Jobs and the Middle Class
Minnesota's 8th District relies upon Taconite, Timber, and Tourism as its primary economic drivers. In Congress I will do all I can to ensure domestic manufacturing, aviation, and all our homegrown industries, are well recognized for their contributions to the creation of good-paying jobs and prosperity.
Across our Eighth District and across America, unemployed and underemployed middle-class families need action – good-paying jobs – not words from their government.
Democrats and Republicans must come together with common sense plans to put America back to work.
By promoting Make It In America legislation that will grow our domestic manufacturing industry and support northeast Minnesota companies from Tritec in Virginia to Polaris in Wyoming.
- I have introduced the Presidential Make It In America Awards Act (H.R.4825) to establish three prestigious new Presidental awards to encourage companies to bring jobs back to American shores, promote American manufacturing, and put millions of Americans back to work in middle-class good-paying jobs. Read more about my bill here.
- I have also authored and introduced legislation to require that all pipelines in America use materials that are made in America - steel or iron ore that is mined, processed, or re-processed here in the U.S. The American Pipeline Jobs and Safety Act (H.R.4441), would be a boon for American manufacturing and for jobs across Minnesota's Iron Range, and would also prevent future environmental disasters from pipeline oil spills or leaks, since U.S.-made steel is more reliable and durable than foreign steel.
By extending emergency unemployment insurance for the millions of Americans who have lost these benefits since Congress allowed them to expire last December.
- When emergency unemployment benefits were allowed to expire at the end of December 2013, I called upon the House Republican leadership to bring H.R.3824, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act, to the floor for a vote, to immediately extend these benefits while we figure out a permanent solution. More than 3 million Americans - including 200,000 veterans - have lost this crucial lifeline as they continue to look for jobs after the worst economic downturn in recent history, and I continue to call for the extension of these benefits.
By passing fair trade policies to protect American companies from unfair foreign competition.
By rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure – reinvesting hundreds of billions of dollars being spent on so-called wars of choice and nation building abroad into American roads, highways, bridges, ports, and waterways. Investing in education, human development, and infrastructure enhances business, creates jobs, and improves our lives.
- I'm an original cosponsor of the SAFE Bridges Act (H.R.2428), to establish a program to assist states to rehabilitate or replace bridges found to be structurally deficient, functionally obsolete, or fracture critical. One in 12 bridges in Minnesota's 8th District are structurally deficient.
By passing a minimum wage that gives working families real buying power – so they can purchase the goods and services that drive employment and boost our economy.
- I support H.R.1010, the Fair Minimum Wage Act, to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, and index it to inflation after that. When the House Majority refused to allow us to vote on this bill, nearly 200 House Democrats crowded the halls to sign a petition that would force a vote on this issue.
By ending the gender wage gap in which women still make only about 77 cents on the dollar as compared to men.
- I'm an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R.377), which would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (known as the Equal Pay Act) to ensure women in the workforce are not subject to discrimination in the payment of wages.
In short, we need a real, bipartisan, pro-growth jobs plan for America. And we need to invest in small business and American manufacturing to create good-paying jobs in northeastern Minnesota and across the nation.
More on Jobs and the Middle Class
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan voted with the majority of Democrats and Republicans today as the House passed (252-161-1) legislation (H.R. 5682) to move forward with the Keystone XL pipeline project.
Preceding the final tally, Nolan voted against a closed rule barring consideration of any amendments to the measure.
The Senate is expected to consider a companion bill next week.
Following the vote, Nolan issued the following statement:
Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- Post Office workers joined state politicians and other Northlanders on the steps of the Federal Building Monday afternoon in a rally to stop the closure of Duluth's mail processing center in January.
Governor Mark Dayton was joined by U.S. Congressman Rick Nolan, Duluth Mayor Don Ness, other state lawmakers and candidates in the rally.
With signs demanding that Greater Minnesota's residents be given first class mail service, the crowd rallied to save over 70 jobs in the Twin Ports by keeping Duluth's sorting facility open.
DULUTH- Twin Ports natives took to the steps of the federal building to save Duluth's Mail Processing Plant Monday.
Community leaders say the potential closing of the plant is not only an inconvenience for citizens, but will hurt the economy as well as businesses.
Community leaders throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin see no advantage to the proposed plan.
If the processing plant is closed, leaders say it will only cause service disruptions.
Duluth Postal Services employees and leaders from across Minnesota rallied against closing Duluth's mail processing center Monday.
About 100 people gathered with picket signs outside the federal courthouse in Duluth, many of whom were some of the 70 postal service employees who could lose their jobs if the processing center closes in 2015 like it is scheduled to.
Jason Johnson has worked as a mail clerk in Duluth for the last 20 years. He said he isn't sure if he'll lose his job with the closure, but he is uncomfortable with the possibility.
Amid the throng of people gathered on the steps of Duluth’s Federal Building on Monday was Leona Krieg.
She was conspicuous at a rally to save the city’s mail processing center for what was sticking out of her jacket pocket: a piece of stamped mail.
“It’s a sympathy card,” said Krieg, a lifelong Duluth resident and retired UMD employee. “I mail a lot. I don’t do my bills electronically. I have a grandson and two brothers in Duluth. I believe in the U.S. Postal Service.”
Area businesses will pay more to receive a lower level of service if a Post Office cost-cutting plan is implemented, several speakers said at a Monday rally to save the regional U.S. Postal Service distribution center in Duluth.
Gov. Mark Dayton chastised the Postal Service for considering a plan that he deemed “nonsensical.”
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan has renewed his call to U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to visit the Duluth postal sorting facility scheduled for closing next year as part of a nationwide program to cut costs at the U.S. Postal Service.
“We need to keep the Duluth facility open, and once you see it for yourself, I believe you will heartily agree,” Nolan said in a message to Donahoe today.
Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- Congressman Rick Nolan is urging the United States Postmaster General to visit Duluth's postal distribution center.
Nolan wants the Postmaster to see for himself the 125 highly skilled and trained workers at the facility.
The Duluth Distribution Center has been slated for closure next year as part of a nationwide program to cut costs at the U.S. Postal Service.
Nolan says if the Postmaster General sees the center in person, and understands how hard the employees work he will agree to keep it open.
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]– Eighth District Congressman Rick Nolan, chief author of the Buy American steel legislation in Congress, today praised the announcement by the International Trade Commission (ITC) that Korea and several other foreign nations have, in fact, engaged in illegal dumping of steel pipe (oil country tubular goods) into the U.S. market.