Pallone Highlights Job Creation In NJ

Advocates For The 'Make It In America' Agenda That Would Replicate Siemens Success Story

Piscataway - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. went to the Siemens facility that manufactures hearing aids to review firsthand a business that has added jobs and expanded its business in a way that would be replicated across the country with an agenda that rebuilds America's manufacturing base and fosters economic growth.

Congressman Pallone toured the plant that makes the high-tech hearing aids, met with top Siemens executives and held an employee forum to hear from workers.

"When we make products in America we create jobs, we grow the economy and we generate economic opportunities in the years ahead," said Pallone. "America's manufacturing sector helped propel our economy to world leadership and helped build the middle class. The decline in American manufacturing that has robbed our economy and wounded the middle class can be reversed with a smart plan that capitalizes on the resolve of American workers."

Pallone is an advocate of the "Make It In America" agenda in Congress, a multi-dimensional action plan that will help build a modern manufacturing base. The plan would help keep America competitive, help small businesses prosper and add jobs, and set incentives for research and development.

"America and New Jersey have the basic resources, the best workers and a record of innovation that has led the world," said Pallone. "We need to build upon those strengths but it won't happen by itself. Make It In America will marry the best of the public and private sectors to help create the jobs and economic opportunity."

Siemens employs more than 500 people at its Piscataway location, combining manufacturing, R&D and marketing. Siemens is one of the largest manufacturers of hearing aids in the country, producing one-third of all hearing aids purchased in the world. This year alone, Siemens introduced a waterproof hearing aid and a new mini hearing aid that is one of the smallest ever made.

Research and development is a key component of business success in New Jersey, which is the third largest research and development employer in the U.S. In New Jersey more than 211,000 jobs are supported directly or indirectly by health R&D, included 50,000 direct jobs in health R&D. The economic impact in New Jersey is $60 billion.

"R&D is the cornerstone of long-term growth and New Jersey has always been a leader through the combined resources of local businesses, the best hospitals, top-notch universities and a skilled workforce," said Pallone. "R&D is even more important to compete in a rapidly evolving international marketplace."

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Make It In America - The Democratic Agenda To Rebuild the Manufacturing Sector, To Create Jobs and To Invest In America's Future. The Make It In America agenda:

• Closes tax loopholes that encourage outsourcing U.S. jobs overseas.
• Provides hometown tax credits to help small businesses hire new employees and sell their products and innovation overseas.
• Boosts incentives to create clean energy jobs.
• Sets requirements for government and its contractors to buy American products and services.
• Demands that China and other countries honor fair trade principles or lose American business.
• Gives incentives to hire and retrain America’s returning veterans for new clean energy jobs.
• Strengthens partnerships with businesses to retrain America’s workers for the jobs that are actually needed.

A series of Make It In America items have already been signed into law. They include bills that:

• Make it cheaper for American companies to obtain the materials they need to manufacture goods with the U.S. Manufacturing Enhancement Act.
• Protect American Patents by unclogging the backlog of 1.2 million patent applications so innovative ideas can move to market more quickly.
• Prevent Outsourcing of U.S. jobs by closing tax loopholes that encourage companies to send U.S. jobs overseas.