Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson enthusiastically endorses the House Republicans ‘Pledge to America.’ This new governing agenda addresses their top priorities – including creating jobs, cutting spending, and changing the way Congress works.

“Our nation is at a historical crossroad.  Americans have been engaged and vocal about the direction in which they think our country should be heading, and this Pledge addresses their concerns,” said Simpson. “Our country needs certainty in order to overcome the challenges we are facing. Businesses need to know that they won’t face increased taxes and regulatory burdens. Families need to know their jobs are secure and our economy is strong. Citizens need to know that Congress is working on behalf of the American people. Our Pledge addresses these priorities.”

The Pledge is the culmination of a months-long engagement with the American people in which House Republicans sought their ideas and priorities for Congress. The agenda offers concrete solutions that can be implemented immediately to tackle the issues that are most important to the nation, including job creation, spending restraint, national security, health care, and reform of Congress itself.

“Across America, the people see a government in Washington that isn’t listening, doesn’t get it, and doesn’t care.  Today, that begins to change,” House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said. “This new governing agenda, built by listening to the people, offers plans to create jobs, cut spending, and put power where it belongs: in the hands of the people. 'A Pledge to America' offers a new way forward that hasn’t been tried in Washington: an approach focused on cutting spending instead of accelerating spending, and eliminating uncertainty for the private-sector innovators and entrepreneurs who create jobs.”

Down load  a PDF format of ‘A Pledge to America’ here. This new governing agenda is comprised of five specific policy plans:

• Creating Jobs.  “A Pledge to America” reflects Americans’ demand for immediate action on policies that will end uncertainty for small businesses and help our economy get back to creating jobs.  This new governing agenda contains a plan to create jobs, end economic uncertainty, and make America competitive – including stopping all tax hikes, reining in red tape, and repealing ObamaCare’s ‘1099 mandate’ that puts severe burdens on small businesses.
 
• Cutting Spending.  “A Pledge to America” embodies Americans’ rejection of the now-thoroughly discredited notion that we can simply tax, spend, and borrow our way to prosperity.  This new governing agenda contains a plan to cut spending and reduce the size of government – including cutting government spending to pre-‘stimulus,’ pre-bailout levels, imposing a hard cap on future discretionary spending, and ending TARP once and for all.

• Reforming Congress.  “A Pledge to America” acknowledges that we cannot get our arms around the issues of the day when we have a government that refuses to listen to the people and ignores their priorities.  This new governing agenda contains a plan to reform Congress and restore trust – including implementing ‘read the bill’ reform, allowing for more open and fair debate, and requiring that every bill contain a citation of constitutional authority.

• Repealing and Replacing the Job-Killing Health Care Law.  “A Pledge to America” recognizes that the American people continue to squarely oppose the government takeover of health care, with its higher costs, higher taxes, job-killing mandates, and Medicare cuts to pay for a massive new entitlement.  This new governing agenda contains a plan to repeal and replace the job-killing health care law with common-sense reforms focused on lowering costs and protecting American jobs.

• A Strong National Defense.  “A Pledge to America” reinforces Congress’s responsibility to help provide for a strong national defense and fashion a coherent strategy to confront and defeat the terrorist threat.  This new governing agenda contains a plan to keep our nation secure at home and abroad – including passing clean troop funding bills, keeping terrorists off American soil, and fully funding missile defense.