[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9301]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1120
          WORKING TOGETHER TO GROW OUR ECONOMY AND CREATE JOBS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. The recent release of the May unemployment rate at 
9.1 percent was a harsh reminder that a jobless recovery is not a 
recovery at all. I believe that in order for our economy to grow and 
small businesses to create jobs, the first step must be to restore 
fiscal order to the Federal Government. This year, our government is 
borrowing 42 cents of every dollar that it spends. In addition to 
burdening our children and grandchildren with an enormous debt, such 
reckless spending crowds out private investment and competes with small 
business for access to capital. While reducing our deficit spending is 
an important first step to economic recovery, we can and we must do 
more.
  Since taking office, President Obama has dramatically increased the 
regulatory burden on small businesses. In 2010 alone, the 
administration has handed down 43 major new regulations--the highest 
single-year increase on record. The President has also used the 
regulatory process to block development of vast domestic energy 
sources. This has led to costly burdens that prevent small business 
growth as well as higher prices at the pump.
  While regulations can help protect our environment, they should be 
based on common sense and not stifle growth. Recently, I helped a small 
manufacturer cut through months of costly Federal red tape that delayed 
expansion and hiring at his facility in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. We 
must work to make sure that unnecessary and duplicative regulations do 
not stand in the way of job creation in our region and across our great 
Nation.
  Finally, we must proactively encourage private sector job creation. I 
have been working, Mr. Speaker, on two pieces of legislation in this 
area. The Hire Just One Act would provide a one-time tax credit to 
small businesses that hire a full-time permanent employee this year. I 
have also introduced the Fairness to Veterans Act, which would extend 
Federal contracting preferences to veteran-owned small businesses. This 
bill is designed to honor the service of our Nation's men and women in 
uniform as well as address the staggering 21 percent unemployment rate 
among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
  I'm committed to working to fix our economy and making sure that the 
Federal Government is a partner in job creation, not an obstacle to it. 
Together, we can grow our economy and create private sector jobs and 
opportunity.

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