Political Quotes

“I thank Senator Collins not only for her leadership but for also pointing out something very important here: This is a jobs bill. The passage of this bill will create more jobs. We know that because we know that craft breweries are strapped for capital. Every dollar they save here will be reinvested and create more jobs because they don't have the capacity to meet the current demand for their beers. If they could produce more beer today, they would sell more beer, but they don't have the capital to make the investments. Senator Collins is absolutely right when she says this is a jobs bill that will create more jobs. It also creates a lot of indirect jobs. I was pleased Senator Collins pointed out that many of the ingredients the craft breweries use come from the community. They are helping local farmers and local industries grow, which are also generally small businesses. So as they grow, they help other small businesses grow. One interesting fact is we are now starting to see an increase in craft beer exports. There is a real desire for our craft brews outside of the United States. It is a relatively new phenomenon, but exports grew by 49 percent in 2013. We exported 283,000 barrels in 2013, and I expect we will see those numbers greatly increase. This chart shows some of the Maryland craft breweries. They are becoming well known outside of my State of Maryland. I already mentioned Heavy Seas, and Flying Dog is another brewery I had a chance to visit.…”