After joining bipartisan colleagues from both chambers in developing an initiative to create new solutions for providing access to capital and private sector investment in distressed communities, U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) discussed the long-term plan last week.
“I am proud to be part of such a strong coalition of Democrats and Republicans committed to developing new, commonsense policies that will help foster innovation and economic prosperity nationwide,” Roskam said. “We are all better off when serious people like this group of members join together behind the common purpose of driving economic opportunity for our families. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this critical and timely initiative.”
The large group of legislators, led by Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Reps. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Ron Kind (D-WI), pledged to work closely beginning this fall to produce legislation to accomplish their stated goals.
The group also included Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AL), Todd Young (R-IN), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Charles Boustany (R-LA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Kevin Yoder (R-KS) and John Delaney (D-MD).
Polls conducted by the Economic Innovation Group, an ideas and advocacy organization, revealed a troubling trend – showing that a large percentage of voters remain significantly anxious about their local economies and are pessimistic in terms of future generations having the ability to achieve the American dream. The same polls show, however, that voters overwhelmingly support the idea of new policies that award incentives for producing new investment dollars in economically distressed communities.