GOP Leader: "Raising taxes on anyone, especially small businesses, is the exact wrong thing to do in a struggling economy.  Economists agree and a growing number of Democrats agree."

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

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 /Standard Newswire/ -- During the weekly press conference with other GOP leaders, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said Republicans will continue to stand with the American people who want all of President Obama's looming tax hikes stopped, and he highlighted the GOP's two-point jobs plan for September that would cut spending back to 2008 levels and freeze the coming tax hikes for two years to provide much-needed certainty to small businesses.  The Republican Leader also demanded that Speaker Nancy Pelosi allow an open debate and vote on legislation to stop all of the coming tax hikes to ensure the will of the people -- and an emerging bipartisan majority in the House that opposes the president's tax hike on small businesses -- is represented.  Following are Boehner's comments:

"Listen, the American people want to stop all the tax hikes, and Republicans are going to continue to stand with them.  Raising taxes on anyone, especially small businesses, is the exact wrong thing to do in a struggling economy.  Economists agree, and a growing number of Democrats agree.

"If we're serious about helping our economy this month, we need to stop the tax hikes and we need to cut spending.  Let's cut spending back to 2008 levels -- back before the bailouts, and the 'stimulus,' and all the nonsense.  It would save about $100 billion in the first year.

"I've asked Speaker Pelosi to work with us on this two-point plan and have an open and fair debate so that the American people can speak.  We don't need to be closed out of this process -- Democrats and Republicans.  We don't need to have some closed rule.  We need to have an open and fair debate on the floor of the House.  And if the Speaker is willing to do that, I'm confident that the American people will speak, and we'll be able to cut spending, and continue the current tax rates."

NOTE:  Yesterday, Leader Boehner sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) requesting an open and fair debate when the House considers legislation to stop looming tax hikes so that the will of the American people and the House of Representatives can be heard.  Boehner's letter echoes similar requests made yesterday by top House Republicans, including Rules Committee Ranking Republican David Dreier (R-CA), who pressed his Democratic counterpart to hold an open and fair debate on stopping all tax hikes, and committee leaders Dave Camp (R-MI), Jerry Lewis (R-CA), and Paul Ryan (R-WI), who urged their Democratic counterparts to begin immediate work on the two-point jobs plan Republicans put forth last week.