[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E225-E226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING HONDA'S MANUFACTURING COMMITMENT TO THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM JORDAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 2010

  Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I am honored to commend to the 
House the extraordinary commitments made by Honda over the last three 
decades to create jobs and expand its solid manufacturing base in Ohio 
and throughout the nation.
  In 1979, Honda opened manufacturing operations in the United States 
with small-scale production of dirt bikes in Marysville, Ohio. From 
that initial footprint, Honda has grown into one of our nation's most 
important job creators, with nine manufacturing and thirteen research 
and development facilities located across the nation. Honda directly 
employs roughly 27,000 Americans--15,000 in my home state alone.
  With so much focus on jobs moving overseas, Madam Speaker, it is 
often too easy to overlook the value and importance of direct foreign 
investment in this nation. The more than $12 billion invested by Honda 
in the United States--with $7 billion of that invested in Ohio alone--
supports not only those 27,000 employees but also more than 340,000 
others employed at Honda suppliers, dealers, and servicers nationwide.
  Honda was the first Asian automaker to build products in the U.S., 
recognizing the value of siting manufacturing plants in sales markets. 
Since 1996, three in four Honda and Acura automobiles sold in this 
country have been manufactured in North America. The company's total 
U.S. auto production reached one million in 2007--with 700,000 produced 
at Ohio's Honda plants.
  Three communities in my district are home to major Honda facilities. 
More than 2,750 are employed in Anna, which produces engines, 
driveshafts, and brake components. The transmission manufacturing 
facility in Russells Point employs an additional 1,050. The 2,500 
workers at the plant in East Liberty assemble the Crosstour, CR-V, and 
Element. Thousands more in my district work at the dozens of companies 
of all sizes that provide parts to these facilities.

[[Page E226]]

  Madam Speaker, direct foreign investments in the U.S. put more 
Americans to work and strengthen our manufacturing base. Especially in 
these tough economic times, I am proud of the strong role that Honda 
plays in the U.S. and Ohio. I applaud everyone at the company on its 
distinguished record of manufacturing quality, corporate citizenship, 
and job creation over the last 30 years.

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