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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E354-E355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
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speech of
HON. NEAL P. DUNN
of florida
in the house of representatives
Friday, March 27, 2020
Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, oftentimes, when both sides of the aisle
acknowledge that a bill is not perfect, it ultimately means it is
actually quite good. With that said, I do want to highlight some
specific concerns that I have with provisions in this bill, both in
their direct effects, and also the future precedent that they may set.
Historically there is little evidence that direct to consumers
stimulus checks have a significant impact on the economy or that they
lead to the kind of spending necessary to counteract an economic
downturn. The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (signed February 13, 2008)
provided $600 checks to individuals and cost $168 Billion. A study by
the Bureau of Labor statistics later showed that, ultimately, nearly 70
percent of recipients either used the money to pay off existing debt,
or simply put it into savings. Those are not activities that stimulate
the economy, and unsurprisingly that effort failed to stop a four
percent contraction in GDP, the loss of over eight million jobs, and
the worst overall economic disaster since the great depression.
Overall, I believe that this bill will help us to avoid the same fate,
but that will be due to other more robust provisions that acknowledge
the importance of our small businesses and job creators in the private
sector.
The incentive and ability for anyone, regardless of their
circumstances, to work hard and improve their life is a fundamental
tenet of the American dream. It is essential that we do not allow this
stimulus payment to serve as a pilot program for a Universal Basic
Income, as some have suggested. Furthermore, it is true that this bill
will at times create a situation where some people could actually earn
more money by filing for unemployment if furloughed than they would by
staying in the workforce. We must acknowledge the potential for this to
set a damaging precedent.
This bill provides robust funding for our nation's hospitals and some
needed flexibility in the telehealth space to ensure Americans,
particularly seniors, are able to visit with their doctors in the
lowest risk setting possible. I was disappointed however in the lack of
a
[[Page E355]]
specific carve out that acknowledges the unique challenges faced by our
rural hospitals, like the many that serve Florida's second district. I
was also disappointed that the bill does not provide statutory relief
for those who may not have video phone capabilities required to meet
reimbursement criteria for telehealth visits. It is my understanding
and hope however, that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid services
will be able to provide adequate guidance to allow for ``audio only''
visits.
I believe that the $9.7 Billion provided to Secretary Sonny Perdue to
aid our agriculture industry is a good first start, but ultimately more
resources will need to be made available in the near future. Recent
volatility in the global trade markets and natural disasters, combined
with an already weakened Agriculture economy mean our producers need
help now more than ever. It is my hope that we can provide additional
relief to our farmers, ranchers, and foresters suffering from this
crisis soon.
Finally, in an effort to protect the safety of this legislative body,
this bill was largely negotiated by a few individuals within our
leadership and the Administration. Their work, especially given the
fact that they willingly put their own health at risk, is commendable.
However, this came at the cost of a lack of input from the vast
majority of our constituents and led to the inclusion of funding
priorities that should have been debated over the course of the regular
appropriations process. Programs like the National Endowment for the
Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Institute of Museum and
Library Services, and the Kennedy Center total hundreds of millions of
dollars in this bill. We must ensure that any future relief package is
entirely focused on the Coronavirus relief, and that vital resources
are directed in the most effective way possible.
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