Report: White House Wants $300 Billion For Jobs

President Obama will ask Congress for $300 billion to spur job growth in his speech Thursday night, according to Bloomberg News.

The $300 billion will be divided among tax cuts, aid to states and infrastructure spending.

In addition, Bloomberg reports that the President will ask the Congressional supercommittee, the bipartisan body tasked with finding $1.5 trillion in cuts, to adopt a plan to raise in a number of years to offset the cost of the jobs proposal.

Read more here.

Boehner Slams Obama Over Disappointing Jobs Report

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) released the following statement in response to the news that the nation’s unemployment rate remained at 9.1% in August:

“Private-sector job growth continues to be undermined by the triple threat of higher taxes, more failed ‘stimulus’ spending, and excessive federal regulations. Together, these Washington policies have created a fog of uncertainty that’s left small businesses unable to hire and American families worried about the future.”

“President Obama is slated to address Congress next week and I look forward to hearing his ideas to bolster private-sector job creation. The American people are still asking, ‘where are the jobs?’ Republicans are listening and focusing on removing barriers to job growth, whether it’s eliminating unnecessary regulations that drive up prices or stopping Washington from spending money it doesn’t have. I’m hopeful the White House will take this opportunity to work with us to end the uncertainty facing families and small businesses, and create a better environment for long-term economic growth and private-sector job creation.”

NY Republican Reacts To 9/11 Commission Report

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said yesterday’s report put out by the 9/11 Commission shows the need to create a broadband network solely for first-responders.

King, who represents most of Long Island, and who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, urged lawmakers to support his bill — H.R. 607, the Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011 — in which construction of a special network would be paid for through federal block grant funds.

“The Commissioners reminded us that the ‘inability of first responders to communicate with each other on demand was a critical failure of 9/11’ that ‘led to needless loss of life,’” King said. “President Obama supports the reallocation of D Block for public safety, as do the Department of Homeland Security, Republicans and Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee and virtually every public safety group and the seven largest governance groups in the country.”

King also urged leaders to consolidate the number of congressional committees that have jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Click here to read more about the Commission’s report…

Issa Launches Site To Save Insolvent USPS

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) launched an interactive website Thursday with the sole purpose of saving a debilitating United States Postal Service. 

SavingThePostalService.com allows visitors to see the facts about the financially insolvent U.S. Postal Service and offers them the opportunity to weigh in on which solutions Congress should pursue to address this issue. 

“The USPS is fast-approaching default and without serious reforms it will collapse and be unable to meet payroll as early as next year,” Issa said. “The American people will not accept the bailout of yet another failing institution which is why Congress must act to put the Postal Service on a sustainable course. Go to SavingThePostalService.com to learn more about the Postal Service, see our reforms and get involved in crafting your own solutions.”

The chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) began working towards making the USPS a solvent institution early this summer by introducing the Postal Reform Act of 2011. 

According to the Post Master General, the USPS will default on a multi-billion dollar payment to U.S. taxpayers by September 30, 2011. The postal service is expected to lose $9 billion in FY2011, exceeding the $8.5 billion it lost in 2010. 

Inhofe Blasts Obama Over Highway Funding

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) issued a scathing retort in response to President Obama’s comments earlier today on the need for lawmakers to quickly approve more funding for surface transportation projects.

Here’s the full statement:

“I appreciate President Obama’s remarks today on the need to extend the highway program,” Senator Inhofe said.  “But the reality is that his record on infrastructure is abysmal. From his ‘no-stimulus’ bill to his Labor Day speech last year, Obama continues to talk the talk without walking the walk - and that is why the current environment on transportation spending is so toxic.

“Ironically, President Obama noted the need to have a conversation about a long term highway bill. The question that must be asked is where has he been? To date, he has failed to provide any transportation proposal to Congress. Meanwhile, there are efforts on a highway bill in both the House and the Senate. But given Obama’s record on infrastructure, maybe it’s better that he has stayed out of the discussions.

“If the President had been involved, he would know that his comment today - that earmarks are the reason Congress has not acted sooner on a highway bill - is false.  No one in Congress has made any such proposal. This kind of misleading rhetoric only makes our job of getting a bill done that much harder.”