Pelosi: 'To the Republicans in the Senate We Say: Show Us the Jobs!'

WASHINGTON, June 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, Chairwoman Barbara Lee, Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, Congresswoman Susan Davis, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and dozens of other Democratic women Members of Congress held a press conference this afternoon on the East Front Steps of the Capitol to urge Senate Republicans to stop blocking job creation legislation. Below are the Speaker's opening remarks and closing statement:

Speaker Pelosi Opening Remarks:

"Good afternoon. It's always a pleasure to be with the Democratic women — the Democratic women Members of Congress.

"Today, we have a special responsibility. It's a responsibility we carry every day — to create jobs, to broaden the prosperity of America to include everyone in our country. We come here in the spirit of unity to create jobs, but also with a spirit of disappointment in the Republicans in the United States Senate.

"Time and time again, Democrats in the House have sent legislation to the Senate to create jobs. And you'll hear about the kinds of jobs from some of our women leaders here. What is it that the middle-class — what did middle-class families ever do to Republicans in the Senate that they would snuff out every opportunity for job creation that has been sent to them? Why can't they develop any ideas of their own to create jobs? Why can't they give a glimmer of hope to America's working families — to some who have jobs, but fear losing them, to some who want better jobs, to some who are concerned about their children or their neighbors or other family members being able to get a job?

"And so here we are again — we sent a jobs bill in December. They did not pass it. Now we're sending it another jobs bill to them. And we hope that they will act upon it. But so far, they have said 'no' — they have said 'no' when we have talked repeatedly. When we have talked about summer jobs, the Republicans have said 'no.' When we talked about tax breaks to unleash billions of jobs in research and development, Republicans have said 'no.' At the current job growth, however, from what President Obama has already done, in the course of this year we will have created more jobs this year — 2010 — than in the entire Bush Administration of eight years. My colleagues will talk about that.

"It's also important to note that in President Bush's Administration of eight years — under his economic policies, which are continued by the Republicans in the Senate — they want to continue that — they lost private-sector jobs. Over eight years, they lost private-sector jobs. Our colleagues will be talking about that now.

"But we are not resting until they take initiative, or jointly work with us, or accept some of the proposals that we have that will create jobs, will grow the economy, will reduce the deficit, and again, involve many, many more people in the prosperity of our country.

"A person who knows a great deal about the jobs numbers is a person who works in the leadership as Chair of the Joint Economic Committee — Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney."

Speaker Pelosi Closing Statement:

"I thank my colleagues for joining us all, coming together here but more importantly for their exceptional leadership in job creation and making our future better for all of America's working families.

"President Obama has beautifully said, as he said mostly everything very beautifully: 'We will measure our success by the progress that is made by America's working families.' Well, we are here today to say to the Senate: America's families need jobs. To the Republicans in the Senate we say: Show us the jobs!

"Chairwoman Maloney has told us from the standpoint of the Joint Economic Committee, which she chairs, what the turnaround has been, that we now in job creation as opposed to job loss that we were in the Bush Administration. She also has told us that in April when the American people paid their taxes, they paid less taxes than at any time since the 1950s, thanks to the middle-income tax cut that we passed last year.

"And Congresswoman Lee speaking about summer jobs, it is summer, three days ago the first day of summer. These jobs, Senate Republicans, are long overdue for summer.

"Chairwoman Velazquez has said how many bills we have sent to the Senate for small businesses and the last one about credit for small businesses. Pass the bill, Senate Republicans, so that we can have small businesses get the credit they need to create the jobs.

"Congresswoman Schwartz talked about private sector jobs. This is all about encouraging the private sector. And that in the build in the Build American Bonds.

"Congresswoman Chu talked about Jobs Now and talked about private sector jobs as well.

"Congresswoman Davis chairs the Personnel Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee. She represents a district that is blessed with many veterans and she knows their plight and what the solution is to it—jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs. It's a four letter word we use around here all the time.

"Congresswoman DeLauro heads up our effort for job creation but all of our women Members, all of our Democratic women Members are very, very involved. And you will be hearing from more of them as time goes by, as long as it takes for the Republicans in the Senate to show us the jobs.

"Thank you, my colleagues for your leadership." [Applause.]

"Jobs now! Thank you all very much."

SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House