House GOP to Americans looking for jobs: ‘Gone Fishing. You’re on your own.’
WASHINGTON – After a whole year of blocking any legislation to help create jobs, House Republicans announced today they will celebrate this January by taking a three-week vacation and scheduling only 109 work days in 2012, further indication the GOP has no intention to help the economy recover. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) was incredulous.
“Fourteen million unemployed Americans and their families are going to have the worst Christmas since the Great Depression and the response from Republicans in Congress is to continue to block jobs’ bills, take a three-week vacation in January, and work a light schedule for all of next year,” Miller responded. “They should just hang a sign on the Capitol that says, ‘Gone fishing. You’re on your own.’ That’s the message Republicans are sending to those desperate to get back to work and small businesses hungry for customers to walk through their doors.”
According to the official calendars for 2012 and 2011 released by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), the House will work only 109 days in 2012 after being scheduled to work only 127 days in 2011, and after having blocked every effort to help the economy. Miller added, “Meanwhile, Americans in cities across the country are sending a clear message of their own, that this economy and this Congress are not working for them.”
“Congress needs to work hard so America can get back to work,” Miller demanded. “Three weeks off in January? Really? Where is their sense of urgency? Their vacation-laden schedule sends a stunning rebuke to the millions of Americans struggling in today’s economy.”
Miller called on Speaker Boehner and Cantor to rewrite the calendar and schedule Congress to work throughout January and stay in session as long as it takes to help our economy grow. Most importantly, Miller said, is that when Congress is working, it should pass meaningful legislation that will help create jobs.
Miller and his Democratic colleagues have been pushing for legislation to help create jobs, both private sector jobs and critical public sector jobs in education and crime fighting. President Obama introduced the American Jobs Act to cut taxes for small business owners and workers, rebuild roads, bridges and public schools, and create a new infrastructure bank. Miller also held an eForum on jobs so that Americans can add their voices to the debate in Washington. Republicans have blocked every one of his jobs efforts but haven’t offered their own plan to create jobs.
“Never in my time in Congress have I seen one party so determined to root for America’s failure as we see now with the Tea Party Republicans,” Miller said. “And the 2012 House calendar is a prime example of their cynical and partisan neglect of America and our critical challenges.”
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