WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Rod Blum today released the following statement regarding the announcement of layoffs at John Deere:
“Today’s news of layoffs at John Deere stands in stark contrast to the rosy economic picture painted by President Obama in his State of the Union address this week. Unfortunately, the recovery still has not reached many of our working families.
I am convinced our economy can do much better. I came to Washington to do just that, and I am working hard everyday to promote common sense policies that encourage job creation and wage increases for families in Eastern Iowa – rather than overburdening our economic powerhouses in manufacturing with increased red tape and compliance costs. That’s why I’ve already co-sponsored legislation like the REINS Act and RAPID Act that reduce unneeded costly regulations and streamline a bureaucracy that holds business back.
In addition, we also need to address our outdated tax code, lowering rates while eliminating unfair loopholes for special interests. We should also push for smart trade agreements that increase access to markets for American goods, like Iowa agricultural products. And this is just the beginning: there is much more that we in Congress can do to help reignite our economy, and I am hopeful that both parties will work together to get the job done.”
Rod Blum is the Republican Congressman in Iowa’s 1st District. He is a member of the Budget and Oversight & Government Reform Committees.
