Since entering Congress November of 2009, Congressman Garamendi has been a leader in promoting policies that create jobs in Northern California and throughout the country. Garamendi understands that it is the responsibility of Congress to invest in transportation, clean technology, education, and research while also extending tax relief for hard working middle class families.

Garamendi has also been one of Congress' lead advocates for a Make It In America agenda to bring back American manufacturing - the backbone of America's middle class. Garamendi is the author of four Make It In America bills that would create pathways to the middle class for thousands of hardworking Americans. They would:

• Create American jobs by requiring federal money be used to purchase American-made transportation equipment like trains and buses instead of foreign-produced equipment;
• Create American jobs by requiring federal money be used to purchase American-made clean energy like solar panels and wind turbines instead of foreign-produced equipment;
• Create American jobs by allowing businesses to invest in American-made capital expenditures to grow their businesses; and
• Create American jobs by ending tax loopholes that reward the offshoring of American jobs. 

Most of the tax loopholes in the latter bill were closed when merged with other legislation, and Garamendi will continue to develop innovative strategies to Make It In America. To make it in America, we must Make It In America. Manufacturing matters.

As part of the Make It In America agenda, Garamendi is a leading advocate for the establishment of a National Infrastructure Bank. Leveraging private investment and public backing, we can multiply the impact of our tax dollars many fold to rebuild America during trying times.

A sample of some of the pro-growth, pro-jobs bills Garamendi has championed are below:

Small Business Jobs & Credit Act, H.R. 5297; 
Creating jobs by leveraging billions in loans for small businesses through a lending fund for community banks and providing tax incentives to spur investment in small businesses and the formation of new small businesses. (Signed into Law)

HIRE Act, H.R. 2847;
Creating American jobs by providing a payroll tax holiday for businesses that hire unemployed workers and a tax credit for businesses that retain these workers; also unleashes tens of billions of dollars to rebuild infrastructure; fully paid for by cracking down on offshore accounts for wealthy. (Signed into Law)

Worker, Homeownership & Business ASSISTANCE Act, H.R. 3548;
Creating American jobs with more unemployment benefits for Americans hit by the recession, an expanded 1st-time homebuyer tax credit, and enhanced small business tax relief—expanded to all struggling U.S. businesses.  (Signed into Law)

Unemployment Benefits Extension, H.R. 3548;
Creating American jobs by extending unemployment benefits to millions of American families through November 30, 2010; every dollar of unemployment benefits creates at least $1.61 in economic activity. (Signed into Law)

American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, H.R. 4123;
Would have created American jobs by restoring credit to small businesses, extending tax incentives for American R&D and tax relief for middle class American families, rebuilding American infrastructure, and expanding job opportunities for young people.  (Passed by House)

Jobs for Main Street Act, HR 2847;
Would have created more than 500,000 American jobs by funding education and public safety and rebuilding highways and transit – paid for by redirecting TARP funds from Wall Street to Main Street. (Passed by House)

Home Star Jobs Act, H.R. 5019;
Would have created 168,000 American jobs by making energy efficiency products and by providing incentives for consumers to make their homes energy-efficient – cutting energy bills for 3 million families and reducing our dangerous dependence on foreign oil and dirty fuels. (Passed by House)