"On Thursday, I traveled to our nation's capitol and had the opportunity to meet with Speaker of the House John Boehner to push for the federal government resolving the Unemployment Insurance Interest Assessment Surcharge that would impose a $95 million tax on New York's job creators. I made the case with Speaker Boehner how this surcharge would further damage New York State's struggling economy. In addition, I advocated for New York receiving immediate emergency relief to help distressed communities, businesses, farms and families devastated by Hurricane Irene. I described how New Yorkers had lost their homes and businesses, and that emergency relief for the Empire State cannot afford to be tangled up in federal red tape or sidetracked by Washington's political partisanship.

As the guest of U.S. Congressman Tom Reed, I also had the privilege of attending the Joint Session of Congress last night when President Obama outlined his job creation plan to the American people. There were positive elements to the President's plan that would aid job creators, including an extension of the payroll tax cut and investments for infrastructure, both of which are commendable ideas. However, what is most needed - here in New York and throughout America - is a climate of economic certainty that allows job creators to be confident in the future and start hiring again. This means putting a halt to the excessive taxation, regulation and litigation that destroys jobs and hurts job creators. We need to remove government barriers to job creation and find common ground on proven ideas that will grow the private sector and get our economy moving again. More private sector jobs should be 'job number one' for Congress, the President, Governor Cuomo and our state Legislature."