DeLauro Tours Five of Middletown's Small Businesses

Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-3rd) toured several of Main Street Middletown's small businesses today, celebrating their contributions to the economy and hearing their concerns about the nation’s economy. 

She also discussed federal initiatives to help small business owners, including the principles laid out in her own jobs plan. Joining the tour were Middletown Mayor Daniel Drew and Quentin Phipps, newly named executive director of the .

“We need to do everything possible to support small businesses, entrepreneurs and the middle-class,” DeLauro said. “Right now Congress is not doing enough to create jobs and we have a lot of work to do.

DeLauro visited , the , , and the .

“Putting our economy on the right track and helping foster job creation is crucial to ensuring the American Dream continues for future generations in Middletown and throughout Connecticut.”

The jobs tour was an opportunity for the Congresswoman to hear from Middletown business owners on what more Congress can do to shore up the economy and support their businesses. Over the last decade, Middletown made revitalizing their downtown a priority. 

Economic development and establishment of the Downtown Business District has brought innovative new businesses to the area. 

DeLauro’s jobs plan focuses on: creating middle class jobs, supporting America’s workforce, rebuilding our economy’s foundations and creating a 21st century workplace. The Congresswoman believes we need to rebuild our infrastructure to create jobs and economic growth both today and over the long-term. 

That is why she is a sponsor of the Fix America’s Schools Today Act, which would create jobs across Connecticut by helping clear out the backlog of maintenance and needed repairs in our schools.  DeLauro has long sponsored legislation to establish a national infrastructure bank, which would leverage private dollars to build 21st century transportation, water, energy and telecommunications systems.

The Congresswoman believes strengthening our manufacturing base is critical to rebuilding Connecticut’s middle class. That is why she worked with local manufacturers to introduce the Manufacturing Reinvestment Account Act, which would provide small manufacturers a tax incentive to reinvest in their equipment, facilities and job training.

DeLauro is a longtime advocate for creating a 21st-century workplace by addressing the needs of today’s working families.  She is also the author of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and stiffen penalties for employers who discriminate based on gender. DeLauro is also the lead champion of the Healthy Families Act, which would allow American workers to earn paid sick leave.