure a reliable water supply for our future,” said LaMalfa.

This designation, driven by litigation from an environmental group, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during the Biden Administration threatens California’s water supply by imposing new restrictions on the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP). This listing resulted in subsequent burdensome requirements imposed on the CVP that will divert even more water to the Pacific Ocean instead of supplying farms and families across the state. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can review and potentially block such regulations within a specific timeframe, and it drops the usual 60-vote requirement in the Senate for these resolutions.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) released the following statement celebrating the inclusion of $134 million for Sites Reservoir in the recently passed Continuing Resolution:

“This funding boost of $134 million for Sites Reservoir through the WIIN Act of 2016, on top of the $200 million approved earlier this year, brings us even closer to making this important project a reality. While we wait for California to finalize the permits, this federal funding ensures that Sites Reservoir continues moving forward. We cannot afford to let water flow out to sea unused, especially when droughts are inevitable. Sites Reservoir is the solution, and this funding marks another critical step in securing a more reliable water supply for California,” said Rep. LaMalfa.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale), Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA), Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC), and Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. This legislation exempts rebates that homeowners receive for hardening their homes against natural disasters from federal taxes.

“Homeowners shouldn’t be hit with unexpected federal taxes just because they received rebates through state and local programs,” said Rep. Doug LaMalfa. “Right now, there’s an unfair gap between how federal and state disaster assistance is treated, leaving many homeowners with an added tax burden at the worst possible time. We need to be sure that disaster mitigation efforts actually reduce risks and help people rebuild, rather than having their assistance siphoned away by federal taxes.”

“California has been ground zero for climate-related natural disasters and investing in disaster resilience programs is essential to the safety and security of communities throughout our state,” said Rep. Mike Thompson. “I am proud to reintroduce legislation with Rep. LaMalfa to exempt these programs from federal taxation to ensure that our communities can make the proper investments in disaster resilience and help mitigate the risks we face from natural disasters.”

“Catastrophe mitigation payments used to improve natural disaster resilience should not be treated as a source of income, and North Carolinians should not be taxed for them,” said Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. “Eastern North Carolina understands how deadly and damaging hurricanes can be, and the costs associated with rebuilding. Adequate preparation for storms is a valuable investment and should be strongly incentivized, not taxed. This bill empowers individuals to protect themselves before disaster strikes, reducing or eliminating entirely, the risk of catastrophic damage to their homes.”

“Right now, survivors of natural disasters can face an unexpected federal tax burden on state disaster assistance, an unfair penalty when they’re trying to rebuild,” said Rep. Jimmy Panetta.  “The Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act fixes this by ensuring state-based disaster grants receive the same federal tax exemption as FEMA assistance.  I’m proud to join my colleagues in this bipartisan effort to make disaster aid more effective for those who need it most.”

California and North Carolina, amongst other states, offer rebates to homeowners who take steps to protect their homes from natural disasters, such as clearing fire-prone vegetation near structures to reduce wildfire risk, reinforcing foundations against earthquakes, and installing impact-resistant roofing. However, if these rebates come from state or local sources, homeowners are required to pay federal taxes on them. Meanwhile, rebates for energy conservation improvements are already exempt from federal income taxes. This bill would ensure that natural disaster mitigation efforts receive the same tax treatment.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump’s Joint Address to Congress tonight: 

“Tonight, President Trump delivered a strong and optimistic message about the renewal of the American Dream. He highlighted the progress made in rebuilding our economy, securing our border, and restoring America’s leadership on the world stage. His vision for peace and prosperity is one that all Americans can rally behind, and I look forward to working with the Administration to build on these successes. Northern California has felt the weight of burdensome regulations and economic uncertainty for too long, and we have a real opportunity to cut red tape, strengthen our workforce, and expand opportunities for families, farmers, and small businesses. America’s best days are ahead, and I’m dedicated to ensuring our region is part of that success,” said LaMalfa.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

On how different suggestions actually account for reducing federal deficit:

[Beginning at 25:28]
“‘The U.S. will waste billions of dollars on the United Nations!“
Ok. Get rid of the United Nations. It’s [less than three] days of borrowing. Let’s take a look here.
‘The U.S. spends too much on the Smithsonian and national parks!’
Ok, so if we’re borrowing $6 billion a day, the Smithsonian costs $1 billion a year, you’ve basically  covered [18] hours [of borrowing]? Maybe you don’t want museums. Maybe you want create entrance fees or do something else, but don’t act like you just balanced the budget by doing something like that. Let’s do another one.
‘Cutting congressional salaries would solve the deficit!’
We’re probably overpaid for the quality of our work, but if you’re borrowing $6 billion a day, and you do that– if you got rid of congressional salaries– I think it’s 26 minutes for an entire year. So take an entire year of borrowing, and you’ve covered 26 minutes. Stop saying crazy stuff! You know, these are serious problems. Maybe we need serious people to start actually thinking about these things. So let’s take a look at another one.
‘The government spends billions on unused federal office buildings!
Absolutely. We need to clean this up, and it would be about, oh, let’s see, [seven] hours. Maybe [eight] hours of borrowing. Close up, get rid of all these unused office space– which we should do, absolutely need to do that– but it’s like seven hours worth of borrowing! Because we’re burning over $6 billion every single day. Am I making the point? Are you starting to understand the scale of what members of congress have to take on? And these trite little sound bites don’t get you anywhere.
‘Cutting funding to NPR, PBS, and the National Endowment of the Arts would save billions!’
No, it’d cover [a little over] four hours– four-and-a-half hours of borrowing. Maybe you should. Maybe you should actually turn those into public trust, let the public pay– other than taxpayers, you know– have them fundraise, fine. But don’t act like you just solved the national debt problem. It’s four hours of borrowing. Let’s do one or two more, get this off my chest.
‘Presidential travel– this was one [from] the Democrats going after President Trump.’
All the presidential travel, which is $350 billion. You’ve got an hour point four. Yeah, about 1.4 hours. So… less than two hours for an entire year’s worth of borrowing. Let’s have one or two more fun just because I have them done.
‘Let’s just get rid of the Department of Education salaries!’
Yay! You covered [half-a-day] of borrowing. How about another one?
Emergency services for undocumented [migrants]!
These are people here illegally– they walk is into hospitals [and] get a federal subsidy. Let’s make it so it just becomes uncompensated care of the hospital, fine. You just covered nine hours of borrowing for an entire year.
The reality of it– it’s not these crazy little trite things. Yes, they’re problems, and there may be hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars out there, which we need to crush and get rid of. We’re going to borrow about $2.3 trillion this year, and in ten years, that number is up dramatically!” 

On partisan politics prohibiting a chance to save future generations:

[Beginning at 32:50]
“You see how the Democrats are acting right now– just by data scientists, digging through and looking for perversities in the data sets– you would think there’d have been joy because those aren’t cutting services. Those are finding people who are exploiting you, taking advantage of your country. But, because it’s being done by President Trump, it must be opposed. How do you fix things? How do you save Social Security? How do you save Medicare? How do you save the future, when it’s not a loyal opposition anymore? It’s basically anything to burn the place down to take power. And for anyone who has watched this presentation, I beg of you: get good at the math. Stop making crap up because if you get good at the math, it provides us the opportunity to have the building blocks to actually produce a solution. There’s hope– there’re ways it works. We also have some economic data that basically says if we don’t do it within the next four years, and interest rates start to move against us, we’re in for a long, slow, rest of the century. That’s worthying about… because the debt starts piling and piling.“

**Fact-checked figures for borrowing estimates calculated by Joint Economic Committee Republican Staff.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

As prepared for delivery.

“Thank you to the witnesses for being here today to discuss a crucial issue before us, Modernizing American Health Care: Creating Healthy Options and Better Incentives.

“Chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease are skyrocketing. Six in ten Americans have at least one chronic disease. 

“According to the Partnership To Fight Chronic Disease, the projected total cost of chronic disease from 2016-2030 in Florida is $3 trillion dollars.

“These statistics are baffling and troubling, and I am committed to helping lower these deadly rates. 

“This nation’s chronic disease epidemic is out of control. I for one am excited that Mr. Kennedy has put this issue at the forefront of this administration, and I look forward to seeing him confirmed. 

…

“We have another growing crisis on our hands: the skyrocketing diabetes and obesity epidemic. Over 45 percent of our nation’s adults are obese and over 20 percent of our nation’s children are obese. 

“The Joint Economic Committee, led by Congressman Schweikert, is taking the obesity epidemic seriously. 

“In a recent report, the committee found that Obesity will result in up to $9.1 trillion in excess medical expenditures and cause the Federal government to spend $4.1 trillion over the next 10 years. 

“To bring awareness to these issues, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and I launched the Congressional Preventive Health and Wellness Caucus.

“Our bipartisan group focuses on prevention, Food as Medicine, exercise, stigma, obesity’s effect on military readiness and physical fitness. 

“I’d like to thank Congresswoman Moore for joining me in this critical initiative, and I urge my fellow members of this subcommittee to join the caucus. 

“Congressman Smucker also recently launched the MAHA Caucus to focus on supporting Americans in living long and healthy lives through access to affordable, high-quality foods while improving access to care.

“These are just some of the many examples of great work that members of this Committee are working on to combat these issues, and I applaud their efforts.

“We are about to hear from a great group of folks who are on the front lines of tackling these chronic conditions and ensuring prevention and early detection is a main priority in the medical field. 

“I look forward to working with all of my colleagues this Congress to tackle this epidemic.”

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Click here to read the full opening statement.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Arizona Congressman David Schweikert delivered his weekly House Floor speech highlighting the urgent fiscal crisis facing the United States, with a focus on the nation’s skyrocketing debt, unsustainable spending patterns, and demographic challenges. The potential of debt exceeding 155 percent of GDP by 2035, with annual interest payments alone surpassing $2 trillion, should petrify every American. The risk posed by rising interest rates could result in 45 percent of all U.S. tax revenues going just toward interest payments. Let’s not forget the additional $5.5 trillion in debt plus $1.3 trillion in interest from extending the 2017 tax cuts without an offset by spending cuts. Rep. Schweikert framed fiscal responsibility as a moral obligation to future generations, warning that without immediate action, the U.S. faces a potential economic collapse driven by debt, interest burdens, and demographic decline. Click the video to view the full speech or see below for some of Rep. Schweikert’s remarks. 

On unsustainable growth of the U.S. national debt and its alarming impact on the economy:

[Beginning at 01:21]
“September 30– the end of this budget year– United States debt, [according to the] Congressional Budget Office, is projected to be $37.2 trillion. Ok. They’re projecting over the next ten years, we add another $20 trillion. If you then, on top of that, work [in] these provisions of the 2017 tax reform that are expiring at the end of this year, if you go take it to 2035– because that’s sort of the 10-year window, nine budget years– it’s another $5.5 trillion. Then, you add on to that, the interest. It turns out if you were to finance it– not pay for any of it– that’s another $1.3 trillion on top of that. Then, if you were to come in here and then take the president’s requests– because we have a couple of members here [saying], “Just do everything! Make everyone happy.” Screw my retirement, the next generation. America will be fine. You add it all up, by 2035, you have over $74 trillion in debt. You’re somewhere in the 155 percent or so range of the entire economy [being] borrowed. Today, we’re a little less than 100 percent.” 

On looming insolvency of Social Security due to the unwillingness to confront harsh fiscal realities:

[Beginning at 14:26]
“In 2033– because what was done in this body in lame-duck, where we took another couple billion dollars out of Social Security and paid it out without replacing the money, looks like the number is mid-2033– the Social Security trust fund is empty. Now the law for Social Security says you cut seniors’ benefits; the math is about 20 percent. So, we will double senior poverty the following year, but that’s not how CBO is forced, under the law, to do the math. There’s an actual law that says you are not allowed to show a zero balance. That means in 2034, there is $600 billion dollars of borrowing that is shoved in to make up [for] the shortfall in Social Security. If you add up 2023, 2024, and 2025, that’s another $1.7 trillion because the Social Security [trust fund] is empty. And you don’t want to double senior poverty, but we are also far too fearful to actually tell the voters the truth. And every time one of us idiots– AKA, me– tries to stabilize the Social Security trust fund, that side starts running attack ads on you because they care more about winning the next election than they do doubling senior poverty in America. It is absolutely immoral.“

On the insignificance of small budget cuts in addressing the massive scale of the national debt:

[Beginning at 18:18]
“Wall Street Journal said yesterday there are 40,000 federal employees who have said they’ll take a retirement package. Ok– if they took the package today and would get paid through the rest of the year– just ignoring that math right now. What if 40,000 federal employees, times an average salary– we used $106,000, which we got from one of the reports, and you just multiply that– and understand, this is the conservative number, we are borrowing $6 billion a day. Those 40,000 employees leaving [amounts to savings equal to] a single day of borrowing. For an entire year, all of those folks leaving [saves] a single day of borrowing. You got 24 hours of borrowing by 40,000 federal employees leaving. Yet, I watched someone on television last night saying, “Well, look, we are going to make a huge dent in the U.S. deficit with the 40,000 taking early retirement.” It’s one day of borrowing. That is not spending, that’s borrowing. Remember, by the end of the decade, that borrowing is up dramatically. Take this in. This is one of the “grand” solutions. The point I want to make is you probably have to do it, but you have to do all of them. It’s going to be dozens and dozens and dozens of things all stacked up just to provide stability. Can we, as a country, get back to just borrowing three percent of our economy a year, instead of seven percent, God forbid– over a decade from now– nine percent? You have to stop lying to each other. Our staff has to stop lying to us. The press has to stop making crap up and have to help get the public to understand the scale of what’s going on. 40,000 employees taking early retirement; the salary savings is one day of borrowing.“

Congressman David Schweikert serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and is the current Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee. He is also the Chairman on the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, Chairman of the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, and is the Republican Co-Chair of the Blockchain Caucus, Telehealth Caucus, Singapore Caucus, and the Caucus on Access to Capital and Credit.

Copyright © 2023 Congressman David Schweikert, All rights reserved.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) penned an op-ed for USA Today to explain that America’s declining health, particularly obesity, is not only shortening lives but also placing a massive financial strain on the nation, with projected health care costs reaching up to $9.1 trillion over the next decade. Schweikert criticizes government policies that incentivize unhealthy living and economic inactivity, further exacerbating the crisis. Schweikert endorses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services, believing he has the vision and mathematical understanding to reform the system and prioritize public health. He concludes that improving Americans’ health is crucial for reducing national debt and ensuring a better future for coming generations.

RFK Jr. gets it. Our unhealthy lifestyles are killing us and driving up debt. | Opinion
By Congressman David Schweikert
USA Today
January 30, 2025

Last year, my economists at the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee told an uncomfortable truth: Our poor health is not only killing Americans, but our nation’s finances as well.

We wrote a detailed report that included the effects obesity can have on our national debt and how we can make America healthier and reduce health care costs. We spent months analyzing the data, ultimately concluding that Americans’ deteriorating health, which is a major driver of federal spending, points to the way many industries work to maintain the misery of Americans.

The U.S. fertility rate reached an all-time low in 2023, at 1.62 per woman. Americans realized the future looked bleak for later generations, and we stopped having kids.

We also recently crossed into the fifth year in a row where prime working-age males are dying younger.

But why are we dying? You hear talk about the opioid epidemic − which, of course, remains a major contributing factor − but obesity is the primary contributor to premature deaths, and the costs to America are immense.

Obesity is killing Americans and driving up health care costs

The Joint Economic Committee’s report estimated the excess health care costs of obesity to this country will range from $8.2 trillion to $9.1 trillion over the next 10 years.Something incredibly immoral is happening in our country, and we must face the hard truth that it is being driven, in part, by our own government policies. We have incentivized leaving the workforce. We finance unhealthy living.

Shockingly, America does a number of things that have devalued the importance of being alive and being healthy.

But there is hope.

As our next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can restructure the way we operate our health care system in America.

I would argue that Congress has essentially become a protection racket; we protect incumbent bureaucracies. We protect incumbent business models.

RFK Jr. has a rare quality among public officials today – he embraces math. 

RFK Jr. understands improving Americans’ health is essential

RFK Jr. understands that 60% of American adults have at least one chronic condition. He wants to remedy the up to $11 trillion loss to our GDP over a decade that comes from chronic diseases.

And most of all, he wants to make America healthy again.

Maybe the most powerful thing we can do to keep from burying our grandchildren and great-grandchildren in piles of debt would be to work on policies that will make us a healthier country.

Under the leadership of RFK Jr., we have a real chance to accomplish that.

It’s time to change the standard in this country from “maintaining America’s misery” to “keeping America healthy.”

RFK Jr. deserves both our support and encouragement to lead the charge.

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Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., is the chairman-designate of the U.S. Joint Economic Committee.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For his House Floor speech this week, Arizona Congressman David Schweikert expanded upon the demographic crisis of declining birth rates and aging populations, with more deaths than births in many states. While stressing the urgent need for economic growth and productivity to sustain prosperity, Schweikert argues for capital investments, technological advancements, a talent-based immigration system to address labor shortages, and embracing the benefits of artificial intelligence. The U.S. debt crisis is underscored, and rising interest payments and mandatory spending on Social Security and Medicare are consuming tax revenues, ultimately leaving discretionary spending to be reliant on borrowing. Schweikert calls for honest discussions, modernization of government services, and fiscal discipline to avoid economic decline.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.
On what world bond traders have to say about the U.S.’s rapidly accumulating, unsustainable debt:

[Beginning at 09:22]
“Japan has almost 300 percent debt to GDP, but it’s a unique society because their corporations, their individuals actually finance almost their entire debt, where the United States, we are chewing up our capital stock now. We are borrowing somewhere between $70,000 to– if you take this fiscal year– as high as $80,000 every second; every second of every day, we borrow $6 [billion], $7 billion every single day.  I have done a chart before but think about this: we click off an additional trillion dollars of borrowing about every 125 days. You think it’s going to go on forever? I am going to show you in the second part of this, the number of the biggest bond traders in the world. When Larry fink, when Ray Dalio are basically saying, “You guys have got a problem and it’s coming fast,” and taking billions of dollars and starting to hedge– even the U.S. Bonds– saying, “We think you are going to five, 6 percent.” Understand if the United States ever went back to what was normal before the Great Recession of 2008, you get back to a 6 percent handle on U.S. debt. In nine years, 45 percent of all tax collections are interest. When does it scare the crap out of people?” 

On higher productivity directly driving wage growth and combating effects of inflation:

[Beginning at 12:00]
“How many can afford a car loan? Understand, we just went through functionally three, four years of inflation, where, in my communities, if you don’t make 27 percent more, you are poorer today. Isn’t the employment rate great? It is, but it’s wage growth, and it goes up by two things: inflation– which means you are not getting ahead, you’re just treading water, or productivity. When you are lacking population growth, ok, how do you get productivity? Regulatory policy; good trade policy; great tax policy that makes it so you are investing in plant and equipment and research and development to do it better, faster, [and] cheaper. That’s how you make people less poor. This one is a little tricky, but fascinating if you dig into the article. If you are out of your mind, or you’re geeky, or don’t have a Netflix subscription… but you dig into what level of productivity growth you actually need just to sustain your lifestyle for all sorts of countries. For the United States, you need almost about a 2 percent– and looking at the different years– but you see the pink line? We calculate that if you’re not having at least a 1.8 percent productivity gain– which is a lot– you are functionally poorer. You become poorer, and for all the people that complain about, “Don’t do tax cuts for business! Don’t do regulatory change for business! Okay… go read the literature; we know that in 2017– what we did [for] change in corporate tax rates and getting companies to move their monies back here, getting them to invest in productivity and all those other things– we calculate from 60 percent to 70 percent of every dime they got went into wages because once again, the primary way people make more money is productivity.“

On protecting American people by offsetting interest and financing costs:

[Beginning at 19:19]
“I challenge my brothers and sisters on the Left and the Right: know your math and start telling the truth. You look at charts like this, where this right here is break even. This is where the dollar [lands]. Even this year, every dime of discretionary and a little sliver of mandatory are on borrowed money once again. The only reason I threw up this chart in the way it is, that is with CBO’s calculations saying the law says, next year, we only get to take in $100 billion-some additional taxes because Americans’ taxes go up. We don’t want that to happen! We want to protect hard-working people! The very last point I’m going to show here: the way you protect the American people is you offset as much of that as you can because you give it to hard-working folks, and then you take it away from them in higher interest costs and higher financing costs. You smile at them, hand them a dollar in their face, while grabbing their wallet from behind and stealing it from them. That moment of telling the truth about math is really important.“

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Congressman David Schweikert serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and is the current Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee. He is also the Chairman on the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, Chairman of the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, and is the Republican Co-Chair of the Blockchain Caucus, Telehealth Caucus, Singapore Caucus, and the Caucus on Access to Capital and Credit.

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