Hoyer Presses GOP To Move On Jobs Bill

By Janie Amaya

House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) accused Republicans on Tuesday of failing to produce jobs legislation during their first nine months in charge of the House.

Hoyer told reporters during his weekly briefing that action must be taken on President Obama’s American Jobs Act, and argued that Republicans have already voiced support for several elements in the plan.

“Not only have we not moved the jobs bill, there have been no hearings on the jobs bill,” Hoyer said.

Hoyer said it was unfortunate that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said yesterday that the bill has zero chance of passing the House.

The Maryland Democrat pointed to forecasts predicting that the jobs package would create nearly two million jobs, cut the unemployment rate by a point on average and increase growth by two percentage points. 

Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., Hoyer said, “I hope the committee feels the ‘fierce urgency of now’ as the stock market reflects a lack of confidence, as Europe is roiled and as the virus of the lack of confidence in our markets spreads rapidly throughout the world. This is a time of significant moment and hopefully we’re up to the tasks.”