Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 – The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 246– 183 along a scrict, party-line vote. The bill, mostly crafted by senior House Democrats, failed to receive a single Republican vote because of its high price-tag and because most in the GOP feel this bill will do little to create jobs or stimulate the economy. 

Upon its passage, Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Jacksonville), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee released the following statement:

“Our country is in a serious recession and the American people are hurting and Congress must act now. But this so called stimulus bill is simply a long list of big government spending that will not work. It won’t create jobs and won’t stimulate the economy and will do more harm than good.

“Democrats made a bad bill worse by cutting back on tax relief to pay for more big government spending. The American people are asking how will $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, $2 billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Fund, providing funds to organizations such as ACORN, which has been accused of practicing unlawful voter registration in recent elections, and $2 billion to support the manufacturing of advanced vehicle batteries create millions of jobs?

“Republicans have a better solution – fast acting tax relief for working families and small business that will create twice as many jobs for half the cost.

“Working Americans deserve better.”