Endless Frontier Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, first, I would like to associate myself with the fine remarks of the Senator from Mississippi, who sees every day, when he is home traveling in his State, the same things I am seeing in Wyoming--``Help Wanted'' signs all around our home States, as businesses are looking for people to hire, and the government's incentives are making it that much harder to find workers.

Job openings right now are at a record high in America. There were 8 million jobs available going into April. Yet in that month, only about one-quarter of a million people actually were hired. The unemployment rate actually went up.

We lost manufacturing. We lost retail. We lost healthcare jobs last month. Construction jobs were flat. Ten million people are unemployed right now, even though there are 8 million job openings.

Every Senator I talk to says that there are ``Help Wanted'' signs all around their home State. Nearly every American who wants a job should be able to find one. Yet it is really not happening.

The question has been asked and answered on this floor by various Members of the Republican Party: Why can't small businesses find workers? Why are so many of these jobs unfilled? Because something like this doesn't just happen on its own. Oh, no. This happens as a direct result of the President's policies.

President Biden and Democrats are paying people to stay home. That is why so many people are staying home. They are being paid more to not work than to work. According to one analysis, nearly half of all people on unemployment benefits with the unemployment benefit bonus payment-- the extra check--are making more money by staying at home than they would make if they go to work.

These people aren't lazy. Oh, no. When the President and Democrats offer people free money to stay home, it is perfectly logical--people take them up on the offer.

I believe the American people want to work. That is what I see at home in Wyoming. That is who we are. That is the fiber of the American people. We are the hardest working people in the world. American businesses want to hire. Yet Joe Biden and Big Government are getting in the way.

President Biden has actually extended bonus payments until September. We are now in May. May, June, July, August, September--month after month, after month, after month of more of this. This is a grave danger to small businesses across America. If they can't find workers, they might have to close again. Then those job openings will no longer be there, and they will be gone forever.

President Biden appears to be, in my opinion, in denial on this. He held a press conference recently, and this is what he said: It is all ``loose talk.''

This is not loose talk. This is basic arithmetic. Job openings are going up; hiring is slowing down; and nearly half of workers make more money by staying at home.

``Loose talk'' is when the President of the United States tells us everything is just fine when it is not. April was the most disappointing jobs report in more than 20 years--two decades. Yet President Biden says the jobs report ``shows we're on the right track.''

No, it doesn't. Hiring has slowed down. Some say people aren't returning to work because of coronavirus.

Madam President, let me tell you, it is very unlikely. We are vaccinating 2 million people a day. One in three Americans is now-- these are adults--fully vaccinated already. We are getting the virus behind us. We have been very successful with Operation Warp Speed.

We should be filling the 8 million jobs available right now. Yet what are President Biden and the Democrats doing to fix the problem? Nothing, nothing at all. I believe they are making it worse by extending these bonus payments. It is time the President and Democrats worked for a solution.

You know, I am proud that the people of Wyoming and the Governor of Wyoming have done just that. Wyoming has taken a leadership role, along with approximately 20 other States, in ending these bonus payments. It is going to give our economy a boost. It is going to lead to more hiring.

It is time for President Biden and the Democrats to follow the successful lead of the people of Wyoming. Stop paying people a bonus to stay home. Reward the hard work that is a part of America and Americans' DNA.

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