Issue Position: Jobs + Economy

Issue Position

Supporting Working Families, Growing Small Business, and Creating the Jobs of Tomorrow

Brian is committed to helping families make ends meet, growing and supporting small businesses, and investing in creating good-paying jobs in our changing economy. As a job creator himself, Brian and Linda ran a small business for several years. Brian eventually moved on to become CEO of one of Hawaii's largest non-profits, Helping Hands Hawaii, where he brought the organization back from the brink of bankruptcy. As a member of the State Legislature, Brian was Chair of the Economic Development Committee, and fought for policies that would diversify Hawaii's economy and support working families. In the Senate, he continues to push for legislation that will create jobs and reshape America's economy.

Coming from a working family, Brian understands the tough decisions that many families in Hawaii face. That's why he voted to raise the minimum wage four times while he was a member of the State Legislature. He has remained consistent in his views as a United States Senator, supporting the Working Families Tax Relief Act, which would permanently extend the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. If passed, latter credit would benefit over 52,000 families and 102,000 children in Hawaii.

Brian has also made supporting small businesses and fostering their growth a cornerstone of his career. In 2005, he sponsored a bill to give preference to small business in large contracts on public works. This measure required the Procurement Policy Board to adopt rules to promote the growth and development of small businesses. In the Senate, he voted for the Marketplace Fairness Act, which gives brick-and-mortar small businesses an equal playing field for competing with online retailers. He has also supported critical funding for federal small business programs, such as Small Business Act Grants and the Minority Business Development Agency.

In Hawaii, small businesses are part of the Senator's effort to diversify the state economy. That is why in 2003, he authored a bill compelling the Departments of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop and implement plans to diversify the economy. As Democratic State Party Chairman, Brian believed that economic diversification was an imperative for Hawaii. Under his leadership, the party platform stated, "We believe that large and small businesses are the key to economic expansion, diversification, innovation and entrepreneurship."

Our economy is in the midst of a transition, and Brian believes that America has a chance to excel in the fields of tomorrow. This includes green jobs, clean energy development and infrastructure construction, and high-tech business. He knows that Hawaii is in a unique position to lead in these industries. In the coming months and years, he will continue to look for ways to diversify the economy, help small businesses succeed, and create jobs in industries that will become increasingly important in the global economy.

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