Republicans Next steps on key jobs bills

JUNE 2, 2013

While investigating the Obama administration’s IRS scandal, the Benghazi terrorist attack, and more, Speaker John Boehner said, “This House is going to continue to be focused on the issue of jobs.” Here’s a look at some of the challenges we’re addressing through our jobs plan and the next steps to making our solutions a reality… Clearing the way for the Keystone XL pipeline – part of an “all of the above” strategy for energy independence: THE PROBLEM: Energy prices are up and our economy is stagnant.  And yet the Obama administration has needlessly delayed the Keystone XL project which will create more than 20,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs; help lower gas prices; and is supported by workers and employers, labor unions, a bipartisan coalition in Congress, editorial boards, and a majority of the American people. THE SOLUTION: On May 22, 2013, the House passed the Northern Route Approval Act (H.R. 3), which removes the bureaucratic and legal roadblocks that have delayed the Keystone pipeline for years. “Energy is the foundation of our economy,” says Speaker Boehner. NEXT STEPS: The Democratic-controlled Senate has yet to take action. The House will consider additional bills in the weeks ahead to expand production, create jobs, and lower energy prices. Taking the politics out of student loans to help make life work & expand education opportunities: THE PROBLEM: Interest rates on student loans will double in less than a month – the result of a broken process that allows politicians to set interest rates and make paying for college even harder for students and families. THE SOLUTION: On May 23, 2013, the House passed the Smarter Solutions for Students Act (H.R. 1911) to stop student loan interest rates from doubling by tying them to a market-based rate. This bipartisan approach fixes the student loan process long-term, takes politicians out of the business of setting interest rates, and “echoes a plan [President] Obama offered in April.” NEXT STEPS: The Democratic-controlled Senate has yet to take action. Click here for a timeline of activity on student loans. Repealing the president’s health care law to help lower health care costs: THE PROBLEM: A study by a Democratic research group discovered that premiums are going up – way up – under ObamaCare. The nation’s largest insurers told Congress the same thing, as seen in the recent “rate shock” report. The president’s health care law is a train wreck for part-time and low-income workers, small businesses, unions, people who want to keep their current health care plan – pretty much everyone except the IRS. THE SOLUTION: On May 16, 2013, the House voted to fully repeal and defund the president’s health care law. Republicans have also successfully repealed and defunded several parts of the law since 2011. NEXT STEPS: The Democratic-controlled Senate has yet to take action.  The House will continue working on legislation that helps bring down the costs that strain families and make it harder for small businesses to hire. The Republican-led House has also voted to balance the budget, strengthen important programs like Medicare, and replace the president’s sequester with smarter spending cuts and reforms. And there’s more to come. Learn more about the Republican jobs plan at gop.gov/jobs.