On the recordOctober 25, 2011
Our national unemployment rate is 9.1 percent. Yet for 42 weeks, the Republican leadership has ignored the need for a strong jobs agenda and has instead pushed an agenda to reduce workplace protections, and they have gone to weaken our economy. Unfortunately, the only jobs that will result from the Republican agenda are those vacated by victims of workplace injuries and possible deaths due to watered-down regulations. This is not responsible and only hampers our economic growth. Democrats acknowledge that small businesses are responsible for nearly 70 percent of job creation. As a result, we have proposed the American Jobs Act and the Make it in America Act to support small businesses, create jobs, and strengthen our economy. The American Jobs Act proposal would create nearly 300,000 education jobs, keep thousands of police and firemen on the job, cut the payroll tax in half, and put more money in the pockets of Americans immediately without adding a dime to the deficit. The Make It In America proposal would close tax loopholes that encourage outsourcing of U.S. jobs overseas and establish incentives for creating American clean energy jobs. I ask my colleagues to abandon their misguided agenda and support those measures that will strengthen our country for all. ____________________
