Second Annual Manufacturing and Jobs Forum

Second Annual Manufacturing and Jobs Forum
July 8, 2005

Last year I sponsored a Manufacturing and Jobs Forum. The feedback from the community leaders and the Members of Congress who attended was tremendous. Many of the ideas offered in that meeting became action items and part of Congress' legislative agenda.

Congress has already acted on several issues that are of importance to small businesses and manufacturers. For example, I voted for the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, which passed the House with broad bipartisan support. The legislation, signed into law by President Bush last February, is designed to prevent lawyers from taking millions of dollars in class action suits, while the plaintiffs receive only coupons. The goal of the bill is to reduce frivolous lawsuits.

I also voted for both the permanent repeal of the "Death Tax," and for the Energy Bill. The "Death Tax," has forced many small business owners and farmers to sell a family business to pay the tax bill. Although Congress offered relief from the "Death Tax," it was not until this April that legislation passed by the House would permanently repeal the "Death Tax."

Energy is one of the major costs of running most businesses. I voted for the Energy Bill, a comprehensive national plan to promote energy efficiency, increase domestic That legislation passed the House and now awaits action in the Senate.

Congress has passed these and other laws to assist manufacturers. Further, although the nation's economy continues to grow, the manufacturing industry continues to face unique challenges. Therefore, I recently hosted the second Manufacturing and Jobs Forum.

This year we were joined by Rep. Don Manzullo (IL-16). As Chairman of the Committee on Small Business, Congressman Manzullo has held more than 60 hearings on the state of manufacturing and introduced related pieces of legislation since his appointment as chairman in 2001. He also founded the 80-member House Manufacturing Caucus, which he also chairs, as well as serving on the House Financial Services Committee. Chairman Manzullo is recognized as one of the leading advocates in Congress for manufacturers and small businesses. The forum was a good opportunity to put Chairman Manzullo and local manufacturers in direct contact with one another. It puts a face on the employers and the work force that job retention and fair trade laws directly affect, as well as personalizing, to our community one of the leading lawmakers dealing with manufacturing issues.

Manufacturing continues to comprise an important portion of the Third Congressional District's jobs and economy. Manufacturers now compete in a global marketplace, creating tremendous pressures on the entire sector. Chairman Manzullo and I heard about the issues that prevent American manufacturers from competing on a fair and level playing field.

Some of the most significant issues the manufacturers spoke about included::

* Making health care affordable. Many small businesses struggle with health insurance costs or do not provide health insurance to employees. I am a cosponsor of Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005, which would allow small businesses to pool together to purchase health insurance for workers at more affordable rates.

* China. China must play by the rules of free and fair trade. Their artificial currency manipulation that pegs its yuan to the dollar at a fixed rate, does not promote fair trade. I cosponsored a bill by last year's Manufacturing and Jobs Forum guest, Rep. Phil English (R-PA) that would impose additional tariffs on Chinese products, based on the rate of manipulation of their currency. I have also, along with other Members, sent letters to Ambassador Zoellick and President Bush, requesting they take steps to encourage China to practice fair trade. A current Associated Press story reports, "the Bush administration in recent weeks has intensified the pressure on China to stop linking the yuan at a fixed rate to the dollar.

* Taxation simplification. The tax code is exceedingly complex, making it difficult for small businesses to understand and comply with its requirements. Burdensome regulations and paperwork cost small businesses more than $5,500 per employee. Making the tax code simpler will make it more fundamentally fair.

I believe the first and second Manufacturing and Jobs Forums have been instructive for both the manufacturers and the legislators who participated. As long as these forums are helpful, I'll look forward to hosting them.

http://www.house.gov/miketurner/news/columns/7.07.05.shtml