Washington — House GOP leader John Boehner just met with reporters in the Capitol. He says he is looking forward to having “a nice conversation” with President Obama next week, where he will urge the president to make all of the Bush-era tax rates permanent.

Boehner, clad in a sky-blue sweater, says that small businesses “can’t invest when you don’t know what the rules are.”

Pressed about separating the extension periods for different tax levels, he says he will stick to extending all of them, in order to “reduce uncertainty.”

Also on the Speaker-to-be’s agenda: “reducing spending, getting the economy going, and repealing health care.” With regards to the GOP caucus, he says from “day one” it will be more “open,” “transparent,” and “accountable.”

Side notes: As Kathryn mentioned, Boehner says that he will continue to fly commercial airlines between Washington and his district in Ohio. He did not respond to NRO’s questions about the House GOP conference race.