Weekly Column - Getting Americans Back to Work

Statement

The new year in Congress presents a fresh chance to take on daunting challenges like joblessness in America. I believe that promoting policies that enable job creation is a basic duty of the people's government. We've had five years of economic fits and starts, but the weak job reports and claims of recovery don't tell the full story.

Our real national unemployment rate, or the total percentage of unemployed and underemployed workers, tops 13 percent -- significantly higher than the 7 percent reported by the Department of Labor last November.

That's nearly 21 million people without work. Our labor force participation rate is at 63 percent -- a near 35 year low. The vast majority of these discouraged men and women, including 37,000 Nebraskans, are jobless through no fault of their own.

They are the real-life casualties of failed Washington policies. They are our friends, our neighbors, and our family members. They are decent, hardworking people, who want to regain the dignity of a full day of labor and a steady paycheck.

Unfortunately, instead of a laser focus on job creation, politicians in Washington seem to pivot from issue to issue and miss critical opportunities to pass good policy. Jobless Americans aren't interested in the politics of who's to blame. They're interested in who's going to fix this mess and -- more importantly -- how.

The Senate is considering a proposal to extend recently expired unemployment insurance benefits for three additional months. This action would cost the federal government $6.5 billion over the next fiscal year. I opposed advancing this bill because its cost was not paid for, so it would add to our deficit. Nebraskans know that deficit spending isn't the solution to kick-start our economy.

I was also disappointed the legislation does not include necessary measures to actually create jobs for the millions of men and women looking for work. The best way to support the unemployed is not just to extend benefits. It's to grow the economy and enable more hardworking Americans to provide for their families.

There are many thoughtful ideas to address the urgent need for job creation and help relieve business owners of unnecessary challenges preventing them from hiring. One of these hurdles is overregulation.

I am a cosponsor of the Regulatory Responsibility for our Economy Act of 2013, introduced by Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.). The legislation requires the executive branch to repeal duplicative and onerous rules hindering job creators. It also requires federal agencies to modify, streamline, or repeal significant regulatory actions that are unnecessary or overly burdensome.

I'm also cosponsoring an amendment introduced by Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) to lower the cost of hiring and provide relocation resources for long-term unemployed individuals. This measure includes provisions to strengthen and improve federal job training programs, which are key to ensuring those searching for work are well-equipped with the skills they need.

Another effective way to spur economic growth is broad-based tax reform. Our current tax system is far too complex and ridden with dated loopholes. It's time to simplify our tax code to encourage pro-growth behavior. I hope to see progress toward meaningful tax reform in the months ahead.

As the Senate continues consideration of legislation to extend benefits for the long-term unemployed, I hope the Senate Majority Leader will allow an open amendment process. There is no shortage of good legislation to address job creation, but these smart policies cannot be implemented without a transparent, collaborative legislative process. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and putting forth my own proposals to fulfill my duty to the people of Nebraska to get our friends and neighbors back to work.

Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.

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