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On Thursday, the House will vote on a proposal by House Republicans to repeal a job-killing withholding from private contractors that was included in President Obama's jobs plan. The bill repeals an existing requirement that government agencies withhold three percent of every payment to any contractor they do business with. 

This tax automatically assumes that job creators who do business with the federal government are somehow evading full taxation. By forcing a three percent pre-tax on job creators, the government ends up punishing all taxpayers instead of only penalizing tax evaders.

In this struggling economy, job creators do not have the extra funds to pay for needless taxes that will ultimately lead to higher prices, lower wages, and lost jobs.  

If Americans can pay their bills on time, then so can the federal government.  

On October 13, 2011 the House passed free trade agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea to enhance American job creation and prosperity. Theses agreements will help level the playing field for American exports by slashing tariffs, boosting demand for American goods, and leading to an estimated $13 billion in new sales opportunities for American producers as well as creating an estimated 250,000 new jobs in the U.S. According to a Chamber of Commerce study, 380,000 jobs would be lost if these three agreements were not enacted. Further, these agreements will play an intimate role in District 11 by creating jobs and boosting sales for the 52 exporting companies in the district.

On October 13th, H.R. 2250, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011, was passed by the House of Representatives. This bill is pivotal in reining the excessive EPA regulations that have unfairly burdened schools, hospitals, factories and other businesses by forcing them to hire and compensate employees based upon what type of heating equipment they own. According to a different study, implementing these regulations would cost $10 billion and place more than 20,000 jobs in jeopardy. Ultimately, this bill will save thousands of jobs, while continuing to allow schools, hospitals and businesses the opportunity to grow and prosper. 

Recently, I paid a visit to our men and women stationed in Afghanistan. Seeing their dedication first hand reinforced my commitment to ensuring our warriors have everything they need to complete their mission and my unwavering belief that we have the best armed services in the world. We are truly blessed for their service to our nation.

Videos from trip:

Video from trip