According to Rep. Pat Meehan (R-PA), the president has many options at his disposal for jobs creation.   Breitbart TV features Meehan delivering a speech in which he contends:

“The need for Washington to act on jobs is as urgent as ever. The nation’s unemployment rate has now exceeded eight percent for three years running — the longest stretch since the Great Depression. Struggling families and workers want to end the gridlock and get our economy moving. House Republicans have offered good ideas that will help create jobs, but to execute them, we need leadership from President Obama and help from his fellow Democrats who control the Senate….

One of our jobs bills would extend the payroll tax cut for a full year, as the president requested. The Republican-led House has passed this bill, but the Democratic-controlled Senate hasn’t. A bipartisan conference committee is working to change that, but time is running short.”

Indeed, according to Speaker John Boehner, while discussing jobs creation with ABC News, he said that Republicans have drafted almost 30 bills which have passed through the house and which would help to create new private-sector jobs.  The majority of these bills are still awaiting a vote by Senate Democrats, however.   The Speaker told ABC News that “if the president won’t work with us to help create jobs, I’m sure the American people will elect someone who will.”

The following, from Speaker Boehner’s website, provides detailed information about the most recent bill drafted by Republicans in congress:

American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7)

In the coming weeks, House Republicans will formally introduce the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act (set to be H.R. 7), which would link new American energy production to high-priority infrastructure projects.  Instead of more ‘stimulus’ spending or wasteful earmarks, the bill would permanently remove government barriers to American energy production and use the revenues to repair and improve America’s roads and bridges – both of which support long-term job growth.  Republicans expect to move the bill through the House before the end of the year.

Energy Reforms to Create Jobs, Lower Costs Generate Revenue for Infrastructure

The American Energy Infrastructure Jobs Act is the latest measure in the House GOP American Energy Initiative, an ongoing effort to support job creation and lower energy prices for families and businesses by allowing increased production of American-made energy.  This measure would help create millions of new American jobs by eliminating some of the unnecessary government barriers that prevent our country from utilizing its vast energy resources, and also provide a new revenue stream for infrastructure repair and improvement.  Specifically, the American Energy Infrastructure Jobs Act includes:

• The Energy Security and Transportation Jobs Act, introduced by Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH), which would lift President Obama’s drilling ban on new offshore areas by requiring the administration to lease offshore areas estimated to contain the most oil and natural gas resources.

• The Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security Act (“PIONEERS” Act), introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CA), which would set clear rules for the development of U.S. oil shale resources and promote shale technology research and development.

• The Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act, introduced by Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK), which would open less than three percent of ANWR’s 19 million acres in the North Slope, an area that was specifically set aside by Congress and President Jimmy Carter, for oil and natural gas development.

Funding High-Priority, Job-Creating Infrastructure Projects With Less Bureaucracy No Earmarks

Rather than relying on ‘stimulus’ spending, higher taxes and short-term gimmicks, the American Energy Infrastructure Jobs Act would build on the natural link between energy production and infrastructure.   The measure provides responsible infrastructure funding for the next five years, and links new energy revenue from production of American energy to the Highway Trust Fund.  Specifically, the bill would:

• Fund High-Priority Projects.  The bill would remove federal requirements that currently force states to spend highway money on non-highway activities, helping to ensure that our nation’s highways and bridges are repaired and properly maintained and that federal dollars are spent on our most critical infrastructure needs.

• Speed Up Bureaucratic Approvals.  The bill would speed up bureaucratic approvals and streamline the project delivery process – the real hurdles delaying improvements to highways, bridges, and other projects – with reforms like concurrent review that will cut the project review and permitting process in half.

• Eliminate Needless Programs.  The bill would eliminate and consolidate nearly 70 surface transportation programs that are either duplicative or not in the federal interest.

• Embrace More Private-Sector Involvement.  The bill would reform financing programs to increase private sector involvement in infrastructure.

• Enhance Safety Programs.  The bill would strengthen safety programs and gives states more flexibility to develop innovative safety initiatives that save lives.

• Include No Earmarks.  Like every bill passed through the House since the American people entrusted Republicans with a majority, this one will have no earmarks in it.

Announcement of Most Recent Legislation

It is important to emphasize the fact that even Obama’s own Jobs Council is urging him to embrace the GOP’s approach to jobs creation.  On January 17^th, according to a post on Speaker Boehner’s blog, the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness released its year-end report which contains recommendations on jobs creation. Also included in the report are suggestions regarding how to restore innovation and competitiveness in the private sector.

To achieve that end, the recommendations focus on reducing regulatory burdens on businesses and simplifying the tax code.  Also recommended is utilizing American sources of energy.  According to Boehner, “With this report, President Obama’s own panel of experts has endorsed the approach to job creation House Republicans have been pursuing for more than a year.”

Below is the list of  GOP jobs bills, from the website of Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA):

Empower Small Business Owners
Small business owners are being bogged down by burdensome regulations from Washington that prevent job creation and hinder economic growth. We must remove onerous regulations that are redundant, harm small businesses, and impede private sector investment and job creation.

Review of Federal Regulations
H.Res. 72 – Passed by the House (391-28) on February 11, 2011

Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act
H.R. 872 – Senate has taken no action to date

Energy Tax Prevention Act
H.R. 910 – Senate has taken no action to date

Disapproval of FCC’s Net Neutrality Regulations
H.J.Res. 37 – Senate has blocked a companion measure by a vote of 46-52

Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act
H.R. 2018 – Senate has taken no action to date

Consumer Financial Protection & Soundness Improvement Act
H.R. 1315 – Senate has taken no action to date

Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act
H.R. 2587 – Senate has taken no action to date

Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on The Nation
H.R. 2401 – Senate has taken no action to date

Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act
H.R. 2681 – Senate has taken no action to date

EPA Regulatory Relief Act
H.R. 2250 – Senate has taken no action to date

Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act
H.R. 2273 – Senate has taken no action to date

Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act
H.R. 3094 – Senate has taken no action to date

Regulatory Accountability Act
H.R. 3010 – Senate has taken no action to date

Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act
H.R. 527 – Senate has taken no action to date

REINS Act
H.R. 10 – Senate has taken no action to date

Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act
H.R. 1633 – Senate has taken no action to date

Fix The Tax Code To Help Job Creators
America’s tax code has grown too complicated and cumbersome. We need a tax code that is flatter, fairer, and simpler to ensure that everyone pays their fair share, lessen the burden on families, generate economic expansion, and create jobs by making America more competitive.

Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act
H.R. 4 – Signed into law by the President on April 14, 2011

3% Withholding Rule Repeal
H.R. 674 – Signed into law by the President on November 21, 2011

Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act
H.R. 3630 – Senate has taken no action to date

Increase Competitiveness for U.S. Manufacturers
The more that American businesses export, the more they produce. The more businesses produce, the more workers they need. This means job creation. Expanding market access for U.S. made products will be a shot in the arm for businesses small and large and will create jobs.

U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
H.R. 3078 – Signed by the Preisdent on October 21, 2011

U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
H.R. 3079 – Signed by the Preisdent on October 21, 2011

U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
H.R. 3080 – Signed by the Preisdent on October 21, 2011

Southeast Arizona Resource Utilization & Conservation Act
H.R. 1904 – Senate has taken no action to date

Encourage Entrepreneurship and Growth
America has historically been on the cutting edge of innovation and technological development, but we are increasingly falling behind our global competitors. We must make it easier for existing businesses to grow and allow more start-up companies to flourish.

The America Invents Act
H.R. 1249 – Signed into law by the President on September 16, 2011

Veterans Opportunity to Work Act
H.R. 2433 – Signed into law by the President on November 21, 2011

Small Company Capital Formation Act
H.R. 1070 – Senate has taken no action to date

Small Banks’ Access to Capital Act
H.R. 1965 – Senate has taken no action to date

Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act
H.R. 2930 – Senate has taken no action to date

Access to Capital for Job Creators Act
H.R. 2940 – Senate has taken no action to date

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act
H.R. 3012 – Senate has taken no action to date

Maximize Domestic Energy Production
The energy sector is crucial to our economic growth, and high energy costs have a major impact on job creation. We need policies that allow us to harness our abundant supply of natural resources in America, develop new sources of energy, and create jobs here at home.

Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act
H.R. 1230 – Senate has taken no action to date

Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act
H.R. 1229 – Senate has taken no action to date

Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act
H.R. 1231 – Senate has taken no action to date

Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011
H.R. 2021 – Senate has taken no action to date

North American-Made Energy Security Act
H.R. 1938 – Senate has taken no action to date

Pay Down America’s Unsustainable Debt Burden
The federal government is spending and borrowing so much that the United States will soon go broke. Washington’s spending binge has put our nation in debt, eroded economic confidence, and caused massive uncertainty for private sector job creators. It’s time to live within our means.

Budget for Fiscal Year 2012
H.Con.Res. 34 – Senate has not yet considered a budget of its own

So, while the country continues to experience dismally high unemployment rates, Republicans in congress have been industrious in working towards legislation which would ease  the regulatory burdens placed on small businesses, amend the tax code so that it benefits job creators and stimulate the return of competitiveness in U.S. manufacturing.   The GOP congress has, within these bills, a comprehensive plan for jobs creation which also includes encouraging entrepreneurship, maximizing domestic energy production and last but not least,  paying down our enormous debt burden.

-Candice Lanier

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