The “HARVEST” Plan: Growing Jobs in Upstate New York

—U.S. Rep. Richard Hanna (NY-24)

 High-Tech Manufacturing Center: New York’s 24th Congressional District is home to approximately 20 impressive colleges and
universities, both public and private. Our community is also home to cutting-edge military facilities such as the Air Force Research Lab in Rome, and
several private companies which support advanced national security missions. These are all major economic assets and I am working to pursue
creative policies to further leverage these resources to make Upstate New York a high-tech manufacturing center.

To get started, I have worked with colleagues across the aisle to include provisions in the 2012 Defense Authorization bill that would prioritize high-
tech national security missions like Cybersecurity and advanced weapons manufacturing. Many job-creating private firms Upstate are well-positioned
to compete for Pentagon resources based on their merits. I think it is critical that we keep our nation safe and support high-tech industries locally that
aid in this mission. Upstate can be a high-tech manufacturing hub that New Yorkers should call home for generations to come.

 Agriculture for the Future: Agriculture is a major economic driver in Upstate New York. Farming is not only a job creator - it is part of
our community’s heritage and future. As the co-chair of the Northeast Agriculture Caucus, the co-chair of the Congressional Organic Caucus, and a
member of the Congressional Dairy Caucus, I am working to protect and create farm jobs in New York.

I partnered with Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY) to introduce H.R. 874, the Agricultural Credit Expansion Act. The bill is supported by the New York Farm
Bureau and expands eligibility for Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans, making more family farmers able to access credit. This bill does not create a new
program or increase spending but simply modernizes the FSA loan program to keep pace with the modern business practices of many farmers.

I am also standing strong against federal policies that would harm New York agriculture. I voted to support the bipartisan Energy Tax Prevention Act.
This bill prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases and implementing a cap-and-trade tax. Cap-and-trade
would have a uniquely negative impact on New York. It would increase costs for farmers, manufacturers, and all users of energy, causing jobs to leave
our state and nation. The Senate should approve the bill so that farmers in our community will not be subject to policies that threaten jobs. Family
farmers in New York are hardworking folks who want to continue producing quality products for our families and markets abroad while creating jobs
in the process. I will continue to support them in that effort.

 Reforming Taxes to Spur Investment: Oppressively high business tax rates in the United States—and especially in New York
State—undermine our competitiveness, hurt consumers, jeopardize jobs and weaken the confidence of would-be investors. Reducing corporate taxes
- currently among the highest in the developed world at around a blended 40 percent - is a bipartisan opportunity to stop encouraging the exportation
of jobs and allow our companies to do what America has always done best - compete.

I have introduced H.R. 609, the "The American Competitiveness Act," which follows up on calls from President Obama to cut the tax rate on American
business. Under this legislation, the federal corporate tax rate will be lowered from 35 percent to 25 percent over two years. This phase-in period
allows us time to simplify our tax code by closing special interest tax loopholes. We can lower and simplify our tax code in a revenue-neutral manner.
This principle was included in the 2012 budget passed by the House. One independent study shows that a 25 percent tax rate on business would lead
to almost 600,000 new jobs each year and about $2,500 in additional after-tax income for the average family of four.

I am also a co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation to expand, simplify, and strengthen the Research and Development (R&D) tax credit to apply to all
companies that perform R&D in the United States. This legislation will allow businesses to increase investment in R&D, which is expected to grow GDP
by $90 billion, add 162,000 jobs in the near-term, and increase global competitiveness of industry in Upstate New York.

 Veterans in the Workforce: Local veterans who have served our nation are well-trained individuals of tremendous character.
Congress should support policies that properly support veterans and facilitate integrating them into the workforce.

I am a sponsor of The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act which would provides a cost of living increase to veterans’ disability
compensation rates. The increase would be tied to the cost of living adjustment for Social Security benefits. This legislation would put more well-
earned dollars into the pockets of our veterans—enabling them to keep up with rising consumer costs and putting more money into the economy,
thereby spurring job creation. This bill was approved by the House in May 2011.

We must also invest in the advanced education of our veterans, enabling them to better contribute to our economy. To that end, I am a strong
supporter of the Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act. The bill extends the VA’s ability to cover tuition and fees for veterans already attending non-public
colleges that have a cost exceeding $17,500 a year. If the bill is not signed into law soon, New York veterans at non-public schools will have to pay
more towards their education, which was not the intent of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. This fully-paid for bill is a great investment in our veterans and
economy Upstate—and it is simply the right thing to do. This legislation was approved by the House in May 2011.

Unfortunately, the unemployment rate for members of the National Guard and Reserve is as high as 20 percent. Members of our Reserve and
National Guard are often overlooked for positions because employers are uneasy about hiring an individual who may be called away at any time. This
 is unacceptable. I am supporting a bill called the “Hire a Hero Act” which allows certain small business employers a work opportunity tax credit for
hiring a member of the Ready Reserve or the National Guard. By giving employers incentive to hire citizen-soldiers, we can lower this high rate of
unemployment and place worthy individuals in good jobs—thus growing our economy.

 Educating Our Children to Succeed Locally: Education will ensure the vitality and prosperity of Upstate New York. I believe
that education is our most important investment, which is why I am a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee.

As part of my commitment to education, I am an original cosponsor of the Teacher Tax Deduction Act, a bill that would increase the deduction from
$250 to $500 that teachers may take on expenses for supplementary materials used in their classrooms. Teachers often reach into their own pockets
to supplement classroom expenses—this bill gives them the opportunity deduct costs they incurred to benefit their students.

We also need to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education initiatives throughout Upstate. Preparing our children to
compete and succeed in a global market requires our children to be prepared to enter science and technology fields. This is vital to retaining jobs in
New York and being positioned to create new, high-tech jobs. That is why I am the Republican co-sponsor of H.R. 135, the National STEM Education
Tax Incentive for Teachers Act. This bill allows teachers of STEM courses a tax credit for their undergraduate tuition up to $1,500 in any year. We
should invest in teachers who invest their time and energy in our children’s future.

But we must also invest directly in our children. I support a bold initiative to create a new tax deduction for undergraduate tuition. My plan would
allow anyone who wants to pay for any student’s college education to deduct the full cost of tuition from their tax return for students pursuing
degrees in STEM or pre-medicine. A lower tax deduction would be made available for a student’s tuition towards any other degrees.

This policy recognizes the role of significant higher education as a form investment in human capital. My plan encourages students, parents, and
philanthropists like Bill Gates to invest directly in the education of young Americans. While I am a fiscal conservative, and this would represent a large
up-front investment, studies indicate that college graduates earn much higher salaries than those without college degrees, meaning they also pay
more in taxes to the federal government. I believe this is a long-term, cost-effective approach to investing in our children’s future.

 Strengthening Small Business: Having run a small business in New York for almost 30 years, I know that small businesses are the
backbone of the American economy and proven job-creators. Government has a role to play in fostering an environment that allows private sector
job creation to flourish. By reducing burdensome regulations, keeping taxes low, and streamlining contracting procedures, we can embolden small
businesses in Upstate New York to thrive.

Working on the Small Business Committee, I have taken steps to incentive job creation at small businesses and will continue working on behalf of job
creators in our community. I have co-sponsored H.R. 1425, the “Creating Jobs through Small Business Innovation Act,” and worked to send it to the
full House for a vote. This legislation would reauthorize the expiring Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR). Since 1982, SBIR has helped
feed federal research and development grants to small businesses including those in New York. One survey shows that small businesses that received
SBIR grants are able to hire on average 2.4 employees and retain 2.1 more than they otherwise would be able to. Best of all, this program does not
cost taxpayers any additional dollars. SBIR simply requires that government agencies set aside a small percentage within their budget for which small
firms can compete.

 Transportation and Infrastructure: America’s infrastructure is the foundation upon which our economy is built and without
continued investment, we risk falling behind the rest of the world and harming our economic competitiveness. New York’s infrastructure challenges
are unique in many ways. Our infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating as it continues to age. Almost half of our major roads are in poor or mediocre
condition and a third of our bridges are deficient or obsolete. These conditions pose a risk not only to safety of the travelling public, but also to our
economic well-being. For example, The Road Information Project estimates that driving on roads in need of repair in New York costs $403 per year,
per motorist, in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs. Reauthorizing federal highway and transit programs will go a long way towards addressing
these needs.

As Vice Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee in Congress, I am already working with my colleagues to draft a long-term
reauthorization of our federal highway and transit programs that refines the federal role, streamlines project delivery, and includes innovative
financing methods that encourage and leverage private sector investment. This bill will provide states and local governments with the certainty they
need to plan for the kinds of large-scale, long-term projects needed to modernize, maintain, and upgrade our ailing infrastructure in New York State.
Furthermore, it will put thousands of New Yorkers back to work and revitalize our economy. According to the Federal Highway Administration, each
$1 billion in highway investment plus the state match supports 34,000 jobs.

I am also working to include language in this legislation that will allow rural communities more formal input in deciding where our limited
transportation dollars are spent. Our communities Upstate face stiff competition for this money and should have the same level of input as their
counterparts in larger metropolitan areas—we deserve our fair share.

www.hanna.house.gov