Clyburn Calls for Summer Jobs Program
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today was joined by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a press conference today to call for implementation of a summer jobs program. Clyburn and Murray have introduced companion bills in the House (HR 5444) and Senate (S 2755) to provide $1 billion to cities and communities across the country to implement a summer jobs program. This timely, targeted and temporary measure is estimated to create one million summer jobs, and provide a quick infusion to the economy. Mayor Villaraigosa discussed the important role such legislation would play in helping to combat crime in his city. Following is a statement from Majority Whip Clyburn.
“Congress has already enacted critical stimulus legislation in the face of a staggering economy. Americans will begin to see their Recovery Rebate checks in the mail starting next month. But families are continuing to struggle to afford the basic necessities of life—gas is at an all time high, homes are rapidly losing their value, food prices are rising. In the last year, the price of bread has increased 14.7 percent while the price of milk has increased 13.3 percent. The Bush economy has taken its toll on the American people.
“It’s time for a second stimulus package that will help get our economy back on track, create jobs, and speed assistance to families struggling to make ends meet. Economic experts have all made clear that a stimulus package must be timely, temporary and targeted. There’s no better program to implement such principles than a summer jobs program.
“Senator Murray and I have introduced companion legislation to invest $1 billion to create one million summer jobs. The Workforce Investment Act system is already in place in most cities and ready to implement this program. It’s funding that will be quickly reinvested, to give the economy the jumpstart it needs. We all know that if a teenager earns a $500 paycheck, it will be put right back into the economy by noon the next day. As someone who ran the Neighborhood Youth Corps, I know that the work experiences provided to young people through this kind of program can be life-changing. I applaud Senator Murray for her leadership in the Senate on this issue, and I thank Mayor Villaraigosa for his partnership on this measure.”
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