Here is Congressman Randy Hultgren’s summary of his week in Washington emailed October 16th:
Dear Friend:
Randy Hultgren
I’m back in Illinois after another busy, but also productive, week working on your behalf in Washington, DC.
The biggest news out of the Capitol this week is that, after a long delay, Congress finally ratified three Free Trade Agreements. These FTAs, with
- Colombia,
- Panama, and
- South Korea,
promise to open valuable new markets for American manufacturers and farmers. They will also help create jobs in Illinois and across the country.
In Illinois alone, exports support almost 146,000 jobs, with 26,000 of those in our 14th District. Free trade is also hugely beneficial to our farmers: in 2010, the state’s agricultural exports were estimated at $5.8 billion, supporting almost 49,000 jobs statewide. To learn more about these FTAs, and what local stakeholders have to say about them, read my FTAs, and what local stakeholders have to say about them, read my statement applauding their passage.
Also this week, I held a conference call with local business owners and job-creators to discuss the effect regulations have on their businesses. What I heard from them is what I have heard from countless other small business owners across the district: Washington needs to get off of their back. They also expressed concern about the enormous growth of the federal government over the last few years. One participant summed it up well when he said that “large government breeds large business at the cost of small and medium sized businesses.” I couldn’t agree more.
But it wasn’t just small business owners that feel the private sector is overregulated – many of you do as well. Recently, I asked you to take a quick email poll regarding your feelings about regulations. The response was overwhelming. To see the response, check out the video below, where I discuss the results on the House floor.
If you haven’t already, be sure to like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or check out my YouTube page to stay informed on everything I’m doing on your behalf in Washington and in Illinois.
As always, it is truly an honor to serve you in Washington. Please contact me at 630.232.7104 or 202.225.2976 if I can be of assistance, or if you’d like to share your thoughts on the issues before Congress.
In service,
Randy Hultgren, Member of Congress