The Forgotten 15

Statement

Dear Friend,

From the day I took office, my first priority has been to promote job creation whenever and wherever possible. I have worked with my colleagues in the House to pass pro-growth, pro-jobs legislation to create an environment to allow small businesses, in particular, to flourish. As you will see in the report that follows, much of the legislation that has passed the House is stalled in the Senate.

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The "Forgotten 15"

We have passed fifteen pro-growth, pro-jobs bills in the House since January and none of them have been able to get even a vote due to Senator Reid's roadblock. The American people deserve a government that does its job, just as we have been doing since day one in the House of Representatives. Now is the time to act on removing the barriers to prosperity and getting our economy back on track.

This week, I joined Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, Majority Whip McCarthy, Congressman Frank Guinta (R-NH), Congressman Bill Flores (R-TX), and Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY) to speak to reporters about the fifteen jobs bills awaiting action by the Senate.

3% Withholding Repeal

In 2006, Congress enacted a 3% withholding requirement on certain payments made to contractors doing business with federal, state, and local governments. This provision -- which was enacted as part of a larger package featuring numerous other significant tax changes -- was purportedly intended to improve tax compliance. The 3% withholding rule was originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2011, but because of strong concerns raised by employers and government entities alike about the potentially significant burdens it could create, the rule's effective date has subsequently been delayed until January 1, 2013. Once the potential burdens of this requirement became evident, House Republicans started working to repeal this rule, including it as part of the GOP alternative to the Democrats' failed 2009 stimulus bill.

This week, the House successfully passed H.R. 674 which repeals the 3 percent withholding mandate for businesses. This legislation, which I was proud to co-sponsor, gives small businesses the certainty and liquidity to invest in their companies and allow them to create more jobs. It also saves valuable time and money for federal, state, and local governments who would have been forced to comply with the significant, unfunded administrative burdens that the rule would impose. Without this repeal, cash-strapped employers would have been faced with uncertainty and minimal cash on hand, thereby impeding cash flows and further undermining job creation. I urge leaders in the Senate to allow this legislation to come to the floor for a vote so that job creators can start hiring again.

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