Kevin McCarthy Quotes & Sayings

For years now, long before I became House majority leader, I have been passionate about foreign affairs because I believe that anyone who leads in Washington must appreciate the significance of America's role in providing for global security and prosperity. — Kevin McCarthy

Many times, the Senate talks of things and never gets anything through. — Kevin McCarthy

Outside of the family, education is the greatest determinant of social mobility. — Kevin McCarthy

I started my first business when I was 19. I learned a valuable lesson as a small business owner. You are the first one to work, last one to leave, and last one to be paid. — Kevin McCarthy

The best thing for the American public is that we do our job. That Washington changes. That the Senate and the House get together and fix their differences and find common ground. — Kevin McCarthy

We have to defend America and be strong. — Kevin McCarthy

I'm willing to fight, but I want to fight to win. — Kevin McCarthy

How we fund transportation in this country is broken. You all pay a gasoline tax, right? Well, cars go farther, we get electric cars, and so on. And then we do more with the money than just build roads. We do bike lanes and mass transit. — Kevin McCarthy

The whip's office is almost more educational - educating members on the bill itself, listening to members ahead of time. — Kevin McCarthy

Life in the restaurant business can provide a start in the working world for young people or a stable living for many Americans and their families. — Kevin McCarthy

I'm a conservative. I believe in the idea of freedom and liberty, but more importantly, look at my voting background. I voted against bailing out Wall Street. I voted against, never voted for, a tax increase. — Kevin McCarthy

When gross public debt exceeds 90 percent of GDP, economic growth tends to decline considerably. — Kevin McCarthy

I'm on record saying nothing about immigration until we secure the borders. The borders are not secure. — Kevin McCarthy

Politically correct speech will not defeat the enemy. — Kevin McCarthy

I think there are changes in the environment. There are a lot of items to contribute to it. — Kevin McCarthy

Small business creates more jobs than large corporations. — Kevin McCarthy

What you really want to do is sit down and find a place that you can control government spending and raise more revenue. — Kevin McCarthy

I think it's undignified if you don't do your job. — Kevin McCarthy

If elected Speaker, I promise you that we will have the courage to lead the fight for our conservative principles and make our case to the American people. But we will also have the wisdom to listen to our constituents and each other so that we always move forward together. — Kevin McCarthy

Despite support from a majority of Americans, a majority of the House of Representatives, and a majority of the Senate, Keystone XL is stuck - stalled by special-interest politics. — Kevin McCarthy

It's the old Washington fiscal game of Jenga. You try to build as much debt as you can take, as much tax as you can take, until you topple the entire economy. — Kevin McCarthy

When I think of the future, I think of my 15 year old son Connor and my 12 year old daughter Meghan. I worry about their future because your kids are as important to you as mine are to me. And I am unwilling to leave our children with so much debt. — Kevin McCarthy

A lot of times, people just want to be an individual. But if you really want to win, at the end of the day, it's not about you just achieving something. Everybody can achieve more if they work together. — Kevin McCarthy

I don't want to become Washington. — Kevin McCarthy

For restaurants that have a minimum gratuity charge on large groups, the IRS will now count those tips as regular wages rather than traditional tips that we are all familiar with when we dine out. Ask any server, and they will tell you that this will directly affect their day-to-day lifestyle. — Kevin McCarthy

We are committed to doing trade, tax reform, infrastructure. All we need is someone that wants to work with us. — Kevin McCarthy

Too many people in Washington care about power institutions, not caring about changing the lives of everyday Americans. — Kevin McCarthy

As conservatives, we know our principles, and we also know the best ideas do not always come from Washington. — Kevin McCarthy

Once our country is fully engulfed in a debt crisis, our economy will be torn apart, and every American will be a victim of the federal government's failure to prevent this disaster. — Kevin McCarthy

Fortunately, there is a project that will create jobs, provide direct investment in our economy, and move us closer to our longstanding goal of becoming energy independent: the Keystone XL pipeline. — Kevin McCarthy

There are two different types of leader. A person can either be like a thermometer or a thermostat. A thermometer will tell you what the temperature is. A thermostat will not only tell you what the temperature is, but it'll move you to the temperature you need to get to. — Kevin McCarthy

When kids start school, families often have little choice over where they can go. Sometimes, children are forced into a failing school simply because their parents live in a certain district, and that school is the only option. — Kevin McCarthy

My family was not Republicans. I'm the youngest. I came to this party based upon choice. — Kevin McCarthy

We can't be afraid to call the enemy what it is: Radical Islamic terrorism. — Kevin McCarthy

I met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, visited our allies in the Arab Gulf, traveled to Tunisia and Iraq, met with President Petro Poroshenko in Ukraine, and visited our allies in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. — Kevin McCarthy

Peace comes through strength, not through retreat. — Kevin McCarthy

Working at a restaurant is a tough gig. — Kevin McCarthy

America is nation of people striving to make life better for themselves and for their families. — Kevin McCarthy

After hearing from my colleagues, I have decided to run for Speaker of the House. Let's work together to make a difference for our country. — Kevin McCarthy

I do believe in the free market. — Kevin McCarthy

Every American, whether Democrat or Republican, agrees that job creation and affordable energy will be crucial to our economic turnaround. — Kevin McCarthy

There's a staircase on the first floor of the Capitol that I walk every day. It's made of marble, and as you walk those steps, you think of those who've walked before you. You think of the challenges that the country's faced. — Kevin McCarthy

Budgets are blueprints and priorities. — Kevin McCarthy

Reagan was president and had Democrats control the House and Senate, and they reformed the tax code. Clinton was president, and he had Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole; they reformed welfare and balanced the budget. — Kevin McCarthy

The principles that should guide American foreign policy are simple: the world is safer when America leads, only strength ensures peace and freedom, and America must stand with its allies and challenge its adversaries. — Kevin McCarthy

If we engage in a conflict that we know this is a threat to America, we should make it so one-sided that it gets over very quickly. — Kevin McCarthy

The facts are clear. Obamacare is failing the American people. — Kevin McCarthy

My wife Judy and I have two kids: Connor, 17, and Meghan, who is 14. My wife and I no longer worry about what we become - we are worried about what our children become. — Kevin McCarthy

Energy is the issue I care most about. — Kevin McCarthy

The simple truth is that the implementation of Obamacare has hurt Americans and their health care more than it has helped. — Kevin McCarthy

You can't serve on every committee. But you can know what happened, what the debate was, who said what. — Kevin McCarthy

I don't view myself as a team manager, but a team captain. I'm part of the team, but everybody else as well. — Kevin McCarthy

Black holes destroy any objects that happen to fall victim to their gravitational pull. — Kevin McCarthy

I believe you can work with anybody. — Kevin McCarthy

If you're in the minority, every advantage is against you, right? So the only advantage you have against the majority is they're too lazy to know their own rules, right? So it's like a game of poker. — Kevin McCarthy

You cannot be the leader of the free world and sit on the sidelines and tweet and think you're going to get the job done. — Kevin McCarthy

I believe any time that both parties are talking, it's a good thing. — Kevin McCarthy

As any small business owner knows, starting a business is not glamorous work. — Kevin McCarthy

Everybody has a say, everybody has a voice, because everyone that comes to the House had about 750,000 people they're representing . And you want those voices heard. — Kevin McCarthy

It's not easy for the average family to ensure that their child receives a quality education. And the federal government is not making it any easier. — Kevin McCarthy

Small businesses already struggle to compete with big businesses that enjoy the luxury of a tax code filled with corporate loopholes. — Kevin McCarthy

I try to drive my office more as a start-up of ideas. — Kevin McCarthy

The edge of a black hole, the event horizon, is a boundary that marks the point of no return. Once an object crosses the event horizon, it cannot escape and will be ripped to pieces, atom by atom. — Kevin McCarthy

Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. — Kevin McCarthy

Being whip is working with members, educating them, and trying to move legislation forward. — Kevin McCarthy

We're going to have to control the spending of government. — Kevin McCarthy

We know the Constitution gives the purse strings to the House. — Kevin McCarthy

I don't need a strong EPA. I don't need to fund a lot of money there. — Kevin McCarthy

We're going to do tax reform to let people keep more of what they earn, grow an economy, and be able to save for your children's future and buy a new house. — Kevin McCarthy

I want a leader that sets out a path. I want one that doesn't just talk about cuts, but talks about the shining city on the hill. We're only going to get out of this problem if we grow this economy. — Kevin McCarthy

I will tell you that the special relationship that America has with the Israeli people transcends any of the politics. — Kevin McCarthy

I don't come from an Ivy League school or anywhere else. — Kevin McCarthy

I don't live in D.C. I keep an air mattress in my office. — Kevin McCarthy

America needs education reform on all levels to expand quality schools, build on past successes, and lower college debt. — Kevin McCarthy

I started a deli when I was 19 years old. Kevin O's. The sandwiches at Kevin O's were a little like Subway before Subway - fresh baked bread. My best seller was turkey with cream cheese and artichoke hearts. I just made it up. — Kevin McCarthy

Keystone will deliver 830,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada, North Dakota, and Montana to Gulf Coast refineries. — Kevin McCarthy

In addition to billions in new 'stimulus' spending that our country can't afford, the Geithner plan also contains billions in tax increases on small and family-owned businesses while protecting the tax preferences of wealthy, multinational corporations. — Kevin McCarthy

When government grows, it breaks the family. — Kevin McCarthy

Every sandwich I sold, the city got more sales tax, the state got more. But they came in and they would want to give me a ticket because I have a sign outside trying to get more business, right? — Kevin McCarthy

I believe in being a happy conservative: that you're happy because your policies will give people greater freedom, greater independence. But you have to explain why your policy makes life better. — Kevin McCarthy

When it comes to tyrants, dictators and terrorists, strength and the threat of force is the only language they understand. — Kevin McCarthy

The gasoline tax is a user fee, but it does not fill enough of the need, and you want cars to be more efficient. — Kevin McCarthy

I think there's an ability to make an immigration system that works. — Kevin McCarthy

We pledge to you that we will create jobs. End economic uncertainty and make America more competitive. We will cut Washington wasteful spending and reduce the size of government. And we will reform Congress and restore your trust in government. — Kevin McCarthy

In Washington, we've seen enough tax hikes, government takeovers, bailouts, and other big government solutions under Speaker Pelosi's control. — Kevin McCarthy

Together, we can create something new, something bold, and something to act as a check and balance to Washington's out-of-touch agenda. — Kevin McCarthy

The first priority of the Republican majority is the security of Americans. — Kevin McCarthy

We know Africa does not have the same medical treatments as we do. — Kevin McCarthy

Our government has failed us. From the billion-dollar bailouts to the 'stimulus' package that failed to stimulate to the government takeover of health care, you cried 'Stop!' ... but the Democratic Majority in Washington has refused to listen. — Kevin McCarthy

You have to reform the visa program. The chain migration system doesn't work. You need a guest workers program. — Kevin McCarthy

Most accountants will tell you the majority of small businesses run as an S Corporation. — Kevin McCarthy

If Russia wants to use energy as a weapon against our friends and allies, let's use our resources to set them free. — Kevin McCarthy

I believe in a free market of ideas and not shying away from debate. — Kevin McCarthy

The only way that I can do better than someone else, maybe they're better at something else, but they'll never beat me at work. — Kevin McCarthy

I believe the Constitution matters: that it's not just a few pieces of paper. — Kevin McCarthy

Servers make very little in regular wages and largely rely on tips to pay the bills and budget for weeks ahead. — Kevin McCarthy

The thing that we tell - that I tell - members is, 'Vote your district. Vote your conscience; just don't surprise us.' — Kevin McCarthy

Many times, we spend so much time on policy, but we don't explain how the policy affects and makes the heart even grow bigger. And I think that's a place that we have to look inside. — Kevin McCarthy

The challenge has been, we make policy in the world of politics. — Kevin McCarthy

We have the best-trained military in the world. — Kevin McCarthy