Issues    Issues    Legislation    Floor Statements    On the Road in Mass. Keeping Americans Safe Energy Policy Campaign Finance Reform Homeland Security Putting Children First Social Security Veterans World Class Education Protecting Public Health The Economy Small Businesses Building Community American Foreign Policy Jobs Civil Rights & Equal Opportunity Protecting the Environment Technology   Responsible Leadership on the Economy: The United States has embarked upon an era of global economic competition in which American companies and American workers are going head_to_head against foreign businesses and workers for market share at home and abroad. I believe the international economic race is not a sprint but a marathon; winning requires endurance. Building endurance requires first and foremost training and investment in our workers. With knowledge having surpassed capital, labor and raw materials as the key resource in the new world economy, education in the schools and in the workplace must provide American workers with the capability to create and apply new technology and the flexibility to adapt to change.   Related Links Kerry Record Press Releases Floor Statements Critical investments in education and technology must be accompanied by a concerted effort to achieve high standards of budget discipline and fiscal responsibility. With our national debt now well over $5 trillion, wasteful spending must not be tolerated. Paying down the debt creates a ripple effect throughout the economy - cheaper access to credit for American businesses, lower mortgage rates for home buyers, reduced auto loan rates, and lower inflation. During the 1990s, a national commitment to deficit reduction resulted in the longest peacetime expansion in history. In the 21st century, I believe that trend should continue. The government must use its resources wisely to ensure the economy runs efficiently. My record reflects an unwavering commitment to job creation, economic growth and deficit reduction. From my assignments on the Senate's Finance, Commerce, Foreign Relations and Small Business Committees, I have been a strong advocate for measures to strengthen budget discipline, deliver targeted tax relief to working American families, sustain investments in research and development, expand capital formation, facilitate the creation and growth of small businesses, establish free and fair international trading rules and promote the export of United States products and services. With new trends and challenges emerging daily, I will continue working to ensure that American businesses and the American workforce remain at the forefront of our global economy.