Drive it Home

WARREN, OH ­– Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined Mahoning Valley autoworkers and community leaders at UAW Local 1112 to help kick off the “Drive It Home” campaign, an effort to protect auto jobs in the Mahoning Valley. Earlier this year, General Motors announced plans to build the new Chevy Blazer in Mexico on the same day the company ended the second shift at a plant in Lordstown.

“If you love this country, you fight for the people who make it work – people like the workers here at Lordstown. We’re here today to fight for you,” said Brown. “Ohio has stood by GM. Now GM needs to stand by Ohio, and the workers who make their company successful.”

Brown introduced legislation after General Motors’ Lordstown announcement to support Ohio’s auto industry.

Brown’s bill, the American Cars, American Jobs Act, would give customers a $3,500 discount when they buy cars made in America. This would cover all passenger vehicles made in Ohio and nearly 100 cars and trucks nationwide. The legislation would also revoke a GOP tax cut on overseas profits from auto manufacturers that ship jobs overseas.

Brown’s bill would benefit Ohio companies and workers throughout the auto supply chain. The legislation would put U.S.-made cars on equal footing with foreign-made vehicles and update the tax code to remove incentives for auto companies to offshore jobs. Learn more about the bill HERE.

Brown provided remarks at today’s campaign kickoff. The full remarks, as prepared for delivery, can be found below.

Earlier this summer, on the very same day GM laid off workers in Lordstown, we got word that GM plans to build its new Chevy Blazer in Mexico – the company is bypassing American workers and sending more jobs to Mexico.

It’s outrageous. We know the effect these layoffs have in this community. People here are already feeling the pain.

If you love this country, you fight for the people who make it work – people like the workers here at Lordstown. We’re here today to fight for you.

After that announcement, I met with office with GM CEO Mary Barra and demanded answers. She said retooling the plant to make the Blazer and investing in Ohio jobs was too expensive.

So we came up with a plan to fix that, and level the playing field with foreign competition for companies like GM.

My American Cars, American Jobs Act would make it more affordable for Americans to buy American-made cars and trucks, and revoke a special tax cut for auto companies that send jobs overseas.

The UAW workers at this plant are among the best in the world. J.D. Power and Associates named this plant among the top 6 plants in the Americas.

Two years ago, I stood here for the plant’s 50th anniversary. I saw the line to get into the plant for a tour stretching down the street and around the block. That’s the pride this community takes in GM.

That’s why we’re launching the “Drive it Home Campaign.”

You all remember the “Bring it Home” campaign. That was a grassroots, community effort. And it worked.

You won and you kept this plant open. You know how to be successful. Now we have to get to work again.

This time, we’re going bigger – we’re going to harness our entire manufacturing supply chain around the state, and send a strong message to GM:

Lordstown is not only vital for the valley – it’s vital to the entire state.

That’s why we have bipartisan support here. And you have my commitment to work with UAW, work with local officials, work with state officials, work with industry – all in a bipartisan way to get this done.

Ohio has stood by GM. Now GM needs to stand by Ohio, and the workers who make their company successful.

Thank you to everyone here today for your efforts to support these American workers and save American jobs.

 

 

###