Dale E. Kildee, Democrat

Candidate for: U.S. Congress - 5th District

Response:*

I am again running for Congress to do my part to deliver to Genesee County effective representation in Washington and a Congress that is responsive to business's role in economic recovery.

In addition to increasing our manufacturing capabilities, entrepreneurship and small business will be essential in replacing job losses in Genesee County. I support research and development tax credits essential to Michigan small business and manufacturers. I also support a fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax, which would provide relief to 25 million middle-class families this year.

I will continue to advocate for federal funding that helps improve local roads and infrastructure, restoring vitality to regional commerce by providing consumers better access and by employing construction crews who will stimulate their local economy. Since 2006, I have worked with House appropriators to secure $4.9 million for reconstruction at Miller Road, $2.4 million for improvements to University/3rd Avenue and $490,000 for replacement of the Corunna Road. bridge over I-75. In addition, I have worked to aid the expansion of Bishop Airport, securing $4.1 million in federal grants and appropriations.

I have also worked to improve federal programs that would encourage a highly educated Michigan workforce. I sponsored legislation that authorized, for the first time in ten years, Head Start, the premiere early-childhood education and development program. I will continue to work to initiate comprehensive changes to the No Child Left Behind Act that provide more flexibility to teachers and school administrators. And since 2006, I have secured a combined $3.4 million for Mott Community College's programs on Advanced Materials Manufacturing and on Rapid Product Development, as well as $2.6 million for Kettering University's fuel cell technology research and $2 million for their Agent Fate program.

I look forward to continued cooperation with the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce in the next two years to pursue these priorities.

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*Note: All candidate responses have been posted verbatim as sent to the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce