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Congressman Buck McKeon

One More Job.

We are facing some of the most challenging times that today’s generations can remember.  Here at home in California and across the country, people can’t find work, families are struggling to make ends meet and foreclosure signs are now littering once booming developments.

For over three years now, our nation’s unemployment rate has been at or above 8%. In the 25th Congressional district, where I serve, the unemployment rate is much higher. In the areas of Palmdale, Littlerock, Lancaster and Lake Los Angeles, it is actually double that or more. Everyone is aware of these statistics, and all of us know someone who is unemployed and desperately seeking employment.

To make matters worse, dysfunctional leadership in our nation’s capitol and crippling budget deficits are creating an environment of uncertainty for many companies who want to hire people, but are afraid to do so. Capital is stagnant and unattainable, frozen by an over swing of regulation.  We want to get America working again, yet many of our wounds are self inflicted, as Washington bureaucrats go to work every day piling more regulations and taxes onto the very businesses we ask to grow and create more jobs. This Congress, House Republicans have consistently attempted to end these stifling tax and regulate policies.  We have passed over 30 pro-jobs bills, including H.R. 3606, the JOBS Act, which is legislation that rolls back costly regulations to boost capital formation, helps startups and small businesses get off the ground and paves the way for more small businesses to go public and create jobs.  Unfortunately these bills have been left to languish in the Democrat controlled Senate.

A couple of weeks ago I spoke at the 40th Annual Antelope Valley Business Outlook Conference, where over 1,000 business and community leaders from across the 25th District gathered to discuss industry growth. While speaking to the folks at the AV Board of Trade, it was apparent that many businesses represented there were struggling to pay the bills and just keep their business afloat. They are struggling to stay open, let alone expand and hire more employees. These problems reach far beyond businesses in my district—they are very real struggles for thousands of families and workers in California and across the country.

As a representative in Washington, I am very concerned with what we can do to create more jobs.  I was a small businessman myself and I know the inherent difficulties businesses face trying to keep a business up and running, let alone with Washington getting in the way making it harder and more expensive.  The policies coming out of Washington have failed, and it is time to fix it.

Just recently I was talking to my staff about what is would be like if every business in the 25th District added just one more employee.  There are over 1000 small businesses between the Antelope and Santa Clarita Valleys. Think about what a difference it would make in our community, and to our families if each of these businesses were able to hire somebody who is unemployed.
It is the small businesses, the “mom and pop shops,” that employ our families and drive the economy of our communities, and I need the opinions of these folks that are on the front line.  That is why I have started a new initiative called “One More Job,” were I have sought out the counsel of business owners in the 25thDistrict to find out what they could do to hire just one more employee.

I recently wrote to these businesses asking what Washington can do to help them grow their business.  What law, tax or regulation is keeping you from hiring?  Is there a federal policy that is hurting rather than helping your business?  What can Washington do to help you expand?

My office received an overwhelming amount of feedback.  I received responses that ranged from concrete ideas on how to reform the federal tax code to repealing burdensome federal laws and regulations that are impeding on their business expansion.

With the great responses I received, I decided to hold a roundtable with interested businesses owners in our community to further discuss their ideas.  This week I hosted a One More Job Forum, where we discussed the critical issues hindering job growth in the 25th District and what we can do in Washington to get America working again. Business owners and leaders from a wide array of industry came to discuss what is keeping them from hiring one more worker.

The frustration of these business owners is palpable, and I share this frustration.  In these tough economic times, Washington needs to work for our job creators, not against them.  I am dedicated to creating concrete legislative solutions to creating jobs here at home. As I take these ideas to Washington, I will continue to update you as we make progress in creating One More Job for businesses and job seekers in California’s 25th District.

If you have any ideas as to how we can create One More Job in our district, please visitwww.mckeon.house.gov/onemorejob and send me your input.

3 Responses to “One More Job.”

  1. LobbyLink – LobbyLink’s BlogLines – March 15, 2012 Says:

    […] One More Job. We are facing some of the most challenging times that today’s generations can remember.  Here at home in California and across the country, people can’t find work, families are struggling to make ends meet and foreclosure signs are now littering once booming developments. For over three years now, our nation’s unemployment rate has been at […] […]

  2. Yj Draiman For mayor of la Says:

    Los Angeles Economic Development

    It is time to remake Los Angeles in the image of our boldest vision – a state of healthy communities with good schools and quality education, innovative companies in new and emerging sectors, quality open space, improved public transportation, a range of mobility and housing options; and above all, a prosperous and productive middle class equipped with the skills and education to create a better future.
    It is time to get serious about designing a real economic development program linked to investments in healthy communities. I recently proposed to make Los Angeles the World Capital of Renewable Energy, Energy and Water Efficiency. We have the climate, the manpower, the resources and technology. We must promote energy and water efficiency in all sectors of LA’s economy. This by itself can save the city billions and bring many jobs and economic growth. We should promote real estate gentrification, affordable housing, urban infill building, economic development and clean tech sorted through the parts of redevelopment worth retaining and retooling and some newer elements of economic development necessary to realize this vision of healthy communities.

    In the past five years many businesses in LA have closed down or moved out, there are many vacant properties, commercial and residential; many people moved out of LA, they could not afford the cost of living, the high taxation, the stifling bureaucracy and varied rules and regulations that choke business development.

    It is imperative that we reverse this trend.

    YJ Draiman

    http://www.yjdraimanformayor.com

  3. Yj Draiman For mayor of la Says:

    World class renewable energy innovation enterprise zone revealed for Los Angeles – Proposed by YJ Draiman – rev.5

    YJ Draiman welcomes innovative renewable energy zone approach which will create 200,000 + new jobs over the next 5-10 years.

    An ambitious project that will transform the way universities, business and industry collaborate, and establish Los Angeles as a world leader in the research, development and design of next generation renewable energy technology, was announced today, January 2, 2011. Spearheaded by YJ Draiman and the Economic development agency, Draiman Enterprise, and National Technology Renewable Energy Zone, will be established in the city of Los Angeles with the Universities of Southern California Technology Innovation Development at its heart.

    A large parcel of land will be allocated to set up the renewable energy enterprise zone site, which will be within the boundaries of Los Angeles. There will be an academic center which will be transformed into a center of excellence for academic research, commercialization and industry collaboration.

    The renewable energy zone initiative, which would span further than the confines of the City of Los Angeles and include Southern California, is expected to create 200,000 + new jobs over the next 5-10 years and give a boost to the Los Angeles economy through further industry academia collaboration and inward investment.

    The developer said: “This new vision of the Renewable energy Technology Innovation Center will be the cornerstone of Los Angeles Technology and Renewable Energy Zone. The developer’s vision for The Renewable energy Zone is to provide a breeding ground for ambitious companies to harness cutting-edge research, access the best people and develop the products which will shape the renewable energy industry of tomorrow.

    “Southern California has already claimed a place on the renewables map attracting energy heavyweights and pioneers in the solar and wind sector and we believe that by establishing this zone we will help reinforce Los Angeles position as a location of choice for the rapidly expanding renewables industry.”
    Developer said: “The Universities in the Los Angeles area’s Technology and Innovation Center is a transformational project for Los Angeles, building on California’s great tradition of innovating new technologies and developments in fields; including energy and engineering while creating and supporting hundreds of jobs. Through this collaboration, the aim is to quadruple the scale of research program investment in Los Angeles in areas key to economic growth by up to $10 billion + in five to ten years. “And now, as an integral part of Los Angeles Enterprise’s new Technology and Renewable Energy Zone, which aims to establish Los Angeles as a premier location for inward investment into world-leading technology and renewables research and development, we have the potential to deliver huge economic and social benefits, not only in Los Angeles but nationally and beyond.”

    The developer said: “The Technology and Innovation for renewable energy zone will help transform Los Angeles and Southern California. By capitalizing on our leading, industry-relevant research, the renewable energy zone will attract billions of dollars of inward investment to the city of Los Angeles, drive global businesses, create jobs, and support the development of our highly-qualified graduates and postgraduates. “As a leading technological hub of Universities, they are committed to sharing knowledge to address challenges that affect every area of society, including energy, health, manufacturing and economics. The renewable energy zone will forge new levels of collaboration between researchers, the public and private sectors to accelerate the pace of research and development and deliver benefit to companies, the economy and Southern California.” The collaborative approach with the Universities, Los Angeles Enterprise and existing pioneering renewable energy leaders means that companies locating in the zone will have access to government support and some of the world’s best industry and academia in the fields of technology, engineering and energy. The project represents a supportive government and business environment where companies locating in and around the zone may be eligible for additional support for job creation, innovation and staff development, delivered through various California Enterprise schemes.

    When the need arises we will establish facilities within the existing Zone that offer temporary accommodation for prospective tenants until construction of the research center is complete or, if required, a purpose-built industry engagement building is created within the Zone.
    Renewable energy Zone is designed to draw on Southern California’s existing competitive advantage by providing the right business environment for the renewables industry to continue to grow and further develop. Recent announcements from industry leaders have reinforced Southern California’s position as a world leading city in solar, wind research and development. A leader in energy innovation with unrivalled human and natural resources in renewable energy, Southern California is building on its rich history of oil and gas exploration and developing an infrastructure to cement its position as a world class location for international companies looking to invest in renewable energy and Energy efficiency.

    YJ Draiman’s vision for Los Angeles is to make LA the World Capital of Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency & Water Conservation.

    In addition to this theme, I would also set up a department to handle water conservation, rainwater harvesting and greywater.

    Implement an infrastructure collection of runoff water and filtering it for useable purposes.

    Modify building codes to implement better insulation and efficiency, better energy efficient windows, renewable energy system (photovoltaic and wind combo systems), high efficiency rating HVAC systems, Geothermal systems, envelope exterior that is insulated from the sun’s heat, landscape design for proper shading and drought resistant, rainwater harvesting, greywater systems.

    “Good leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion”
    “It is Cheaper to Save Energy than Make Energy”
    YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2013
    http://www.yjdraimanformayor.com
    Water is the source of life – treasure it! R5.
    Water is the source of all life on earth. It touches every area of our lives. Without it, we could not thrive — we could not even survive.