Fellow Utahns-
Last week, President Obama spoke to Congress about his plan for job creation . Instead of charting a new course to get America back to work, he laid out more of the same failed policies of more government spending fueled by tax increases.
I’m not the only one who sees the problems with the President’s approach. With every passing day, bipartisan opposition grows. The reasons are clear: our economy cannot shoulder more job-killing tax hikes and doesn’t need any more temporary, ineffective stimulus proposals.
What America needs is a lesson from Utah, where we know that pro-growth policies of low taxes, reduced spending, and limited regulation is the best path forward.
Those Utah values are my guide as I work to reform our burdensome and costlytax code , bring down our over $14.5 trillion debt, roll back the thousands of Washington regulations, and reform our near bankrupt entitlements.
These are the policies the American people deserve.
Hatch, Congressional Western Caucus Unveil New Report to Jumpstart Job Creation in America
The Western Caucus’ “Jobs Frontier” report is all about putting forward solutions to create jobs and get more Americans back to work. It will help develop the next frontier of job creation efforts for our country.
Western states are not immune to the weakened economy, but many of our states – such as Utah – have lower unemployment rates than the national average and can help lead us to economic prosperity. One such area where the West can lead is domestic energy production.”
In the “Jobs Frontier” report, Western Caucus Members highlight over 40 legislative solutions that will create jobs by:
- Increasing Affordable American Energy
- Exploring for American Oil and Natural Gas
- Strengthening the American Mining Sector
- Overturning Washington’s Overreach
- Promoting Agriculture, Ranching and Forestry
- Supporting Recreation, Hunting and Public Land Access
- Eliminating Backdoor Cap and Tax Regulations
- Reducing Junk Lawsuits
To view the full statement click here.
Hatch Says Employer Mandate In Health Law Putting Jobs, Economy At Risk
The employer mandate is a threat to jobs and job creation:
- The Congressional Budget Office has concluded that it will result in lower wages, hamper job creation, and move more people from full-time jobs into part-time work.
- According to a recent report by the International Franchise Association, it will put 3.2 million jobs – you heard me right – 3.2 million jobs at risk.
The employer mandate destroys what works in America’s health system:
- This mandate perversely incentivizes employers to not offer health insurance, because it’s less expensive to pay the penalty than to offer coverage itself.
- In fact, 30% said they would definitely or maybe decide to no longer offer health insurance to employees, because of the employer mandate, according to a recent survey .
The employer mandate is impossible to implement:
- No one knows how it will be implemented or enforced. This kind of ambiguity and complexity makes it even more difficult for employers to offer coverage.
To view more information please click here.
Hatch to Craig Becker: Did You Write the SEIU Intimidation Manual?
Earlier this week I to National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member and former Service Employees International Union (SEIU) official Craig Becker to inquire about his involvement in union intimidation efforts.
The letter sent to Becker comes after the SEIU’s “Contract Campaign Manual” was made public. The handbook tells union members to purposefully try to damage their employers’ reputations by coming up with allegations against their employers and managers and to even break the law to gain leverage in contract negotiations.
The manual explicitly advises union members to engage in tactics designed to attack the reputation of an employer as well as its managers and to purposefully damage an employer’s relationship with vendors and customers.
To see what else the manual advises please click here.
President late on free-trade pacts
There is no denying the positive impact that our long-delayed trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea would have on our economy. They would add around $14 billion to our economy, and increase exports by over $12 billion annually. According to the White House, the Korea trade deal alone would create 70,000 American jobs. The White House understands the economic benefits that would come from enactment of these agreements. Yet while millions of Americans suffer in a weak recovery with stalled job growth, the President inexplicably sits on them.
During a recent tour of the Midwest, President Obama admonished Congress to put “country ahead of party” and pass these three agreements — implying that Republicans in Congress are to blame for blocking them. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Republicans have been working to get these agreements passed since they were signed over four years ago.
The problem lies with the president. Under long-established trade rules called Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), once a trade agreement is signed, only the president can submit it to Congress for an up or down vote. Right now, all three of these trade pacts remain sitting on the president’s desk.
To view the entire article about why we need to pass the Free Trade Agreements please click here.
Sincerely,
Senator Orrin Hatch
