House GOP looks to play offense on jobs

Looking to shed the "party of no" label, House Republicans are poised to spotlight their own ideas for reviving the nation's ailing economy.

The pivot to present their own solutions to the high unemployment rate comes after House GOPers repeatedly delayed the release of their healthcare reform plan. Those delays, coupled with the release of a vague budget plan earlier this year, intensified Democrats’ criticism of the party.

House GOP officials are promising not to be flat-footed on efforts to revive the economy, saying they have a “one-two punch planned” for this week to get out in front of the issue before the president holds his “jobs summit” Thursday afternoon.

Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Wednesday is scheduled to deliver what is being billed as a “major economic policy speech.” Cantor will be speaking at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, where he will outline his own ideas for reform. Aides cautioned, however, that Cantor isn’t going to unveil new legislation, noting that he outlined some economic proposals earlier this year.

On Thursday, Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) will hold an economic summit that will include former National Economic Council Director Larry Lindsey and former Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin.

The White House event slated for later that afternoon will launch President Barack Obama's effort to pass a jobs bill. House Democrats hope to clear such a measure before they adjourn for the year later this month.

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