It’s been nearly 1,000 days since the Democrat-led U.S. Senate has passed a budget for America. Couple their lack of fiscal discipline with the fact that they have also failed to act on nearly 30 House-passed jobs bills, and you start to get a pretty good sense as to where the obstruction can be found in Washington.
Congressman Bob Gibbs (OH-18) best summed up the Senate’s intransigence in his Zanesville Times Recorder guest op-ed last week:
“I join the majority of Ohioans and Americans who are frustrated with the Senate’s Washington games and ask you to join me and share your concerns with your senators. Let them know we are tired of Washington’s business-as-usual attitude, and we cannot get people back to work if the Senate continues to stall jobs bills for political gain.
“It is long past the time to stop the partisanship and political gamesmanship in Washington and come together to do what is right for the American people.”
This past week, Speaker John Boehner led a congressional delegation to the top three U.S. trade markets in Latin America – Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. These nations import billions of dollars in American-made products annually. Reinforcing our trade relationship and its impact on job creation is especially important to our nation at a time when our economy is struggling.
Some of the highlights of Speaker Boehner’s trip abroad, include:
- In Mexico, the United States’ third-largest export partner, Speaker Boehner met with Mexican President Felipe Calderon and participated in a roundtable discussion led by U.S. Ambassador Anthony Wayne with Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, Bruno Ferrari, and other top Mexican jobs officials.
- A few months after the House passed a long-delayed trade agreement – critical to the creation of new jobs in both the U.S. and Colombia – the delegation met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and cabinet ministers in Bogota. Speaker Boehner presented President Santos with a gift: a framed “red line” copy of the signed Colombia trade agreement.
- While visiting Brazil, Speaker Boehner praised the country’s aggressive efforts to spur economic revitalization, social re-integration, and job creation in its favela communities, long dominated by violent crime and joblessness. Congressman Boehner is the first U.S. House speaker in modern history — and possibly the first speaker ever — to visit one of Rio’s favelas.
With nearly thirty House passed pieces of legislation languishing in the Senate, Speaker Boehner and House Republicans continue to spend their time focusing on job creation and innovative solutions to our nation’s problems; from energy to taxes to increasing trade and economic security.
On the other hand, Barack Obama and his allies in the Senate – like Sherrod Brown – have failed to lead. These misguided liberals continue to support onerous regulations that will destroy jobs and hinder domestic energy exploration which carries the potential to spur economic growth in Ohio.
Speaker Boehner, through his comprehensive jobs plans, advocacy and legislative accomplishments, continues to exemplify what leadership looks like. It’s time for Barack Obama and Sherrod Brown to pay attention.
