Now Is The Time For Action

Today, I issued the following statement calling for action on the issues of trade, offshore energy production and tax relief for small businesses, which President Obama voiced his commitment for in last night’s State of the Union address:

The President made a welcome commitment in his State of the Union address to move forward on three issues that will be critical to creating jobs and reinvigorating the U.S. economy: trade, energy, and tax relief for small businesses. These are commitments I wholeheartedly share with President Obama, and I look forward to working with him to finally pass overdue trade agreements with nations like Colombia, Panama and South Korea. As the President noted, we cannot continue to sit idle while other nations enact agreements and boost exports to these countries. Our exporters need open access to these markets. Free and fair trade creates American jobs and we should pass these accords immediately.

In the same vein, the President’s pledge to make ‘tough decisions’ about opening offshore areas for domestic energy production will go a long way toward creating jobs and making America’s energy and economic future more secure. Finally, I hope Congress will move as quickly as possible to pass the small business tax credit the President proposed last night, in addition to eliminating all capital gains taxes on small businesses. These are two efforts that will bring much-needed relief to our small businesses – the number one job creator in the nation.