After Publicly Praising the Economic Development Administration, Ross Is Attempting to Eliminate Agency That Has Created or Saved 2,665 Tennessee Jobs
TENNESSEE– Today, Restore Public Trust launched a new ad campaign in Tennessee and nine other states across the country affected by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ proposed elimination of the Economic Development Administration (EDA). The EDA, an agency specifically designed to stimulate economic growth in struggling areas, has created or saved an estimated 2,665 Tennessean jobs through $7,500,000 in grants since 2017. The proposed budget cuts come after Ross has repeatedly publicly praised the program.
“Secretary Ross’ attempt to abolish the Economic Development Administration should concern every single resident of Tennessee,” said Lizzy Price, spokesperson for Restore Public Trust. “Ross himself publicly acknowledges the importance of the EDA to creating and saving jobs, yet privately he is working to eliminate the EDA. Ross is supposed to be on the side of Tennessee workers and defend American jobs, but he’s maliciously obfuscating the truth: he says he cares about American workers while he goes behind their backs to undermine their jobs.”
Earlier this year Restore Public Trust launched JobLossRoss.com to expose Ross’ history of cutting jobs in states from the Great Lakes to the Carolinas. As the website shows, before joining the Trump Administration Ross lined his own pockets in the private sector by shipping American jobs overseas. Secretary Ross was responsible for laying off over 11,000 workers in 11 states before joining the administration to head up the Commerce Department.
In addition to the digital ad campaign, Restore Public Trust updated JobLossRoss.com to contain new information about the additional number of jobs per state threatened by Ross’ proposed cuts to the EDA. In Tennessee, after already being responsible for eliminating 305 jobs when he was in the private sector, Ross’ proposed cuts to the EDA threaten an additional 2,665 jobs. The numbers don’t lie: Ross is bad for the economy.
The EDA has had a positive impact in Tennessee thanks to the over $300 million budget that was approved for the agency as part of both FY 2018 and FY 2019 spending bills. The EDA has provided numerous grants to cities across Tennessee under this administration including:
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$1,500,000 to the City of Dayton expected to create or save 1,775 jobs and praised by Wilbur Ross
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$1,000,000 to the City of Decherd expected to create 50 jobs and praised by Wilbur Ross
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$1,500,000 to the City of Humboldt expected to create 170 jobs and praised by Wilbur Ross
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$1,500,000 to the City of Johnson City estimated to save or create 400 jobs and praised by Wilbur Ross
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$2,000,000 to Franklin County and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Shelbyville expected to create or save 270 jobs and praised by Wilbur Ross
