Committee on Education and Labor : U.S. House of Representatives

Press Releases

Chairman Miller: President Should Drop Opposition to Much-Needed Aid for Workers and Families 
House Approves Package to Create Jobs, Provide Support for Millions of Americans Looking for Work

Friday, September 26, 2008

 

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today called on President George W. Bush to drop his opposition to an economic stimulus package that would bolster the nation’s economy. The House passed the legislation by a vote of 264-158 this evening.

“The wild-west policies of the Bush Administration have caused an economic train wreck – and American workers and families are paying the price.

“More than 600,000 Americans have lost their jobs already this year, and 1.6 million workers are looking for employment. Our nation’s economic pain is deepening and Main Street is suffering the most.

“Our economy needs two things, right now, to help workers and families. In addition to a financial recovery plan to stabilize the markets, we also need to invest in new infrastructure – roads, bridges, mass transit, clean water and new schools – to get Americans working again.

“This stimulus package will do just that. It will create new, good-paying jobs by investing in rebuilding our infrastructure and in new technologies that will lead to energy independence. It will also provide much-needed support for workers still looking for a job by extending unemployment benefits to help them cover their bills and investing in job training to help them find and prepare for good jobs.

“After driving our economy into the ground, the President now threatens to stand in the way of much-needed relief that will help create jobs, jump-start our economy, and strengthen middle-class families. He has done enough harm. The President should immediately drop his opposition to this package so that we can start to get our economy back on track.”

The economic stimulus package, H.R. 7110, includes, among other benefits:

  •  An addition seven weeks of extended benefits for workers who have already exhausted their unemployment compensation and an additional 13 weeks of benefits for workers in states with high unemployment;
  •  $500 million for job training programs, including $400 million to help dislocated workers and youth find employment and $100 million for workers receiving unemployment benefits; and
  • $3 billion to repair and improve crumbling schools.

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