Washington -- U.S. Representative Barbara Cubin (R-WY) released the following statement tonight after voting against the Senate amended version of H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Package.

“I am disappointed that the United States Senate wasted their opportunity to improve the costly and misguided Economic Stimulus Package I voted against last week in the House. In addition to giving approximately $40 billion worth of taxpayer-funded checks to people who pay no income tax, this legislation will further entangle the federal government in the housing market and still fails to provide real long-term stimulus to the American economy.

“The best economic stimulus is a job, and small businesses are America's main employer. We need to provide meaningful tax breaks to allow small business owners in Wyoming to keep more of their own money and use it to expand their ventures and create new jobs. History has shown that the best way to encourage an economic turnaround and help preserve jobs is to ensure that job-creators face a lower tax burden, not provide a once a year bonus to people who do not even pay taxes. It is time to provide hard-working citizens with real economic stimulus that gives our small businesses the breaks they need and permanent, long-term tax relief for all Americans.”