Fourteen days into her new job, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said her top priority is moving the economy forward for small businesses, manufacturers and Wisconsin families.
"One of the challenges facing America and Wisconsin is some countries are cheating," said Baldwin on Thursday during a stop in Eau Claire, referring to not playing fair with trade agreements. "We need to even the playing field. ... (Then), I think we can have good-paying, family-supporting jobs."
Baldwin made her comments after a tour of the NanoRite Innovation Center, an incubation center housing advanced technologies and expertise needed to accelerate product development, and Chippewa Valley Technical College's Manufacturing Education Center, which is home to programs including machining and welding.
"This is an opportunity for me to visit (these facilities) again," said Baldwin, who stopped to talk with employees of businesses, along with CVTC instructors, during the 60-minute tour.
When it comes to addressing the manufacturing skills gap — the difference between the skills needed on the job and those possessed by the applicants — "the technical colleges have really stepped up and stepped forward," Baldwin said.
In addition to training workers, the NanoRite center offers a program that allows companies to access NanoRite space and machining equipment, said Doug Olson, CVTC's executive director of facilities and community relations.
After the tour, Baldwin, a former Democratic congresswoman from Madison sworn in as Wisconsin's newest senator Jan. 3, answered questions about other issues facing the country, including the debt ceiling and gun control.
"America has to pay our debts," said Baldwin, who called on her colleagues to not play games when it comes to the federal debt ceiling.
President Barack Obama, on Monday, warned that Social Security checks and veterans benefits would be delayed if congressional Republicans failed to increase the government borrowing authority.
"I hope we learned our lesson (with the fiscal cliff crisis)," Baldwin said.
Obama on Wednesday unveiled proposals for curbing gun violence, spurred by the Dec. 14 school massacre in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 first-graders and six educators, and he pressed Congress to pass universal background checks on all gun sales and bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
"I applaud the president and vice president for making a series of recommendations," Baldwin said. "To do nothing in response to the tragedy of mass shootings and gun violence is simply unacceptable. Now Congress needs to work across party lines and find common ground."
Baldwin assumed the seat held by Herb Kohl, who didn't seek re-election in November.
O'Brien can be reached at 715-830-5838, 800-236-7077 or christena.obrien@ecpc.com.
