WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor calling on Majority Leader Reid to allow Republican amendments that focus on getting Americans back to work:
“Washington Democrats have controlled the White House and the Senate for years now.
“They’ve tried just about every tool in the liberal tool box to turn the economy around.
“And yet, according to the latest Gallup tracking poll, just 19 percent of Americans think the economy is doing well.
“Millions are out of work. And close to 60 percent of Americans say things are getting even worse.
“So by basically any objective standard, you’d have to say that the Washington Democrat approach just hasn’t worked.
“You’d have to say it’s time for a change, to something that can work.
“And that’s just what Republicans are proposing again this week.
“While Senate Democrats dust-off the same poll-tested ideas for papering over the symptoms of malaise, Republicans are proposing concrete ideas aimed at igniting the economy and giving people real hope for something more, something better than what they’ve been getting for the last five years — something that speaks to their hopes and potential.
“In other words, the other side is doubling down on the status quo, while Republicans are offering change.
“Specifically, we’ll be proposing numerous jobs-related amendments that have one unifying purpose: and that’s to break through the stagnation of the Obama Economy and kick domestic job creation into high gear.
“Our approach is simple: let’s give free enterprise and private initiative a chance. Let’s use the tools that we know can lead to the creation of the stable, well-paying, 21st-Century jobs our constituents want and deserve.
“Too often, it seems our friends on the other side are single-mindedly focused on treating the symptoms of a down economy rather than actually providing struggling Americans with positive, meaningful paths to a better life.
“They just can’t seem to get their minds around any legislative proposal that puts ordinary Americans and private initiative in the driver’s seat instead of government. To me, that largely sums up the difference between the parties.
“But it goes even further than that.
“Because Washington Democrats aren’t just reluctant to embrace any idea that doesn’t emanate from Washington; they don’t even want to hear about them.
“But if we’re going to get this country back on track, that needs to change. And that’s what Republicans are arguing for this week. What we’re saying is that if all you want is subsistence-level relief, then that’s what the party of government will give you. But if your goal is to truly help those who aspire to join the Middle Class, if you really want to help people maximize their potential and build a better life, then it’s time to start looking beyond Washington.
“Deep down, I think our Democrat friends understand this too. I think they understand that pushing big-government legislation with words like ‘jobs’ or ‘affordable’ in the title isn’t the same as actually creating jobs, or actually making things more affordable. It’s like handing somebody a menu instead of serving them a meal.
“And the tragic effects of this approach are clear: from an ‘Affordable Care Act’ that turned out to be anything but, to a ‘stimulus’ bill that seemed better at stimulating late-night punch lines than good-paying jobs.
“But despite all the evidence, Washington Democrats remain stubbornly attached to the old playbook. And if you need proof, just take a look at the poll-tested, campaign-crafted ‘agenda’ they rolled out this week – an agenda packed to the brim with base-pleasing show votes and few if any real solutions for the Middle Class. In fact the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office tells us that one of their proposals would cost up to a million jobs. Cost, not create.
“Look: this prioritization of party-pleasing show votes over actually helping grow the middle class really is a tragedy for our country.
“The American people deserve two national parties that are serious. And it’s long past time for Democrats to start engaging with us in a serious effort to help Americans who’ve struggled so much in the Obama Economy.
“The good news is, they’ll have their chance this week.
“Republicans are filing amendments on a whole range of jobs-centered policies – amendments that deserve not just a vote, but bipartisan support.
“An amendment from the Junior Senator from South Carolina would eliminate Obamacare’s 30-hour workweek rule, which is hurting Americans’ take-home pay in already depressed economy. One of our members from Utah is putting forward an amendment to repeal Obamacare’s job-destroying Medical Device Tax. A good number of Democrat Senators have joined us in past votes to get rid of this job killer, and they deserve the opportunity to help us eliminate it now once and for all.
“The Senior Senator from North Dakota has an amendment that would speed approval of the Keystone Pipeline. This is a project that would create thousands of jobs right away, and it’s just a no-brainer. Senate Democrats need to join Democrats across the country who’ve already endorsed this common-sense initiative and help us pass it.
“And I personally plan to file an amendment that would give Congress the ability to stop EPA's back door national energy tax – and would also keep unelected bureaucrats from blocking desperately needed jobs in Kentucky by sitting on surface mining permits. Remember: this Administration’s anti-Kentucky policies have helped bring about a depression – depression with a capital D – in many Kentucky coal counties. It’s about time they started having a little compassion for the coal families who just want to put food on the table. And that’s just what my amendment aims to force them to do.
“So these are just a few of the many proposals Republican Senators will be putting forward this week.
“They represent the kind of solutions our country needs right now to finally emerge from this awful economy – real solutions that focus on creating well-paying jobs, increasing take-home pay, training a world-class workforce, and breaking a seemingly endless cycle of chronic high unemployment.
“As I’ve indicated, we’ve tried the Washington Democrat approach for years now, and we know that it just hasn’t worked. We also know their new ‘agenda’ isn’t serious – that it’s nothing more than an Obamacare distraction strategy. And we know this because Democrats actually told us it was created by their campaign committee…that it was designed to appeal to their base.
“So if the Democrat Majority is finally ready to get down to business and create jobs, this is the moment to prove it.
“This is the moment to drop the endless campaigning.
“This is the moment to work with us to actually create jobs and help the Middle Class.
“And this is the moment to vote for legislation that would do just that.”