Talent Voted For Controversial CAFTA. In 2005, Senator Talent voted for the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Talent said that CAFTA "appears to present some solid potential for export growth for our agriculture producers and that's certainly important when you represent Missouri." [Vote 209, 7/28/05; St. Louis Post Dispatch, 6/5/05]
Talent Voted Against Requiring Companies to Use Offshore Profits on Domestic Development to Receive Reduced Tax Rate. In 2004, Senator Talent voted against an amendment to require companies "to spend offshore profits on job creation, research and development, capital investment or funding pension plans in order to be eligible for a reduced tax rate of 5.25 percent." [Vote 81, 5/5/04]
Talent Voted Against Repealing Tax Incentive for U.S. Companies to Move Overseas. In 2005, Senator Talent voted against an amendment to "repeal tax incentives for domestic companies that move their manufacturing plants to offshore locations." The amendment would have produced revenue that would have been used to reduce the federal deficit by $3.2 billion from 2006 to 2010. [Vote 63, 3/17/05]
Talent Voted to Allow Overseas Job Outsourcing at Taxpayers' Expense. In March 2004, Talent voted against an amendment to the FY 2005 Budget Resolution that would allow tax credits for companies that create new U.S.-based manufacturing jobs and small businesses that provide health care coverage. The amendment also explicitly prohibited the use of government tax dollars to outsource non-defense and non-homeland security contracts abroad. [Vote 41, 3/11/04]
Talent Twice Opposed Favoring American Businesses Over Foreign Businesses.
- Talent Voted to Allow Defense Department to Forego "Buy American" Requirement. In 2003, Senator Talent voted to allow the Defense Department to forego the "Buy American" requirement for defense manufacturers if the equipment were manufactured in a select list of countries. [Vote 191, 5/21/03]
- Talent Voted Against the Missouri Domestic Products Procurement Act. In 1987, then state Representative Talent was one of only nineteen representatives to vote against the Missouri Domestic Procurement Act. The bill required the state government to purchase or lease only goods and commodities made in the United States. The requirement did not apply to purchases of less than $1,000 when the good was not made in the U.S., or when purchasing the U.S. good would increase costs by more than ten percent. [Senate Bill 74, 1987, p. 1791]
220 Jobs At Stake When Albany Plant Closes. The York Engineered Systems plant in Albany is eliminating 220 jobs, but the union representing its workers is making a last-ditch effort to keep it open. Johnson Controls Inc. announced that it will close the Albany, Mo., facility by May 2007, with layoffs beginning in phases after September. Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls acquired York in December 2005. The plant makes air-handling equipment for commercial and institutional use. Despite being a profitable plant, in an effort to improve efficiencies, Johnson Controls is shifting production to other plants, including in Mexico. Johnson Controls said it was trying "to improve the efficiency and cost structure of the business, as the company strives to more effectively compete." [Kansas City Star, 6/20/06; AP, 6/8/06]
Plant Closing Will Devastate Three Counties. The Kansas City Star reported: "Johnson Controls is the only major employer in Albany, which has a population of about 1,900." "This closing is going to devastate three counties in northwest Missouri," said Sheet Metal Workers Union representative Jim Flach. Company officials did acknowledge that the facility in Albany is profitable; however, they've chosen to move some production to Mexico. "This will cripple our community and the area," resident Robert Crockett said during a meeting called by community leaders to formulate a response. "It's a man-made disaster." [Kansas City Star, 6/20/06; AP, 6/8/06]
