On the recordMarch 13, 2018
The year 1776 marked a turning point not only in American history, but in human history. While brave patriots here in America were affirming their right to equal representation and, ultimately, revolution, a Scottish philosopher named Adam Smith was revolutionizing the way we think about economics. ``The Wealth of Nations'' was the book he wrote where he extolled the virtues of free markets and free trade, showing how all benefit from robust competition and an open marketplace. Mr. Speaker, because of tax cuts and regulatory reform, returning to freer markets in this country, we have this economy off high center and growing at a rate we haven't seen in over a decade. While some of my friends across the aisle would like to dispute this, the results speak for themselves. Just last month our economy added over 300,000 new jobs and over 800,000 people joined the labor force, the largest 1-month jump in over 30 years. Mr. Speaker, people are looking for work, and they are finding work. With the stock market, business, consumer confidence, and the labor participation rate at all-time highs and the unemployment at a 50-year low, the last thing that we need and want to do is impose a new kind of government intervention to diminish the great economic progress we have made. I am concerned, Mr.…
