Just over three months ago, with the strong support of Minnesota's Republicans in Congress, President Donald Trump signed into law the largest tax cuts and tax reform in American history. When I visit Minneapolis on Wednesday, I'll see firsthand that our tax cuts are working, and making a remarkable difference in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
The new tax-cut law capped off a year of decisive action by our administration. Since Day One, we've worked tirelessly to keep our promises to the people of Minnesota.
We've rolled back the heavy hand of government by eliminating 22 regulations for each new one we've issued. Working with Minnesota's Republicans in Congress, our president has also signed more laws rolling back federal red tape than any president in American history.
We've unlocked the affordable and abundant energy that powers Minnesota's economy. Our president has approved the Keystone and Dakota pipelines and withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord.
And we've stood up to other countries' unfair trade practices and taken action to protect our steel, aluminum and lumber industries. We've fought for trade deals that put Minnesota farmers, families and workers first. The era of economic surrender is over.
The Twin Cities are proof that our policies are working.
Last year alone, the unemployment rate in the metro area plummeted by nearly 20 percent, and businesses created more than 28,000 new jobs. Since our election, Minnesota has added more than 40,000 new positions overall — good-paying jobs that are benefiting families across the state.
All told, there haven't been this many construction jobs in more than a decade. And while Minnesota lost more than a thousand manufacturing jobs in the last year of the previous administration, under President Donald Trump, the state's factories have bounded back and more than replaced those positions. Minnesota hasn't had this many manufacturing jobs in nearly decade.
But the best news is that our tax cuts have only accelerated this growth — and set the stage for an unprecedented American comeback.
We cut taxes for working families and job creators large and small. We also gave Minnesota families relief from the disaster of Obamacare by eliminating the law's individual mandate tax. You'll no longer be forced to buy unaffordable government-mandated health insurance.
Under our tax cuts, the typical Minnesota family will get $3,000 more of their hard-earned money every year. After all, you know how to spend your money better than any bureaucrat in Washington, D.C., ever could.
Minnesota families can also expect to see their paychecks grow by more than $4,500 in the years ahead as the state's companies reinvest their tax savings to raise wages for their employees and expand their businesses.
We're already on our way. Since our tax cuts passed in December, company after company in Minnesota has rewarded its employees with bigger raises, better benefits and tax-cut bonuses. Thousands of workers across the state are already seeing bonuses that run as high as $2,000.
As the tax cuts take hold across the wider economy, more and more businesses will take action, benefiting Minnesota families for years to come. That's because our tax cuts make American companies competitive anywhere in the world — and as Minnesota knows, when the playing field is level for business, American workers win.
Every Republican in Congress from Minnesota voted to pass these tax cuts — they deserve your thanks. U.S. Reps. Tom Emmer, Jason Lewis and Erik Paulsen all stood with our administration to put more money in your pockets and put local businesses and manufacturers on the path to success. In short, they put Minnesota first.
But for all we've done, we still have more work to do.
President Trump and I will keep working with these principled Minnesota leaders to keep growing our economy, supporting job creators, and expanding opportunity and prosperity for the American people. We're going to keep cutting job-killing red tape and standing up to unfair trade practices by other countries, including China. And we'll pass a historic infrastructure bill that will rebuild Minnesota and the entire nation.
Be assured: We're going to continue to keep our promises to the people of Minnesota. With your continued support, with the leadership of our president, and with God's help, I know: We'll finish what we've started, and we'll Make America Great Again.
Mike Pence is vice president of the United States.
