First Posted: 10/27/2014

There is no doubt that American made products are the best products in the world and American workers are second to none when it comes to hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. When you purchase products tagged :Made in USA,” you are guaranteed the utmost quality and reliability. Most importantly, when you buy American, you are investing in our local communities, growing our economy, and promoting the continued livelihood of our great nation.

As your representative, I am deeply invested in finding ways to ensure that our local manufacturers remain competitive and create jobs. Last week, I had the privilege of learning more about a local leader in American manufacturing, McRae Industries in Mount Gilead. Did you know that this company has produced superior quality combat boots for our men and women serving in the U.S. Army for more than 40 years? I had a great time touring the facility and learning more about its operations and new line of boots for our soldiers. This is American manufacturing at its finest, and I’m working hard every day to help keep quality manufacturing like this right here in North Carolina.

While the manufacturing spirit of our district continues to thrive, the challenges to growth and progress lie in government regulatory hurdles. The hard truth is our local manufacturers suffer at the hand of Washington bureaucrats who impose more rules, more paperwork and more red tape. Complying with federal regulations costs Americans $2.028 trillion annually in lost economic growth, with small businesses and manufacturers bearing the brunt of these costs. The administration has continuously relied upon executive power to pass nearly 300 economically significant regulations, putting the burden on our economy and job creators and pocketing more of American taxpayers’ hard-earned money. I’m committed to putting an end to these job-killing regulations and getting government out of the way.

The House has passed countless pro-growth jobs bills like the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (H.R. 367), which will require any rule or regulation with an economic impact of $100 million or more to come before Congress for a vote before taking effect. The REINS Act will prevent our bloated bureaucracy from crushing our manufacturers with unnecessary costs and empower them to grow, expand and hire people. But just like hundreds of other jobs bills passed by the House, the REINS Act continues to collect dust on Sen. Harry Reid’s desk. Like you, I am frustrated by the Senate’s inaction. It’s past time for the Senate and the president to work with the House to find common ground and put Americans’ priorities first.

I came to Washington to fight for people, not bureaucrats and politicians. I was granted the National Association of Manufacturers Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence for my work to advance policies that empower American manufacturers to succeed in the global economy. I am proud to be an advocate for North Carolina’s manufacturers, and I remain committed to supporting pro-growth policies and regulatory reforms that foster innovation and competitiveness and create jobs in the 8th District.

I have a plan to create jobs, and it starts with getting government off the backs of our job-creators and returning power to American workers and entrepreneurs. See my plan and tell me what you think at Hudson.House.Gov/JOBS.

Richard Hudson, a Republican from Concord, is the U.S. representative of the 8th District in Congress, which includes most of Robeson County.