‘Sound infrastructure allows people to get to work, keep our goods flowing, and keep America competitive. That’s why every penny, of every dollar of any infrastructure proposal should be spent on actual infrastructure.’
‘This comes on the heels of the massive stimulus that just passed – the one that Democrats called ‘COVID relief’ but really, less than 10 percent of that bill went to COVID and health related measures.’
‘President Biden’s proposed defense budget is disappointing, dangerous, and a disservice to our men and women in uniform.’
‘He is signaling that he’s more willing to invest in progressive policy items than the safety of our nation and the world.’
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) today delivered the following remarks on the Floor of the United States Senate detailing how President Biden has been more willing to spend trillions on progressive wish list items than to invest in our national security and our men and women in uniform. Senator Tuberville emphasized the need for targeted infrastructure improvements in the state of Alabama, but points out the liberal provisions in President Biden’s so-called “infrastructure” plan and how only 6 percent of the massive $2.25 trillion proposal will go to roads and bridges. Senator Tuberville goes on to contrast the spending on unrelated items with President Bident’s proposed cuts to defense spending and lack of investment in our armed forces.
Excerpts from his remarks can be found below, and the full speech can be viewed here.
“With these two proposals, the American people can plainly see just how out of place President Biden’s priorities are.”
“I’ve traveled to every corner of Alabama: from Mobile to Muscle Shoals – to our stat’s rural communities and the urban centers. All the time, I hear that we need improvements to our transportation infrastructure, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes. There are over 100,000 miles of public roads and 16,000 bridges in Alabama. More than 1,000 of those bridges have been condemned. Driving on poor roads costs Alabama drivers a total of $4.2 billion annually due to vehicle operating costs, traffic congestion, and car crashes.”
“And it’s not just Alabama – it’s everywhere in our country. I spent decades traveling around the country as a football coach. And I’m here to tell you: we need help.”
“Sound infrastructure allows people to get to work, keep our goods flowing, and keep America competitive. That’s why every penny, of every dollar of any infrastructure proposal should be spent on actual infrastructure.”
“Sadly, President Biden’s proposal fails that test by a long shot. Out of this massive, $2.25 trillion dollar proposal, only 6% is for roads and bridges. In fact, the proposal puts more money toward electric cars than roads, bridges, ports, airports, and waterways combined. When the American people hear about what’s included in this bill, I think they’ll agree. The Biden Administration is using the umbrella term of ‘infrastructure’ for a host of things folks back home don’t associate with the word.”
“In order to pay for all this spending, President Biden has proposed raising the corporate tax rate by 7% — the largest federal tax increase since 1993.”
“This would undo President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which spurred the greatest economy we’ve had in decades. I can tell you right now, the worst possible time to raise taxes is in the middle of a crisis. So many employers have already been hit hard and are just trying to get back on their feet. Remember who really ends up paying for increases in corporate tax rates is consumers like you and me.”
“As Democrats are out there peddling this proposal as ‘infrastructure’ and ‘jobs,’ President Biden’s tax increase will eliminate 1 million jobs in the first two years alone, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. All of that harm just to pay for the Democrats’ wish list consisting of the Green New Deal.”
“This comes on the heels of the massive stimulus that just passed – the one that Democrats called ‘COVID relief’ but really, less than 10 percent of that bill went to COVID and health related measures.”
“President Biden recently released his ‘skinny budget,’ which includes a cut of $7 billion for the Department of Defense, after accounting for inflation. President Biden’s proposed defense budget is disappointing, dangerous, and a disservice to our men and women in uniform.”
“What is more bewildering is that it asks for our troops to do more on a shoestring budget. It adds more duties, like combatting climate change and other social priorities of the Democrats, to our already thinly-stretched forces. At a time when our enemies grow bolder and the threats to America are increasing, ‘do more with less’ is the last thing we should tell them.”
“China is building up their military to directly challenge the United States for global supremacy.”
“Over the last 10 years, China’s defense spending increased by $200 billion, while the United States of America decreased it’s $400 billion. We cannot let China gain ground. In order to keep our country safe, and protect democratic allies from Chinese aggression, we must stay well ahead in both weapons and technological advances.”
“Across our state, Alabama has more than 200,000 jobs supporting national defense. The economic impact of the defense sector represents more than 8% of our state’s GDP. By underinvesting in defense, the critical work done by the servicemen and women at Alabama’s military installations including Redstone Arsenal, Fort Rucker, Maxwell-Gunter, and others could be seriously hindered.”
“I was just at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, where I heard firsthand from Army Materiel Command how badly we need to invest in modernizing our weapons systems across the world. The best way to avoid a conflict is to have a bigger and better gun than the other guy.”
“This defense budget threatens our military’s modernization efforts and America’s ability to provide combat-ready forces. We cannot allow anything close to President Biden’s defense budget to become law. Our military needs to focus on winning wars, not planting trees. The people of Alabama, and our men and women in uniform should know that I’ll stand up to President Biden and the globalists in his administration who want a weak military.”
“President Biden has gone on and on about ‘unity’ and his reputation for reaching across the aisle. But ever since he came into office, his actions have been focused on appeasing the far-left, progressive voices in his party. We saw it first with the stimulus bill. Shortly after that, we get this loaded-up, inappropriately-named ‘infrastructure’ proposal.”
“He is signaling that he’s more willing to invest in progressive policy items than the safety of our nation and the world.”
“My colleagues and I are interested in working with President Biden on a bipartisan bill that addresses actual infrastructure. And we’re ready to work on a defense budget that actually invests in our military and prepares us against the growing threats. We just need a President willing to unite, rather than divide, our great country.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
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