More taxation, regulation, and litigation will not create more jobs. Government takeovers of the economy have failed while the size and the scope of the federal government has exploded. Washington has tied the hands of small business owners and job creators with onerous regulations and backward fiscal policies that have stalled the economy, slowed innovation and destroyed jobs. We need common sense, pro-growth policies to give small businesses and entrepreneurs renewed confidence in our economy and to remove Washington as the roadblock to job creation.
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On January 24th, President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address in the House of Representatives. Ask House Republicans your questions, and see their responses after the president's speech.
Bipartisan Support Builds for Job-Creating Keystone Energy Project
From Speaker.gov:
Bipartisan support for the Keystone energy project has only continued to grow in the week since President Obama said he would “reject” legislation supporting the job-creating pipeline.
Yesterday, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) told reporters that Keystone “has the backing of several Democrats.” “It’s always had more Democratic support than people thought,” she said. All told, as many as 14 Senate Democrats are reportedly supportive of Keystone. That’s in addition to the 47 House Democrats who voted earlier this year to require the administration to act quickly act on the project.
Here’s a rundown of what Democrats on both sides of the Capitol have said in the week since President Obama came out against congressional action on Keystone:
- Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA): “Landrieu says she'd support Keystone in payroll/ui/doc fix bill. Says ‘good deal’ of D & R support for it.” (Trish Turner, Twitter, 12/15/11)
- Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK): “Another sticking point is that Republicans inserted in their bill language that would fast-track the proposed Keystone X-L oil pipeline extension from Canada down to the Lower 48. …Senator Begich is supportive of moving the project forward and his office says that’s not a problem.” (Alaska Public Radio, 12/14/11)
- Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND): “I personally think the pipeline is absolutely in the national interest. It’ll help us reduce our dependence on foreign energy, at least foreign sources that are hostile to our interests… I, for one, on this side would hope that this could be part of a final package…” (Floor remarks, 12/14/11)
- Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO): “Well, let's hope we can negotiate something like that… if states’ rights are being protected and if this is going to be something maybe that we can try to jumpstart the approval process, make it go more quickly.” (MSNBC, 12/14/11)
- Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV): “I am for the Keystone pipeline. … everyone’s for it, it creates thousands of jobs!” (Fox News, 12/12/11)
- Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT): “I am proud to again offer my support for the Keystone XL pipeline and the jobs it will create. We need a quicker decision, based on the merits of this project.” (Floor Remarks, 12/13/11)
- Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC): “I'm very much for the pipeline. There is no question about that.” (MSNBC, 12/14/11)
- Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK): "I commend the Speaker for including the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline that is supported by business and labor." (Release, 12/12/11)
- Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA): “‘I think the president’s wrong on this,’ said Cardoza, who is retiring after this Congress. ‘He can veto whatever he wants, but those are both policies I support.’” (POLITICO, 12/7/11)
- Rep. Gene Green (D-TX): “Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) said he’s not swayed by Obama’s veiled veto pledge. … ‘The Keystone is awfully important,’ Green said.” (POLITICO, 12/8/11)
Again, these are all things Democrats have said in the week since the leader of their party said he would “reject” Keystone’s inclusion in a jobs bill extending payroll tax relief and unemployment insurance. For months now, Democrats have joined Republicans in supporting the pipeline – which is also backed by a broad-based coalition including organized labor – because it would help create jobs for workers struggling in President Obama’s economy.
Call on Senate Democrats to Take Action with the "We Can't Wait" Widget
Last night, Speaker Boehner unveiled an updated (and more accurate) version of the White House “countdown clock” urging Senate Democrats to take immediate action on the House-passed Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act. Click “embed” to put the widget on your website:
These Statistics Don't Lie, Ma'am
Today, DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz made the outrageous claim on "Fox and Friends" that the unemployment rate has not gone up since President Obama took office.
The facts are this: when the president took office, unemployment stood at 7.8%. It rose to 10.1% in April 2009, and now stands at 8.6%. The number of unemployed eclipsed 13 million in March 2009, and has remained above 13 million for 31 straight months. Unfortunately for the millions of Americans without jobs, some of whom were undoubtedly watching her try to pass off this statement as true, the average number of weeks it takes for them to find work is the highest its ever been.
House Republicans are taking decisive action to create jobs. Since January, we have passed 27 bipartisan jobs bills that are awaiting action in the Democrat-controlled Senate. And this week, the House will consider H.R. 3630 which will extend the Payroll Tax Holiday for another year while requiring no new government spending.
Santa's List (VIDEO)
The Obama Economy cannot recover without job creation from small businesses. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed 27 bipartisan jobs bills that still await action from the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate. It's time for Senate Democrats to stop procrastinating and join House Republicans to get America back to work.
Energy and Commerce Committee Members Urge Obama to Support the Keystone XL Pipeline
On December 7 the president announced his opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline. While President Obama's opposition to job-creating energy programs is well documented, this is especially shocking since Keystone is a project that would create over 100,000 jobs at a time when the unemployment rate is a staggering 8.6%.
The 23 Republican members of the House's Energy and Commerce Committee, along with Chairman Fred Upton, sent a letter to President Obama today urging him to join them in saying "Yes!" to Keystone and "Yes!" to jobs:
"Middle class families are now on notice that you plan to reject a payroll tax extension if it is linked to a job-creating private-sector construction project, the Keystone XL pipeline. Labor unions that have signed on to build and support this thoroughly studied and environmentally sound pipeline are now on notice that you plan to say no to their jobs. And out-of-work Americans are now also on notice that you plan to deny an extension of unemployment benefits because they may be linked to this same proposal to address America's energy needs and create new jobs, which would possibly give them an opportunity to re-enter the workforce.
"We respectfully request you reconsider your plans to deny working Americans protection from a large payroll tax increase and deny millions of jobless Americans further unemployment benefits in order to prevent tens of thousands of Americans from securing good-paying union jobs building a pipeline that will improve our energy security at no cost to the government."
You can read the full letter the committee members sent to the president here.
The House has passed 27 bills that are currently awaiting action in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
