Contact: Michael Steel, Kevin Smith, 202-225-4000

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 /Standard Newswire/ -- House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement this afternoon in response to a report that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is now wavering in her refusal to allow a vote on legislation that would stop all of the coming tax hikes set to hit Americans on January 1:

This morning I called on Speaker Pelosi to pledge to the American people that she will allow an honest, up-or-down vote before Congress adjourns on legislation that would stop all of the coming tax hikes.  I'm encouraged by press reports this afternoon indicating that the Speaker is now leaving the door open to such a vote.  If we're serious about taking action to help our economy get back to creating jobs, Democrats and Republicans must come together and pass legislation this month that makes significant cuts in spending and stops President Obama's tax hike on small businesses.  Republicans have put forth a plan that will allow us to do just that.  For Congress and the White House to fail to enact such legislation before Congress leaves town would fail our economy and fail the American people."

NOTE:  The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimates the tax hike endorsed by President Obama and his economic team will increase taxes on approximately 50 percent of the small business income in America.  Republicans in Congress have called for immediate bipartisan action to cut spending and stop all coming tax hikes to provide certainty to small businesses struggling to create jobs.