Issue Positon: Jobs

Issue Position

Since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the mid-1990's America's manufacturing sector has lost a third of it workers. When Wall Street's recklessness caused the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the Bush Administration bailed out the big banks, the job loss epidemic spread to the rest of the country.

In the past, America was able to innovate and build her way out of the Great Depression and I know that same innovation and hard work can raise the U.S. out of today's economic crisis. However, the first step to building America up once again is creating good jobs here at home.

Creating American Jobs

An effective and sustainable recovery cannot be a jobless one. As a co-founder of the Congressional Jobs NOW! Caucus I understand the need to put Americans back to work. Nurturing local innovation and fighting against unfair trade deals like NAFTA are steps I have taken to help create and keep jobs at home.

America needs to start building again. There are far too many "Made in China" or "Made in Malaysia" stickers on products bought in America, and too few "Made in America" stickers. It is time that America begins building and exporting tangible goods once again.

I have also introduced legislation like H.R. 4318, the 21st Century Civilian Conservation Crops Act, in an effort to establish useful American jobs. In order for the U.S. to continue her role as the world leader Americans must be put back to work.

Stopping the Outsourcing of American Jobs

When trade agreements like NAFTA are passed into law, American jobs go overseas. I have consistently fought to keep that from happening, but progress is not without resistance.

To keep jobs here at home, I will continue to demand that so-called free trade agreements be renegotiated so that American workers have a fair chance to compete, and that any new trade agreement be implemented with respect to American workers and humanitarian concerns.

I also voted to close tax loopholes that rewarded big corporations for moving American jobs overseas. Big business and foreign governments cannot be allowed to benefit from the plight of hard working Americans.

Assisting Hardworking Americans

Americans who have been laid off, often by no fault of their own, should be given an honest chance to get back on their feet. Many of these people--our neighbors--are now forced to sacrifice anything they can to make ends meet and many are facing home foreclosure and struggling to put food on the table.

Legislation that extends unemployment insurance or provides funding to keep teachers, police, and firefighters working in Ohio and across the country are common sense pieces of legislation. They are proven to stimulate the economy and are the decent and American thing to do.

Efforts like these in concert with local movements, like strengthening food banks to provide substance to those in need, must be taken to help our neighbors get back on their feet.

Retraining and Educating America's Workers

After U.S. jobs were outsourced, many American workers were left with nothing but skills they can no longer use. It is essential that the American workforce be given the tools needed to compete globally. Retraining and educating American workers is crucial to climbing out of this current economic crisis.

Programs like Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), administered by the Department of Labor and established to retrain and educate employees who lost their jobs due to trade and outsourcing, and the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) must continue to be supported and strengthened.

To take advantage of programs offered by the U.S. Department of Labor visit their website or contact our office for assistance.

Small Business Counseling

Small businesses are the back bone of America's economy. To help small businesses navigate these tough times various services are offered. The Ohio Small Business Development Centers are the premier management and technical assistance programs for Ohio's small businesses and offers free or low cost training, counseling and other services to assist in creating and maintaining a strong small business.

In addition, the Ohio Small Business Development Centers offer internships, web portals, webinars, and assessments to further your small business and increase your knowledge base in the world of small business.

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