A "Make It In America" Field Hearing has been held by Congresswomen Elizabeth Esty and Rosa DeLauro to learn from Connecticut state officials and manufacturers what Congress can capitalize on past successes, address future challenges. 

Esty called manufacturers a large part of the state's economic backbone.  There are almost 5,000 manufacturing companies in the state employing over 76,000 people.  Esty says Congress must continue to foster an "innovation economy".  She wants to create a predictable tax code that encourages companies to return jobs to the U.S., and levels the playing field for small businesses.

The Congresswomen were told that the image of manufacturing needs to be improved.  One man said it's know for the four Ds: dark, dirty, dingy and dangerous. 

Despite efforts in Connecticut to get more young people interested, there are still thousands of open positions because workers don't have the skills needed to fill them.