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Job Creation
For too long, some West Michiganders have struggled to find jobs. I hear from many people struggling to make ends meet. It now appears that, despite these troubled economic times, there is some relief on the horizon.
I have worked on several initiatives to restore our economy and to bring jobs to West Michigan. For example:
- I helped lead the effort to improve U.S. competitiveness through comprehensive legislation addressing manufacturing, basic research and development, teacher preparation and professional development, and improving science, technology, engineering & math (STEM) education at all levels, culminating in the passage of the America COMPETES Act of 2007. STEM education is vital to our nation’s competitiveness in today and in the future, and it is critical that we prepare students for high tech jobs.
- I helped provide assistance to small employers by teaming up with Representative Gary Peters (D-MI) to introduce bipartisan legislation to make important changes to the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. This program helps small employers improve their productivity and competitiveness, and leverages private resources in the creation and retention of jobs, thereby increasing economic output. Additionally, I have supported initiatives to help small businesses stay afloat and continue to innovate.
- Also, I have supported legislation to help the auto industry retool their cars to meet increased fuel standards, which will help keep auto-related jobs in our state.
- I am working hard in Congress to pass a renewal of the surface transportation act, which would create construction jobs. Unfortunately, that bill has stalled in Congress as we debate how to pay for it, but it is vital that we pass it so planning and paying for important highway and bridge projects is not delayed.
- In addition, I have been a strong supporter of the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grants that West Michigan received from the U.S. Department of Labor to redevelop our local workforce and create innovative training programs. In fact, I recently was very pleased to learn that ACT, Inc. provided a national award to a Grand Rapids-based company, Wolverine Coil Spring, for its work on the WIRED grant and implementing a new workforce readiness assessment tool, known as Work Keys.
In the near future, Congress is scheduled to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), our nation’s major job-training law. Several groups in West Michigan asked me to support the Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success Act (SECTORS Act) of 2009 (H.R. 1855), which would promote industry growth and competitiveness and improve worker training, retention, and advancement. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this legislation, and I am hopeful that Congress will include its important provisions in the updated Workforce Investment Act.
Please know that I will continue to look for ways to help Michigan workers and companies recover from the current economic conditions. Michigan’s economy is worse than any other state, and I have been working constantly to help restore our state’s economy.
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