kilpatrickm13

Why I Opposed H.R. 4154, the Permanent Estate Tax Relief Extension Bill

Dear Madam Speaker:

I rise in opposition to H.R. 4154, the Permanent Estate Tax Relief of Families, Farmers, and Small Businesses. I am worried sick that we have misplaced our priorities as Congress when we are voting on legislation to permanently, not temporarily, extend a tax cut to the richest, top one percent, of all income earners when Congress has not passed a public works job program for the unemployed. We are sending 30,000 of America’s finest young men and women off to war in Afghanistan at the estimated potential cost of $20 Billion per year. Congress must pass a public works job program.

This bill has not been considered through regular order. This bill has had zero hearings, and there have been no subcommittee or full committee mark ups by the House Ways and Means Committee.
We currently have more than 15 million unemployed Americans. The national unemployment rate is more than 10 percent. In the State of Michigan, we have a reported rate of more than 15 percent, and in the City of Detroit, the unemployment rate is more than 28 percent. These are the reported rates. As Chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus during the 110th Session of Congress, from 2007 to 2008, I pushed to get a public works program. I also worked to get an aggressive summer jobs program in 2008. Both to no avail.

It would not be difficult to get a public works program done immediately. Working from the template that was established with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Depression era, updated by the Comprehensive Employment Training Act (CETA), we could insert language in one of the remaining Appropriations bills for consideration. Not only to get such a bill authorized, but appropriated as well. This would help hundreds of thousands, if not millions, get the best stimulus package there is – A JOB. The American people are begging Congress to do something to help them with employment. Private industry cannot do it alone. Our states and our cities do not have the resources to employ our people. It is up to Congress to make that happen. The Federal government is the employer of last resort.

The President, just this week, will send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. This troop build-up, in America’s second longest war, is estimated to cost half a million dollars per service member, and an estimated $20 billion per year. These troops will be on the ground in Afghanistan in less than three weeks. Meanwhile, Congress will still have done nothing toward getting jobs for their parents, their siblings, or their neighbors through a public works jobs program.

I am proud of my vote in favor of the economic stimulus package, which has helped to delay our downward economic spiral. The abysmal unemployment rate, however, demands that Congress do more. An aggressive public works jobs program, with funding from the Federal government going directly to cities and counties, providing jobs and training, focusing on infrastructure development and based on the successful Civilian Conservation Corps and Comprehensive Employment Training Acts, is what America wants and Americans need. Infrastructure investment has created more jobs, with fewer dollars, and with less time than any other Recovery Act program. There are still 9,500 shovel-ready projects across the country that could get started in the next 120 days. An aggressive investment by Congress in a new Civilian Conservation Corps or Comprehensive Employment Training Act focused on infrastructure repair and improvement would create thousands of American manufacturing jobs, American construction jobs, American city and county government jobs, and American service sector jobs.

Why is the House of Representatives today pushing for a permanent extension at this time of this legislation, when the Ways and Means Committee asked for a temporary extension? Furthermore, the Senate has said that they will only consider a temporary extension –which, in these fiscally austere times, is certainly reasonable.

I am a supporter of our families, our farmers and our small businesses. I want our families, farmers and small businesses to succeed. The timing for this permanent extension to the wealthiest one percent of all Americans, when we have more than 15 million Americans out of work, is wrong. I will continue to fight in Congress for a new, comprehensive public works jobs program that will get Americans, who want to work, back on the job.

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI-13) today announced that the U.S. Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a $203 million contract to design the Stryker of the future. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, where the Stryker was designed, researched, developed, and constructed.
“The Stryker is the vehicle of choice for our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Congresswoman Kilpatrick. “I am pleased to play a role in making sure that our troops have the most up-to-date tools and resources they need to ensure their safety as they work to protect America’s families. I commend General Dynamics Land Systems’ employees and President Mark Roualet for their vision and ability to build upon their success.”
The award continues the Stryker modernization program, initially awarded to General Dynamics in 2008. The modernization program will significantly increase the capabilities of the Stryker fleet and assure compatibility with the light and heavy forces.
The contract reflects the Army’s desire to build on the Stryker’s strong performance by incorporating the latest crew-protection technologies and increasing the power, mobility, agility, and information connectivity, into a platform that will continue to be a critical part of the Army’s force structure.
Congresswoman Kilpatrick is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. She is also a member of its Defense Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the Departments of the Army, other branches of the military, and other defense agencies. The subcommittee oversees the Defense Department’s annual budget, which is the largest appropriations bill in the federal government.

 

More than 700 people attended the Careers in Health Care job fair hosted by Congresswoman Kilpatrick this past Tuesday. Local health care providers and colleges and universities were on hand to provide residents of the 13^th Congressional District and the region with access to employment, educational, and training opportunities in the growing health care industry. 

Check it out: http://www.tv20detroit.com/news/53696772.html.

http://ping.fm/p/kMbCu - Lets Save the American Dream^March in Lansing

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Testimony of The Honorable Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick Before the

U.S. International Trade Commission Regarding Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires From the People’s Republic of China

Investigation No. TA-421-7

June 2, 2009

Giving thanks to God, who is the master of my life, I appreciate this opportunity to testify today and to express my support for the Petition of the United Steelworkers Union, specifically Section 421, filed regarding passenger vehicle and light truck tires imported from China. I commend the union for fighting for all American workers by using the China safeguard law in an effort to convince you—and ultimately the President—to halt the damage to American businesses and jobs that began in 2004 and continues to this day. It is my hope that at long last Section 421 will be enforced as the Congress intended.

I urge the Commission to rule in favor of the workers, who have correctly exercised their right to file this petition, and to recommend to President Barack Obama the quota requested by the union that would return Chinese imports to their 2005 levels. If such relief becomes a reality, this Commission will save the jobs of thousands of workers and give the tire industry, one of our key manufacturing industries, the opportunity to get back on its feet.

Madame Chairwoman and august Members of the Commission, this petition, in my view, is part of a larger effort to preserve American manufacturing. When it comes to trade policy, past Administrations have centered on more trade agreements rather than vigorous trade enforcement. As a prime example, President George W. Bush summarily rejected the Commission’s recommended relief in four Section 421 cases – all of which involved steel products. One question before us today is this – are American workers affected in those petitions better off today than they would have been had the relief this Commission recommended been adopted? The answer, unequivocally, is no. We have another chance, thanks to the Steelworkers Union. Here is another opportunity to finally get it right. This time it is the tire workers who need this law enforced.

How do we know that the lack of enforcement of this section has harmed American tire workers? What information has already been made public? Since 2004, the import of Chinese tires has surged by nearly 300 percent in dollar terms and over 200 percent by volume. During those five years, U.S. production, not by coincidence, declined 25 percent. Four tire plants have closed in the states of Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas, and two more are scheduled to close in Georgia and Alabama later this year. Nearly 4,500 workers – American workers – have already lost their jobs. These Chinese tires, not surprisingly, are stripping away chunks of our share of our own market.

What have the Chinese done since this investigation began in April? They used a meeting with the Commission unrelated to this investigation to shift their focus to an improper attack on the petition. While the Chinese are well versed with your rules and regulations that pertain to this ongoing investigation, this Commission handled it properly, and I commend the way you responded.

Where has our trade policy gotten us? Families and communities have been torn apart as their jobs disappear from American soil to show up in another country where workers get paid just a few dollars a day. Michigan, and my Congressional District, has been particularly hard hit. America has lost its previous dominance in textiles, furniture, shoes, steel, electronics, and now tires. The list goes on and on. Since 2001 alone, America has lost some four million manufacturing jobs, and our trade deficit is quickly approaching a half trillion dollars a year. In my state of Michigan, 300,000 jobs have been lost.

I strongly believe that we need to shift our trade priorities and recommit ourselves to the hardworking men and women of America. This independent Commission’s thoughtful application of trade remedies in a timely manner is now often all that stands in the way of the further dismantling of American manufacturing.



Your consideration of the overwhelming evidence in this investigation and a proper application of import relief will have a major impact not only on the consumer tire industry but also on the entire automotive industry and all of American manufacturing. I stand with the 15,000 workers in the American consumer tire industry. If this sector is lost to foreign imports, it will be a severe blow to what remains of the domestic auto industry. To abandon the domestic tire industry at the very moment the Administration and Congress have been working to preserve the U.S. automotive industry would be a huge mistake.

The automotive industry, which is based in the 13th Congressional District of Michigan, is the foundation of much of the manufacturing activity in the United States. One in every ten jobs in the United States is linked to it, from parts, fabric, electronic components, and, of course, tires. Together, more than thirteen million jobs directly or indirectly rely on the automotive industry. This industry has helped build America’s middle class by creating well-paying and skilled jobs. This industry has expanded our freedom and mobility and literally brought us closer together. This industry has contributed to our national security with the jeeps of World War II to the specialized armored vehicles in service today in Iraq and Afghanistan. The technologies in navigational systems, anti-lock braking, and science that go into our cars and other vehicles have broad applications and can and should lead to new products and new jobs. We cannot let this industry slip away.

Yet I am afraid we have been allowing that to happen through our misguided trade policy. I testified on this very subject two years ago before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. In its evaluation, that Commission determined the following: “…the many subsidies provided by the Chinese government to the auto industry will quickly distort the nature of the market. This will be true especially in the United States, where markets are most open. The Chinese challenge to the U.S. auto industry is a significant assault on American manufacturing, and that assault is increasing in magnitude and in pace.”

Just last month, I participated at an event sponsored by the Alliance for American Manufacturing alongside the President of the United Steelworker union, Leo Gerard. The subject was “The Future of the Auto and Auto Parts Sector.” All those who spoke were clear that this is not just a Big Three or a Michigan problem. It is a problem for every community across our country. Auto parts suppliers drive economic growth in states all over the country. Virtually every vehicle that is the subject of this investigation has five tires that should be produced in the United States. I will continue to speak out at every opportunity that presents itself. That is why I am here today.

Section 421 was adopted in 2000 when Congress voted to bring China into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Congress had the foresight to anticipate that problems such as those that the petitioners are confronted with in this sector would occur. Section 421 was created not to give our industries a special advantage but to prevent the very thing that has now happened in at least five separate sectors of our manufacturing industry. The Chinese agreed to abide by the terms of Section 421. They understood why it was put in place. It was the price they paid for Permanent Normal Trade Relations and entry to the WTO. It will be a disgrace if it is never properly enforced.



I am confident you will do your part as you have done before. I believe the facts with regard to passenger vehicle and light truck tires are as strong as any previous Section 421 petition that the Commission has acted on favorably. For the sake of the thousands of workers in the domestic tire industry, I urge your favorable consideration once again. If you do that, I have faith that President Obama will do the same.

Thank you for your attention to my testimony. I am delighted but not surprised that a significant number of my colleagues in both the House and the Senate are similarly participating today.

 

DETROIT, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives from hundreds of Michigan companies participated in a day-long regional manufacturing outreach workshop at the MGM Grand. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), with support from DTE Energy and other local co-sponsors, conducted the workshop that is designed to help companies learn how to supply products and services to the nuclear industry. Top industry leaders in reactor design, engineering, construction and procurement lead interactive briefings throughout the day and met with local manufacturers interested in becoming suppliers.

Michigan Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, kicked off the workshop with opening remarks. "Michigan has a vast pool of engineering talent and manufacturing expertise that has served the auto industry very well for a long time," he said. "But with the domestic auto companies scaling down, those skills, experience and capabilities can be refocused on supplying components and services to the nuclear industry. With a shortage of domestic companies serving the nuclear industry, this presents an opportunity for us to develop a more diversified and stable Michigan economy."

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., supported the workshop and said it offers local companies a way to expand and diversify their business. "Many businesses in the 13th Congressional District and the state of Michigan have the talent and creativity to play a critical role in providing services, systems, and supplies to the nuclear industry," she said. "I applaud the Nuclear Energy Institute, DTE Energy, and the other local co-sponsors for their efforts to help Michigan companies diversify their operations."

DTE Energy President and COO Gerry Anderson told the participants that while the state of the economy has created some uncertainty about when U.S. companies will begin building new nuclear plants, the worldwide market is strong. "As of February, 30 countries worldwide operate 436 nuclear reactors for electricity generation, and 45 new nuclear plants are under construction in 14 countries. That means the next several decades should be a period of great opportunity for nuclear suppliers."

Participants had the opportunity to communicate directly with procurement personnel from some of the leading firms in the nuclear industry, including AREVA, Babcock & Wilcox, Black and Veatch, Bechtel, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Sargent & Lundy, Westinghouse and others.

NEI provides more information on nuclear industry opportunities for manufacturers on its website at: http://nei.org/careersandeducation/manufacturing_opportunities.

In addition to DTE Energy, local co-sponsors of this workshop included the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Minority Business Development Council, American Arab Chamber of Commerce, Asian-Pacific American Chamber of Commerce, CASEnergy-Michigan, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Michigan Business and Professional Organization, Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth; American Nuclear Society, Michigan Chapter; Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation, Monroe Economic Development Corporation, Wayne County Department of Environment, Wayne County Economic Development Growth Engine, Traverse City Chamber of Commerce, Engineering Society of Detroit and the Michigan Manufacturers Association. National co-sponsors include the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the U.S. Department of Energy.

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include Detroit Edison, an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan, MichCon, a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan and other non-utility, energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, coal and gas midstream, unconventional gas production and energy trading. Information about DTE Energy is available at www.dteenergy.com.

NEI is the nuclear energy industry's policy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to foster the beneficial uses of nuclear technology in its myriad forms. Additional information about NEI and nuclear energy is available at www.nei.org.

 

 Detroit Economic Growth Corporation Is Turning Federal Help into Business Successes W Industries is an example of how companies can take advantage of incentives to grow their businesses into new market
Check out the video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gqHjrjKd8A

  W Industries is an example of how companies can take advantage of incentives to grow their businesses into new markets 

Detroit, Michigan, May 8, 2009 – Detroit Economic Growth Corporation CEO George W. Jackson and U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick joined W Industries president and CEO Edward Walker today to highlight the way federal, state and city programs are giving Detroit businesses opportunities to grow.

W Industries, a premier value-added fabricator of manufactured products ranging from defense, aerospace, automotive and industrial sector OEM's is investing $18.6 million in capital equipment and renovations at its manufacturing and headquarters location in the city of Detroit. Started primarily as an automotive supplier that focused on steel racks, containers and welded components, W Industries recently diversified its operations by making aggressive forays in the US Government's defense industry. It now serves customers in aerospace, defense, energy, homeland security and industrial sectors, growing from $15 million in annual sales to over $100 million projected for 2009.

“A crisis in the national economy has not stopped Detroit Economic Growth Corporation’s efforts to support good companies like W Industries that see the value in growing their businesses in Detroit,” said Jackson. “We’ve received significant support from the federal government, thanks to Congresswoman Kilpatrick, to allow our business attraction and retention staff to reach out to companies such as W Industries and to offer other support for investments in the city. And later this year you will also see how federal stimulus funds are helping us rebuild streets and sidewalks downtown. We know from experience how attractive streetscapes help bring people and new investment to the city.”  

“Detroit suppliers and companies throughout the region have played an integral role in military operations. W Industries has become a defense, aerospace, and alternative energy contractor,” said Congresswoman Kilpatrick. “I am proud to support the DEGC’s efforts to keep and grow companies such as W Industries. I will continue working to secure federal support for projects that provide jobs, stimulate community and economic development, and help Michigan maintain and expand its manufacturing base.”

W Industries’ expansion is expected to create 100 new jobs over the next two years. With the help of DEGC, the company earned personal property tax abatements and workforce development assistance from the City of Detroit.

“DEGC has been instrumental in connecting us to the resources needed during our diversification and expansion efforts in the City of Detroit,” said Edward Walker, president and CEO of W Industries. “The support that we have received from the DEGC has strengthened our commitment to continue our growth plans within the city.”

Since 1981, W Industries has experienced consistent growth that has been driven by its innovative yet, adaptable processes.

Based on DEGC's recommendation, the Detroit City Council approved a 12-year Personal Property Tax Abatement on the company's proposed investment. In addition to the tax incentives, the DEGC sought the assistance of the City of Detroit Workforce and Development Department to help the company identify residents in the city that would qualify for the company's expanding workforce. Together, the targeted assistance of DEGC's Business Retention Team, the City Council's approval of tax abatements and the efforts of the Workforce and Development Department demonstrated the City's commitment to creating a competitive advantage for Detroit-based companies and encouraging growth in new industry initiatives.

“We wanted to assure W Industries that Detroit values its presence in the city and is committed to supporting its continued growth within the city,” said George Jackson, president and CEO of DEGC. “I want to thank the company for giving us an chance to demonstrate that we’ve got the right locations and right team to make their investment in Detroit a sound business decision.”  

Presently, W Industries employs 368 workers in the City of Detroit, of which 80 percent are City residents. Through this expansion the company anticipates both new hires and internal opportunities for advancement, as current employees increase their skills through internal development programs. 

“Despite all the competitive pressures of the manufacturing industry, I am highly optimistic about our future,” said Edward Walker, president and CEO of W Industries. “We were pleased by the way the DEGC and the City responded to our projected workforce needs as part of the overall incentive package they provided for us.”

 

 Check out my Interview about the Auto Industry...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_MzEcqd0TY

Detroit, MI — Today, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI-13) announced that more than $67.4 million in funding has been released from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for drinking water construction projects in Michigan.
 
“The repair and replacement of aging drinking water infrastructure is vital to the health and safety of families throughout our state,” said Congresswoman Kilpatrick. “These funds will help ensure that we are able to provide communities with clean drinking water and maintain environmental standards.”

These funds, distributed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will go to the state's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program, which provides low interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. The program also emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water. At least 20% of the funds provided under the Recovery Act are to be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements and other environmentally innovative projects.