Speaker Boehner on the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act

In the Weekly Republican Address, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) addresses the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act, legislation the House will vote on next week that will help to create thousands of new American jobs while helping families struggling with the consequences of President Obama's failed economic policies.

This jobs bill (H.R. 3630) will extend the payroll tax cut, protect Social Security, reform and extend unemployment insurance, and extend pro-growth tax relief for businesses of all sizes -- while also advancing several bipartisan measures that will directly support the creation of private-sector jobs, including the Keystone XL energy pipeline.

"You've heard President Obama say the American people 'can't wait' to take action on jobs," Boehner said Saturday. "Well, the Keystone project is the very definition of an idea the American people can't wait for Washington to take action on."

"As you may know, the Keystone energy project would create tens of thousands of American jobs and reduce our dependence on oil from the Middle East," Boehner says in the address. "This jobs project has bipartisan support in the House and the Senate. It’s backed by a broad-based coalition, from small businesses to organized labor."

President Obama said during a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper this week, “any effort to try to tie Keystone [XL pipeline] to the payroll tax cut I will reject.” However, Politico reports today that “to some House Democrats, getting approval for the $7 billion, 1,700-mile pipeline from Alberta oil sands to Texas refineries is a serious effort that should hitch a ride in a must-pass payroll tax cut extension.”

Boehner said, "This is no time for the same-old my-way-or-the-highway theatrics. It's no secret that Democrats and Republicans often disagree about the best way to create jobs, but we can't let those disagreements prevent us from acting when we agree."

Everything in the House bill is offset by spending cuts, rather than through tax increases that would hit small businesses and destroy jobs, as proposed in Senate Democrats' bill.

Also note that 22 House Democrats wrote to President Obama in October, urging approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. “America truly cannot afford to say ‘no’ to this privately funded, $20 billion, jobs-creating infrastructure project, which would bolster our economic, energy and national security.” They pointed out, “With job growth an ongoing struggle for our country, the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline represents a true shovel-ready project that would directly create 20,000 high quality domestic manufacturing and construction jobs for Americans who are desperately seeking employment. The project would also create an additional 118,000 spin-off jobs.”

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Tags: Speaker John Boehner, jobs, job creation, Keystone XL project, middle class tax relief, bipartisan support To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!