Make It In America Tour on the Road
House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer recently kicked off the Make It In America listening tour to hear directly from Americans about the economic challenges they face.
Hosting Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) at events in their districts were Rep. Ruben Kihuen (NV-04) in Las Vegas, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) in Kansas City, and Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) in Peoria. Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01) participated in the Las Vegas event, and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) took part in the discussions in Kansas City and Peoria. Click here to view pictures of the tour.
In Las Vegas, Rep. Kihuen hosted a conversation at the University of Nevada Las Vegas with Southern Nevada’s community leaders on infrastructure. In Kansas City, Rep. Cleaver hosted a discussion with entrepreneurs and innovators at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to discuss the challenges that entrepreneurs face in both starting and scaling up a small business. In Peoria, Rep. Bustos hosted a discussion with the Peoria Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Central College, small business owners, small manufacturers, the employment training office, and the regional superintendent on education and closing the skills gap. Whip Hoyer will join with other Democratic members to continue the Make It In America listening tour in districts across the country over the coming months.
At each event, participants raised important issues that Whip Hoyer and House Democrats can draw on to improve and expand the Make It In America plan. In Las Vegas, local leaders talked about the importance of sustainably financing infrastructure investments and the ways that technology is transforming infrastructure needs. Those who joined the discussion in Kansas City on entrepreneurship raised concerns about how difficult it is for startups to find skilled workers, including those trained in advanced technologies and cybersecurity. They also shared their insights into the changing landscape of accessing capital and how crowdsourcing has altered the way even traditional venture capital firms invest in entrepreneurs. At the event in Peoria, discussion participants shared the need for more teachers who can teach trades and technical skills to prepare the next generation of workers – and the criticality of building better pipelines from classrooms to careers.
“The Make It In America listening tour is an opportunity for House Democrats to hear directly from those on the front lines of our economic challenges,” Whip Hoyer said. “Americans need to see that Democrats are listening and understanding their concerns. As we look ahead to next year, Democrats must have an economic message that can be the foundation for a Democratic Majority’s agenda in the 116th Congress. As we continue this listening tour over the coming months, Americans will have a chance to shape Democrats’ Make It In America plan with their input and ideas.”
“It was an honor to host Whip Hoyer in Las Vegas for the first stop of his Make It In America listening tour to hear directly from local leaders and innovators about Southern Nevada’s infrastructure needs,” Rep. Kihuen said. “Southern Nevada has had notable infrastructure successes in recent years, including the jobs and economic opportunities created by the voter-approved fuel revenue indexing initiative. But local communities can’t do it alone. They need a partner in the federal government that is committed to investing in 21st century American infrastructure and 21st-century American jobs. I’m committed to working with Whip Hoyer and my colleagues in Congress to make smart federal investments that will power economic growth in Southern Nevada.”
“It was a pleasure to meet with many area entrepreneurs during the recent Make It In America listening tour,” Rep. Cleaver said. “I am grateful that Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer organized this tour and included Kansas City as one of the destinations. Business leaders shared their economic challenges and because they have entrusted us with their thoughts and goals, we must do what we can to make their voices heard in Washington. After all, it is our entrepreneurs who shape our country’s economy. When they are successful, so are we.”
“Hardworking men and women across the heartland are tired of getting a raw deal from Washington,” said Rep. Bustos, “and they want to know how we’re going to create a better future for them and their families. As the leader of the Make It In America agenda, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer has proven himself to be a champion in the fight to build a 21st-century manufacturing economy that will create more good paying jobs in places like Peoria. A key component of this effort is directly connecting educators with employers to build a skills pipeline that trains our workforce for this next generation of jobs. We are committed to taking the ideas from our discussion back to Washington as we continue leading the fight to put hardworking families first.”
House Democrats’ Make It In America plan was first launched in 2010 and has been updated each Congress to reflect new economic challenges and new opportunities. The 2015 series of hearings called “Make It In America: What’s Next?” saw dozens of members and outside experts testify about how to adapt the plan in light of a changing economy. It identified three core areas where Congress can make a difference: infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and closing the skills gap.
Over the coming months, Whip Hoyer will bring the Make It In America listening tour across the country so that Americans can see that House Democrats are listening to their concerns, learning from their experiences, and responding to the challenges they face.
To learn more about the Make It In America plan, click here.
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For more information about House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer, visit his Leader member page.
