HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Washington, Jan 17, 2008 - House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement after discussing an economic growth package this afternoon with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other House leaders.  Earlier in the day, Boehner and other congressional leaders participated in a similar bipartisan conversation with President Bush:  

“Today’s discussions were productive, and I expect Congress and the President to continue working together.  All of the principals involved in today’s conversations agreed that any economic growth package must help get our economy moving again on behalf of middle-class families and small businesses increasingly struggling to make ends meet.   

“While there is no agreement on the exact details of this economic growth plan, I believe – as do my Republican colleagues – that tax hikes and wasteful, unrelated spending increases must be taken off the table.  Neither would stimulate the economy; rather, they would expand the size of government at the expense of already-overtaxed families and employers.  In the coming days, we will remain focused on those middle-class Americans feeling the strain from a slowing economy and small businesses that want to provide good-paying jobs to more Americans.  I look forward to continue working together with the President, the Speaker, and all my colleagues to forge an agreement.”

#####