U.S. Representative John Boehner
We are a Nation of Builders 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the office of Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) released the following column comprised of excerpts from Boehner’s June 20th remarks to the National Association of Manufacturers’ 2013 Summit in Washington, DC: 

“When you look at where [our economy is today], we’re still not seeing real growth. A lot of this has to do with policies that are holding us back, but it isn’t just that. 

“In America, the people have always had a healthy skepticism about their government. But lately, they’ve had more reason than usual to be skeptical. 

“They read about the IRS abusing its power and targeting Americans for their political beliefs. They wonder about what happened in Benghazi, where four Americans were killed. 

“Meanwhile, here in Washington, there has been no accountability – no buck-stops-here – only an arrogance of power that puts politics ahead of doing the right thing. When government is out of control like this, it makes it that much harder to do our work to grow our economy. 

“The arrogance we’re seeing now is the same arrogance that has left our economy plodding along. 

“After four years of Washington-knows-best and you-didn’t-build-that, our economy is recovering at the slowest rate since World War II. We should be doing much better. 

“America’s greatness has always rested on our ability to build and produce things. We built the steam engine and the Model T, steel mills and skyscrapers. We are a nation of builders. 

“Under the Obama administration, however, it’s become harder than ever to build in this country. Red tape, an outdated tax code, and shortsighted policies are driving up the cost of everything, stifling innovation, and sending jobs and opportunities to competitors like China. 

“We need a new approach that revives tried and true habits. An approach that encourages every firm, every small business, and every person to create wealth and contribute to growth. 

“So we start at the foundation, by giving more of our kids a chance at a good education. Let’s empower parents with choice and opportunity – and improve access to higher education and job training – so students are ready for tomorrow’s job market. 

“To become a nation of builders again, we need to simplify our tax code. If we clear out all these loopholes, make the code fairer, make it easier to understand, we’ll be creating more incentives to bring jobs home and keep ideas and resources here. 

“We need to expand markets for American-made goods too. This will help lower prices for consumers, create better, higher-paying jobs for workers, and attract new investments to our shores. 

“To become a nation of builders again, we need to reform our immigration system. Because securing our borders, enforcing our laws, and making the process of becoming a legal immigrant fairer will help America remain a magnet for the brightest minds and hardest workers. 

“And becoming a nation of builders again means finally pursuing a true ‘all of the above’ energy strategy. Instead of restricting development, we need to green-light the Keystone pipeline and we need to expand production of our resources – onshore and offshore. 

“All of these are the types of policies that can bring us out of the ‘new normal’, help create jobs, and deliver sustained economic growth. 

“And they’re all part of Republicans’ Plan for Economic Growth. I encourage you to go online, visit gop.gov/jobs and get all the details.” 

“While my colleagues and I don’t have the majority here in Washington, we will continue to pursue our plan. And I ask you to challenge members of both parties to join us.” 

Boehner represents Ohio’s 8th District, which includes all of Butler, Clark, Darke, Miami, and Preble counties, and the southernmost part of Mercer County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.