Revitalizing our Economy

We are in the midst of the most challenging economic times most of us have ever faced. Minnesotans, like Americans across the country, are hurting. Unemployment is up, home values are low, the stock market is down and each one of us is feeling the effects. There is no issue I am more focused on than creating jobs and turning this economy around.

We need to take immediate and effective steps to jumpstart the economy and create jobs. Growing jobs starts with lowering the tax burden on individuals, families and businesses. We need to empower entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow jobs and restore confidence to loosen up the credit markets. We need to lower taxes on capital gains to help small businesses create jobs. We need to get health care costs under control. And it's time for Congress to get its fiscal house in order by passing the line-item veto, balancing our budget and eliminating wasteful deficit spending.

Greater oversight and transparency is critical to reforming our financial and regulatory systems. I am excited to be serving on the House Financial Services Committee, which is deeply involved in reforming the broken financial sector of our ailing economy. The committee has broad jurisdiction and already we are working aggressively to increase oversight and accountability across our financial sectors.

We must also recognize and embrace the global economy in which we live. Future generations of Americans will continue to lead this economy if they are the best educated and the best prepared in the world. By encouraging our children to study fields like science, technology, engineering and math we can increase our competitiveness and harness American innovation to compete in the future and harness American innovation to not only survive but thrive in a changing world.

I will continue to work hard and in a bipartisan way to create jobs for the people of the Third District.