Barack Obama Discusses Job Creation Plan with Workers at National Gypsum in Lorain, Ohio

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As President, Barack Obama will invest in job creation, fix NAFTA, and fight for fair trade

February 24, 2008, Columbus, OH - Senator Barack Obama visited the National Gypsum plant in Lorain today to meet with workers and discuss his plan to invest in job creation-particularly "green jobs" in the clean energy sector-end tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas. Obama also stressed his opposition to unfair trade deals like NAFTA and vowed to fight for fair trade.

"Now, if we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that we can't stop globalization in its tracks and that some of these jobs aren't coming back," Senator Obama said today. "But what I refuse to accept is that we have to stand idly by while workers watch their jobs get shipped overseas. We need a president who's working as hard for you as you're working for your families. And that's the kind of President I intend to be."

National Gypsum is a leading manufacturer of gypsum wallboard products. The workforce is represented by the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, which endorsed Senator Obama last week.

"I've proposed a job-creation agenda that starts with making sure trade works for American workers," Obama said. "We can't keep passing unfair trade deals like NAFTA that put special interests over workers' interests."

Highlights of Barack Obama's plan to create jobs and reward companies that keep good jobs here in America:

*Support Job Creation: Barack Obama believes we need to increase federal funding for basic research and make the research and development tax credit permanent to help create high-paying, secure manufacturing jobs. Obama will also make long-term investments in education, training, and workforce development so that Americans can leverage our strengths - our ingenuity and entrepreneurialism - to create new high-wage jobs and prosper in a world economy.

*End Tax Breaks for Companies that Send Jobs Overseas: Barack Obama believes that companies should not get billions of dollars in tax deductions for moving their operations overseas. Obama will also fight to ensure that public contracts are awarded to companies that are committed to American workers.

*Reward Companies that Support American Workers: Barack Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 with Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to reward companies that create good jobs with good benefits for American workers. The legislation would provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of full-time workers in America relative to those outside the US; maintain their corporate headquarters in America if it has ever been in America; pay decent wages; prepare workers for retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who serve in the military.

You can read more about Obama's plan to strengthen the economy HERE, and you can download his full economic agenda, Keeping America's Promise, HERE (pdf).

Senator Barack Obama's remarks follow as prepared for delivery.
Remarks for Senator Barack Obama National Gypsum Lorain, Ohio Sunday, February 24, 2008

As prepared for delivery:

"Our economy has been struggling for some time now. And as I've traveled across Ohio, I've seen the face of this economy - a mother who told me she can't afford health care for her sick child; a father who's worried he won't be able to send his children to college; and seniors who've seen their pensions disappear because the companies they gave their lives to went bankrupt."

Source: Obama for America