Today marks the 294th day of Republican control of the House of Representatives. In 294 days, they have not passed a single bill to create jobs. Instead, House Republicans have repeatedly voted to end Medicare (while providing tax breaks to Big Oil and companies that ship jobs overseas), passed legislation that destroys nearly 2 million jobs (that’s 10,000 jobs lost every day), and pointlessly manufactured crisis after crisis–creating economic uncertainty and hurting small businesses and the middle class. In addition, House Republicans have voted 17 times against Democratic proposals or efforts to consider proposals – several of which are bipartisan – to create or protect American jobs.
BY THE NUMBERS: HOUSE REPUBLICANS
294: Days Republicans in charge
2 Million: Jobs potentially destroyed under GOP bills
0: GOP jobs bills
17: Times GOP have voted against Democratic jobs legislation, including China currency legislation that would help create 1 million American jobs
3: Times GOP have voted to end Medicare and protect tax breaks for Big Oil, millionaires and corporations shipping jobs overseas
4: Times GOP have brought our nation to the brink, creating economic uncertainty
JOBS LEGISLATION BLOCKED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS
An American jobs effort to end government contracts rewarding corporations that ship American jobs overseas. [Vote 19]
Build America Bonds to Create Jobs Now Act – leveraging public dollars to strengthen the private sector, growing our economy by rebuilding America’s schools, hospitals, and transit projects, supported by American businesses, the construction industry, mayors and governors. [Vote 38, Vote 30, Vote 189]
American Jobs Matter Act – to give preference in federal contracts to U.S. manufacturers that create jobs here at home. [Vote 257]
National Manufacturing Strategy Act, to demand a clear plan to help manufacturers compete, invest in innovation, and put Americans back to work, which passed the House in 2010 with overwhelming bipartisan support. [Vote 279, Vote 721]
Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing Technology Act to help ensure the cars of the future are built here in the U.S., by investing in a broad range of near-term and long-term vehicle technologies to improve fuel efficiency, support domestic research and manufacturing, and lead to greater consumer choice of vehicle technologies and fuels. [Vote 310]
Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act to provide our government with effective tools to address unfair currency manipulation by countries like China, which could help create 1 million American manufacturing jobs by leveling the international playing field for American workers and businesses. [Vote 9, Vote 199, Vote 780] This bipartisan bill has 226 co-sponsors including 61 Republicans, yet the Republican leadership has blocked this bill. This summer, Democrats launched a process to force consideration of the measure; that petition has 177 of the 218 signatures needed. The GOP leadership so opposes this measure that it forced the Republican Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, who had signed the petition, to remove his signature.
A measure to promote jobs and innovation at home, by prioritizing patent applications from entities that pledge to develop or manufacture their products and technologies in the United States. [Vote 490]
A measure for middle class families, directing the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction to eliminate subsidies for the five largest oil and gas companies, and corporate jet owners, before gutting education initiatives that create jobs, spur growth, and invest in our future. [Vote 676]
A measure to support American Manufacturers by giving priority to any company that uses materials made in America for the construction and renovation of school facilities. [Vote 693]
A measure that places a priority on keeping jobs in America: Protecting the authority of the National Labor Relations Board to order an employer to maintain or restore jobs in the U.S. that would be otherwise outsourced to a foreign country. [Vote 710]
A measure to protect at least 10,000 American manufacturing jobs and provide disaster relief to families and business owners: approving bipartisan disaster aid passed by the U.S. Senate without slashing Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loans that put people to work producing cleaner cars and investing in innovation. [Vote 715]
A measure to ensure that American materials, rather than those imported from abroad, are used in the construction of new or existing structures for coal ash storage. [Vote 792]