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

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 /Standard Newswire/ -- Following up on a letter he sent to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) earlier this month, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today called on the Speaker to hold an open and fair debate -- and an up-or-down vote -- on legislation to stop the looming tax hikes before Congress adjourns this week: 

"If Democratic leaders leave town without stopping all the tax hikes, they are turning their backs on the American people.  Adjourning the Congress at the end of this week without a vote to stop all the tax hikes will be a vote to raise taxes on the American people and destroy jobs.  The 'stimulus' has failed, and more than two million Americans have lost their jobs since it was enacted.  The economic uncertainty facing entrepreneurs and employers is crippling small business job creation, and it's long past time for this Congress to act to help get the economy back on track.  

"As I said earlier this month, using the suspension process -- which requires a two-thirds vote in the House to pass legislation instead of a simple majority vote -- to deny Republican and many Democratic members their right to offer alternative legislation to stop all the tax hikes would be an obvious attempt to circumvent the will of the House and the American people. The House should have a free and open debate where alternatives can be debated and voted on, and if the Speaker isn't willing to allow an open process she shouldn't count on our votes.  We're confident that if our plan to stop all of the tax hikes on American families and small businesses was given a vote in the House, it would pass."

NOTE: On September 14, Leader Boehner sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi seeking an up-or-down vote on legislation to stop all looming tax hikes so that the will of the American people and the House of Representatives can be heard.