Nebraska cannot wait on stalled jobs bill

Last month's jobs report did not offer much to feel good about the state of the American economy. October marked the 33rd straight month of joblessness above eight percent, a post-World War II record and job growth slowed to a four month low.

Unemployment remains at nine percent. Fourteen million Americans continue to remain out of work, and if you include those only working part-time but looking for full-time work, the number jumps to more than twenty million. All of this despite the President's promise in 2009 his $1.2 trillion 'stimulus' plan would keep unemployment from reaching eight percent.

Higher taxes, record spending, and bigger government have failed to create jobs or boost economic growth. If those policies were the recipe for success, Greece would be booming right now.

Nebraskans tell me all the time this economy has been growing too slowly for too long. Instead of expanding the size and scope of the federal government, I am committed to a pro-growth economic agenda which will put America back to work.

The Republican majority unveiled our Plan for America's Job Creators, and since then the House has been passing jobs legislation on a bipartisan basis almost every week.

Unfortunately, these bills and our pro-growth ideas almost always seem to vanish once they leave the House. Currently, there are 22 bills which would immediately help jumpstart job growth collecting dust in the Senate.

President Obama says America is 'better off now' than it was when he took office. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said not too long ago private sector job growth was 'doing just fine' and what we really need are more government jobs.

Nebraskans understand our country's private sector has been one of the most successful job-creating engines in history. There is no reason why burdensome regulations and reckless spending should be allowed to hold it back, especially during the worst period of joblessness since the Great Depression.

These 22 jobs bills, like the many others passed so far this year, would help stimulate our economy and give the American people the job growth they deserve and our economy needs. The people of Nebraska want to see an end to the partisanship that is preventing these bills from being signed into law. Many have passed the House with bipartisan support and some are even part of the President's jobs plan.

So, instead of campaigning across the country on the taxpayer's dime, President Obama should call on the Democrat-controlled Senate to take these bills up right away. The President and I don't agree on much, but he is right about one thing: we cannot wait.