John Boehner, Republicans stand ready to work with Democrats to extend the payroll tax break and unemployment insurance VIDEO

Washington (Dec 1) At his weekly press conference, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) reiterated that Republicans stand ready to work with Democrats to extend the payroll tax break and unemployment insurance, but reaffirmed that it must be done in a fiscally-responsible way to protect Social Security and avoid compounding the crippling debt problems facing our nation. Speaker Boehner also highlighted House action on three additional jobs bills this week, and urged President Obama to call on Senate Democrats to act on these, and more than 20 other bipartisan, House-passed jobs bills awaiting action.

BOEHNER: REPUBLICANS READY TO WORK WITH THE PRESIDENT TO FIND COMMON GROUND ON JOBS, PAYROLL TAX BREAK EXTENSION:

“Republicans told the president back in September that we are ready to work with him to find common ground on jobs, including an extension of the payroll tax cut and extending unemployment insurance. And that offer still stands. The key question is: how do we pay for it?

“When the president used a joint session of Congress in September to announce his plan, he promised the American people that every penny would be paid for – including the extension of the payroll tax break. And Democrats in Congress have also conceded that it should be paid for.”

BOEHNER: PAYROLL TAX BREAK MUST BE PAID FOR TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY:

“It’s important that the payroll tax cut be paid for because that money is used to fund the Social Security Trust Fund, which is already facing imminent bankruptcy. Unlike other taxes, the payroll tax is used to fund Social Security. As such, the revenues that the payroll tax generates are already dedicated to a specific purpose. Revenue collected via the payroll tax finances benefits for current and future retirees. And any drop in revenue resulting from a temporary reduction in the payroll tax that is not paid for will harm the Social Security Trust Fund and accelerate the program’s looming bankruptcy.

“So Republicans agree that we need to focus on jobs, but we need to do it in a way that doesn’t harm Social Security or add more to the country’s already large deficit. Americans know we can’t get our economy moving and create jobs without dealing with Washington’s out-of-control spending. Republicans are ready to work with the President and the Democrats to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance temporarily, but they must be offset with spending cuts elsewhere.”

BOEHNER: HOUSE HAS PASSED MORE THAN 20 JOBS BILLS THAT ARE STUCK IN THE DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED SENATE:

“This week, Republicans are taking several more steps in order to help create jobs and boost our economy. The House will pass three additional jobs bills to help create a better environment for private-sector job creation. This is in addition to the 20 bills that we already have sitting over in the United States Senate. Our plan to help America’s job creators – we’ve got some of these enacted into law through both chambers, but there’s 20 bills sitting over in the United States Senate.”

BOEHNER: PRESIDENT OBAMA SHOULD CALL ON SENATE DEMOCRATS TO VOTE ON BIPARTISAN, HOUSE-PASSED JOBS BILLS:

“And I would urge the president to call on the Senate to allow votes on these bipartisan bills, and ensure that they receive a fair vote in the Senate. So we hope the president will put his partisan politics aside and urge the Senate to move these bipartisan bills as quickly as possible.”

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker Boehner H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

IMAGE CREDIT: JohnBoehner

Governor Christie to President Obama "What Are We Paying You For?" VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Governor Christie to President Obama "What Are We Paying You For?" VIDEO

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

Governor Chris Christie: I believe that the Occupy movement and the Tea Party movement come -- their genesis -- is from the same feeling, which is an anger that government can’t get things done. And so, now, that is the last similarity between the Tea Party movement and the Occupy movement. But I believe that the cause for their anger comes from the same place. They look at Washington D.C. and they look at a president who is a bystander in the Oval Office. You know, I was angry this weekend, listening to the spin coming out of the administration about the failure of the Supercommittee. And that the President knew that it was doomed for failure so he didn’t get involved.

Well then what the hell are we paying you for? It’s doomed for failure so I’m not getting involved? Well, what have you been doing exactly? I mean, I will tell you that I think both parties deserve blame for what’s going on in Washington D.C., both parties do. They’re spending more time talking at each other than talking with each other. We all know what the solutions to these problems are, we’ve done them in New Jersey in many areas, but we don’t have the political will to get them done. And in New Jersey, the reason why they got things done is because I called people into a room and said we’re going to solve this problem and I had people of good will on the other side who said they believed it was their obligation, regardless of party, to get done things like pension and benefit reform.

That Mayor Redd can tell you personally how it’s helping her and her budget situation in Camden. Why the President of the United States refuses to do this is astonishing to me. I mean, you know, if he wanted to run for Senate again and just be 1 of 100, I’m sure he could have gotten reelected over and over again in Illinois. When you’re president, it’s kind of what I was talking about before, you know 41, 21 and 1, well he’s the one in Washington. And he’s got to get something done here. And it’s not good enough just to say well, I’ll get it done after the election.

Press Contact: Michael Drewniak Kevin Roberts 609-777-2600 Office of the Governor PO Box 001 Trenton, NJ 08625 609-292-6000

VIDEO CREDIT: GovChristie