Mark Gordon: “Mr. Chairman, with 2.5 million manufacturing jobs lost in 3 years, including 40,000 in my State of Connecticut, many…”

“Mr. Chairman, with 2.5 million manufacturing jobs lost in 3 years, including 40,000 in my State of Connecticut, many outsourced to other countries like China and Singapore, we all understand that steps must be taken to revive what is the very backbone of America's economy. Reauthorizing the valuable Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a critical program that supports high-risk, early-stage research and development, is certainly a part of that effort. If we are going to help manufacturers become more productive and innovative, if we are going to boost sales and invest in modernization and employment, a strong reauthorization of the MEP program is critical. But none of us are under any illusion that this program alone will revive the struggling sector; and, frankly, the other provisions in this bill are little more than a Band-Aid for an economic sector that is bleeding jobs. What our manufacturers need from this body is not window dressing; what they need is a bold vision, one that makes our Federal Tax Code work for, and not against, our manufacturers.”