Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Barry Moore (AL-02) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives about the need to end federal unemployment benefit subsidies to return the American economy to its booming pre-pandemic levels. Click here for high resolution video of Rep. Moore's speech Moore's remarks as prepared are below. "Mr. Speaker, as restrictive government mandates on Americans have relaxed, our economy has begun recovering from the worst of the pandemic. Many businesses have reopened their doors, and there are now millions of new and returning jobs available across the nation. "Unfortunately, I hear from businesses large and small across my district that big government is getting in the way of a return to our booming pre-pandemic economy. "It’s a bizarre paradox, but under this administration, we’re simultaneously facing an intense labor shortage and widespread unemployment - at a time when our economy should be thriving back to pre-pandemic levels. "Sadly, this is a common story in every corner of our country. "It’s clear that the primary driver of this problem is federally subsidized unemployment benefits. In many regions, particularly in rural areas, would-be job seekers make more by staying home than reporting to work. "Some businesses have even offered cash bonuses to interviewees, but many small businesses can’t afford this. "There are plenty of examples back home in my district. In Houston County, there are 124 unemployment claims and over 2,000 job postings. In Coffee County, there are 57 unemployment claims and over 570 job postings. In Dale County, there are 47 unemployment claims and over 350 job postings. "It’s very simple. Small businesses simply can’t compete with government handouts. "I’m glad that many red states, including Alabama, have ended all federally funded pandemic unemployment benefits. I hope our numbers will improve as a result. "Removing these payments - that were meant to be short-term - is necessary to advance our economic recovery. "But this is a real problem that betrays the Biden administration and Congressional Democrats’ fundamental misunderstanding of what powers an economy. "Mr. Speaker, the best welfare program in the world is a job, not government – and I know that many of my Democratic colleagues agree with me. "Let’s get Americans back to work by empowering workers and removing incentives to stay home. Only then can we truly reopen our economy." ### | 