Economy and Spending

This week, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., brought out the “Taliban Rare Earth Minerals Sanctions Act,” a bill which would “impose sanctions on persons engaging in transactions in Afghanistan‘s rare earth minerals.”

Steube introduced the bill on Tuesday and explained why he thought it was needed.

“Under Democrat leadership in both Congress and the White House, we have seen record spending of taxpayer dollars at a time when our economy is in turmoil. I’m honored to join the Republican Study Committee in offering a budget that not only cuts taxes and balances in five short years, but also properly showcases our conservative priorities, like my Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.”

“The PRO Act is a partisan grab bag designed to benefit politically connected groups at the expense of many Americans simply trying to provide for themselves and their families. The bill would jeopardize and sometimes even outlaw most forms of independent contracting, gig work, freelancing, and franchising under the National Labor Relations Act. It would employ an 'ABC' test, a tool regulators have often used to reclassify those with flexible work arrangements, to place them in traditional employment, possibly under union control. The Act would block tens of millions of Americans who work as independent contractors, many of whom operate their own businesses, from earning a living. But some of the bill’s supporters hope that employers will simply place those workers on payroll and then in a union."

“We understand the economic hardship inflicted by COVID-19, but Americans don’t need inadequate stimulus checks and forced government dependency to get them back on their feet. Rather than prolonging economic suffering with failing, irresponsible legislation, our country needs to follow the lead of states like Florida and give Americans incentives and the opportunity to return to their jobs and normal lives.”