At his weekly press conference today, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) highlighted several small business jobs proposals endorsed by President Obama earlier this week that have been passed by the House as part of the Plan for America’s Job Creators, but remain stalled by Senate Democrats.  Speaker Boehner said “If the president wants to show leadership, he should call on Democrats in the Senate to move these bills” immediately.  Speaker Boehner also discussed the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act that will create more than a million jobs by removing government barriers to job growth, and other actions the House will take to help boost small business job creation.  Following are video and text of Speaker Boehner’s remarks:

ON PRESIDENT OBAMA ENDORSING SEVERAL BIPARTISAN, HOUSE-PASSED JOBS BILLS STALLED BY SENATE DEMOCRATS:

“So this week, the president endorsed many of those House-passed bills and he said he’s sending them up to Congress.  Well we appreciate the president’s good intentions – but the House has already done its work.  To speed this process along, the president really needs to call on the Democrat-run Senate to take up these bills.  They could pass them right now and the president could sign them. 

“You know, the last year, the House passed the Small Company Capital Formation Act.  It allows small businesses to attract more investors so that they can turn their entrepreneurial ideas into jobs.  It’s sitting right now in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

“Last year, the House passed the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act.  It allows entrepreneurs to raise money so they can invest in their business and hire more workers.  It’s sitting in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

“Last year, the House passed the Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act.  It would make sure that visas better match up with holes in the American workforce.  It’s sitting in the Democrat Senate.   All they have to do is pick it up and pass it. 

“And last year, the House passed a bill to allow small businesses to expense the purchase of new equipment.  It’s sitting right now in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

“These are four of the bills the president said he was going to send up here for us.  Well, guess what Mr. President, we’ve done our work.  Call Harry Reid and see if the Senate’s ever going to do anything over there. 

“Now listen, these are some areas of commonground.  And so the president said he’ll sign these, I don’t know what the Senate Democrats are waiting for.” 

ON THE NEED FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA TO CALL ON SENATE DEMOCRATS TO ACT:

“If the president wants to show leadership, he should call on Democrats in the Senate to move these bills.  I think American small businesses are counting on us to provide some relief – even in an election year.

“House Republicans have done our work, and we’re going to continue to. But we need to have a willing partner.  The President’s Jobs Council supports the Republican approach to job creation.  The American people prefer our approach to job creation.  And now the president himself says he supports a number of our bills. 

“So we’ve got an opportunity to get something done for the American people, but it takes two to tango.”  

ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FAILED ECONOMIC POLICIES THAT ARE MAKING THE ECONOMY WORSE:

“This week we got word from the Congressional Budget Office that after three years of the president’s policies, unemployment is expected to stay high for the foreseeable future.  It’s clear the president’s policies are not only not helping the economy – it’s making it worse.  House Republicans continue to listen to the American people, and the House is continuing its work on jobs this week.”

ON THE PRO-GROWTH, EARMARK-FREE AMERICAN ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS ACT:

“Various committees are preparing to bring to the floor the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.  By removing government barriers to American energy production, the bill will help create private-sector jobs and ease rising gas prices.  By reforming the way taxpayer dollars are spent, it will ensure that America has safe, reliable roads and bridges – which is critical for our long-term economic growth.  And it does so without any earmarks.  It’s going to be a different kind of transportation bill, and over the 21 years I’ve been in Congress I have never voted for a transportation bill because typically it was loaded up with earmarks.  The last highway bill – 6,317 earmarks.  And so this is going to be far different than anything that we’ve seen in the past.”

ON HOUSE REPUBLICANS TAKING ACTION ON THE PLAN FOR AMERICA’S JOB CREATORS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES PUT AMERICANS BACK TO WORK:

“This week, Leader Cantor also announced that the House will consider a tax cut for small businesses.  The idea was a part of our Pledge to America, and it’s part of our Plan for American Job Creators.  Our plan has been out there since May.  We’ve worked on it all last year and we’re going to continue to have a focus on jobs in this Congress. 

“But this tax cut will help small businesses across the country expand and hire new workers.  And as we said regularly, American small businesses are the key to economic recovery.  That’s why, as part of our Plan for American Job Creators, we’ve already passed half a dozen bills focused specifically on helping small businesses and their ability to create jobs.  The Democrat-run Senate has failed to act on any of them.”