Boehner blames Obama, Senate for congressional inactivity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Wednesday blamed President Barack Obama and the Senate for the 113th Congress' lack of productivity.

In remarks on the House floor, Boehner said the Republican-controlled House has passed nearly 150 bills backers say would promote job growth but the Senate, controlled by Democrats, has rejected all of them, The Hill reported.

Boehner said the House has passed bills on energy, job training and teacher recruitment and training, as well as bills to repeal or scale back the Affordable Care Act.

"Every single one of these bills have been blocked by Washington Democrats," he said. "The Senate and the president continue to stand in the way of the people's priorities."

He said Republicans, working with Democratic counterparts on a budget and a farm bill "have made serious, good-faith efforts" and blamed Senate Democrats for lack of progress in the talks.

"When will they learn to say 'yes' to common ground?" he asked. "When will they start listening to the American people?"

Capitol Hill Democrats note the House has not held votes on several key bills passed by the Senate.

Citing an analysis by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill said the 113th Congress has enacted 52 pieces of legislation -- while the so-called do-nothing Congress in 1947 and 1948 enacted 900.

Boehner said recently the Congress should be judged on how many laws it repeals, rather than how many it makes.

During a speech in Washington Wednesday, Obama said Republicans "owe it to the American people to tell us what you are for, not just what you're against."