House Republicans Demand Holder's Resignation

By Andrea Salazar

Nearly a dozen Republican House members joined together Tuesday to call for Eric Holder to resign from his position as Attorney General, holding him responsible for “Operation Fast and Furious” and the death of a Border Patrol Agent.

Under “Fast and Furious,” the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) allegedly allowed guns across the border and into the hands of Mexican cartels. Two of those guns were found last December where Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered.

“‘Fast and Furious’ endangered the lives of every citizen in this country, especially those of us in the Southwest,” Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) said at a news conference. “Further, this program…severely compromised the safety of our law enforcement folks in every Main Street, every town, county and state by arming criminals and foreign nationals.”

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) called for President Obama to join in asking Holder to resign, saying “if the president does not agree with that stance, then perhaps the president of the United States of America is also complicit in this horrible, tragic event.”

“Leaders take responsibility,” West said. “They very rarely take credit. It’s time for Attorney General Holder to take responsibility for the failures that are coming out of the Department of Justice.”

Reps. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas), Diane Black (R-Tenn.), Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) and Anne Marie Buerkle (R-N.Y.) echoed their colleagues demand.

Republicans Unveil New Contract

A small group of Republicans on Thursday released their “Pledge To America,” a 21-page document that outlines what the party will do if it wins back Congress this fall.

The manifesto proposes a bevy of government reforms, from slashing spending to repealing President Obama’s healthcare law. The pledge is low on specifics, but features ideas submitted by members of the public through the GOP’s “America Speaking Out” website.

“Our pledge to America is that the Republicans stand ready to get it done and beginning today,” said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

“The land of opportunity has become the land of shrinking prosperity,” said Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), a key architect of the document. “Americans across this country are outraged, and so are we.”

Boehner and McCarthy were among a dozen House GOP’ers who made the trek to Tart Lumber in Sterling, Va. to unveil the pledge. Republicans chose Sterling, a Washington, D.C. suburb located roughly 45 minutes outside the city, as a more modest alternative to the ceremony held in 1994 on the Capitol steps in which over 100 Republicans announced their “Contract With America.”

2.5 Million More Immigrants Will Benefit From Health Care Reform Bill, Say House Republicans

By Marianna Levyash - Talk Radio News Service

House Republicans expressed concern Friday that the Affordable Health Care for All Americans Act contains loopholes which ultimately could provide government-subsidized health care benefits to illegal immigrants.

“It would cost the American tax payer $30.5 billion for people who have illegally come to this country,” said Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)

Wilson added that according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), 2.5 million more illegal immigrants would benefit from the legislation.

The GOP members wrote amendments fo the House Health Care Reform Bill that would prevent access to health care benefits by these illegal aliens until they proved citizenship. However, the Rules Committee will reportedly not take any more amendments until the House votes.

“There’s a way to fix this...it should be fixed before the vote is taken,” said Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)

Energy, Health Care Bills Will Kill Jobs, Hurt Economy Say House GOP'ers

By Laura Woodhead - Talk Radio News Service

The energy and health care proposals currently being debated in Congress will be disastrous for the economy, House Republicans said at a press conference Tuesday. Speaking following the weekly House Republican conference, Rep. Mike Pence (R - Ind.) said that the Democrats seem determined to try and pass their bills despite the negative impact they'll have on an already challenged economy. If it were to pass, the American Clean Energy Act and the Democrats' health care plan would be a "disaster for this economy and a disaster for working Americans" he said.

"House Republicans are determined to step forward and demand that this Congress focus on putting this country back on its feet," Pence added.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said that there is a strong bi-partisan coalition opposing the current health care proposals.

"Either this bill fails or it changes dramatically," Cantor said. "If the bill fails it will be because of disagreement among the Democrats as to the proper direction to head as far as health care reform is concerned."

"This administration, this President has no one else to blame," he added. "What they ought to be doing is coming to work with us in order to reflect a much more reasoned approach to try and accomplish health care for the American people."

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio.) said that the "President is going to begin his barnstorming" on bills that will kill jobs.

"The stimulus bill isnt working, they bring along this health care bill that will cost 5 million jobs, and they bring this cap and trade bill up last month that will cost us 2.5 million jobs each year for the next ten years. This is not what the American people want."

Boehner called on President Obama to abandon current health care proposals and negotiate with Republicans in order to achieve economically feasible health care reform.

"Mr President, it's time to scrap this bill. It's time to start working in a bi-partisan way," he said.

Stimulus Moving Country In "Wrong Direction," Say House GOP'ers

By Aaron Richardson - Talk Radio News Service

A group of House Republicans called out Democrats on Thursday, blaming them for passing a stimulus package that according to the Republicans, hasn't yet turned our nation's economy around.

Republicans Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Tom Price (R-Ga.), Chris Lee (R-NY), Lynn Jenkins (R-Ks.), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) and Steve Austria (R-Ohio) took turns bashing the stimulus plan at a press conference aimed specifically at pointing out the missteps of the Democratic majority.

“We are facing a situation where you have a very out of touch administration and majority who don’t realize the fiscal mess that they’re putting us into; but I can assure you the people of my district are extremely frustrated and want them to stop this reckless spending,” said Rep. Lee.

Rep. Price held specific Democrats responsible for the recent loss of jobs, and explained how the current economic downturn will affect Americans in the near future.

“Is this what the Speaker had in mind when she shackled our children and our grand children to this experiment in big government economics?” Price asked.

Rep. Jenkins took swipes at the Democratic majority as well; “Since January this Congress and administration has taken us in the wrong direction. They’ve gone on an unprecedented spending spree with your tax dollars. From numerous bailouts, to the near trillion dollar stimulus,to the natural energy tax, Kansans are saying enough is enough,” said the Kansas Republican.