Chris Smith: “An analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that approximately $1 trillion of previously…”

“An analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that approximately $1 trillion of previously appropriated COVID-19 relief funds have not been spent. Let me say that again, Mr. Speaker, about a trillion dollars appropriated by Congress for COVID relief has not been spent. Yet today, the House will vote on spending an additional $1.9 trillion. Without so much as a single congressional hearing held with expert witnesses--including top officials in the Biden Administration--to probe the what, why, and how much, the House will likely approve this massive spending package without serious scrutiny. I'm committed and want to work in a bipartisan way to ensure that the federal government's ongoing response to the pandemic is both robust and responsible. With more people getting vaccinated--meaning fewer infections and many lives saved--it's now possible to hope that we might soon see some improvement in the economy. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for example, projected in its February 1 report that real GDP will return to pre-pandemic levels by the middle of this year, 2021--meaning jobs and renewed economic security. Last year, I strongly supported, and Congress passed five bipartisan COVID funding relief bills that were signed into law--totaling $4.1 trillion.…”