March 11, 2008

Senate Democrats' Budget Strengthens the Economy by Creating Jobs Right Here at Home

Senate Democrats are getting our economy moving by creating jobs right here at home. The Democratic budget invests billions in infrastructure projects that will immediately create good-paying jobs. The Democrats’ budget also makes critical new investments in clean energy which will create new green-collar jobs for American workers. While Democrats are working to create jobs, the Bush Republican budget cuts billions from job training and placement programs to help workers affected by the current economic downturn. The Bush Republican budget has the wrong priorities; tax breaks for multi-millionaires and special interests. The Democratic budget has the right priorities; creating jobs right here at home and getting Americans back to work.

Senate Democrats Are Creating Jobs By Repairing Our Nation's Ailing Infrastructure:

Senate Democrats’ Budget Invests an Additional $10.4 Billion in Infrastructure, Including $3.5 Billion in “Ready-to-Go” Projects. “The Chairman’s Mark fully funds the highway, safety, and transit programs authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). It provides almost $7 billion more than the President’s budget for key transportation accounts, and provides an additional $3.5 billion in stimulus in 2008 for ‘ready-to-go’ infrastructure projects.” [Chairman’s Mark of FY 2009 Budget Resolution, 3/6/08] 

• Every $1 Billion Invested in Infrastructure Projects Creates 47,000 Additional Jobs. According to Department of Transportation research, $1 billion in transportation investment can generate upwards of 47,500 jobs. In addition, the Department of Transportation estimated that every $1 billion invested in infrastructure generates twice that in economic activity. The American Society of Civil Engineers projected that over 21.7 percent of the bridges today are structurally deficient or obsolete. In addition, their estimates found commuters waste 5.7 billion gallons of gas each year stuck in traffic. [Statement by Senator Kit Bond, 3/15/05; Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Transcript, 1/31/08; BusinessWire, 2/19/08]

 Senate Democrats are creating green collar jobs by investing in clean energy:

Senate Democrats’ Budget Invests $8.45 Billion in Clean Energy and $2.7 Billion to Create Green Collar Jobs. “The Chairman’s Mark… [provides] $8.45 billion in 2009 discretionary funding to invest in clean energy, create green collar jobs in our communities, and reduce our dependence on imported energy… The Chairman’s Mark includes $2.7 billion to invest in green jobs in our nation’s communities. This funding level could accommodate significant increases in a variety of loan guarantee and grant programs which would fund energy efficiency and conservation activities, the production of fuel efficient vehicles, worker training programs, and biofuels production. These programs were authorized in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and not adequately funded in the President’s budget.” [Chairman’s Mark of FY 2009 Budget Resolution, 3/6/08]

• Investment of $30 Billion Per Year Over 10 Years Could Create 3.3 Million Jobs and Boost the Nation’s GDP by $1.4 trillion. One prominent Labor-Environmental partnership known as the Apollo Alliance, estimates nationwide that dollars invested in clean energy create more jobs than those invested in traditional energy sources, given that renewable energy is simply more labor intensive. An investment of $30 billion per year for 10 years could create 3.3 million jobs and boost the gross domestic product by $1.4 trillion. [Christian Science Monitor, 1/25/07; Apollo Alliance: New Energy for America, January 2004]  
• Investing in Energy Efficiency Could Create 21.5 Jobs For Every $1 Million Invested. Increasing incentives for energy efficiency also creates substantial new construction investment and good jobs retro-fitting buildings. Energy efficiency is far more labor intensive than generation, creating 21.5 jobs for every $1 million invested, compared to 11.5 jobs for new natural gas generation. These jobs include installation, ongoing operations and maintenance of building systems, and new manufacturing to meet the increased demand for energy efficient appliances and building systems. Shifting spending from wasted energy costs to investments in skilled labor new technology. [Apollo Alliance: New Energy for America, January 2004]
• More Jobs Are Created By Investing in Renewables Than By Comparable Investments in Fossil Fuels. According to a study by the Apollo Alliance and Urban Habitat, each additional megawatt of electricity generated by solar cells creates 22 jobs, 10.5 jobs per additional megawatt generated by geothermal energy, and 6.4 jobs per additional megawatt generated by wind energy.  In comparison, every megawatt of electricity generated by natural gas creates 1.1 jobs.  [Apollo Alliance and Urban Habitat, “Community Jobs in the Green Economy,” 2007]
• Report Found If U.S. Enacted a 20 Percent Renewable Portfolio Standard by 2020, 185,000 New Jobs Could be Created. The Union of Concerned Scientists released a report recently which stated that, should the nation enact a 20 percent renewable portfolio standard by 2020, 185,000 new jobs would be created to meet that standard. According to the report, “A renewable electricity standard would benefit the U.S. economy in other significant ways. For example, dollars invested in clean energy go toward high-quality jobs in manufacturing and construction, as well as jobs in operations, maintenance, finance, sales, shipping, and other industries. Jobs are also created when these workers spend their income on goods and services and when consumer energy bill savings are spent in the local economy.” [Union of Concerned Scientists: Cashing in on Clean Energy, 2007]

Bush Republican budget cuts job training programs, which make American workers more competitive:

Bush Republican Budget Would Eliminate Employment Service State Grants, Which Were Funded at $703 Million in FY 2008. “The FY 2009 funding request for current law would eliminate all funding for the Employment Service State Grants, funded at $703 million in 2008.” [Center for Law and Social Policy, 2/20/08]

Bush Republican Budget Would Cut Funding for WIA Adult Education and Training by 18 Percent and Youth Training by 11 Percent. “The President proposes deep cuts in education and training programs authorized under the Workforce Investment Act. As compared to the funding levels for 2008, the President’s budget would cut funding for education and training programs for adults by $153 million or 17.7 percent, reduce funding for programs for and cut funding for youth training by $102 million or 10.8 percent. Taken together, these programs provided training for roughly one million individuals in 2005.” [CBPP, “Bush Budget Would Cut Domestic Discretionary Programs By $20 Billion in 2009,” 2/20/08]

• Programs Under the Workforce Investment Act Were Cut by 23 Percent from 2001 to 2008. “These cuts would come on top of large reductions that have been made in these programs since 2001; taken together, funding for these programs has been cut by nearly one-quarter (23 percent) between 2001 and 2008.” [CBPP, “Bush Budget Would Cut Domestic Discretionary Programs By $20 Billion in 2009,” 2/20/08]

Bush Republican Budget Would Eliminate Funding for Career and Technical Education and Flat-Fund State Grants for Adult Education. “Under the President’s request, funding for Career and Technical Education programs ($1.27 billion in FY 2008) would be eliminated. At a time when the demand for basic skills and English language instruction is exploding, state grants for adult education programs would be held to their FY 2008 level—about $10 million below their FY 2007 total.” [Center for Law and Social Policy, 2/20/08]

Bush Republican Budget Cuts Funding for Dislocated Worker Funding by $271 Million - 65,000 Fewer Workers Will Receive Training and Job Placement Assistance. “The dislocated worker program is one such domestic program that has taken a bullet—to the tune of a $271 million budget reduction. The dislocated worker program provides grants to states to provide job training, career guidance, job placement, and other services for dislocated workers, including those who have lost their jobs due to trade. Yet if the President’s cut is adopted, nearly 65,000 fewer workers will receive job training and other services to help them find work.” [Center for American Progress, 2/5/08]

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