Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on the Senate Floor Monday regarding The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which would extend temporary tax relief to working Americans, prevent more job losses by blocking new regulations on U.S. manufacturers, and facilitate the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs through the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline:

“Later this week, senators will have an opportunity to do three big things with a single vote. 

“By voting for The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act that we’ll soon get from the House, senators will be able to extend the temporary tax relief that working Americans continue to need nearly three years into this administration; prevent more job losses in the middle of a jobs crisis by blocking a new regulation on U.S. manufacturers; and facilitate the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs through the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.  One vote, three accomplishments.

“And that’s to say nothing of the other things this bill would do –like the Doc Fix and unemployment insurance.

“So my suggestion is that once this legislation comes over from the House, that we pass it without delay. Based on the merits of the bill, it should be a strong bipartisan vote.

“Nothing could be more bipartisan right now than preventing job loss or facilitating the creation of new private sector jobs. 

“The President has said that job creation is his top priority.

“Here’s a bill that helps him achieve it — without a dime of taxpayer money. The President says he wants to extend the payroll tax extension. Here’s a bill that does it. This President says he wants unemployment insurance extended. This bill does that. The President says he wants the two parties to compromise. This is it. There is no reason this legislation shouldn’t have the President’s enthusiastic support.

“The only reason — the only reason — for Democrats to oppose this job-creating bill would be to gain some political advantage at a time when every one of them says job creation is a top priority.

“Here’s what the Junior Senator from West Virginia, a Democrat, had to say just today about the pipeline measure contained in the House bill: ‘I’m for the Keystone Pipeline,’ he said, ‘all the trade unions, everyone’s for it. It creates thousands of jobs.’

“The House had a standalone vote on Keystone XL back in July. Forty-seven Democrats voted for it over there.

“So I would suggest to my friends on the other side that they join with us and close out the year on a bipartisan note.

“The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act was written to appeal to both parties, and I have yet to hear anyone on the other side offer a single good reason for opposing it.

“So far, the only reason Democrats have given for opposing this bill is that they’d rather extend the payroll tax cut on its own — without adding language about a pipeline that many of them say they support anyway.  So evidently they’d vote for both of these things separately, but not together.

“This makes absolutely no sense.

“Look: you’re either for this pipeline project and the jobs that would come with it or you’re not. 

“And if you’re for it, then there’s no reason to oppose it just because it’s not offered as a standalone measure — none.

“It’s time to stop the posturing. 

“Here’s a bill that contains top priorities from both sides.

“Let’s take it up and pass it without any more theatrics.

“Let’s pass this job-creating bill and give Americans the certainty and the jobs they deserve.”