Smith Opposes House Budget Reconciliation

Washington, DC – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) took to the floor of the House of Representatives today to speak in opposition of the proposed budget reconciliation ahead of the vote on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Smith voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Watch Congressman Smith's floor speech here.

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this package

We are here under the guise of COVID relief, but the vast majority of this bill has nothing to do with defeating this disease.

Real COVID relief would prioritize vaccine distribution, reopening small businesses, and getting our kids back in classrooms. This bill does not do that.

This bill is a litany of longstanding proposals which are detrimental to our small businesses and will hurt our efforts to reconnect the unemployed.

The expansion of the Child Tax Credit and EITC were first introduced long before the pandemic and will disincentivize returning to work. Likewise the proposed bailout for mismanaged Multiemployer Pensions predates COVID-19.

And now we have learned bringing this bill to the floor was delayed because Democrats were adding a new cash grab – drastically lowering the threshold at which gig workers receive a 1099-K.

It's like the majority learned nothing from the debacle they created when they shoehorned new 1099 rules into Obamacare.

Mr. Speaker – I am appalled Democrats continue trying to use this pandemic an excuse to ram through their longstanding agenda.

I urge defeat and yield back.