Bart Stupak: “Mr. Chairman, I commend the committee for trying to do something to change the way we address the manufacturing needs in…”

“Mr. Chairman, I commend the committee for trying to do something to change the way we address the manufacturing needs in this Nation. We have many challenges facing the manufacturing sector today. With this bill, it is a start; but I am really disappointed that the bill continues to take the business-as-usual approach. This is not a time for business as usual. We have lost, as my colleagues can see, throughout this country about 2.8 million manufacturing jobs since President Bush took office. In Michigan, like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, we have lost manufacturing jobs under this administration. This legislation is only a drop in the bucket as to what we need. It cannot be the President's business-as-usual when it comes to manufacturing jobs. I urge this administration, and we have written to Secretary Evans, we have written to the President, we have urged them to change course and support real action now to help our U.S. manufacturers.”