Congressman Diane Black visited DeKalb County last week, touring local manufacturers and the new county office complex and speaking with county officials before sitting down with the Review to discuss her findings on her recent tour of the area.
Black, a small business owner, former educator, and nurse for more than 40 years before being elected to Congress in 2010, represents Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District.
Black was elected by her fellow freshmen members of Congress to serve as the freshman class representative to the Republican Policy Committee, was chosen as one of only two freshmen to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, and is also a member of the House Budget Committee.
The Congressman said that her visit was part of a fact-finding mission of sorts, with her intention being to gather information on problems businesses in the area face.
"I have been out for more than a year now visiting businesses in my district, and I wanted to see if what I hear from our elected officials matches what I hear from businesses," Black told the Review "It is matching exactly.”
"I want to take this information back to Washington with me so we can set policies that will allow our businesses to have some certainty, and to start to grow," said Black. "One of the best ways we have to create jobs is to grow these businesses and to help them expand.”
Black said the "One More Job" initiative will spark growth in local business and stir local economies.
"Jobs are number one on everyone's mind," she said. "With the unemployment rate above eight percent, and it has been now for almost 40 months, jobs, jobs, jobs, are the number-one issue.
"This initiative is called ‘One More Job,’” Black shared. "We want to know how we can help current businesses to create one more job. If every business can create one more job, it will put a big dent in that unemployment number.
"If you start doing that, whether it's one or two more jobs, or in some cases more than that, soon you've taken care of the unemployment problem."
Black said that she agrees with local officials who told her that uncertainty is a major factor in business owners choosing to be conservative when it comes to expanding their business in the current economic climate.
"If I am uncertain, will I either take the capital that I have right now, or will I put my company at risk by borrowing more money if there's no potential of a return on my investment? So they (business owners) are just sitting there waiting."
Black said that other concerns commonly mentioned by business owners are the fear of new taxes and fees, as well as new government mandates and regulations.
"There are three things that I hear consistently," Black said. "They are worried about taxes. The second is the mandates, and the heath care mandate is really the biggest one.
"We're hearing now at the Supreme Court oral arguments how far this mandate will take the government into our business. Justice Kennedy said that if this (health-care mandate) were found to be constitutional it will fundamentally change the relationship between the government and the people."
"I also hear about regulations," she continued. "I'll give you a good example. there is a new standard that just came out for the boilers that are used in manufacturing and hospitals for heating.
"The new standard is so high that there is not a boiler made in the United States or the entire world that can meet that standard. This is why there is so much uncertainty out there," Black concluded. "They are just afraid of what the government is going to do to them next.