For America to succeed, the economy needs to grow.  One of my top priorities in Congress has been to support bills and initiatives that create and sustain good-paying jobs and industries for American workers today and tomorrow.  We create these jobs when we support incentives for high-tech and green-tech businesses, rebuild America's roads and bridges, and encourage high school and college graduates to pursue careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as well as the critical public sector, such as teachers and our first responders. We can help secure this growth through dedicated support for our small businesses.  Right now, two out of every three new jobs in America come from small businesses.  We increase jobs and opportunities for Americans when we give these small businesses access to capital, encourage investment in these businesses, and help them provide health care to their workers in a sustainable manner.  I am fighting every day for bills and policies that allow our small businesses to survive and thrive across the country.

It is something I have tremendous experience with already.  In Newark, I helped bring Panasonic’s North American Headquarters to the city, where it has created a $200 million office tower and created nearly 1,000 jobs. Also, I have created public-private partnerships throughout the district to grow the local economy and create good high-tech jobs.  One example happened when I partnered with Essex County College and area hotels to create a ground-breaking jobs training program for students to give them the skills to work in the growing hospitality industry throughout the district.  When we work together, American businesses and workers succeed.