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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

The facts are clear. Obamacare is failing the American people.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Working at a restaurant is a tough gig.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

I don't want to become Washington.

Peace comes through strength, not through retreat.

Politically correct speech will not defeat the enemy.

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.

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.

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

I'm willing to fight, but I want to fight to win.

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

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

We have the best-trained military in the world.

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.

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.

The first priority of the Republican majority is the security of Americans.

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

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.

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

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?

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.

I like to be around people, so I ended up being roommates, right? I had a house. I lived with four guys.

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

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

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

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

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.