WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- President Obama's policies are hindering American workers' ability to "keep doing what they do best: building," Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said Saturday.
Delivering the party's Labor Day weekend address, Fitzpatrick said the president's health care law and energy policies and the growth of government have created "nothing but roadblocks" that have left Americans frustrated.
The health care law is "driving up premiums and forcing workers and their spouses out of (insurance) plans they like," Fitzpatrick said.
"It simply isn't working as promised – and the president knows it," the congressman said.
In addition, the president's failure to approve the Keystone XL pipeline is "blocking efforts to create jobs and make energy more affordable," Fitzpatrick added.
In the five years since the application for the pipeline was filed, he said, "it's passed every environmental review. Labor unions want it" and it has bipartisan support.
Obama is "still pushing more of the same tax hikes and 'stimulus'-style policies that have left us with weak job growth," Fitzpatrick said.
"If there's one thing I've heard a lot of these last few weeks" the congressman added, "it's that people want Congress to focus on expanding opportunity instead of expanding the government."
Republicans are focused on breaking down those "roadblocks," he said, "because we want to make sure that the workers we're celebrating this weekend can keep doing what they do best: building. Creating. And preserving the American Dream for future generations."
