Issue Position: Labor and Jobs

Issue Position

I am a founding member of the bipartisan Congressional Jobs NOW! Caucus. I joined for one reason: to advocate for jobs, jobs and more jobs. Tennessee has high unemployment rates, especially among women and minorities. That is why I support President Obama's American Jobs Act -- the President's legislative initiative will help create jobs and improve our economy.

Throughout my career, I have always been a strong, stalwart proponent of the labor movement and working people. In 2008 and 2009, I received 100% ratings from the AFL-CIO and SEIU. I believe that our working men and women deserve strong support from their elected officials, and I have worked hard in my time as an elected official to represent their interests in government. That is why I voted against the Colombia, Panama and South Korea trade agreements in August 2011 -- because the proposed trade deals would hinder potential job growth in America.

While the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) helped to save many jobs that otherwise would have been lost because of the economic downturn, we can and should do more to create employment opportunities.

I am a founding member of the bipartisan Jobs NOW! Congressional Caucus. I joined for one reason, to advocate for jobs, jobs and more jobs. I know that when someone has a job, they have financial peace of mind, they walk a little taller, and they take pride in the fact they can provide for their family.

Sponsored Legislation
I am proud to be the sponsor of the Equal Employment For All Act (H.R.321), which would prohibit a current or prospective employer from using a consumer report or an investigative consumer report, or from causing one to be procured, for either employment purposes or for making an adverse action, if the report contains information that bears upon the consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing, or credit capacity.

Soon I will reintroduce the Jobs for Urban Sustainability in America Act (H.R. 4740 in the 111th Congress), which would allocate $10 billion in grants to cities with double digit unemployment rates for nine consecutive months to provide job training, public works, and economic development programs. The funding will be administered by the U.S. Secretary of Labor and U.S Secretary of Commerce from funds made available through TARP under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

This legislation is designed to help Americans struggling to find work by investing newly returned TARP dollars into public works and job training programs for unemployed workers. The public needs immediate assistance and Congress must do everything possible to help those who are suffering in this economy. This bill would support job training and economic development programs that will help Americans in our urban core back to their feet at a time when the unemployment rate is at its worst.

Source