Speaker of the House Weekly Report: “The American People Haven’t Backed Down and Neither Can We”

Weekly Report: “The American People Haven’t Backed Down and Neither Can We” January 19, 2014 | VIEW ONLINE A Call to Action on Jobs: In Saturday’s weekly Republican address, Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) challenged President Obama to match the American people’s commitment to building a better economy and urge Senate Democrats to take up House-passed jobs bills.   “Mr. President, the American people haven’t backed down and neither can we,” Stutzman says. “Call on your party to give these jobs bills a vote.”  Read and watch the Weekly Republican Address here. In a similar vein, Speaker Boehner took to the House floor on Wednesday to highlight specific steps the president can take right now to help create private-sector jobs.  “He can start by approving the Keystone pipeline and the tens of thousands of jobs it will create.  He can start by leading on Trade Promotion Authority…”  See the rest of the list & watch the Speaker’s Minute on YouTube. The Constitution Is Mightier Than…: On Thursday, Speaker Boehner – who has often said we work for the American people, not the other way around – addressed the president’s recent comments that he has ‘a pen and a phone’ to assert his executive authority.  “I would remind the president he also has a Constitution,” Boehner said, “and an oath of office that he took where he swore to faithfully execute the laws of our country.”  Like and share our Constitution graphic on Facebook and Google+. Earmark-Free Zone: Also on Wednesday, the House passed a government funding measure that contained no earmarks – a far cry from a March 2009 measure that contained roughly 9,000 of them.  Banning earmarks is another step Republicans have taken to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely or not at all.  Like and share our “no earmarks” graphic on Facebook and Google+. Demanding Answers on ObamaCare: On Thursday, the House passed a measure requiring the administration to provide the public with information about ObamaCare's website and enrollment figures.  “We know the president’s health care law is driving up costs for middle-class families, making it harder for small businesses to hire, and hurting the economy – but there’s still a lot we don’t know,” Speaker Boehner said.  Read his full statement here. Benghazi Investigation Update: On Monday, the House Armed Services Committee released newly declassified transcripts showing that the Obama administration’s unpreparedness left the military ill-postured to respond to an attack on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11.  Speaker Boehner has made clear that the House’s investigation will continue even if the administration continues to stonewall.  Read our latest Benghazi update here. National Security Programs: On Friday, Speaker Boehner responded to the president’s remarks on national security programs by saying that “the House will review any legislative reforms proposed by the administration, but we will not erode the operational integrity of critical programs that have helped keep America safe."  Read the Speaker’s full statement here.