Some excerpts of his speech later today:
· In remarks Thursday to the Economic Club of Washington, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) will say that while the House will consider President Obama’s proposals, which offer some opportunities for common ground, they are no substitute for the pro-growth policies needed to remove barriers to job creation in America. He will call for action by both parties to liberate our nation’s economy from the shackles of government policies that are preventing American employers from hiring more workers, and offer a path both parties can follow in the months ahead to begin this effort.
· A triple threat of excessive regulation, higher taxes, and out-of-control spending is stifling private-sector job creation in America, the Speaker will argue, noting these Washington policies have combined to create a toxic environment for job creation that has rattled confidence and prevented job creators from hiring new workers. While Republicans want to work with the president, both parties need to be careful not to make any of these problems worse, the Speaker will say.
· The mission of the new Joint Select Committee established by the Budget Control Act of 2011 is to reduce the deficit that is threatening job creation in America – and the president shouldn’t make the Joint Select Committee’s task harder by asking it to do things that will make the environment for job creation in our country even worse, the Speaker will warn. Asking the Joint Select Committee to enact permanent tax increases to pay for temporary short-term gimmicks would have this unfortunate effect. The tax increases proposed by the president to pay for his jobs proposals also face bipartisan opposition in Congress.
· What we really need to be doing to put America back to work is removing the government barriers that are getting in the way of job creation, the Speaker will argue. The solution to the jobs crisis in America lies in liberating our economy from the shackles of government – not in short-term gimmicks that create more government and add to the challenges job creators already face, he will say.
· The Joint Select Committee has an opportunity to help liberate our economy in the coming months by laying the foundation for fundamental tax reform to support private investment, and addressing the structural problems in our entitlement programs that have put our country in danger of more job-destroying downgrades, the Speaker will say. He will note that tax reform should include closing loopholes — but tax increases, which will destroy jobs, are not a viable option for the Joint Select Committee.
· The House will also take action this fall to liberate our economy by addressing the problem of unnecessary federal regulations that are hampering job growth, the Speaker will note. There are reasonable regulations that protect our children and help keep our environment clean, and there are excessive regulations that are making it harder for our economy to create jobs, the Speaker will argue. The fall legislative agenda planned by the House under Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) reflects concerns expressed by job creators across America about unnecessary federal regulations that far exceed the federal government’s constitutional mandate and are hampering job creation, he will note.
· By working together to liberate our economy from excessive regulation, higher taxes, and out-of-control spending, rather than focusing on short-term gimmicks that could worsen the environment for job creation, the Speaker will argue, the two parties can provide certainty for job creators and lay the foundation for long-term economic growth in America.