The Week Ahead: Addressing Gas Prices, Repealing IPAB Rationing Board, and More...

March 18, 2012

In the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO) stresses the need for an ‘all of the above’ strategy that expands production, addresses high gas prices, and creates jobs. “It isn’t just American dollars at risk with high gas prices,” says Garder, “it’s American jobs, too.” Click below to watch Rep. Gardner, read about the upcoming House vote to repeal ObamaCare’s rationing board, and watch a preview of the new House budget designed to help create a better environment for job growth: Addressing High Gas Prices Far from doing “all of the above,” Rep. Gardner says, “the Obama administration has consistently slowed or shut down domestic energy production.” According to the EIA, federal production has dropped by seven percent since President Obama took office. Since then, gas prices have nearly doubled for struggling Americans. Yet, “The most forceful thing the president has done about high gas prices is try to explain that he’s against them,” says Rep. Gardner. In public, the president is “scrambling” and “playing defense.” Behind the scenes, Rep. Gardner says the president “quietly pushed members of Congress to prevent construction of the Keystone pipeline - despite overwhelming support for the project and the jobs that it would create.” Rep. Gardner also notes the president and Democrats have “called for raising energy taxes,” which the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service says would actually lead to higher prices. Republicans, on the other hand, have passed several “all of the above” American Energy Initiative bills to expand production, address high gas prices, and create jobs. Unfortunately, these bills remain stuck in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Learn more at jobs.GOP.gov. Focusing on American Jobs This week, the House will vote to repeal ObamaCare’s unelected rationing board, which experts say will deny treatment options and hurt seniors’ health care. The White House is twisting arms and lobbying Democratic lawmakers to oppose this bipartisan repeal effort. The president’s health care law is making it harder for small businesses to hire workers; repealing IPAB is the latest effort by Republicans to fully repeal, defund, and dismantle the law. The bipartisan trade agreement with South Korea that passed the Republican-led House went into effect last week, opening South Korea’s markets to American-made goods and promising to create thousands of new jobs right here at home. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) will unveil a new budget this week to stop the Washington spending binge that has hurt our economy and threatens long-term job growth. Watch a preview from Chairman Ryan here. Senate Democrats – who haven’t passed a budget in nearly three years – say they are “disappointed” that the House will pass another budget. Instead of focusing on creating jobs or addressing gas prices, Democrats admit they are focused on election-year point scoring. Remember to watch the Weekly Republican Address with Rep. Gardner, and be sure to stay connected with the Office of the Speaker on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, Google Plus, and Speaker.gov. Thank you! - Speaker Boehner’s Press Office