Last week was manufacturing week – a time dedicated to celebrate the men and women across the country in the manufacturing industry.

I may sound like a broken record, but the manufacturing industry is one of the two main drivers of our state’s economy. It accounts for more than 10 percent of our state’s private sector jobs and is responsible for nearly 15 percent of Minnesota’s GDP. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, this industry contributed more than $2 trillion to the U.S. economy last year.

However, manufacturers often get the short end of the stick. The burden of federal regulation costs per employee are nearly double for this industry. Also, as they consume nearly a third of our nation’s energy, they are hit hard by rising energy costs. These are just two of the many areas that drastically need to be addressed.

I am committed to getting the federal government out of the way so our manufacturers, i.e., our job creators, can truly thrive. Whether it’s working to fix the skills gap, supporting an all-of-the-above energy policy to drive down costs, or reducing regulations and reforming our tax code, I want entrepreneurs to be successful in their startups, and all companies to grow and prosper.