In the News 

KEY QUOTE: "With the national unemployment at 9 percent, we need immediate action... rather than add new ‘stimulus’ spending, higher taxes, or more needless regulations, a group of 132 economists... say the strategy we use in the Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators will do more to help Americans get back to work - in both the near-term and long-term.

Republicans Will Remain Focused on Job Creation
Greenville Daily Advocate
John Boehner
December 1, 2011

For 33 consecutive months, our national unemployment has been above 8 percent.  In the month of October, the national unemployment rate was at 9 percent.  These staggering figures underscore the need for immediate action from the leaders in Washington.  With families and small businesses struggling to make ends meet, I can assure you Republicans are going to remain focused on our commitment to reduce government spending, remove government barriers blocking job creation, and prevent tax hikes in order to help encourage economic growth across our country.

In May, House Republicans offered a plan to support job creation in the United States called the Plan for America's Job Creators (available online at Jobs.Gop.Gov).  Using our plan as a guide, we have sought to find areas of agreement between Democrats and Republicans to help get our economy moving forward.

In recent weeks, we have found common ground and taken action.  For example, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act which passed by a vote of 418-6 in the House, passed in the Senate, and was signed into law by the president, eliminates bureaucratic barriers that are keeping veterans from finding work.  Another example is legislation that prevents the IRS from imposing a job-crushing tax on job creators.  This legislation passed the House by a vote of 405-16, passed the Senate, and President Obama signed it into law on November 21.

Repealing the IRS withholding tax on job creators and encouraging job opportunities for America’s veterans are two bipartisan, common-sense ways we can help get Americans back to work.  These two bipartisan pieces of legislation prove that Washington’s leaders can help create an environment for job growth when both parties work together and find solutions.

While I’m pleased that Senate Democrats followed the House in approving these measures, and I’m proud that the president signed them, we can’t stop there.

The House has passed more than 20 bipartisan jobs bills that are stuck in the Senate.  These bills encourage a better environment for private-sector job growth by empowering small business owners, eliminating excessive regulations, increasing competitiveness for U.S. manufacturers, maximizing domestic energy production, addressing our unsustainable debt burden and breaking down barriers to entrepreneurship.  They all have bipartisan support in the House and yet have not received a vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

With the national unemployment at 9 percent, we need immediate action.  I hope President Obama will build on the common ground that led to our recent bipartisan victories, work with Republicans, and urge Senate Democrats to take action on the rest of the House-passed jobs bills so we can get our economy back to creating new jobs.

So rather than add new ‘stimulus’ spending, higher taxes, or more needless regulations, a group of 132 economists from institutions like Harvard and Stanford say the strategy we use in the Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators will do more to help Americans get back to work - in both the near-term and long-term.  Let’s follow their advice, put country before party, and work together to get our economy back on track.