Over the past two years, I travelled around the First District and have seen example after example of how the Obama Administration's regulatory regime has further depressed Northern Michigan's economy.  For example, my opponent, Gary McDowell and his Washington allies support the EPA's refusal to allow the construction of Proposed County Road 595 in Marquette County.  Constructing the road, which will connect the Kennecott Minerals Eagle Mine to the rest of Northern Michigan, is the last hurdle before the Eagle Mine can open, create jobs and employ Northern Michiganders.  

This road will be paid for with private funds and has the strong support of both the Michigan DEQ as well as local citizens.  As an industry, mining directly accounts for over 11,000 jobs in Michigan and more than 30,000 jobs when you take into account mining's impact on secondary job creation.   $4.3 billion are injected into the Michigan economy every year thanks to safe, responsible mining.  Nevertheless, bureaucrats in Washington seem to feel that they know what is best for Marquette County, despite the objections of both local and state officials and residents.