John Boehner Senate passed, short-term payroll tax cut extension is burdensome and unworkable VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

John Boehner Senate passed, short-term payroll tax cut extension is burdensome and unworkable VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Washington (Dec 22) At a press conferences with Republican leaders and House payroll tax cut negotiators today, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) reiterated that the Senate-passed, short-term payroll tax cut extension is burdensome and unworkable for American job creators, and will not provide the level of tax relief American families need in this struggling economy. Speaker Boehner once again called on Senate Democrats to work with Republicans on a long-term extension and “solve this problem so that American workers don’t see their taxes go up in January.” Following are video and text of Speaker Boehner’s remarks.

“Yesterday, I spoke with President Obama. I urged him to call on Senator Reid to work with us to finish this bill that will provide for one year of tax relief for American workers. I told the President there’s one big reason why we need to do a full-year, and that’s jobs.

“A one-year bill – like the President requested and like the House produced – is simply better for jobs and better for our economy. A one-year bill provides, on average, about $1,000 for American workers, as opposed to the Senate bill which would provide a measly $166. As importantly, a one-year bill would provide certainty for American employers as they begin to plan for next year. A two month extension only perpetuates the uncertainty that too many employers already have in dealing with the economy and what’s coming out of Washington.

“Listen, I used to run a small business. I can tell you that the language in the Senate bill will hurt small businesses. The Senate [bill] only goes for two months, but businesses send their taxes in – write the check, I used to write the check to the IRS – but it’s done on a quarterly basis. And so, you’re going to have a couple of months of this, and another month of this, trying to figure out what your obligation is is going to be difficult. And secondly, the paperwork requirements and the programming requirements contained in the Senate bill will make it virtually impossible for those who provide payroll services to do the job that employers hire them to do.

“The fact is, we can do better. Americans are still asking the question, ‘where are the jobs?’ It’s time for us to sit down and have a serious negotiation, solve this problem, so that American workers don’t see their taxes go up in January.”

TEXT CREDIT: John Boehner | speaker.gov H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: JohnBoehner

John Boehner., We’re here. We’re ready to go to work to Extend Full-Year Payroll Tax Relief VIDEO

Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) met with the eight House Republican negotiators appointed to work with Senate Democrats on extending payroll tax relief for a full year. Boehner said Senate Democrats should appoint negotiators too and help prevent a tax hike on middle class families -- without hurting small business job creators, as the short-term Senate bill would do:

Last week, the House passed a bipartisan bill extending payroll tax relief for a full year. The bill reformed and extended unemployment insurance for a full year, protected Social Security, and would help create new jobs as well. After Senate Democrats passed a short-term two month bill, the House voted to start negotiating with the Senate now so this important matter could be resolved before the end of the year.

Unfortunately, Senate Democrats have so far refused to appoint negotiators. As Speaker Boehner wrote this morning in USA Today, “We hope the president, who has repeatedly said he won't go on vacation until this matter is resolved, will urge Senate Democrats to change their minds.”

BOEHNER: “Yesterday the House voted to reject the Senate bill and ask for a conference with the Senate where we could resolve the differences between the two houses. I’ve appointed the eight men and women sitting here with the Majority Leader and I to be our negotiators. We’re here. We’re ready to go to work. And we’re hoping that Senate Democrats will appoint negotiators, come to the table, and resolve these differences. I think it’s important to note that the president, bipartisan leaders in the House and bipartisan leaders in the Senate, have all really asked for the same thing over the course of the last several months: let’s extend the payroll tax credit for a year. And all we’re asking for is to get the Senate members over here to work with us to resolve our differences so we can do what everybody wants to do: extend the payroll tax credit for the next year. I’m hoping that they’re ready to work as we are.”

TEXT CREDIT: John Boehner | speaker.gov H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

VIDEO CREDIT: JohnBoehner