SENATOR POU APPLAUDS LAUNCH OF NEW MANUFACTURING CAUCUS HEARING IN PATERSON

TRENTON – Senator Nellie Pou issued the following statement this week after taking part in the first meeting of the new bipartisan Manufacturing Caucus which was held in Paterson, a place with a rich history of manufacturing and industrial work. The recently-created manufacturing caucus is chaired by Senator Bob Gordon, and will work to restore and modernize New Jersey’s manufacturing industry:

“Anytime I have a chance to welcome my legislative colleagues and business representatives to the city of Paterson, I am proud to do so. I was so pleased that the first location for this new caucus was the city that I represent. It was a great hearing and I am proud to be a part of the mission to help manufacturing businesses grow and succeed.

“Senator Gordon referenced Paterson as the birthplace of American manufacturing, and he is right. By taking the tour of the Paterson Museum before the hearing, we got a glimpse of this city’s historic industrial past, and now I am honored to help it in its journey forward.

“Our country, our state and our city were built on the backs of the men and women in the manufacturing industry. But careers that once were centered in factories and mills are changing, which is why we have to adapt. Manufacturing is critical to our economic future, and we need to capitalize on every opportunity and that means putting an emphasis on workforce training, especially at the high school level. We need to ensure our vocational schools have the resources to expand and to give students the skills and experience they need.  We have to look at ways to improve our business incentive programs, and further help our businesses here in the state.    

“I’m glad Paterson served as the launch site for this new caucus. I look forward to working with this caucus to grow businesses and strengthen the economy in our city and statewide.”