Speaking for the Obama Administration, Vice President Biden last week insisted that “We know how to create jobs, and we know how to balance the budget. If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them."  Meanwhile, the Obama Misery Index – which measures the rise in unemployment and debt since the Obama Administration began – reached a new… Read more

Last week the Obama Administration issued a report that, in their terms, suggested Democrats’ 2009 stimulus plan “has accomplished much of what it set out to do.”  It is true that Democrats’ trillion-dollar government stimulus plan contributed to the Washington, D.C. area having among the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.  Yet as the chart below shows, the U.S. unemployment rate… Read more

It’s not just insurance coverage that families are losing because of ObamaCare.  Now their hospitals are in jeopardy, too.  Three Catholic hospitals in Pennsylvania have been put up for sale, with ObamaCare cited as a main reason for the decision.  One of the hospitals, Mercy Hospital in Scranton, has been treating patients for nearly 100 years.  However, just six months after ObamaCare… Read more

Washington, DC – Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX) today made the following statements in reaction to the signing of the EU-South Korea free trade agreement today, with a provisional implementation date scheduled for July 1, 2011. Camp said: “Today’s signing of the EU-South Korea free trade agreement is a stark… Read more

Washington, DC – Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX) today released the following statements in response to USTR's notification of Congress that Malaysia is formally joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations: CAMP: “Establishing a greater presence in Asian markets and becoming an effective counterweight… Read more

According to The Washington Post, the White House is releasing a new stimulus report today suggesting stimulus is coming in "on time and under budget," causing Administration officials to boast that "the recovery act has accomplished much of what it set out to do."  What that means exactly in the context of a trillion dollar spending spree that promised to create 3.7 million jobs, but has… Read more

The Principal Financial Group announced yesterday that it will stop selling health insurance because of the Democrats’ health overhaul.  This means that 840,000 Americans will lose their current health plan.  Even more alarming, the New York Times reports that, “More insurers are likely to follow Principal’s lead.”  Health policy consultant, Robert Laszewski, warns that as smaller… Read more

Washington, DC – Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX) today released the following statements in light of USTR’s announcement that it has resolved key bilateral issues related to Russia’s WTO accession process. Rep. Camp: “USTR’s announcement that the United States and Russia have resolved key outstanding bilateral issues… Read more

Starting January 1, 2011, Washington Democrats will impose a $3.8 trillion tax hike on hard-working Americans.  This tax increase will affect every American who pays income taxes through higher tax rates on individuals, families, and small businesses.  As described below, Washington Democrats are targeting investors who provide the capital to help businesses grow and create jobs for… Read more

Although some of us support and some of us oppose H.R. 2378, as modified by the Chairman’s amendment in the nature of a substitute, we all share the following views.  First, China’s currency is fundamentally misaligned.  We all agree that China must take prompt action to allow market forces to determine the value of its currency.  Since the Obama Administration took office, the RMB has… Read more