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Post by Press Release on Apr 17, 2012 22:12:47 GMT -5
President wants to raise taxes on energy Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding the announcement by the White House of a recycled ‘5-point-plan,’ a proposal that even the White House won’t say will lower the price of gas at the pump: “Yesterday, I highlighted some of the tremendous challenges we face in this country — and this president’s refusal to face them with the seriousness they demand. “At a moment when the federal debt makes us look a lot like Greece, President Obama spends his time running around stumping for a tax hike he knows won’t help and that he knows won’t pass. “On gas prices, the President’s response has been to call for a tax hike on energy manufacturers that, if anything, will drive the price of gas up even higher, and that he also knows won’t pass. “Now we hear that the President is announcing some kind of task force on oil speculation today. In other words, the same thing Washington Democrats always call for when gas prices go up. “If I were to guess, I’d say today’s proposal by the President probably polls pretty well. But I guarantee you it won’t do a thing to lower the price of gas at the pump. It never has in the past. White House officials admit as much. Why it would it now? “The Democrats’ favorite policy advisor, Warren Buffet, weighed in on the issue a few years ago. Asked about the role that speculation in the oil markets plays in determining price, he said, ‘It’s not speculation, its supply and demand.’ “But of course that’s not the point for this White House. President Obama only seems to care about Warren Buffett’s opinion if it polls well. The President’s goal here isn’t to do something about the problem. It’s to make people think he’s doing something about the problem, until the next crisis comes along. “And that’s the larger problem — that we’ve got a president who is more concerned with looking like he’s doing something than in actually doing what’s needed to tackle the challenges we face. “We’ve got a President who told us he was a different kind of politician doing the same old things and using the same talking points politicians in Washington have been peddling for years. “I mean, weren’t these kinds of gimmicks and stale talking points precisely the kind of thing President Obama campaigned against? I thought he was offering something new and different. “I think the Associated Press summed up the President’s latest proposal pretty well this morning. ‘The White House plan, which Obama was to unveil Tuesday,’ the AP said, ‘is more likely to draw sharp election-year distinctions with Republicans than to have an immediate effect on prices at the pump.’ It’s more about drawing a distinction. “Look: We don’t need distinctions. We need solutions. Americans need lawmakers who are more concerned with facing up to the problems we face than getting reelected. “They need a President who thinks solving a problem involves more than giving a speech about it. And pointing the finger at whatever doesn’t poll well that day. “As I said yesterday, this President seems to have forgotten why he was elected in the first place. He seems to have forgotten his own campaign rhetoric — that he was different, that he would bridge differences, bring people together. “The reality couldn’t be more different — or more disappointing. The sad truth is, it’s all politics all the time in this White House. They’re out of ideas. They’ve got nothing new to offer. Today’s announcement is all the proof you need of that.”
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Post by Press Release on Apr 22, 2012 8:07:07 GMT -5
Chuck Colson founder of Prison Ministries
McConnell Statement on the Passing of Chuck Colson Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
LOUISVILLE – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell released the following statement Saturday regarding the passing of Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Ministries: “Elaine and I join countless others in mourning the loss of Chuck Colson. For nearly four decades, Chuck Colson’s life and example have been a constant and necessary reminder to those of us in and out of public office of the seductions of power and the rewards of service. His famous redemption story and tireless advocacy on behalf of the marginalized and the outcast have called all of us to a deeper reflection on our lives and priorities. He lives on as a modern model of redemption and a permanent rebuttal to the cynical claim that there are no second chances in life. Our thoughts are with the Colson family, and all who have been touched by the life and service of this extraordinary man.”
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Post by Kentucky News on Apr 24, 2012 19:52:17 GMT -5
College Graduates Face Tough Job Market in Obama Economy Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding the tough job market college graduates are facing in the Obama economy: “It’s no secret that most Americans are tired of candidates for political office who make promises they don’t keep. And who can blame them? For years, politicians have been going to Washington promising to make government more effective and more efficient, to balance the books, make life more secure, and restore Americans’ confidence in their country again. And time and again, they’ve either failed to get it done or didn’t even really even make the effort in the first place.
“But frankly, it’s hard to think of any politician who promised more and delivered less than our current President. He was the one who would erase old divisions and bring people together. He was the one who would rise above politics as usual and usher in a new era of bipartisan harmony. A lot of people believed him.
“Naturally, a lot of them are even more jaded now than ever.
“They’re jaded, because a candidate who said he was different turned out to be just another politician who seems more concerned with reelection than reform. Not only has he failed to step up to the challenges we face, he’s aggravated them. Social Security is now expected to go broke three years sooner than we expected. The tax code is more complicated than ever. The national debt is bigger than any of us could have imagined. Health care costs are higher. Gas prices are up. Millions can’t find work. And even most college graduates — those best-equipped to step into the modern economy — either can’t find work to match their skills or can’t find work at all.
“So instead of fixing problems, he made them worse.
“And what’s he doing now? The President who was supposed to change the direction of the country, now wants to change the subject. He spends his days running around the country blaming whatever doesn’t happen to poll well that day for the consequences of his own policies. He spent two years expanding government and constricting free enterprise. And now that the results are in, he spends his time pointing the finger at others for problems that originated in his White House.
“It’s the millionaires. It’s the banks. It’s Big Oil. It’s the weather. It’s Fox News. It’s anything but him. And it’s absurd. I mean, if you believe that a President who got everything he wanted for two years has nothing to do with the problems we face, then I’ve got a solar panel company to sell you.
“This President spent two years reshaping America in the image of Western Europe. And now he wants us to believe that the fact that our economy is performing like a Western European economy has nothing to do with it.
“Nowhere is this more apparent than in the challenges facing the young people in America today. As we all know, one of the defining characteristics of Western European economies is the high unemployment rate among young people and recent college graduates. Sluggish growth and inflexible labor laws are two of the main reasons young people have been locked out of the labor market in these countries for years. Today, unemployment is above 20 percent among young people in the European Union. In Spain, the unemployment rate among people under the age of 25 is a staggering 50 percent.
“Some of this is no doubt a result of the European debt crisis, but the more fundamental problem is decades of policies rooted in the same big-government vision that the President has been busy imposing right here in the U.S. It’s hardly a coincidence that as President Obama has tried to reshape the U.S. in the image of Western Europe, our own youth unemployment rate has been stubbornly high.
“That’s what happens when you increase regulations on the businesses that hire college graduates. That’s what happens when you impose healthcare mandates on them. That’s what happens when you impose new labor rules like the one that Senator Enzi is leading the charge against this week that make it even costlier for businesses to hire. We see the long-term effects of these things in Europe. And unless this President changes course, we’ll see the same lack of opportunity for young people here.
“So today, the President will bring his latest poll-tested message to the students at UNC. And I’m sure he’ll give a very rousing speech, full of straw men and villains who stand in the way of their dreams. I’m sure he’ll also express his strong support for things that all of us agree on. But what he won’t talk about is the extent to which the decisions he’s made are limiting their opportunities in the years ahead.
“Some of them may already see this.
“I mean, you have to think that most of these students are sharp enough to put this President’s rhetoric up against his record and to conclude that it just doesn’t add up. As the promises of this President’s campaign collide with real life, I think young people across the country will realize they got sold a bill of goods. And that next time they’re promised change, they’ll know enough to kick the tires first.”
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Post by Press Release on Apr 27, 2012 12:16:21 GMT -5
Administration Withdraws Extreme Farm Labor Proposal Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press ReleaseMitch McConnell
Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following comments Thursday regarding the Department of Labor's withdrawal of its proposed regulations to restrict youth under 18 from working on the family farm: “The voices of Kentucky's farmers and their families were heard loud and clear by the Administration. Kentucky farmers said it was insulting to suggest that they would put their kids at risk and that the government is needed to step in to regulate their family life. The informed, commonsense decisions of parents should take precedence over those of unelected bureaucrats thousands of miles away. Family farming is a tradition in Kentucky and the proposal DOL withdrew today would have set a dangerous precedent for the federal government’s intrusion into family matters.” Note: In March, Senator McConnell joined several of his Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to prevent the Department of Labor from enacting this proposal.
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Post by Press Release on May 4, 2012 17:56:34 GMT -5
President Obama is Out of Excuses For Blocking Keystone XL Jobs, Energy Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
LOUISVILLE, KY– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell released the following statement today regarding the President’s continued opposition to Keystone XL pipeline jobs: “With millions of Americans out of work in the Obama economy and a growing need for a stable supply of energy, the President turned his back on the Keystone XL pipeline that would have helped with both. The Obama administration cited a need for a new application from TransCanada and a new route in Nebraska. Now that he has both, what will his excuse be? “At a moment when tensions are rising in the Middle East, millions of Americans are struggling to find work and millions more are struggling with the rising cost of gas, the Obama administration’s opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline shows how deeply out of touch they are with the concerns of middle-class Americans. When it comes to delays over Keystone, anyone looking for a culprit should look no further than the Oval Office.”
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Post by Press Release on May 10, 2012 11:46:03 GMT -5
Action to Boost the Economy is Required Now, Not After the Election Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the Democrat’s unwillingness to work with Republicans on critical, pro-growth legislation: “Earlier this week, the President repackaged a list of old ideas into a Post-It note checklist for Congress. He said he did not want to ‘overload’ Congress. Unfortunately besides the weekly political show votes to coincide with the President’s campaign schedule, the work that needs to be done, isn’t. No budget, nothing to prevent the largest tax hike in history, and House-passed bills are sitting in the hopper. “And while the President is trying to manufacture arguments that he can run on, House Republicans have spent the last year and a half voting on and passing energy and jobs bills. In fact, more than two dozen job proposals are currently collecting dust on the Majority Leader’s desk. One after another, the House has passed a budget, small business tax relief, bills to expand domestic energy production, and bills to reduce burdensome job-killing regulations. “And despite some saying nothing can get done in an election year, they’re not done yet. “I commend my House colleagues for their leadership. “So I have a suggestion — instead of focusing on his political Post-It note checklist, the President and Senate Democrats should show some leadership and work with Republicans to move on critical pro-growth bills. These proposals will help provide certainty and provide a much needed boost to the economy. It would allow businesses to plan for the future and start to hire again. “Common ground can be achieved on these jobs bills and Republicans stand ready to work with Democrats to get them done. “With nearly 13 million Americans unemployed and millions more underemployed or giving up looking for work altogether, inaction and political gimmicks and games are just not acceptable. “Action is required by this President and Congress now, not after the election or by some future Congress or administration. The country’s problems are far too pressing. The American people expect us to work together for the good of the country. “This year, the Senate should pass a budget — three years without a budget is completely unacceptable. Congress should also move on comprehensive tax reform, a true all-of-the-above energy policy and the elimination of burdensome regulations that are hurting business and hindering job creation. And we can’t stop there. Congress must act swiftly to put forth a plan to deal with the largest tax increase in U.S. history that is only eight months away. “These are issues that can’t be dealt with overnight. We must start now. “And anyone who says there is no time to get these things done either hasn’t been watching the Senate floor lately or does not believe this country is heading toward a fiscal cliff. “What are the Democratic-led Senate and the President waiting for? “The President giving another speech loaded with the same old ideas that have failed before is not going to cut it anymore. “The President’s Post-It note checklist is insufficient to handle the challenges we face as a nation and frankly, it’s counterproductive. “Yesterday, the Majority Leader said Democrats are willing to make the tough choices. Well Republicans are waiting. And with all due respect, we have a tough time believing our friends across the aisle when the only issues they care about these days are show votes coordinated with the White House for political gain. “So today, let’s stop the show votes that are designed to fail. Let’s stop with the blame games. Let’s come together and do what the American people expect us to do. “As I said yesterday, our offer still stands: we’re ready when you are.”
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Post by Press Release on May 15, 2012 16:14:01 GMT -5
National Police Week Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding National Police Week 2012: “This week, we commemorate National Police Week 2012, and pay tribute to the men and women in the law enforcement community for their service and sacrifice. In 1962, President Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as Police Week. “During National Police Week, the Nation’s capital welcomes tens of thousands of law enforcement officers to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. Among those visiting Washington, DC are hundreds of police officers from my home state of Kentucky. And I want to personally welcome them and extend a special thank you for their service and sacrifice they make to keep Kentucky’s communities and families safe. Your hard work and dedication is unmatched and does not go unnoticed. “Today, we honor the approximately 900,000 peace officers serving across the country, as well as, the more than 19,000 officers that have lost their lives, dating back to the first known line of duty death in 1791, including 163 officers who died in 2011 and 36 officers that have been killed thus far in 2012. In addition this year, we are paying tribute to 199 officers who died in previous years, but whose acts of courage and sacrifice were not discovered until recently. “It’s with great sadness that one of those officers we lost last year was from the Commonwealth — Officer James Philip "Stumpy" Stricklen of the Alexandria, Kentucky Police Department. Officer Stricklen was well respected amongst his peers and a leader within the community. He will be sorely missed. “This week the nation honors Officer Stricklen, as well as all those police officers that have fallen. I would also like to take a moment to remember the families of the fallen. It’s only through supportive families that these men and women were able to dedicate their lives to protecting others. May God continue to look after them and may God continue to protect all those, whose daily work is to protect us. “I hope paying tribute to those that serve and especially those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice reminds all of us of the heroes we have all around us, keeping us safe, each day. I would encourage everyone to take a moment this week and going forward to extend a thank you to law enforcement officers that have sworn to protect us and keep our communities safe. “On behalf of myself and my Senate colleagues, thank you to all members of the law enforcement community for your service. You have our deepest admiration and respect.”
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Post by Press Release on May 17, 2012 17:24:33 GMT -5
Barack Obama, Harry Reid
Harry Reid Led Senate Unanimously Rejects President’s Unserious Budget Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement Wednesday after the Senate voted 99 – 0 against President Obama’s budget proposal: “Once again, the Senate spoke unanimously against the President’s unserious budget. For three years, Senate Democrats have refused to produce a budget, as required by law. And today, they soundly rejected the President’s budget proposal which spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much. But that’s not surprising when you consider just how bad the President’s budget is. It’s bad for jobs because it includes the biggest tax hike in history, it’s bad for seniors because it lets Medicare and Social Security become insolvent and it’s bad for our economy because it fails to address the nation’s $15 trillion debt.”
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Post by Press Release on May 23, 2012 16:07:38 GMT -5
$20 million taxpayer-funded Campaign to Promote Obamacare Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday regarding the President’s $20 million, taxpayer-funded p.r. campaign to promote Obamacare: “Yesterday morning, I came to the floor to call attention to a quiet — and costly — p.r. campaign that President Obama is mounting on the taxpayers’ dime. While the President and his surrogates spend most of their time deflecting attention from his record, he’s got Washington bureaucrats working overtime to put a good face on it. I mentioned yesterday that the administration is spending yet another $20 million in taxpayer money to promote a health care bill that most Americans want to see repealed.
“But there’s more. There’s a pattern here that I, and I’m sure many other Americans find pretty outrageous at a time of trillion dollar deficits and a near $16 trillion debt. The administration also spent more than $25 million in Stimulus funds on grants to a public relations firm, ostensibly to do public relations related to promoting the Stimulus.
“It spent nearly $20 million on mailings to seniors to tout Obamacare — a mailer, by the way, that the Government Accountability Office found overstated the law’s benefits. Millions more in taxpayer funds were spent on postcards that promoted Obamacare’s small business tax credit – a credit that the GAO said was ineffective and infrequently used. “These are just a few of the ways the administration is quietly promoting its own failed policies; how it’s trying to change people’s minds about the President’s policies with their own money. But there’s a larger issue here than the fact that the President is quietly marketing policies with taxpayer dollars that he’s clearly afraid to talk about in public. That’s bad enough.
“But the larger point is the fact that we’ve got a nearly $16 trillion debt, the largest tax hike in history right around the corner, chronic unemployment, and sky high gas prices, and this President thinks it’s a good idea to spend $20 million to promote Obamacare.
“We don’t have the money to begin with, and he’s spending it to market his policies?
“The President needs to face facts. Americans don’t want him spending their hard-earned money trying to spin policies they don’t like.
“How about setting some priorities first?
“How about working with us to lower the deficit and the debt. How about working with us to fund things that we actually need?
“We’re more than ready to work with the President, as I’ve said time and again over the past few years. But he needs to set some priorities.
“He needs to lead.”
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Post by Press Release on May 26, 2012 9:53:31 GMT -5
MEMORIAL DAY 2012 Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press ReleaseWashington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Friday honoring the members of our Armed Forces on this Memorial Day: “This Memorial Day is a day for all Americans to honor the brave men and women in uniform who have served and defended our Nation—especially those who sacrificed their very lives for this sacred duty. It is only right that we set aside this day to remember those who have given us so much. Freedom as we know it in America could not exist without their heroism.
“On Memorial Day, we honor servicemembers who laid down their lives fighting under the command of General George Washington, to those who have perished in Afghanistan and Iraq. What a legacy of fighting for freedom our country has. I am proud to live in a Nation that boasts the bravest warriors in the world.
“I am honored to serve my fellow Kentuckians, who understand the importance of this day more, I think, than most. Kentucky has a proud tradition of military service that is upheld today by the many Armed Forces members at our State’s military bases, the members of the Kentucky National Guard, our Reservists, and Kentuckians fighting around the world.
“Since September 11, 2001, 107 Kentucky servicemembers have fallen while fighting for their country. I’ve also been honored to meet many of the family members of these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who did not return home. I’ve let them know that their loved ones will not be forgotten. Memorial Day is a chance to make sure that message is heard loud and clear across America.
“I want to share with you a special story about one soldier in particular from Kentucky. Sergeant Felipe Pereira of the 101st Airborne Division, based out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was recently awarded the Nation’s second-highest military honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, for his acts of bravery in battle.
“Sergeant Pereira is the first soldier from the 101st Airborne to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross since the Vietnam War. According to the award citation, on November 1, 2010, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, a squad of soldiers that included Sergeant Pereira was on dismounted patrol when an improvised explosive device went off, killing two of Sergeant Pereira’s comrades and wounding the sergeant with shrapnel that caused his lung to begin to collapse.
“As an enemy ambush began to unfold, ‘with little regard for his own safety or care,’ Sergeant Pereira drove an all-terrain vehicle into enemy fire to help evacuate wounded soldiers.
“After moving the first set of casualties, the sergeant went back into the line of fire once more to help others. Sergeant Pereira is credited with ‘saving the lives of two of his fellow soldiers while risking his own [on] multiple occasions. Only after all the wounded soldiers had been evacuated and were receiving medical care did he accept treatment himself.’
“Sergeant Pereira’s selfless actions demand our admiration and respect. What’s more, so does his selfless attitude about his bravery on that fateful day. This is what he said:
“’Every time I have the opportunity, I always say remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. I still get to come back and enjoy barbecues with my family and their love and everything. Those guys, they really gave it all. Those are truly the heroes. Just remember those guys. I think even on a happy occasion like this, I think we need to celebrate their life and their sacrifice.’
“I can’t improve on those words. Sergeant Pereira has captured the meaning of Memorial Day right there, in those words of wisdom.
“So I hope this Memorial Day, people will heed the advice of Sergeant Felipe Pereira. The men and women who “really gave it all” are truly the heroes. And this Monday is their day to receive our admiration and our respect. I know my friends in Kentucky and people across America will not forget that.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 1, 2012 23:51:36 GMT -5
President Obama’s EPA forces only coal-burning power plant in Kentucky to close Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Earlier this week, Kentucky Power, operator of the only coal-burning power plant in Kentucky, recently conceded defeat in a battle waged against them by their own government. The Obama Administration’s strategic barrage of regulations provided little choice but to begin telling Kentuckians they may not have work for them at the plant anymore. According to Kentucky Power, President Obama’s EPA would have forced upgrades to their plant at a cost of nearly $1 billion, raising the typical residential customer’s monthly electric bill by a whopping 30 percent. Sen. McConnell made the following comment about the decision: “Today we have an unfortunate example of what happens to Americans who work in an industry that has fallen out of favor with this White House. The coal industry has been under a sustained and relentless attack by the Obama Administration, and the unforgivable result is that more Kentuckians will join the millions of Americans who are unemployed and the price of electricity will climb even higher. The administration’s real goal here is not to see the coal industry comply with its regulation, but to see it driven out of business altogether.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 4, 2012 15:06:43 GMT -5
It is time for the President to act on Bipartisan Solutions on Student Loan Rates Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press ReleaseWashington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Monday regarding the need for the President to work with Republicans on a serious solution to rising student loan rates: “I’d like to start out this afternoon by calling attention to what appears to be a pretty serious disconnect over at the White House between the President’s legislative advisors and his political team.
“For weeks, President Obama’s been running around ginning up college students and late-night television audiences over an impending interest rate change on college loans — pointing the finger at Republicans. But not only are Republicans supportive of solving this problem, we’re the only ones who’ve actually passed legislation to do so.
“House Republicans passed a bill weeks ago that would have preserved current rates, and late last week, Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, Senator Kyl and I sent a joint letter to the President proposing multiple solutions to the problem that were thoughtfully and carefully designed to gain the President’s support. In fact, the solutions were based on the president’s own proposals.
“So you can imagine how surprised we were to see one of the President’s political advisors say on one of the Sunday shows yesterday that Republicans in Congress are sitting on our hands, and an op-ed this morning by the Education Secretary saying that Congress isn’t lifting a finger to resolve the problem.
“Let’s be very clear about this: Republicans in Congress are the only ones actually working to solve the student loan issue. And unless the President isn’t having his mail forwarded to him on the campaign trail, he knows it as well as I do.
“I couldn’t help but notice the President is on a fundraising blitz in Manhattan today. And no doubt it’s easier to walk into these events when you’ve got a good piece of fiction to sell about Republican obstructionism. But the President’s campaign rhetoric is increasingly at odds with reality. On the student loan issue, at least, it’s Republicans who’ve been working on a solution, and the President who’s been totally AWOL.
“All he has to do is pick up the phone and tell us which of his own proposals he’ll accept. It’s that easy. But the truth is, the President doesn’t really want to solve this problem. He seems to prefer the talking point, as disingenuous as it is.
“And speaking of talking points, it’s been suggested by some on the President’s political team that Republicans are rooting for economic failure. It’s preposterous.
“If Republicans wanted failure, we’d support this President’s misguided economic policies.
“But the larger point is this: We’ll never solve any of the problems we face if the President continues to put his need for campaign rhetoric ahead of finding bipartisan solutions. And whether it’s pretending that small ball, post-it note quality, proposals would have a major impact on the economy, or pretending that Republicans who are the only ones actually working on bipartisan solutions are somehow sitting on our hands, he’s doing a major disservice to the American people.
“For the good of the country, it’s time the president take yes for an answer. It’s long past time for the President to lead.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 5, 2012 15:03:18 GMT -5
Former senior Obama official says EPA wants to ‘crucify’ those working in the coal business Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Frankfort, Ky. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following comments Tuesday regarding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Field Hearings in Kentucky: “Mr. President, hearings on the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory agenda will be held in Kentucky this week. One hearing will be held today in Frankfort and another later this week in Pikeville. Since Congress is in session this week, I won’t be able to attend these important hearing in person but I will have a representative on hand at each hearing, and I wanted to express my thoughts on this matter today on the Senate floor.
“Like most of the country, Kentucky is suffering from very difficult economic times. Far too many Kentuckians are unemployed and the prospect for future employment remains daunting. That’s why it is especially irritating that this Administration has blindly followed ideological policies that eliminate jobs in our communities. The people of Kentucky are amongst the hardest-working people on the planet but how can we be expected to compete if our own government is working against us?
“Simply put, my constituents are under siege from the Obama Administration’s regulatory agenda and the EPA is the worst offender.
“Perhaps the clearest example of this Administration’s regulatory assault is its War on Coal. Since being sworn in, President Obama’s EPA has set out to circumvent the will of Congress and the American people by turning the already-cumbersome mine permitting process into a back-door means of shutting down coal mines.
“Eighteen thousand Kentuckians work in coal mining. And nearly 200,000 more, including farmers, realtors, and transportation workers, rely on the coal industry for their jobs. Coal brings in more than three and a half billion dollars from out-of-state, and pays more than one billion dollars in direct wages every year. Attacking an industry so important to Kentucky will only succeed in putting people out of work, impeding future job growth, and increasing energy prices.
“A former senior EPA official under the Obama administration recently summed up the regulatory philosophy of the agency with respect to those working in the coal business by saying it wants to ‘crucify’ them.
“With this radical environmental/anti-coal agenda, it is no wonder the Administration has failed to answer the American people’s call for greater domestic energy production. The real-world impact of their fantasy-world energy policy is that people are losing their jobs and energy prices will rise even further.
“It is high time the Obama administration stopped treating the Kentucky coal industry as the problem, and start recognizing that it has been and will continue to be part of the solution.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 8, 2012 6:11:22 GMT -5
It is time for the President to act on Student Loan Rates and Extending Tax Relief Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the need for bipartisan action to keep student loan interest rates from rising and extend tax relief for Americans: “It has been a week now since the Republican leadership in the Senate and the House sent several good-faith bipartisan proposals to the White House in an effort to resolve the student loan issue.
“And what has the White House done? Nothing. The President has yet to respond.
“One can only surmise that he’s delaying a solution so that he can fit in a few more campaign rallies with college students while pretending someone other than himself is delaying action.
“Today, the President’s taking time out of his busy fundraising schedule to hold an event at UNLV — where once again he’ll use students as props in yet another speech calling on Congress to act.
“What the President won’t tell these students is that the House has already acted and Republicans in both chambers are ready to work on solutions as soon as the President can make the time.
“All the President has to do is just pick up his mail, choose one of the bipartisan proposals we laid out in our letter, proposals he’s already shown he supports, and then announce to the students that the problem’s been solved.
“Unfortunately, the President is more interested in campaigning for the students at UNLV then actually working with Congress to find a solution.
“Mr. President, open your mail. The solution’s right in front of you.
“The only people dragging their feet on this issue are over at the White House.
“Dragging their feet to fit in yet another college visit.
“Republicans in Congress have been crystal clear on this issue for weeks: we’re ready to resolve this issue.
“It’s time the President showed some leadership and worked with Congress to provide the certainty young people and their parents need.
“I encourage the President, if he really wants to do something to help students, join us in working to find a solution.
“Every day that he’s silent on solutions, is another day closer to the rapidly approaching deadline.
“On another matter, yesterday I stood with the Speaker of the House and his conference leadership and called for at least a one-year extension of current tax rates to provide certainty to families and job creators around the country that their taxes will not be going up on January 1st.
“In the Obama economy we are facing a looming fiscal crisis — that some have called the most predictable in history. Millions are unemployed and millions more are underemployed and the country is facing the largest tax hike in history at the end of the year.
“This tax hike the President wants would hit hundreds of thousands of small businesses. To put that in perspective, this tax hike would hit job creators that employ up to 25 percent of the workforce.
“We can’t allow that to happen. The economy is far too fragile right now.
“Former President Bill Clinton said we’re in an economic recession and earlier this week before the Obama campaign got to him, he was for temporarily extending current tax rates.
“Yesterday, the Democrat Senate Budget Committee Chairmen came out and said he was for temporarily extending current tax rates.
“And I would like to remind everyone it was the President who said you don’t raise taxes in a down economy. Well, the economy is slower now than it was when he last extended current law, so why on earth does the President want to raise taxes making it harder for the economy to grow, job creators to hire, and families to make ends meet?
“It doesn’t make any sense.
“Let’s extend all of the current tax relief right now — before the election. Let’s show the American people we are listening to them. Let’s send a message that in these challenging economic times taxes won’t be going up for anyone at the end of the year.
“And let’s not stop there. Let’s tackle fundamental, pro-growth tax reform. The Speaker and I and our conferences have been calling for these reforms for years.
“The time to act is now and if the President is serious about turning the economy around, preventing taxes from going up at the end of the year is one bipartisan step he could take right now.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 8, 2012 11:48:37 GMT -5
The Private Sector is Doing Fine? Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press ReleaseWashington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell released the following statement after the President’s press conference where he claimed the ‘private sector is doing fine’ and called for even more Washington spending: “Whether the President wants to acknowledge it or not, we are now living in the Obama Economy, and no ‘post-it note’ proposal can reverse the damage done by his policies over the past three and a half years. It’s baffling that in the face of all evidence to the contrary, this President still believes that spending money we don’t have to inflate the government is the answer to America’s economic problems. The economy would respond much more favorably to providing the tax certainty Americans deserve by extending all the tax rates and assuring employers they do not have to budget for the largest tax increase in American history next year. The Obama Economy is even slower now than when we extended the rates in 2010—raising taxes on job creators in this slow economy is simply not the elixir for his failed policies.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 9, 2012 7:22:19 GMT -5
McConnell and Paul Comment on Alpha Natural Resources Announcement Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press ReleaseWashington, D.C. - Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Rand Paul released the following statement Friday regarding the announcement by Alpha Natural Resources that they will reduce coal production in Kentucky: “Today’s announcement by Alpha Natural Resources is another blow to one of Kentucky’s leading industries and job producers. It’s also another example of how the onerous regulations set by this Administration are negatively affecting our economy. That’s why it’s so important for Congress to rein in EPA’s overreach, which will remove the uncertainty in the economy, where burdensome rules and regulations are stifling job creation and increasing production cost that are being passed on to consumers.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 13, 2012 4:52:06 GMT -5
Republicans Target Job-Killing Federal Regulations Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding the need for the President to eliminate burdensome regulations that hinder job creation and hurt American farmers: “Last week, the President said, the private sector is ‘doing fine.’ “Well, the fact is the private sector isn't ‘doing fine’ and the President's comments make me wonder what private sector he’s talking about. “Since he took office, we’ve had 40 straight months of unemployment over 8 percent and more than 23 million Americans are either unemployed, underemployed or have given up looking for a job altogether. “Last month's job report said the economy added only 69,000 jobs — far below what forecasters predicted. That's the Obama Economy. It's not ‘doing fine.’ “And with a debt the size of our GDP, the President's recent push for even more government spending is equally out of touch. Taking more money out of the private sector, out of the hands of businesses and job creators, or borrowing it to pay for another stimulus has consequences. “We need to reduce the size and scope of government, not expand it. “We need to put in place pro-growth policies to allow the private sector to flourish. “That’s why Republicans have been calling for years for comprehensive tax reform and for both parties to sit down and begin the process of reforming entitlements. That’s how we’ll get our fiscal house in order and help the economy grow. “But without presidential leadership, it simply can’t happen. “Controlling only one Chamber, Republicans in Congress can only do so much. “The Republican-led House has passed budgets, while for three and a half years the Democrat-led Senate has refused to do so. And they’ve passed 28 job-related bills that our Democrat friends refuse to take up. “For our part, Senate Republicans will continue to pursue a pro jobs agenda and I would encourage our Democrat friends to join us before the administration's spending and debt spree forces us into the sort of economic spiral we currently see facing our friends across the Atlantic. “And they can start by working with Republicans on our common sense amendments to the Farm bill. “The President may think the private sector is ‘doing fine’ or that the government isn’t big enough, but those in rural America are definitely not ‘doing fine.’ “The biggest threat to farmers in Kentucky and across America are this administration’s job-killing regulations. That’s why Republicans are calling for votes on common sense amendments that would either eliminate or prevent future job-killing regulations from going into effect, which would provide the necessary relief for American farmers, and give a boost to rural America in these challenging economic times. “Last year, while visiting Atkinson, IL, the President blew off one farmer when he asked about costly regulations. The President said, ‘Don’t always believe what you hear.’ “Well, either the President doesn’t know what his administration is doing or he doesn’t want the American people to know that it’s his policies that are hurting farmers all across the country. “It’s one or the other. “Here are just a few examples of this administration’s policies that are suffocating the American agriculture industry and the Republican amendments we want the Senate to take up: “Last fall, the Department of Labor attempted to regulate the relationship shared between parents and their kids on family farms. The proposed rule would have prohibited those under age 16 from manual labor like stall cleaning, using a shovel and using a battery-operated screwdriver. Many Kentuckians consider this type of manual labor Saturday morning chores. “Senator Thune is offering an amendment that would require the Department of Labor to consult with Congress before implementing such regulations. “The EPA wants to lift the ban that prevents Washington, DC bureaucrats from regulating non-navigable waters. The expanded federal jurisdiction would bring the EPA and their red tape and taxes into the backyards of millions of Americans. The economic impact would be disastrous. “Congress passed a navigable ban, to protect families, small businesses, and farmers from Washington bureaucrats trying to seize control of their water or their land. The U.S. Supreme Court twice affirmed the term limits of Federal Authority under the Clean Water Act. But apparently the EPA believes they are above the other two branches of government and Senators Paul and Barrasso are offering two amendments that would stop the EPA in its tracks. “The EPA is considering a regulation that would require farm and ranch families to take as yet undefined measures to lower the amount of dust that occurs naturally and is transmitted into the air due to agriculture production activities — such as combining, haying, moving cattle, tilling a field, or even driving down a gravel road — failure to do so would result in a substantial fine. “Senator Johanns is offering an amendment that would prevent the EPA from issuing any new rule that regulates agriculture dust. “Finally, Senator Crapo and Senator Johanns are offering an amendment that would help farmers, manufactures, energy producers, and many small business owners across the country continue to manage their unique business risks associated with their day to day operations. The amendment would prevent unnecessarily diverting capital away from job creation and investing in their businesses in a way that was never intended by the sponsors of the Dodd-Frank Act. Preventing this unnecessary burden would promote economic growth, protect farmers and businesses, and ultimately help save American jobs. “In these extremely difficult economic times, rural America is already struggling to get by and they simply can’t be bothered by an overreaching federal government that has no idea of the unintended consequences of its policies. “These five common sense Republican amendments I have outlined, along with several others, put an end to numerous job-killing regulations and each of them deserve a vote.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 14, 2012 8:29:24 GMT -5
President’s ‘Solutions’ to Ailing Economy: More Government, More Debt and Higher Taxes Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday regarding the President’s failed policies and the need for reforms to aid in job creation, decrease our national debt and strengthen our ailing economy: “Tomorrow, the President plans to deliver a speech to once again tout his favored approach on the economy. I say that because aides to the President say we shouldn’t expect much new in the speech. We can expect more of the same: more government, more debt, and higher taxes to pay for it all.
“Now, according to the news reports, some Democrats are starting to get a little wary of this approach. A number of folks who worked in the Clinton Administration have suggested something more positive. But others are pleading with the President to double down on the message that government is the answer. So far, it appears as though the hard-left wing of the party has the upper hand.
“As liberal columnist E.J. Dionne suggested in yesterday’s Washington Post, ‘Let’s turn [Reagan’s] declaration on its head. Opposition to government isn’t the solution. Opposition to government was and remains the problem.’
“And that’s precisely what the President appears to be doing — doubling down on the same government-driven solutions that have kept the private sector mired in what some are calling the worst recovery ever. These folks have so much faith in government they seem blind to any failure or excess. And they make no distinction between the things government’s done well in the past, and the things it doesn’t do well now.
They have no limiting principle whatsoever — this is their logic: if you like the Hoover Dam, you should support bureaucrats making higher salaries and better benefits than the taxpayers who are paying for them. If you like the transcontinental railroad, you should support a trillion dollar Stimulus bill that has been more effective at creating punch lines for late-night comedians than it has at creating jobs. If you like the G.I. bill then they believe you must also embrace a debt-to-GDP ratio that’s makes us look like Greece.
“These folks seem to have no limiting principle whatsoever when it comes to the growth of government. They’ve got blind faith in it. It’s the only thing they ever seem to want. And they’re completely out of touch.
“The President wants you to believe that the reason we are in this economic slump is because states and local governments have been laying off government workers. But what he doesn’t tell you and what the American people won’t hear him say tomorrow is that since the recession began, for every government worker who has lost a job, 11 private sector workers have lost theirs.
“And another thing you won’t hear the President say is that public sector unemployment is just above 4 percent, while all other private sector industries are at least twice that. So government employment isn’t the problem — it’s the private sector that is suffering, and it’s the private sector where we need to focus our policies on.
“So the battle lines are clear: after three and half years of failures, Democrats in Washington have one suggestion: more of the same. The President can repackage it however he wants tomorrow. But that’s what it amounts to: more government, more debt, and fewer jobs. And that’s not what Americans want.
“Republicans have refused to go along with this approach, and we’ll continue to oppose it until the Democrats recognize what most Americans already seem to know: government isn’t the answer to what ails us. It doesn’t mean government doesn’t do some things well. It means government has its limits.
“And we’ve reached them. I saw a story this week about a high school in Utah. It said the school’s been fined $15,000 for selling carbonated drinks. Why? Because federal nutrition guidelines say the school can’t sell sugary drinks during lunch hour. A student could buy them before lunch hour and drink them during lunch. But it can’t buy them during lunch hour and drink them during lunch. The government won’t allow it.
“We’re not talking about the transcontinental railroad here. We’re talking about a government that has no sense of its own limits under the Constitution. And a President who doesn’t seem willing to embrace anything that doesn’t start and end with a government bureaucrat calling the shots.
“It’s time for a change. And here’s what I would suggest:
“One, the Democrat-led Senate should pass a budget — it has not done so in over three years.
“Two, the Senate should take up the 28 job-related bills the House Republicans passed that are collecting dust on the Majority Leader’s desk.
“Three, we should pass compressive tax reform.
“And fourth, entitlement reform — this nation will not be able to get out from under the mountain of debt we’ve got without addressing the out of control spending related to these programs. It’s unsustainable.
“But as I said yesterday, without presidential leadership, it simply can’t happen. The same failed policies aren’t going to cut it. The only question is whether Democrats in Washington are capable of seeing that.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 21, 2012 11:59:08 GMT -5
President Continues to Stall on Student Loan Agreement Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the need for the President to respond to bipartisan solutions proposed by Congressional Republicans to prevent the increase in student loan rates: “Three weeks ago today, Republican leaders in the Senate joined Republican leaders in the House in calling on the President to resolve a pending increase in student loan rates. Drawing on some of the President’s own ideas, we proposed multiple good-faith solutions to this problem before it’s too late.
“And we have been waiting ever since for the President’s response. He’s missing in action. He has yet to offer a concrete solution. So you can understand our surprise upon learning this morning that the President plans to call on Congress later today to do something about student loan rates.
“The Republican-led House of Representatives has acted. They already passed a bill that would solve this problem. And, as I said, Republican leaders in the Senate have been on record supporting multiple good faith solutions to this problem for weeks.
“It is the Democrat-led Senate that has failed to act, and the President who has failed to contribute to a solution. And the reason is obvious.
“It was reported yesterday that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a web site with a student loan countdown clock aimed at raising money off this issue. The implication is that Republicans are the ones dragging their feet.
“As for the President, well, this is just another sad example of his election-year strategy of deflection and distraction.
“College graduates are struggling to find work and pay their bills in the Obama economy. He’d like them to believe it’s someone else’s fault. Latinos are struggling with high unemployment. He’d like them to think Republicans are the problem. Middle class moms are struggling to make ends meets. He wants them to think we’re engaged in some phony war on women.
“The President doesn’t have a positive message to send any of these folks, so he’s cooking up false controversies to distract them from his own failure to turn the economy around.
“Well, on the student loan issue, we could solve this problem in a sitting. Republicans have acted quickly, and on a bipartisan basis, to help prevent these rates from going up. We’ve passed a bill out of the House. We’ve reached out to the President. We’ve proposed multiple good-faith solutions.
“The only reason this issue isn’t already resolved — the only reason — is that the President wants to keep it alive. He thinks it benefits him politically for college students to believe we’re the problem.
“It’s time to stop the games. It’s time for the President to act.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 22, 2012 7:51:21 GMT -5
500 Kentucky miners lose jobs Obama Administration's war on coal is a great success
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following comment on Thursday regarding the layoffs of coal miners in Kentucky: "This is another devastating blow to Kentucky’s mining community and the families who rely on coal for their livelihoods. Our coal miners are some of the hardest working Americans, and it’s heart-breaking that the Obama Administration's war on coal has yet again contributed to more job losses in this industry.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 25, 2012 20:29:46 GMT -5
McConnell Statement on Free Speech Case Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell released the following statement today regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s summary reversal of the Montana Supreme Court’s decision (American Tradition Partnership, Inc. v. Bullock) regarding First Amendment free speech rights as set out in the Citizens United decision: “In another important victory for freedom of speech, the Supreme Court has reversed the Montana Supreme Court, upholding First Amendment free speech rights that were set out in Citizens United. As I pointed out in an amicus brief that I filed in the Montana case, a review of Federal Election Commission records of independent spending supporting the eight Republican presidential candidates earlier this year showed only minimal corporate involvement in the 2012 election cycle. Not one Fortune 100 company contributed a cent to any of the eight Republican Super PACs, as of the end of March, according to FEC records. The records also showed that of the $96 million contributed to the eight Super PACs through March 31, an overwhelming 86.32 percent of that money came from individuals while only 13.68 percent came from corporations and 0.81 percent from public companies. Clearly, the much predicted corporate tsunami that critics of Citizens United warned about simply did not occur.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 29, 2012 6:25:41 GMT -5
Court’s Ruling Underscores the Need to Repeal Obamacare Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the President’s healthcare law: “Today’s decision makes one thing clear: Congress must act to repeal this misguided law. Obamacare has not only limited choices and increased health care costs for American families, it has made it harder for American businesses to hire. Today’s decision does nothing to diminish the fact that Obamacare’s mandates, tax hikes, and Medicare cuts should be repealed and replaced with common sense reforms that lower costs and that the American people actually want. It is my hope that with new leadership in the White House and Senate, we can enact these step-by-step solutions and prevent further damage from this terrible law.”
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Post by Press Release on Jun 30, 2012 8:11:30 GMT -5
Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony Honoring the Montford Point Marines Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks at a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the Montford Point Marines: “Speaker Boehner, Leader Reid, Leader Pelosi, fellow members of Congress, members of the U.S. military, distinguished guests and friends.
“Today we gather to honor the Marines of Montford Point, not just for their pioneering role in breaking down the color barrier in the U.S. Marine Corps, but for their courage and their sacrifice amid the indignity of racial discrimination.
“In particular, I would like to recognize six Marines from my home state of Kentucky who I understand are here with us today: Edward Churchill, Thomas Cork Sr., James Foreman, Lutherlee Goodwin, Clarence Hunt Jr., and Albert Jones.
“For volunteering to defend our nation during World War II, all the men we recognize today secured a permanent place of honor in our national memory. For doing so in the face of mistreatment and injustice we owe them an even greater measure of respect and gratitude. They are among the greatest of the Greatest Generation.
“The nearly 20,000 Marines who trained at Montford Point between the years 1942 and 1949 trained in remarkably difficult conditions. Instead of standard barracks, like the ones their white counterparts slept in at Camp Lejeune, the living quarters at Montford Point were more like overcrowded huts — where a single stove supplied heat for more than 40 men.
“Yet most just brushed these things aside. As one of the men put it years later: ‘We were so gung-ho and patriotic, we weren’t concerned at all about what we were going to do. We just wanted to get in there and fight.’
“Restricted to training for support roles, African American Marines had to wait for their chance to prove themselves on the battlefield. But the chance finally came in the Pacific theater, where many saw combat in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II, including Iwo Jima, Saipan, and Okinawa, and carried out their duties with great courage and heroism.
“I want to publicly commend the Marine Corps, especially General James Amos, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, for his determination in acknowledging some hard truths about the Corps’ past, and for bringing to light the importance of the Marines of Montford Point. Recognition of their accomplishments is long overdue.
“Still, for many of these men, it was never about gaining recognition. It was about defending the nation they loved, and paving a path for the generations of African American men and women who would follow them into the Marine Corps.
“This point was driven home about six years ago when one of them showed up at a reunion. While there, he came across a senior Marine officer who happened to be an African American. ‘You can't imagine how much pride I feel seeing you in that uniform,’ he told the officer. ‘It's enough to make an old Marine cry.’
“The officer replied, ‘I owe much of this to you.’
“And so we honor the Montford Point Marines who are here today and the thousands who are no longer with us; for rising above and beyond the call of duty to defend this nation, and for enduring a great injustice with dignity and forbearance.
“For your bravery and service, Congress recognizes you today with our nation’s highest civilian honor. Thank you gentlemen, and congratulations.”
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Post by Press Release on Jul 10, 2012 13:18:41 GMT -5
President Calls for Small Business Tax Hike Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell released the following statement today regarding the President’s call for a tax hike on small businesses and families in the middle of a slowing economy: “It’s not an accident that the President didn’t explain how his plan to raise taxes on small businesses will create jobs—he can’t say that with a straight face, it simply isn’t true. In fact, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation, nearly a million small businesses would feel this tax hike right away, and up to a quarter of the entire American workforce depends on these employers for a paycheck. And since the President himself has previously acknowledged that this kind of tax hike is a drag on the economy, today’s proposal is clearly based on a political calculus, not an economic one. But in the Obama economy, we need policies that are designed to create jobs—not designed to protect his. No one should see an income tax hike next year—not families, not small businesses and other job creators. We should extend all the tax rates while we make progress on fundamental tax reform. And we should be focused on the pro-growth jobs legislation that the House has passed, while ensuring that Washington does no additional harm to an all-too-fragile economy.”
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Post by Press Release on Jul 11, 2012 17:09:27 GMT -5
DeWayne Bunch
McConnell Comments on the Passing of Former State Representative DeWayne Bunch Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Wednesday regarding the death of former Kentucky State Representative DeWayne Bunch: “I am saddened by the loss of former Representative DeWayne Bunch. As a teacher and state representative, DeWayne served the people of the Commonwealth, especially those in Whitley and Laurel counties, with distinction. He also proudly served our country in Iraq as a member of the Kentucky National Guard. Elaine and I send our condolences to his wife, Regina, his family, and all those at Whitley County High School that knew and loved him.”
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Post by Press Release on Jul 17, 2012 12:42:29 GMT -5
Democrat answer to the failed Obama economy: Massive Tax Hike
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release [/i] Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the Democrats’ unserious approach to dealing with the failed Obama economy and upcoming massive tax hikes: “Last week, in response to another disappointing month of job growth, President Obama issued a truly bizarre ultimatum: let me raise taxes on a million businesses, or I’ll raise taxes on everybody.
“But yesterday, Democrat leaders in Congress took this strange economic theory — whereby politicians purport to help job creation by hurting job creators — to dizzying new heights.
“Yesterday, Senate Democrat leaders said they would actually prefer to see America go off the so-called ‘fiscal cliff’ in January, along with the trauma that would unleash on our economy, than let these businesses maintain their existing tax rates.
“It was an astounding admission, so allow me to repeat it: Democrats in Congress are now saying that they would rather see taxes go up on every American at the end of the year than let about a million businesses keep what they earn now.
“This isn’t an economic agenda, it’s an ideological crusade.
“This morning, Ernst & Young is releasing a study which shows that President Obama’s plan to raise taxes on these businesses will result in 710,000 fewer jobs.
“For those who manage to keep their jobs, real after-tax wages would fall by an estimated 1.8 percent, meaning living standards would decline as government sucks more capital out of the economy. The President’s proposal, in other words, is a recipe for economic stagnation and decline.
“But the Murray proposal — the idea that we should raise taxes on everybody — is even worse. Not only would it likely trigger another recession, it would put the global economy at risk.
“The Democrats’ theory is that a massive income tax increase on 140 million American taxpayers wouldn’t be so bad because the effects wouldn’t be felt right away.
“This bizarre conclusion can only be reached by politicians and budget analysts who have never worked a day in the private sector, who don’t understand what goes into cutting a paycheck for your employees, and who don’t have a concept of the planning that is necessary when you are operating a business on thin margins in a tough economy.
“This shows how out of touch these people are, to rely on the analysis of Ivy Tower liberals instead of listening to the jobs groups that have been pleading with us to fix this problem sooner rather than later, and end the uncertainty that is acting like a big wet blanket over the economy.
“Today, another non-partisan group, the Business Roundtable, urged Congress to adopt the Republican plan to extend current tax law for a year and make a bridge to tax reform.
“In a letter to Congress, the group’s Chairman, Boeing CEO James McNerney, warned that ‘Without effective action soon, this uncertainty will spawn a dangerous crisis, threatening our economy, businesses and workers.’ What Republicans have been saying is that we should eliminate this uncertainty now. Eliminate the uncertainty that Boeing employees — nearly 85,000 of whom work in Washington State — and so many others are facing right now.
“Tackle these problems now, rather than waiting until the end of the year.
“Let me boil it down. Faced with the slowest economic recovery in modern times, chronic joblessness, and the lowest percentage of able-bodied Americans actually participating in the workforce in decades, Democrats’ one-point plan to revive the economy is this: you earn, we take. That’s apparently the only thing they’ve got.
“We can do better. I know we can. And so do the American people.”
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Post by Press Release on Jul 19, 2012 11:05:18 GMT -5
Democrats’ Thelma and Louise Economics: Right Off the Cliff
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release [/i] Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Thursday regarding the President’s plan to impose even higher taxes on small businesses: “Earlier this week, Senate Democrat leaders made clear to the American people where their priorities lie. And in case you’re wondering, the middle class came in pretty low on the list.
“At a moment when more Americans are signing up for disability than finding jobs, Democrats said they think it’s a good idea to drive the country off what economists are calling America’s fiscal cliff this coming January.
“You might call it Thelma and Louise economics– right off the cliff..
“But whatever you want to call it, Democrats are evidently so determined to raise taxes on American job creators that if we don’t let them do it, they’d actually welcome an economic calamity that could rock not only the American economy, but the global economy too.
“Needless to say, that isn’t a program for jobs or economic growth. It’s an ideological crusade.
“Following the President’s lead, Democrats are declaring ideological warfare. And the banner they’re marching under is emblazoned with a single word: fairness.
“Here’s the problem, ‘fairness’ turns out to be a lot like hope and change. You don’t know what it means until it’s put into practice. But one thing history, common sense, and basic economics tell us is that it doesn’t mean what Democrats say it does. Because when they say tax the rich, the middle class isn’t far behind.
“Just ask yourself: when was the last time a government program stuck to its original mission?
“Federal income taxes initially were only supposed to apply to those with taxable incomes of $500,000, equal to about $11.3 million in today’s dollars. And even then, the top rate was only 7 percent. Today, the federal income tax starts to pinch as soon as you earn a dollar more than $9,750.
“The Social Security tax started out at 2 percent. What’s more, Americans were told it would never rise above 6 percent. Yet today the Social Security tax stands at 12.4 percent, and all other things being equal it would likely have to rise above 20 percent to keep the program solvent.
“The Alternative Minimum Tax was designed to hit 155 households in 1969. Today, it threatens to hit nearly 30 million households at the end of this year.
“Obamacare was only supposed to tax ‘the rich.’ Yet now it turns out the very core of the bill includes a tax on the middle class. In my view, that particular deception turned out to be the difference between the law passing and not passing. And since it passed by a single vote, every single Democrat senator who supported it is responsible for not only the law itself — but the middle class tax hike at the heart of it.
“But the bottom line here is that a law we were told didn’t hit the middle class, does. Big time. And the same goes for the President’s latest proposal to raise taxes on those earning more than $200,000 a year. It may be aimed at the top two percent now, but just like every other program that’s supposedly aimed at the few, very quickly this tax increase will apply to the many. Even the senior Senator from New York has said this tax hike will hit a lot of people who aren’t ‘rich.’
“After all, the revenue from the Democrats’ tax increase will only cover 6 percent of next year’s projected budget deficit, So who’s expected to cover the rest? The middle class. That’s the fine print under every Democrat proposal: they say they’re coming after the rich, but the middle class is always next. And America’s small businesses are already on the line.
“That’s one reason Republicans are so adamantly opposed to these proposals.
“Yes, it’s a terrible idea to raise taxes in the middle of an economic downturn. Yes, government is already too big. Yes, Democrats have absolutely no more intention of using this new revenue for deficit reduction than they have in the past. Yes, the President’s latest proposal wouldn’t even raise enough money to fund the government for a week. And yes, we have no reason whatsoever to believe that the President wouldn’t continue his crony capitalist ways, spending that money on the pet projects of his political allies. But the larger point is this: not only is all of this terrible economics. It’s completely unfair.
“The American people shouldn’t be on the defense when it comes to keeping what they’ve earned. The President may think that those who’ve succeeded in life haven’t done so on their own. But anybody who’s ever turned a dream into a reality knows he’s wrong. They know the sacrifices they’ve made for their success. The hours of work. The time away from family. The constant worry about whether they’ll succeed. And those who have made it know that what’s really unfair is being told they have to now hand over even more to a President who’s done nothing to show he knows how to spend it.
“So Democrats may think it’s good politics to play Russian Roulette with the economy. They may think it helps their radical ideological goals for the country to go off the fiscal cliff at the end of the year. They may look down on any enterprise that isn’t controlled by the government. But nobody should even attempt to pretend it’s a good idea for the economy or for jobs or for middle class Americans.
“Because it isn’t. And that’s why Republicans think we should solve these problems now. That’s what I’ve been calling for all week, and it’s what I and my colleagues will continue to call for — until Senate Democrats realize we weren’t sent here to play politics. We were sent here to serve.”
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Post by Press Release on Jul 20, 2012 11:28:45 GMT -5
McConnell Statement on Colorado Tragedy Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
“Elaine and I are heartbroken by the shootings in Aurora. This senseless massacre of so many innocent people gathered with friends and family in a movie theater reminds us not only of the great evil that exists in the hearts of some, but of the great and precious gift of life. I join all Americans today in prayer for the victims, their families and friends, and the wider Aurora community, and in heartfelt thanks to all the first responders who quickly responded at great risk to themselves. It is in moments like this that Americans have always drawn closer together and shown their great compassion and generosity to those touched by tragedy and loss. We hope that in the midst of the horror in Aurora, these qualities shine through once again and reach those who are suffering most. America is at prayer today for all who are affected by this tragedy.”
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Post by Press Release on Jul 24, 2012 20:36:33 GMT -5
McConnell Calls for Votes on All Three Tax Proposals Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today to urge the Senate to consider the Senate Democrats’ tax hike on small businesses, the President’s tax hike on small businesses and the Republican proposal that would keep income taxes from rising on any taxpayer or business in America: “As the Senate resumes its work this week, Americans are hungry for leadership. The national debt hovers around $16 trillion, the federal government is on track to spend a trillion dollars more than it takes in for the fourth year in a row, and Democrats haven’t done so much as pass a budget in nearly four years.
“President Obama, meanwhile, isn’t even talking with us about what to do about any of these things. The taxpayers are basically paying him $400,000 a year to hold campaign rallies and show up at fundraisers. His latest proposal on taxes has more to do with helping his campaign than in reviving the economy. And if you want proof, just ask yourself why Democrats don’t want to vote on it.
“Republicans will head into tomorrow’s vote guided by a simple principle: do no harm. In our view, the best approach to taxes right now is to let every American and every American business know they won’t have a higher income tax bill at the end of the year. We think everybody in America should have that certainty.
“The Democrat’s guiding principle, to the extent they have one, is different. To them, the goal isn’t so much relief for struggling Americans or reviving the economy, it’s sending a message. And their message is that some people deserve relief and some people don’t, and they’ll decide who those people are, regardless of the effect it has on the broader economy or jobs.
“It’s an approach that isn’t based on any economic outcome, but on ideology. And Americans are tired of it, because it’s been a disaster for our economy.
“Think about it: if Democrats cared more about helping folks and reviving the economy, then they wouldn’t be calling for a tax hike. Yet throughout this entire debate, Democrats haven’t offered a single credible argument about how their tax increase targeted at job creators will help struggling middle class Americans. Surely they don’t think this tax increase is the fiscally responsible thing to do. After all, even if they got it they’d only generate enough money to fund the government for five days.
“But the larger point is this: the Senate should be in the business of actually making a difference rather than just making political statements. And that’s why we think we should have a vote on all three proposals tomorrow: the President’s, the Democrats’, and ours. Show the Americans people what’s really behind these proposals, and what we stand for. If Democrats believe the President’s rhetoric, they’ll vote for his proposal. And he’ll work to get their support.
“My guess is that Democrat leaders won’t allow a vote on the President’s plan. And that should tell you everything you need to know about the Democrat approach to the problems we face: they’re either out of ideas, not serious about solving the problems we face, or both. To them, this is more about messaging or passing the buck than it is about helping anybody or preventing an economic calamity at the end of the year.
“The President proposed a plan he thinks helps him on the campaign trail. Democrats proposed a plan they think helps them in the Senate. What about a plan that actually helps the people who sent us here? It’s all politics and positioning to our friends on the other side at this point. And it’s really a disgrace.
“The time to act on the problems we face is now. The fiscal cliff draws closer with each passing day. And I think most people think the party in power has some responsibility to do something about it.”
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Post by Press Release on Jul 25, 2012 21:14:41 GMT -5
Dems See Harmful Small Business Tax Hikes As Solution to Economic Crisis Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Press Release
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the Democrats’ ill-conceived plan to stimulate the economy by raising taxes on America’s job creators: “The vote we’re about to take on the Democrat plan to raise taxes is interesting for a few reasons: first, it’s a revenue measure that didn’t originate in the House, so it’s got no chance whatsoever of becoming law.
“Second, it’s a perfect example of what you get when you put politics over the people who sent you here. If the Democrats truly believed what the President’s been saying out on the stump, they’d vote on his plan.
“But, as the vote tally will show, they can barely muster 50 votes on their own plan — let alone his. So for the entire President’s talk about supporting a balanced approach to taxes, he evidently can’t even get 50 votes for it in a Democrat-controlled Senate when we all know he’d need 60 votes to get it to his desk.
“Instead of voting on the President’s plan, Democrats have cobbled together the only thing they can come up with that would muster more than 50 votes — a purely political exercise, and a total waste of time.
“But I can’t imagine why they want to vote for either one — since both proposals raises taxes on about a million business owners, and both raise taxes on investment, at a time when the economy’s in paralysis.
“I mean, here’s the Democrat plan for the economy: we’ll get this thing going again by raising taxes.
“Let’s take more money out of a small business and send it to Washington that’s how we’ll create jobs.
“Let us create the jobs instead of the small business owners out there — they don’t create the jobs anyway, Washington does.
“If you’re looking for the legislative equivalent of the President’s now famous view that ‘You didn’t build that’, this is it.
“They don’t think you deserve to keep what you’ve earned because you’re not responsible for earning it. They are.
“That’s the message Democrats are sending with today’s votes, that you’re not responsible for your success, Washington is.
“So give us your money, and we’ll handle it for you. That’s their tax plan. That’s their plan for the economy and jobs.
“Fortunately for the American people, there’s another approach.
“Next week, House Republicans will pass a bill that drew broad bipartisan support just 19 months ago — and that would draw bipartisan support today — if Democrats were more concerned about what’s best for creating jobs than they were in centralizing power in Washington and pleasing their liberal base.
“The Republican proposal is to do no harm — and commit to the kind of serious tax reform we all know we need.
“That’s the vote Senate Republicans are proud to take today, and House Republicans will take next week.
“It’s the plan Senate Democrats — and the President — would support if they were serious on jobs.
“The Democrat plan is to raise taxes on nearly a million business owners and, in a notable departure from the President, threatens tens of thousands of family farms and ranches with a death tax of 55 percent at the end of the year.
“That’s their idea of economic stimulus.
“That’s the bill they’d rather vote on than the President’s proposal. And it’s the last thing we need right now.
“The good news is that this new, convoluted Democrat bill will never make it to the President’s desk. The bad news is they’ll also vote down the one tax plan that should.
“We can do better. It’s time for Democrats to work with us on rewarding success instead of punishing it.”
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