Smith and Comer Introduce Resolution Requiring Biden Administration Accounting of Unspent COVID-19 Stimulus
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Budget Committee Republican Leader Jason Smith (MO-08) along with Republican members of the House Budget Committee and House Oversight and Reform Committee Republican Leader James Comer (KY-01) along with Republican members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee have introduced a resolution requiring that President Biden provide to the U.S. House of Representatives – no later than 14 days after adoption of the resolution – documents relating to any enacted but currently unspent COVID-19 stimulus funding. Under the Rules of the House, a resolution such as this one that makes a direct demand of the President, requires that the committee of jurisdiction act within 14 days. Absent action by the committee, the resolution can be brought before the full House of Representatives for consideration under a privileged motion.“At a time when the Biden Administration and the Democrat Majority in Congress are barreling toward enacting another $1.9 trillion in bailout spending under the guise of the COVID-19 response, it is imperative that Congress – on behalf of hardworking American taxpayers – have a full understanding of what resources remain unspent from previously enacted legislation. It would be irresponsible to pass trillions more in spending when Congress does not even have a thorough and accurate accounting of the trillions of dollars already approved,” said House Budget Committee Republican Leader Jason Smith.
“Congress has already spent over $4 trillion in bipartisan relief bills, but Democrats are trying to rush a partisan $2 trillion bill out the door with no accounting about how much funding already provided remains unused. This is not responsible governing, especially in light of concerns from economists across the political spectrum that the Democrats’ massive spending bill most likely will cause an economic crash. Before Democrats even attempt to spend another dime of taxpayers’ dollars, Congress needs the facts first to prevent government waste, fraud, and abuse. The American people must have transparency and accountability for how their money is spent,” said Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer.
The Biden Administration’s almost $2 trillion spending bill would be the largest stimulus package in American history and comes less than two months after Congress passed a bipartisan $900 billion COVID-19 relief package. Combined with previously enacted stimulus legislation, the Biden bailout plan would bring total COVID-19 spending to almost $6 trillion. This amounts to:
- over $17,000 per person; $69,000 for a family of four.
- more than the GDP of every country other than China and the United States.
Read the resolution here.
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