Boehner: Americans Need Certainty, Not More Tax Increases

While addressing reporters at the Republican National Committee (RNC) Tuesday morning, Speaker of the House John Boehner insisted that Americans need certainty about what is going on in Washington for the economy to improve. 

On Monday, President Obama presented his American Jobs Act to Congress, which will provide jobs for Americans and be paid for by permanent tax increases. 

“As a former small businessman myself, I can tell you we have a different approach to creating jobs than our friends across the aisle,” Boehner told reporters.

Boehner then went on to explain how he spoke to thousands of people and employers over the August recess who were seeking greater clarification of legislation in Washington. 

“They want some certainty about what is happening in Washington, certainty about what the tax rates are going to be, certainty about what their healthcare costs and commitments are going to be and certainty about the regulatory onslaught that they are under, ” Boehner stated. “These are the kind of things that need to be addressed if we’re going to create the kind of environment where employers will feel comfortable in adding more employees to their company.”

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Boehner Unsure If Plan Can Prevent Credit Downgrade

By Philip Bunnell

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) told reporters Thursday that he was unsure if his debt plan, set to be voted on later in the day, could prevent a credit downgrade.

“That is beyond my control,” Boehner said. “All I know is this bipartisan bill is as large a step as we’re able to take at this time that is doable and signable.”

 The credit rating agency Moody’s said Wednesday that it could still downgrade the United States’ credit if the Boehner plan passed.  

Boehner acknowledged that the bill is not exactly what some of the more conservative Republicans had in mind saying, “the bill’s not perfect, I never said it was perfect, no one in my caucus thinks it is perfect.”

The Speaker did not seem to believe that the bill would have trouble passing the House, and added that once it does, “the Senate will have no excuses.”

Boehner Blames Obama, Senate Dems For Weak Job Growth

By Philip Bunnell

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) took President Obama and Senate Democrats to task Friday following the release of new labor data that shows rising to 9.2 % and few new jobs.  

The Republican leader was quick to point to the several “job creating bills” that passed the GOP controlled House but were stalled by the Democrat controlled Senate.

In an appearance before reporters Friday morning, Boehner and other Republican Representatives pointed to several bills that they claimed could create “millions of jobs.”  Bills to end the drilling moratorium and rid the private sector of government imposed regulations, the House Republicans said, would drastically reduce unemployment.

With regards to the debt ceiling negotiations, Boehner described the situation as “urgent, even dire.”  However, when pressed over how he could “sweeten the deal,” to make the entitlement cuts more palatable to Democrats, the Speaker simply joked “if you have any suggestions, pass them on.”

Boehner and other Republicans will meet with the President again on Sunday to try and reach a deal on the debt ceiling.

House GOP Leaders Stand Firm On Taxes

House Republicans, on their way to meet with President Obama at the White House to negotiate a raise to the debt ceiling, offered no change in the demands they have been making throughout the negotiations, remaining absolute in the party’s ‘no tax hike’ stance. 

“We are not going to raise taxes on the American people, we are not going to raise taxes on the very people we expect to reinvest in our economy and to help grow jobs,” Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters.

When Boehner was pressed over how he would reach a deal with the Democrats, who have insisted that revenue increases be included, the Speaker simply said that “there’s a lot of conversation that is underway,” and that spending should be the focus.

Boehner, Cantor Call On Reid To Bring Repeal Bill To Senate Floor

House Republican leadership remain focused on proceeding with a vote early Wednesday evening to repeal President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, despite hearing criticisms that the repeal bill will die in the Senate. 

“Congress can do better,” House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) told reporters Wednesday morning. “I just think it’s time to listen to the American people and do this the right way.”

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) called on his Democratic counterpart in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), to bring the repeal bill to the Senate floor for a full vote should it get through the House. Referring to the notion that this would be a “results driven Congress,” Cantor said he found it counterproductive for Democrats to assume the repeal bill would not carry the same support in the Senate as it would in the House.

“The American people deserve a full hearing, they deserve to see this legislation go to the Senate for a full vote,” Cantor said. “Interestingly Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) says that this is a political win for the Democrats, if so let’s see the votes.”

With the idea of “repeal and replace” in mind, both Boehner and Cantor said that a resolution will be brought to the House floor Thursday that will set the stage for committees to begin drawing up an “alternative vision” bill.