WASHINGTON, DC - In a speech on the House floor this morning, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) challenged White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s assertion in the New York Times that Washington Democrats have “rescued the economy.”  Mr. Emanuel made the remark in previewing the prime time address the President will give to the nation tonight as Democratic leaders struggle for the votes needed to pass a job-killing government takeover of Americans’ health care.  Full video and transcript of Boehner’s remarks follow:

CLICK TO PLAY    

        “Madam Speaker, American families and small businesses are hurting.  The economy has been hurting, but this morning in previewing the President’s speech tonight, our former colleague, the President’s Chief of Staff, said this:  ‘[W]e rescued the economy.’ 

        “Now, I’m sure that the 9.5 percent unemployment rate that we have in our country today and from most economic experts on its way up don’t believe that we’ve rescued the economy.  The 11.1 percent unemployment rate that we have in Ohio, I’m sure those people are looking up today wondering, wait a minute, the President is going to say we rescued the economy?  I don’t think so. 

        “Not only has the stimulus not worked and the economy not been rescued, the President continues to promote policies that will create more unemployment in America.  The national energy tax that went through this House last month will cause millions of Americans to lose their jobs over the next 10 years, at 2.5 million per year.  And we’re debating the health care plan, the government takeover of health care, which according to the President’s council of economic advisor’s model will cost five million more Americans their jobs. 

        “I don’t believe that the economy has been rescued.  I yield back.”

#####

More Information: GOPLeader.gov | RSS | YouTube | Twitter | Flickr | Podcast