Lewis: A Little Off the Top Doesn’t Cut It - Stimulus needs “major overhaul, not minor tweaks”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the Senate continuing to debate the massive stimulus spending bill today, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Republican Jerry Lewis indicated his continued and growing concern over the size and content of the legislation.

“While the bipartisan attempt at cutting this humongous bill should be commended, I fail to see how shaving $70 or $80 billion off an almost trillion dollar package will vastly improve the bill. This legislation needs a total buzz cut… not just a little off the top,” Lewis said. “In fact, the quickest and best course of action now would be to scrap the whole thing and start from square one – in a truly bipartisan and inclusive manner.”  

Lewis also indicated his continued concern regarding lack of transparency over exactly how and when federal agencies will spend this windfall of funds – given that the much of bill language does not provide clear or specific direction.

“When the House passed this bill, I had grave concerns regarding the massive spending and had many doubts as to its “stimulative” effect. Now, the package has grown even larger in size and neither I – nor the American taxpayers - know why the majority of this money is necessary or how it will be spent,” Lewis said.

“The taxpayers who are footing this bill deserve to have their legitimate and thoughtful questions answered. This package needs a major overhaul, not minor tweaks."