U.S. Trade Representative. In his role on the Appropriations Committee, Fattah has advocated to $128 million in funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program that assists small and mid-sized manufacturers create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. He is also an advocate for the SelectUSA program, an initiative that encourages U.S. businesses operating off-shore to return to the U.S. and promote the U.S. marketplace. Cooperative development Fattah was considered a “true champion” of the co-op movement by the American Co-op Association. In May 2013, Fattah introduced the Creating Jobs through Cooperatives Act (HR 2437). This legislation will provide means to catalyze cooperative development, provide tools to entrepreneurs to bring cooperative to their communities, partner with financial institutions to provide grants a loans to developing businesses, offer technical training and professional development. His bill calls for $25million federal investment and technical assistance to cooperatives through a new National Cooperative Development Center. The bill has national support from co-op and EOB advocates and members. Co-ops have a broad base and connection to community in the Philadelphia area. In November 2013, Fattah was invited to attend as Keynote speaker at the Annual Cooperatives Conference, hosted by the NCBA. The conference brought together national leaders in cooperative development to share best practices to create powerful change for their organizations. Sponsored legislation As a member of Pennsylvania's state House Fattah wrote and passed into law Pennsylvania's Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). HEMAP is a loan program designed to protect Pennsylvanians who, through no fault of their own, are financially unable to make their mortgage payments and are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. Started in 1983 by Pennsylvania's Act 91 of 1983, it was only one of its kind until 2010 when Fattah added language to the Dodd Frank bill to provide similar assistance, to homeowners nationwide. The Emergency Homeowners Loan Program provides up to 24 months of assistance, through bridge loans, for distressed homeowners and is a scaled-up version of the HEMAP program. In 2013, Fattah served as a vice chair on the House Gun and Violence Taskforce, a taskforce created under the direction of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. The taskforce included both liberal and conservative Democrats, gun owners and Representatives from various cities. Fattah received an F rating from the National Rifle Association and an A+ rating from the Coalition on Gun Violence and