Michigan's economic woes are known throughout the halls of Congress. Occasionally, I have members from states like Indiana, Tennessee and North Carolina come up and thank me for new jobs in their districts.

Why are they thanking me? Because these are jobs that have been re-located from Michigan to other states, states with regulatory and tax structures that encourage business growth and innovation rather than discourage it.

Michigan families and businesses are hurting in large part because of bad policies enacted by politicians. The most recent example is tax hikes passed in the Michigan legislature.  

While times are tough in Michigan, I know Michigan can come back, and in Congress, I am taking practical steps to encourage the creation of good-paying jobs and economic growth.

- Encouraging business investment

Michigan's economic turnaround depends on manufacturers innovating, growing and expanding.  For example, our American auto manufacturers spend $20 billion a year on research and development, and I am co-sponsoring the Investment in America Act (H.R.2138) to extend the research and development tax credit, so we can keep high-tech, high-paying jobs here in Michigan and encourage further investment.

- Encouraging individual investment

Hard-working families in south-central Michigan and across the United States should not be taxed on inflationary increases.  

I have co-sponsored the Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act (H.R.1261), which would stop American families, small business owners and family farmers from being taxed on gains that came simply from inflation. This legislation would provide homeowners, farmers and business owners tax fairness and encourage investment and saving.  

- Making it easier for working families to save

Another bill I support, the Savings for Working Families Act (H.R.1514), would help middle and lower income families save and invest for the future. This bi-partisan legislation would give working Americans the opportunity to build assets through matched savings accounts, help combat poverty and raise the savings rate.

- Making it easier for small businesses to provide health care to their employees

I support the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R.241), legislation that would create Association Health Plans.  Small companies would be able to band together and more easily afford health insurance for their employees.

- Stopping tax increases

Tax relief passed by Congress is set to expire in 2011.  My legislation, the Tax Increase Prevention Act (H.R.2734), would prevent a massive $400 billion tax increase on families and job providers.

In a letter supporting my legislation, The National Taxpayers Union stated that without this legislation, "The average American taxpayer would face $3,026 in additional federal income taxes per year thanks to higher rates, a $500-per-child tax increase, and a loss in deductibility for expenses such as tuition and state and local sales taxes.  Other costly consequences would include the reinstatement of a 55 percent estate tax and a 13 percent tax hike for many small businesses... this is a loss Americans cannot afford."

My bill would prevent higher tax increases on things like marriage, childbirth, adoption, earning money, saving money, paying college loans and dying. It would also enable small business to create more good-paying jobs and bring more opportunity to the Michigan economy.

If Congress can pass these common-sense bills, Michigan's turnaround will jump-start, and we'll see more good-paying jobs come back to Michigan. We can build a better, brighter future for Michigan, and I have no doubt that Michiganders are up to the task.