Issue Position: Jobs and Economy

Issue Position

Creating long-term job growth in Michigan is my top priority in Congress. With Michigan having one the highest unemployment rates in the nation, it is critical to increase both Michigan's and America's global competiveness in order to ensure that there are good paying, high-skilled jobs. I believe that taking the following practical steps will help us create long-term economic growth:

Reduce Tax Burden
America needs to distance itself from a tax system that seeks to raise taxes on hard-working American families and job-creators. We need to develop a tax code that is simpler and encourages investment. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3400 which would allow taxpayers to switch to a simple, flatter income tax with the lowest rates in 80 years. It would also help small businesses, family farms, investors, and other job creators by eliminating the Death Tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).

Repeal and Replace Health Care Provisions
I was pleased to be an original cosponsor and help pass H.R. 2, the Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, which helps protect businesses so they are not punished by new soaring taxes and burdensome mandates -- such as the 1099 small business paperwork provision -- that are associated with the health care overhaul law passed in 2010.

Reduce Harmful Regulations
While some government regulations are important, excessive federal regulation stifles our nations' job creators by creating an uncertain business climate. Eliminating these burdensome regulations will encourage increased investment and new hiring. The first step Congress can take in fighting harmful regulations is to identify and eliminate current and pending regulations that hinder economic growth, while requiring Congressional review of any new regulations that will significantly impact our economy. To this end, I am a cosponsor of and helped pass in December 2011 H.R. 10, the REINS Act, which requires Congressional approval of any federal rule that will have more than $100 million in annual impact on the economy.

Research and Development
Michigan's economic turnaround depends on manufacturers innovating, growing and expanding. That's why I support further extending the Research and Development tax credit so we can keep high-tech, high-paying jobs in Michigan and encourage further investment.

Trade
We need to develop trade policies that are free, fair and enforce trade laws that keep our trading partners accountable.

Reduce Government Spending
With record deficits and a high unemployment rate, we need to begin spending federal dollars like a responsible American family or business. Every federal dollar that is saved now is a dollar that is not borrowed and owed by future generations in the form of higher taxes and interest payments. To this end, I voted in April 2011 to cut net spending by nearly $40 billion and cut $315 billion out of the federal budget over the next ten years.

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