Jobs and the Economy
As someone who owned and operated a local small business, I understand that businesses are best served by a government that gives them the freedom to innovate, grow and create jobs. That’s why I vote for tax policies that encourage businesses to invest and expand. I am working to lower gas prices, enact fair trade policies that provide new opportunities for American farmers and businesses, protect the dams that provide lower-cost power to the Northwest, and support locally driven economic solutions – rather than more government mandates and spending.
Gas prices
Producing more American-made energy and lowering gas prices is one of the most important steps Congress can take to grow the economy. Congressman Hastings supports an all-of-the-above energy plan to lower gas and diesel prices that includes: 1) promoting alternative energy sources like wind and solar power, 2) expanding nuclear power, 3) protecting hydropower dams, and 4) drilling offshore, in Alaska, and on other federal lands.
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Taxes
With Congressman Hastings’ support, the Republican Congress put an economic plan in place to reduce tax rates for all taxpayers, create jobs and encourage investment. This means that Americans are keeping more of what they earn and have to send less money to Washington, D.C. – and more money is being used to create jobs and grow our economy. This tax relief must be made permanent so that American families and businesses do not face massive tax increases in the future.
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Trade
Few things are as important to our local agriculture-dependent economy as the pending trade agreements with Colombia and South Korea. With 1 in 3 Washington state jobs tied to trade, we depend on these agreements for creating jobs and growing our economy.
Immediately upon enactment of the Colombia agreement, tariffs will disappear on many Washington state products including apples, cherries, pears, beef, potatoes, raspberries, wheat, and dairy. This would provide new opportunities for our businesses, workers and farmers.
One-way trade policies are unacceptable and put American farmers and businesses at a real disadvantage. Congressman Hastings is pressing for trade policies that put American farmers first.
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Local Solutions
Congressman Hastings is leading many initiatives to provide federal support for locally driven economic priorities. From helping fund improvements to the George Sellar Bridge in Wenatchee, to Valley Mall Boulevard in Yakima and for Grant Transit Authority in Moses Lake, Congressman Hastings is supporting transportation projects critical to local growth. From supporting Benton County’s Red Mountain Vision and the Port of Pasco’s riverfront development, to addressing water storage needs in the Yakima Basin, and finding solutions to Odessa Subaquifer depletion in the Columbia Basin – Congressman Hastings is working on the local projects that matter most.