MADISON – Manufacturing is Wisconsin’s largest business sector employing 450,000 people and accounting for nearly 20 percent of total GDP. But you would never know how important manufacturing is to Wisconsin based on U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin’s voting record during the current Congress.
Baldwin, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has just a 14 percent voting record on pro-manufacturing issues, according to the Washington, DC-based National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Only 19 of the 435 member House scored lower.
Baldwin’s pathetic voting record on manufacturing comes as many politicians, including President Obama, have touted manufacturing jobs as the bedrock of the middle class. In fact, Obama has said he wants to add one million manufacturing jobs as a way to rebuild the economy.
“Congresswoman Baldwin claims she is pro-business and pro-manufacturing in her TV ads,” said Kurt R. Bauer, president/CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the State Chamber of Commerce. “But the record clearly shows Baldwin has voted against the best interest of Wisconsin workers. Her votes have made it harder for Wisconsin manufacturers to be competitive, which makes it harder for them to maintain let alone grow their workforce.”
NAM’s scorecard is based on 37 key votes in the U.S. House of Representatives. Baldwin supported the manufacturing position five times, and missed one vote. She voted against the manufacturing position 31 times. NAM’s scorecard is based on a wide array of business issues such as repealing the health care law, the Keystone pipeline, union election regulations, trade agreements, environmental regulations, and tax cuts.
“Wisconsin’s economy is dependent on manufacturing. Every factory job creates at least two jobs in other sectors like banking, health care, energy, retail, education and government,” Bauer said. “If Baldwin isn’t voting for manufacturing, then she isn’t voting for jobs.”
In 2011, Rep. Baldwin supported the business position 13 percent of the time, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is yet to release their entire scorecard for the 112th Congress.
For Further Information Contact:
Kurt R. Bauer, (608) 258-3400
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