Schumer attacks Boehner over threat to blockade China currency bill

“I would urge the speaker, heed your own chamber, put this bill on the floor,” said Schumer. “[G]ive it an up or down vote.” 

Schumer was responding to Boehner’s suggestion on Tuesday that he would not schedule a vote on the legislation in the House regardless of the level of support it garners in the upper chamber.

“This is well beyond I think what the Congress out to be doing, and while I’ve got concerns about how the Chinese have dealt with their currency, I’m not sure that this is the way to fix it,” said Boehner.

Schumer responded by accusing Boehner of abdicating his responsibilities as leader of the House.

“I am aghast at that notion that the speaker says fighting for American jobs against unfair practices that China foists upon us are well beyond what Congress should be doing,” said Schumer. “What should we be doing?”

Schumer then went on to suggest, as he has before, that Boehner is working from the sinister motive of attempting to spike the economy in order to secure political gains in the 2012 elections.

“I shudder  to think that the millions of American household without jobs…. they have to be political fodder with the goal to hold the economy back,” said Schumer. “I don’t want to embrace that conclusion but it’s hard to see another explanation.”