Last week, I had the opportunity to see many of you at Labor Day parades around the District. While we often think of Labor Day as the kickoff for the fall or the date when the swimming pools close, the Day has an important history recognizing labor and workers rights in this country. For me, the day was not just a time to reconnect with families across Western North Carolina, it was a time to reflect on the current employment situation in our state and throughout the country.
According to a recent study by the Economic Policy Institute, 2.4 million U.S. jobs were lost or displaced due to trade with China between 2001 and 2008. Unfair trade agreements have closed too many factories and sent thousands of good-paying jobs to foreign countries. A member of the bipartisan House Buy American Caucus, it is one of my top priorities to stop the trend of sending manufacturing jobs overseas and promote American manufacturing to put more Americans back to work.
Last week, I was privileged to tour the Ethan Allen factory in Old Fort where I met dozens of employees that had been working in that facility for decades, producing furniture made entirely in America.
Far too many of these facilities, that employ entire families and provide long-term, stable job opportunities, have been shipped overseas. Nothing made me more proud than seeing “Made in America” etched into every piece of furniture made in the factory. The Ethan Allen factory was the perfect example for me of what we need more of in our communities.
There is still a great deal of work to do, but now more than ever, I am confident that our workers are the most skilled, knowledgeable, and capable of any out there. I am working to protect American jobs, create incentives for overseas companies to bring their businesses back to the U.S., and give small businesses the tools they need to grow, add more jobs to our economy, and provide much-needed opportunities to hard-working Americans.
