Boehner Criticizes Administration For Lack Of Job Creation

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) once again criticized the Obama administration Wednesday for failing to improve the employment situation in the U.S. through the use of the Recovery Act.

“It’s time to get serious about job creation in America because all we’ve gotten out of the [Recovery Act] is a big pile of debt on the backs of our kids and grandkids,” Boehner told reporters.

Boehner added that the President promised that the unemployment rate would not raise past 8 percent if the legislation aimed at stimulating the U.S. economy was passed. Boehner pointed out that unemployment is currently hovering around 10 percent a year after the Recovery Act was signed.

"[The President] said that the stimulus bill would create jobs immediately, and yet over 3 million Americans have lost their jobs since this bill has been signed into law,” Boehner noted.

Boehner also praised police officials for their efforts in capturing Faisal Shahzad, the suspect apprehended for Saturday's New York Times Square scare.

“I want to thank our law enforcement officials in New York and around the country ... [the attempted attack] is another reminder of the vigilance that the American people need to have and the fact that this threat is a continuing threat to our nation,” said Boehner.

Pence Criticizes Administration Over Its Response To Oil Spill

By Justine Rellosa
Talk Radio News Service

House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) criticized President Barack Obama on Wednesday for not responding fast enough to the massive oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico two weeks ago. Pence also faulted the administration for not making enough equipment available to the federal response team.

“The American people deserve to know why the administration was slow to respond and why the necessary equipment was not immediately available to the region,” he told reporters.

In light of the spill, Pence said now is the time for Congress to focus on energy independence, including drilling for oil domestically, adding that House Republicans are hard at work on necessary legislation.

“The American people deserve a strategy for energy independence that is built on giving the American people access to all of our domestic resources.”

Treasury Secretary Geithner: Tax On Big Institutions Will Offset TARP Costs

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner cast levying a tax on large financial institutions as a significant step in offsetting the costs incurred through the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).

“This was an expensive financial crisis. It caused a lot of damage to our long term fiscal position,” Geithner said Tuesday during his testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.

Geithner explained that the affected firms are made up of those that have over $50 billion in assets and are eligible for emergency assistance programs.

“We thought the fairest way to do this was to apply the fee to the firms that contributed the most to the crisis.”

The tax will be collected throughout the decade and ultimately seeks to gather $90 billion.

Border Patrol Should Be Implemented ASAP, Say Border State Governors

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D) and Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) agreed Monday that border security should play a key role in immigration reform.

"You've got to have more border security," said Richardson during a Summit on free enterprise and job creation hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. "You need more equipment, more technology, border patrol."

Richardson added that the federal government should ultimately foot the bill for these costs.

"We added National Guard in New Mexico, but this is a federal responsibility and they have to pay for it."

During his remarks, Perry explained that border security should be the first goal of immigration reform.

"You cannot have a legitimate, intellectual conversation about immigration policy until you secure the border," Perry said.

Added the Texas Governor, "[Border security] will "singularly take care of a host of problems."

House Republican: Wall Street Debate About “Smart Regulation And Dumb Regulation”

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) told reporters during a briefing Wednesday with other Republicans that the debate over financial Wall Street reform legislation comes down to a difference between “smart regulation and dumb regulation."

Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who joined Hensarling, pointed out what form these "dumb regulations" could take.

"This legislation ... is going to harm job creation and capital formation in America,” said Price. “It continues to enshrine us as a bailout nation.”

Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) added that Congress should avoid using using taxpayers' money to fix the problems incurred by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

“If there is any party that is standing up for big banks, it’s the Democrats,” he said.