The House of Representatives established the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness In Growth at the end of 2020 to understand what has happened in our country. As the leaders of the select committee, we believe that the goal of increasing economic opportunity deserves serious and thoughtful consideration and evidence-based, analytically sound solutions—all too rare in Congress today.
We believe that Congress has more than enough venues for partisan posturing. We’d like to avoid creating another one. An issue as serious as declining economic opportunity and mobility demands a meaningful effort to understand each other and find some common ground. Our political philosophies differ, yet we share a vision for this country—one in which prosperity is possible for all who are willing to work for it. We both believe Americans in red and blue states alike are failing to achieve their dreams for reasons beyond their control. We owe it to them to conduct this debate constructively, free from talking points and personal attacks.
We intend to do something else that’s rare in Congress: listen to people in every corner of America. There is immense power and wisdom in personal stories. Only so much can be learned from the dense jargon and obscure statistics inundating Capitol Hill. That’s why we held the select committee’s first field hearing in Lorain, Ohio, with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. In the hulking shadow of a shuttered steel mill, we heard from local workers and leaders about the economic challenges their community faces. We saw firsthand how closed businesses crush hopes and dreams. But we also saw dozens of businesses trying to hire in Lorain, bearing witness to the gritty can-do optimism at the heart of American economic might. It was an eye-opening experience we intend to replicate in communities nationwide.
Finally, unlike other committees in Congress, the select committee’s focus and scope aren’t limited by jurisdictional walls. We can look at housing, education, the tax code and regulations far and wide. Prosperity is the result of many things coming together: hard work, access to capital and stable communities, to name a few. Our group of diverse lawmakers has an unprecedented opportunity to take a holistic look at all the factors that contribute to economic well-being and consider how we can help them all work together to restore the American Dream.
So where does this all lead? We expect Democrats and Republicans on the select committee will differ as to how we can expand and strengthen our economy, but we already see areas of common interest emerging. We both agree on the importance of ensuring access to capital and removing burdensome regulations like occupational licensing to help aspiring workers secure good-paying jobs. We’re also interested in examining the social and economic impact of investing in our country’s children, particularly early childhood education and development. Regardless of one’s take on spending structures and the role of government and family, we both agree the select committee needs to investigate the ways that child care and preschool participation lead to better economic outcomes for children, their parents, and the country as a whole.
Given today’s political polarization, we expect to hear real skepticism over the select committee’s ability to find areas of agreement. But the economic future of our nation transcends our politics. When enough people believe free markets and democracy aren’t delivering, they’ll put their faith in other systems. We both believe the American economy is the envy of the world, and we’re prepared to fight to keep it that way.
Representative Jim Himes (D-Conn.) is chairman of the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth. Representative Bryan Steil (R-Wisc.) is ranking member of the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth.
The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.
