117th Congress

I am highly skeptical of pilot programs that are automatically extended without proving their worth, and taxpayer grants to businesses where private investors are unwilling to risk their own capital.  Finally, the increasing financial entanglement between businesses and government is unhealthy in a free society and is a breeding ground for corruption, political favoritism and misallocation of resources.  For all these reasons, I am a no vote.

This bill imposes $1.4 billion of new fees on large companies seeking mergers and makes it easier to block those mergers. Now mergers only occur when they promote efficiency and productivity – they only occur when they enhance a company’s ability to provide better goods and services at lower prices.  Interfering in this process harms the prosperity of every American. Let’s start with the simple fact that taxes and fees on businesses aren’t paid by businesses.  They’re paid by consumers through higher prices, employees through lower wages and investors through lower earnings.  How does increasing consumer prices protect consumers? Where will these fees go?  Well, they’re going to go to increasingly corrupt bureaucracies like the FTC.  That agency is now led by a radical leftist who has declared her intention to use the powers of government to replace consumer decisions with her own – all to advance her brand of ideological zealotry.

Mr. Speaker: For two weeks now, the long-suffering people of Iran have taken to the streets to confront the thugocracy that has oppressed them for more than 40 years. Today, America must stand with the people of Iran.