Issue Position: Economy and Jobs

Issue Position

Dr. Gosar has been heavily focused on fostering an environment for job creation and economic growth. Paul believes that the government doesn't create jobs and that one of the best things Congress can do is get big government out of the way by reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and unshackling job creators.

Dr. Gosar's Intermountain West Corridor Development Act of 2015, H.R. 1612, was signed into law in December 2015 after being included in H.R. 22, the major transportation bill passed by Congress in the 114th Congress. Paul's bill will allow I-11 to become the main transportation corridor, creating jobs and providing a major boost to Arizona's economy in the process. The November 2014 Corridor Concept Report stated that I-11 and the Intermountain West Corridor will generate $22 billion for our economy and create at least 240,000 permanent jobs.

Dr. Gosar's Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act was signed into law in December of 2014. This critical legislation facilitates a land exchange that will allow for the development of the largest copper mine in North America. The bill will create approximately 4,000 new jobs, generate $60 billion for Arizona's economy and provide 25% of the United States' copper supply. This important jobs legislation is also a conservation bill as it allows for the exchange of recreational and conservation areas that are greatly desired.

Paul's Grand Canyon Tourism Jobs Protection Act was included in H.R.4348 and signed into law in the 112th Congress. Tourism at the Grand Canyon helps sustain more than 300,000 jobs and the air tour industry alone supports more than 1,200 good-paying jobs in Arizona and Nevada. Dr. Gosar's bill has helped create jobs and in February of 2014 the FAA announced that this legislation will allow for 1,721 additional Grand Canyon flights per year utilizing quiet technology.

In November 2013, the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) over-inflated the costs of repairing a broken water supply line by millions of dollars so it could arbitrarily terminate the rainbow trout stocking program at the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery and focus on raising chubs and suckers. This misguided bureaucratic decision threatened 1,700 jobs and nearly $75 million in associated economic output in Mohave County alone. In response, Paul introduced the Fish Hatchery Protection Act, H.R. 5026, which he successfully passed through the House Natural Resources Committee. This bill and his berating of the Service's Deputy Director resulted in a pledge to restart the rainbow trout program and the Service has committed to completing repairs by July 29, 2016.

In February of 2014, the majority of Dr. Gosar's Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act was signed into law. This important bill will create jobs and authorized stewardship contracting, good neighbor authority and other proactive management programs in order to allow for more wildfire prevention projects to move forward in a more timely manner. Failure to utilize a forward-thinking, active management strategy that combats dangerous wildfires before they get started has resulted in the five largest fires in Arizona's history occurring between 2002 and 2011.

Dr. Gosar has also had significant victories in the fight against government overreach. He spearheaded a successful effort to prevent arbitrary new boating restrictions on Lake Havasu that threatened $200 million in tourism spending and nearly 4,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Paul led a successful effort that stopped the Bureau of Land Management from closing its Arizona field office and moving all those employees to New Mexico.

Paul has voted more than 10 times to approve the Keystone Pipeline. Conservative estimates from the State Department project that the Keystone XL Pipeline will support more than 42,000 jobs.

Dr. Gosar voted for and the House passed the Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act, legislation that rejects duplicative federal regulations for hydraulic fracturing and preserves $350 million as well as 1.7 million American jobs.

Paul introduced the Travel and Resource Access Including Local Stakeholders Act to prevent the BLM from closing as many as 51 percent of all trails with the originally proposed La Posa Travel Management plan. Off highway vehicle (OHV) recreation sustains nearly 40,000 jobs and generates $4 billion for Arizona's economy.

Dr. Gosar is an original cosponsor of the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, legislation that will create hundreds of thousands of jobs by reducing American dependence on foreign minerals.

Paul was a cosponsor of three pieces of legislation and voted multiple times to repeal the antiquated crude oil export ban. Legislation lifting the ban was signed into law at the end of 2015 and is estimated to create 1 million and add $170 billion annually to our GDP.

Dr. Gosar voted for and the House passed the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act, legislation that would create more than one million jobs and generate more than five hundred million dollars for our economy.

Paul spearheaded a successful increase for the SCAAP program into public law, reimbursing states and local governments for the costs of incarcerating illegal immigrants in the process. In order to facilitate trade and benefit communities like Yuma, Dr. Gosar has continued to press the Department of Homeland Security to provide adequate staffing at Arizona ports and for our state to receive its fair of 2,000 new Customs and Border Protection officers.

Dr. Gosar has consistently supported Arizona's defense priorities. This year he voted to provide adequate funding for the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) VMX-1 Hanger that recently relocated to Yuma. He also submitted an appropriations request and voted to provide funding for additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. Paul offered an amendment to the NDAA and secured important language from the House Armed Services Committee in order to assist with preventing the retirement of the Search and Rescue Unit at MCAS in Yuma.

Dr. Gosar, Rep. McSally and five other members submitted an appropriation's rider to prevent retirement of the A-10 Warthog. Paul, Rep. Salmon and five other members led an effort to ensure adequate funding for Apache helicopters in this year's appropriations bill. Rep. Franks, Dr. Gosar and six other members lead an effort to ensure sufficient funding for the U.S. Army Warfighter Information Network-Tactical program.

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