Issue Position: Restoring Our Economy

Issue Position

Growing up on a dairy farm, I learned the value of hard work and how important good jobs are to allowing families to put food on their tables. The recent economic crisis has had a devastating effect on Valley jobs and the economy. Through no fault of their own, many hardworking men and women lost their jobs, family farmers had to cut back production, and small business owners were forced to shutter their operations.

Restoring our Valley economy and putting people back to work is my number one job in Congress. Times are still tough and we have a long way to go, but we are making progress. From increasing our water supply to securing funding for Valley infrastructure projects and freeing up small business lending, we are moving in the right direction.

Fighting for Valley Water:

Water is the key to Valley jobs and opportunity. It is literally the lynchpin of our local economy. That's why increasing our water supply is my top priority in Congress. After pushing the Administration and taking on opponents of our Valley, we have been able to secure more of this precious resource. Last year, our federal water allocation was 10%. This year, we were slated to get less than that. But after putting constant pressure on the Administration, we were able to boost our allocation to 45%. Our persistence also helped secure other water gains, including funds for water infrastructure projects and success in facilitating water transfers.

Our fight for water is far from over, but our work is paying off. More water is flowing to the Valley. To learn more about my efforts to secure our fair share of water, click here.

Protecting Family Farmers:

Valley farmers and ranchers are the engine that drives our regional and national agriculture economy. Along with fighting for our farms to receive more water, I have worked to secure the resources our farmers and ranchers need to succeed.

I speak with our Valley's farmers and ranchers on a daily basis so I can respond directly to their needs. This year when the European Grapevine Moth was detected in our Valley, I was able to press the USDA to release $2.75 million to help our farmers combat this foreign pest. These funds helped mitigate some of the economic impact it had on our summer harvest. I was also able to secure funding to help farmers convert equipment to newer engines that meet air quality standards. When one of the worst milk price crises hit our Valley's dairy families, I introduced a plan that would protect local jobs and get the industry back on track. To learn more about my work to protect Valley agriculture, click here (link to ag issues page).

Supporting Small Business:

Small businesses are one of the central pillars of our economy. Helping Valley entrepreneurs grow their businesses and put people back to work is critical to moving our country forward. This year, I helped pass the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act (H.R. 5297) which creates a small business lending program that provides funds to small and medium sized community banks, allowing them to leverage and lend up to $300 billion to entrepreneurs. The economic crisis of the past two years has led to a significant increase in demand for these small business loans, which help Valley families start and grow their businesses.

I also helped pass the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act (H.R. 2352). The bill represents a major effort to give established small businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups the needed tools and resources to thrive, create jobs and drive economic growth. The bill also creates new entrepreneurial development programs. It establishes, a nationwide network of Veterans Business Centers to provide entrepreneurial training and counseling to our nation's veterans. It also creates new support services for Native American-owned small businesses. Lastly, the bill creates a grant program specifically designed to assist small firms in securing capital, which has frequently been a challenge for Valley entrepreneurs.

Economic Recovery Act:

Funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) are investing in all three counties across our district, putting people back to work and improving our communities. One third of the Recovery Act provided tax cuts for Valley families and small businesses (for more, click here), one third for support to state and local governments, and one third to infrastructure and other projects that spur economic development.

The Recovery Act has been an important tool in our fight for water, providing funding to local water districts and the Intertie pipeline and pumping station which will bring more reliable water to Valley communities. The Recovery Act has also improved broadband internet access across our Valley, funded clean energy projects that create jobs, and helped keep police officers and teachers on the job. Whether it is constructing a new and sorely needed bridge in Bakersfield or preventing a firefighter from being laid off, the Recovery Act is putting people to work and making a difference in our communities.

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