House Democrats Support Executive Order On Debt Limit

Vanessa Remmers

House Democratic leaders are prepared to stand behind President Obama if he issues an executive order to increase the debt ceiling in the event Congress fails to reach a debt limit deal before August 2.

“House Republicans have failed to govern, failure is not an option for our country, and therefore, you leave it to the President to take whatever action is within his power,” Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) said.

In his push for an executive order, Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) drew from President Truman’s executive order in the 1940’s.

“[An executive order to raise the debt ceiling] will bring calm to the American people and stability to financial markets,” Clyburn said.

Both House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) and Clyburn said the President should veto a short-term debt ceiling increase with the same pen that he signs an executive order, even though both recognized the President’s firm stance on the issue.

In regard to House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) budget plan, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) chuckled at its potential support and rumored uptick in momentum.

“The real question is how many Republicans would vote for it,” Larson said.

The final result of the budget battle remains uncertain as Larson admitted that more Democrats would vote for the Reid plan, but placed all predictions on conditional terms.

House Democrats Urge Senate Counterparts To Get Into Gear

By Leah Valencia - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Members of the House Democratic Caucus said Wednesday said that they plan on passing a jobs package today and will put pressure on their Senate colleagues to act with more compulsion.

"The caucus will pass over a jobs bill today, along with a defense bill, to the Senate, and we encourage...in fact, we would like to see the Senate take more action,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.). “The American people are demanding that the [Senate] take action, and most importantly, that we get America back to work.”

Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) said a recent count done by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) showed that 234 House bills have failed to pass through the Senate. Larson said he would like to see the Senate catch up.
"We'd be happy with just three, health care, energy, education...make that four, a jobs bill," Larson said.

Larson told reporters that he did not blame the Senate Democratic leadership for slow progress.

"Harry Reid will get a direct shot to heaven," he said. “He is laboring mightily with the rules of the Senate. It shouldn't be that any one senator or a collection thereof [can] stop progress on behalf of the American people, whether that's health care or a jobs bill."

Democratic Caucus Planning Jobs Legislation Before Christmas

By Leah Valencia - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) said Tuesday that the House of Representatives will pass a job creation bill before Congress breaks for its Christmas recess.

“We feel we can move fairly quickly,” Larson said following a Democratic Caucus meeting. “We have a limited amount of time left, but we feel we can accomplish those goals in that time period.”

The legislation proposed by House Democrats would use Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds to pay for the job creation program, an idea that was endorsed by President Barack Obama during his remarks at the Brookings Institute earlier in the day.

“I am glad President Obama agrees with proposals set forth by House Democrats to use returning TARP funds to pay for job creation legislation,” Larson said. “It is time for Wall Street to help rebuild Main Street. We will take steps in the coming weeks to make sure that happens.”

Larson said the size and cost of a jobs package will depend on further discussions with the executive branch, but the need for job stimulation is a top priority within the House.

War Over Health Care Rages On Between Members Of Both Parties

By Sam Wechsler - Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) stated Monday that “when you look at the Democrat proposal [for health care reform], it’s clear that it’s going to drive the cost of health care even higher.”

A few minutes later, down the hall of the Capitol, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said, “I don’t think we ought to be talking about what it's going to cost us to do this plan. What we should be talking about is what is it going to cost us if we don’t do this.”

The differing partisan opinions didn't end there.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) pointed out that the CEO of a top insurance company earned $24 million in compensation this past year. “It’s time to add more competition and more choice,” he said.

“If the Democrats get their way on health care, you’ll probably lose your health insurance and you might just lose your job,” House Republican Chair Mike Pence said Monday (R-Ind.). Pence cited White House chief economic advisor Christina Romer in saying that the business tax hikes alone will kill up to 4.7 million jobs. Boehner added that the tax hikes will disproportionately hit small businesses the most.

Meanwhile, House Democratic Chair John Larson (D-Conn.) estimated that close to 16,000 small business employees in Boehner’s district would be able to get health insurance thanks to Democratic health care reform. Larson also claimed that 91,000 people would have access to health insurance in Pence’s district.

Said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), “This is about the American people. It’s about making them healthier, more economically secure, and to have more choices in their lives.”

Boehner, however, disagreed with the Speaker.

“At a time when most Americans are asking the question ‘where are the jobs?’ we don’t need to be instituting policies that will drive the cost of employment higher....and raise the unemployment rate,” he argued.