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TYLER—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today hosted an economic roundtable with East Texas elected officials and small business owners. He delivered a legislative update and discussed the economic recovery plan signed into law by President Obama this week. Sen. Cornyn gathered input from roundtable participants and also discussed his ideas for true economic recovery. He was joined by Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass; Longview Mayor Jay Dean; Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt; John Stroud, the Executive Director of the Longview Economic Development; and several other elected officials and community leaders. Also participating in the roundtable were: Cory “The Driller” Miller, owner of C. Miller Drilling; Don Thedford, owner of Don’s TV and Appliance Store; and Sam Dawson, President/COO of Southside Bank. “As I have said before, many of the best ideas in government stem from the local level – from the men and women who deal with our nation’s challenges on the front lines every day. It is no exception here in East Texas, where I welcomed the opportunity to meet with local leaders and small business owners today who provided helpful feedback on what is needed to help Texans weather the current economic storm. I also discussed with them what I consider to be the right blueprint for true economic recovery: addressing the housing crisis first, providing greater tax relief for middle-class Texans and small businesses, and practicing fiscal disciple with taxpayer dollars. “On my part, I will take the ideas I gathered here today and continue to build support for pro-growth, low-tax economic policies in Washington. I will also work to ensure that transparency is paramount, so all Texas taxpayers can see how their hard-earned money is being used,” Sen. Cornyn said. “While Texas has fared better than most, our state is not immune to the economic downturn. Thankfully, Texas has a long tradition of encouraging growth and attracting new business. As I saw firsthand today, the spirit of entrepreneurism and ingenuity continues in East Texas, and together we will work to revive the local economy and emerge stronger and more prosperous.” Senator Cornyn is committed to finding real solutions to revive our nation’s economy:Fix Housing First 

• Supported legislation allowing 3 million Texas homeowners to refinance their mortgages at 4% or 4.5%, saving Texans on average $300 per month. 
• Voted to provide a $15,000 tax credit for homebuyers.

Promote broad-based tax relief for Texas families and businesses 

• Introduced legislation to lower the 15% tax bracket to 10% and the 10% tax bracket to 5%, saving every Texas taxpayer $1,600 a year. 
• Defended struggling small business owners by supporting tax cuts for capital investments and purchases, and increasing bonus depreciation for new investment in equipment and facilities.

Eliminate wasteful spending and strengthen oversight Sen. Cornyn serves on the Finance, Judiciary and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.