Letter to John Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives - Avert Default and Open Government

Letter

The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker of the House of Representatives
H-232, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Boehner:

As fellow Ohioans, we share with you the honor of representing our state and nation. We know your desire is to be a constructive leader who meets the obligations of our time. In the spirit of bipartisanship and with the sincere hope that you will lead the entire House of Representatives--not just your Republican colleagues--towards a solution that ends the crisis of governance now facing our Republic, we urge you to let the House of Representatives take up legislation to end the government shutdown and avert a default on the public debt.

Since your first days in the Ohio General Assembly in 1985, you joined a long tradition of Ohio Republican lawmakers who worked across party lines to address important issues for our state and nation. We recall Congressman Dave Hobson and Congressman Ralph Regula working across the aisle to build roads, bridges, highways, new energy generation, and major hospital systems. We remember Congressman Mike Oxley working with Senator Paul Sarbanes to achieve passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley financial reforms. We remember how you worked closely with Democratic Congressman George Miller and Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy to enact the landmark No Child Left Behind Act.

Great leadership is required now in this critical time. We know you have said you are opposed to defaulting on the national debt. We believe this statement is guided by the national interest, and we urge you to follow your rhetoric with action: allow the House of Representatives to work its will by bringing up legislation acceptable to the Senate and President Obama which will end the shutdown and avert a default.

History will note which leaders were responsible for pulling the country out of this terrible mess and those who stood up to the extremism and the disorder inflicted on the nation by the Tea Party. If you tell your Tea Party members that you will no longer permit them to hold America hostage, you will rally the silent majority of your fellow Republican Members who will join with House Democrats to end this crisis. Then, together, we could spend the next year passing bipartisan legislation to address our economy, immigration, education, transportation, and a myriad of other issues waiting for Congress's attention.

We do not deny that standing up to the Tea Party Republicans is a bold and risky move for you, but history would surely remember your actions as the courage of a true statesman. And isn't that the type of courage our constituents expect of us?

Sincerely,

Marcy Kaptur
Member of Congress

Tim Ryan
Member of Congress

Marcia Fudge
Member of Congress

Joyce Beatty
Member of Congress

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