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11/18/10 Republican Leadership Press Conference |
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Participants:
- Speaker-Designate John Boehner
- Majority Leader Eric Cantor
- Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy
- Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling
- NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions
- Policy Chair Tom Price
- Conference Vice Chair, Cathy McMorris Rodgers
- Freshman Representative Rep-Elect Kristi Noem
- Freshman Representative Rep-Elect Tim Scott
Multimedia:
Audio
Speaker-Designate John Boehner
Good afternoon, everyone. Republicans are united, and we are humbled by the trust that the American people have placed in us. We have a new majority and a new leadership team. But as you've heard me say before, this is not about us. It's about the American people, because it's the American people who are in charge, and they want a Congress that focuses on the people's priorities: cutting spending, creating jobs, and reforming the way Congress does its work.
Republicans have made a pledge to America to listen to the American people and a pledge to focus on their priorities, and that's exactly what we are going to do. We are going to focus on creating jobs, cutting spending and reforming the way Congress does its business. We are going to fight for a smaller, less costly, and more accountable Federal Government here in Washington, D.C.
Today Republicans adopted an earmark ban that shows the American people that we are listening and serious about ending business as usual here in Washington, D.C. We hope the President will work with us on all of these priorities.
And I also want to say how proud I am of the leadership team that our members have elected. I think we have a team that represents the broad consensus of our party, the broad diversity of our party, and I'm looking forward to working with them on dealing with the priorities that the American people have sent us here to deal with.
Republican Leader Eric Cantor
Good afternoon. We Republicans are very energized to assume the responsibility that the majority will afford us in the 112th Congress. We realize that the public has given us a second chance, a golden opportunity to live up to the expectations that the voters have for this Congress and our party.
We are going to be a results‑driven Congress. Job one is for us to cut Federal spending and to remove the uncertainty that has been hampering job creation over the last several years in this country. This Congress in the 112th Congress is going to be about reform. The incredibly large freshman class will help us effect that reform and actually change the culture of the way this place works.
Today our conference took a position that yet again demonstrates our commitment to that reform, and that is with the adoption of the extension of the moratorium on earmarks, as evidence again that we are committed to reforming the way this place works and to changing the culture of Washington.
As the Leader said, our conference has elected a leadership team that is fresh, is reform‑minded and ready to get to work. With us today you will see Kristi Noem of the freshman class from South Dakota; Tim Scott from South Carolina. We also have our newly elected chairman Jeb Hensarling of Texas you will hear from as well as our new whip, Kevin McCarthy, together with the others who have served before.
Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy
As Leader Boehner laid out even last year that we were staking out to listen to the American public. We had America Speaking Out. Thousands of ideas came through. Never once did we ask anyone what party they were affiliated with, just as long as they were an American. People were able to vote on the ideas, debate the ideas in an open format. Just as that was the process, that's what's going to come to the floor of Congress where the best idea wins at the end of the day.
We laid out a Pledge to America that we thought would turn this country around. Unfortunately, the majority party at the time would not allow it come to the floor. What I believe is probably the strongest part of the entire pledge are the very first words in the preamble, that America is more than a country; America is an idea.
The voters out there laid out a very clear, concise message that they want to see change in Washington. No one sitting up here believes that Republicans went out and won a majority. And only in America are you ever given a second chance. We know we will have to earn it. And you will find that our whole focus will be about job creation, reducing spending, and, more importantly, changing the reform of Congress itself.
But we understand that the power is with the people. Yeah, they put it on loan every 2 years, and they are going to watch us closely. That's why you see a lot of new faces. You sat down with that freshman class, it doesn't matter what part of the country it comes from, it is clear across the country. This is more a national message than ever before. We have heard them, and we're putting the team together to make sure we are able to carry out what they told us.
Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling
The American people spoke loudly on election day. They said, we want more jobs. We want less spending. We want a Federal Government that is less intrusive and more accountable. And more importantly, they said, we want to save the American dream, an American dream where our children can still have greater opportunities and a brighter future than we have had.
We, the Republicans in the House of Representatives, we heard this message loud and clear. And as my colleagues in leadership said, we understand this is not an affirmation of us, but in many respects a rejection of the policies of the President, the Speaker, and the Senate Majority Leader.
We are humbled at the responsibility that the American people have given us, and, indeed, it is a second chance. We look forward to getting to work on behalf of the American people.
Freshman Representative Rep-Elect Kristi Noem
The freshman class is not just historic in size; we plan to be historic in the results that we deliver for the American people. We ran our campaigns saying that we were common, everyday, ordinary people. We were running businesses, raising our families, faced with the tough situations and tough decisions that this administration was leaving us with.
We recognize within the legislation that was passed by this administration the real ramifications back home on families and small businesses, because we were trying to keep our doors open as well. So we ran campaigns and asked the American people not to just listen to what we said, but watch what we do when you elect us. We plan to deliver results.
We are a very diverse class and come from a diverse background, but we are united as a class and as Republicans to make sure that we follow through on the pledges that we had during this campaign, and follow through to make sure that we get government under control, that we take it back and give it to the people, that we quit spending money that we don't have, and that we make sure we would do what is right for our children and our grandchildren and our future.
Freshman Representative Rep-Elect Tim Scott
On the campaign trail, I often heard business owners tell me that they could not pay higher taxes and hire more people. They can't do both. I heard families tell me as we sat across the kitchen table they were struggling to keep their budgets together. They said, why you don't you all do that, too? If you are elected, would you please govern on what you campaign. That is called transparency, that is called openness. And our commitment as a Republican Party is to listen to the American people, and today we start that conversation.