Jobs and the Economy
Congresswoman Judy Chu speaking at a Committee on Ways and Means “Jobs Now” Press Conference.
“We must reignite the American Dream! We must provide the ladder of opportunity for every American to climb, so that every person who works hard and plays by the rules is able to achieve their dreams. Whether it is through the dream of higher education, or opening their own small business, we must help them up that ladder.”
- Rep. Judy Chu
I am focused on creating American jobs and strengthening the economy to bring down the unemployment rate and restore American job security. Until all Americans are back to work, more must be done on behalf of America’s middle class and working families.
We Can Reignite the American Dream through the “ABC’s”
A is for "Access:" Access to Education
B is for "Build:" Building California's Infrastrucutre
C is for "Creating:" Creating Opportunities for Small Business
My economic priorities also include:
The American Jobs Act
Extending Unemployment Insurance
Expanding Business Opportunities in the San Gabriel Valley
A is for “Access:” Access to Education
We must again make college affordable so everyone can get a high paying job and to provide American companies with the skilled workers they need. I voted in favor of the greatest increase to Pell Grants ever, so that we can ensure robust financial aid is available so students from every background can get a degree.
And we must not slip further in the science and technology that made our nation great. The U.S. used to be a leader. Today, we are 20th in the world in graduation rates in these fields. That’s why I offered an amendment to the America COMPETES Act to help college students in science, engineering and math, particularly women and underrepresented minorities, transition from 2-year to 4-year academic institutions. But we can do more by strengthening academic standards and promoting teaching careers in these areas.
B is for “Build:” Building California’s Infrastructure
We must build a 21st Century transportation, water and telecommunications infrastructure to create jobs immediately. That’s why I am such an enthusiastic supporter of Los Angeles County’s 30/10 plan that will build 30 years of transportation projects in just 10 years, accelerating much needed congestion relief and creating jobs. We must also bring the Gold Line from Downtown Los Angeles all the way out to the Ontario Airport. Already we have had great success beginning construction on the extension from Pasadena to Azusa, which will open in 2015. And I am now fighting for funding to bring it out to Glendora, Claremont and Montclair.
But we can also do more on a national scale, which is why I am an enthusiastic supporter of President Obama’s American Jobs Act. The American Jobs Act will put $50 billion into building our roads and bridges, and will rebuild our schools. This will immediately help create new construction jobs while repairing our crumbling infrastrucutre.
C is for “Creating:” Creating Opportunities for Small Business and Manufacturing in America
Small business is the key. It creates 2 out of every 3 new jobs. But it is suffering now due to lack of credit and lack of customers. As a Member of the Small Business Committee, I support expanding the ability of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to directly make loans to small business owners who’ve been turned down by banks but have good credit. The SBA should also ease the requirements for microloans, so we can give the smallest of entrepreneurs a chance. And we must expand the customer base of small businesses by opening doors to the billions of dollars in federal contracts and increasing the ability of small businesses to export.
We must stop the erosion of California's manufacturing base by extending 100% tax credits for investment in plants and equipment, and by funding targeted programs in the Commerce Department to rebuild the American manufacturing base so that we can “Make it in America” again.
American Jobs Act
We can’t wait for Republican leaders to put aside partisan bickering and put our nation back on track toward economic recovery. Our communities are hurting. We need leaders looking out for the American people and creating jobs, not cutting them. We need leaders who will stand up for the middle class and put Americans back to work, rather than promote corporate interests and tax cuts for the rich. That’s why I support the President’s American Jobs Act.
The American Jobs Act is a step towards reigniting the American dream for our communities and our country. It focuses on putting Americans back to work while making critical investments in our schools, roads, and infrastructure. It also provides a ladder of opportunity for our communities to climb. It includes tax cuts for every small business, including the 1.5 million API owned businesses that employ over 2.8 million people. And under the President’s Jobs Act, businesses that hire workers who have been unemployed for 6 months or more will get $4,000 off their tax bill. By extending unemployment benefits and investing in job creation, the President’s plan will help workers suffering from long periods of unemployment.
Extending Unemployment Insurance
Our country is facing the worst unemployment rate in a generation with six million workers unemployed. If the unemployment insurance program is not extended, nearly 2.1 million Americans will no longer have a lifeline to help them pay for their housing, groceries or health care. Congress has never allowed unemployment benefits to expire when unemployment was this high for this long.
Sadly, there are some in Congress that believe the jobless don’t want to work, but I know that six million workers are doing what they can to find jobs, but are coming up empty handed. It is cruel to turn our backs on those workers. That is why I am pushing for the extension of unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. The Congressional Budget Office has declared that unemployment benefits are “both timely and cost-effective in spurring economic activity and employment,” and the Economic Policy Institute has estimated that preventing Unemployment Insurance benefits from expiring could prevent the loss of over 500,000 jobs. Extending unemployment benefits makes economic sense and it is the right thing to do.
Expanding Business Opportunities in the San Gabriel Valley
With the unemployment rate in Baldwin Park, El Monte and South El Monte among some of the highest in Los Angeles County, there is so much more that can be done right here in the 32nd District to help people get back on their feet.
To try to help residents of the San Gabriel Valley get a job or expand their businesses during these tough economic times, I have held the following events in the 32nd District:
- Job Hunters Boot Camps to provide unemployed residents of California's 32nd District with the resources and training they need to get back to work.
- Workshops for small businesses on how to increase economic opportunities through exporting, which opens up markets and finds new customers overseas.
- Workshops for small business owners on how to secure federal contracting and procurement. Over the last decade, federal contracting has more than doubled in size reaching nearly $540 billion in 2010. Doing business with government is vital for many firms’ success.
- Workshops with small business owners to learn what the Small Business Administration (SBA) does and how this agency can help small business grow to the next level.
- An official Small Business Committee hearing in Pasadena to make sure that the Small Business Administration heard from our local businesses about how the SBA is or is not helping them grow.
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