[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 78 (Wednesday, May 20, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H5864]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE LOSS OF AMERICA'S MANUFACTURING SECTOR

  (Mr. ROE of Tennessee asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, Americans are tired of watching 
our manufacturing sector move overseas. We need to implement policies 
that encourage companies to invest here in America and that make the 
cost of doing business less expensive. Lowering corporate tax rates, 
creating tax incentives for purchasing new plant equipment and 
increasing depreciation allowances all would be helpful in expanding 
investment here.
  Unfortunately, House Democrats are advancing cap-and-tax legislation 
that has many theoretical benefits but one absolute consequence--the 
loss of millions of American manufacturing jobs. The Democrats' 
response to global warming is to tax coal, of which we have hundreds of 
years of reserves, and to tax oil so that Americans will start using 
other power sources. Employers who are in globally competitive 
industries and who can't simply raise the cost of their goods will be 
forced to lay off even more people, as their factories close, to pay 
for a program that may or may not be necessary to reverse climate 
change.
  I, for one, am not willing to sacrifice two American manufacturing 
jobs for every one green job. I hope all Americans will let their 
legislators know they don't want to pay higher taxes on energy while 
watching their jobs disappear.

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