Op-Eds

I have been in office for 18 months, and since then all Washington has done is spend trillions of dollars expanding the federal government, all while millions of Americans have lost their jobs, and our unemployment rate has reached nearly 10 percent.

Small business owners I have heard from in Kentucky are looking at all the uncertainty coming out of Washington and are very concerned about what the future is going to look like. They do not have the confidence they need to expand their operations.

They are concerned about the possible energy costs they face if the majority takes up cap-and-trade legislation and the uncertain costs they may incur with the implementation of the recent health care law.

Small Businesses have historically employed more than half of the U.S. workforce and have created 7 out of every 10 private sector jobs in recent years.

We need to give them certainties within which they can succeed and create an environment for growth; instead of offering the looming possibility of higher taxes and more red tape.

While small business owners have been reducing spending and making tough choices in order to survive in this economy, Majority leaders in Washington are doing the exact opposite.

In less than two years, the administration has increased non-defense discretionary spending by 84 percent. More federal spending is not the right way to put our economy back on track. Small businesses and entrepreneurs can lead us in our recovery, if we put policies in place that lower taxes, rein in government intervention, and encourage fiscal responsibility in Washington, DC

Our country was built on the entrepreneurial spirit and while we work to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, we must also invest in our workforce.

Last year I introduced legislation to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act, which provides federal investment in job training, adult education, and vocational rehabilitation services.

There has never been a more critical time to make sure that our workforce has the opportunity to find new jobs or receive additional training.

I come from a small business, manufacturing background and I have seen firsthand that unemployed workers who receive additional training for new skills obtain a higher-paying job, radically transforming their way of life.

I have listened to those in the Second District and have consistently heard the need to create jobs and reduce spending. I will continue to work in Washington to push fiscally responsible policies that helps small businesses and hard working families in Kentucky.