I am a founding member of the bipartisan Congressional Jobs NOW! Caucus. I joined for one reason: to advocate for jobs, jobs and more jobs. Tennessee has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, especially among women and minorities.

I supported the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA),  which has helped to create and save thousands of jobs in the 9th District that otherwise would have been lost because of the economic downturn. I’m pleased that the ARRA included millions of dollars in funding for the Summer Youth Jobs Program, which helps teenagers find jobs.  Additionally, the ARRA has helped retain teachers, maintain special education programs in the Memphis and Shelby County schools hire 37 new Memphis police officers, purchase new MATA buses and fund road construction projects. The University of Memphis, the UT-Health Science Center, St. Jude and Memphis BioWorks have all received federal funding to promote medical and scientific research, creating new jobs in our community.

I am a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I advocate for investments in transportation and infrastructure improvements because they are a proven and effective way of putting people back to work and are crucial to long-term economic development. Memphis is America’s distribution hub and a major tourist destination for people around the nation and the world. Investing in our roads, runways, rivers and rails is crucial for the 9th District’s economic success. As a member of the Transportation Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee, I promote policies that will protect jobs at FedEx, the largest private employer in Memphis. Additionally, through my advocacy on the Railroads Subcommittee, I have received assurances from the Federal Railroad Administration that the Little Rock to Memphis high-speed rail feasibility study will be conducted.

Jobs for Urban Sustainability in America Act

In March 2010, I introduced H.R. 4740, the Jobs for Urban Sustainability in America Act which would allocate $10 billion in grants to cities with double digit unemployment rates for nine consecutive months to provide job training, public works, and economic development programs. The funding will be administered by the Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Commerce from funds made available through TARP under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that currently remain unobligated.

This legislation is designed to help Americans struggling to find work by investing newly returned TARP dollars into public works and job training programs for unemployed workers. The public needs immediate assistance and Congress must do everything possible to help those who are suffering in this economy. This bill would support job training and economic development programs that will pull Americans in our urban core back to their feet at a time when the unemployment rate is at its worst.

Equal Employment for All Act

In July 2009, I introduced H.R. 3149, The Equal Employment For All Act which would give some of our most vulnerable, “credit challenged” citizens – students, recent college graduates, low-income families, senior citizens, and minorities – the opportunity to begin rebuilding their credit history by obtaining a job.  Far too often, employers turn down “credit challenged” applicants because they have erroneously linked credit scores to potential job performance.

According to a recent report, one-third of individuals making less than $45,000 a year have poor credit scores caused by the result of bankruptcies, loan delinquencies, divorce, medical problems or unemployment. The use of credit checks to determine employment is sadly a growing trend and a dangerous one.  Despite the fact that several studies by well respected, unbiased groups have confirmed that credit history does not predict job performance, currently 43%  of all employers admit to performing credit checks on potential employees.  This would appear to be counterproductive during a time of record unemployment in America.

HR 3149 would prohibit the use of consumer credit checks by employers as part of the hiring or firing process, unless the job involves national security, FDIC clearance, or significant financial responsibility (such as bank managers, loan officers, or financial managers).

The HIRE Act

In March 2010, I was proud to support the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act . This new law will provide businesses with an exemption from Social Security payroll taxes for every worker hired in 2010 who has been unemployed for at least 60 days. It will also provide an additional $1,000 income tax credit for every new employee retained for 52 weeks. It will extend the American Recovery Reinvestment Act provisions that double the amount small businesses can immediately write off their taxes for capital investments and purchases of new equipment made in 2010 from $125,000 to $250,000. This will help small businesses make the investments they need to grow and hire more workers.

Jobs for Main Street Act

In December, I voted to support H.R. 2847, the Jobs for Main Street Act, which would redirect $75 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Funding (TARP) to fund infrastructure and job investments that will further stabilize jobs and provide long-term extensions for unemployment insurance, the COBRA health care subsidy, Medicaid relief to the states and expanded eligibility for the Child Tax Credit.  By redirecting billions that were used to bail out Wall Street, local communities can use them to hire more teachers, first-responders or provide employment opportunities to young people.  This bill also provides funding for job training programs that will help unemployed or displaced workers get a job in high-tech or ‘green’ industries – such as with companies like Sharp Solar.
I am also pleased that this bill extends a number of programs aimed at helping individuals and families during this economic crisis. Whether it’s extended unemployment benefits, continued access to health care, or tax credits aimed at giving families a little more money, every little bit helps.

Summary of the Jobs For Main Street Act

The following investments are paid by redirecting $75 billion in TARP funding that was approved by Congress.  The Senate is expected to act on this legislation next year.

• $48 billion for highways, transit, clean water, housing, and school construction, rehabilitation and repair.
• $27 billion for hiring teachers, police, firefighters AmeriCorps volunteers, youth summer jobs, expand college work study and job training programs at community colleges to prepare displaced workers for high growth industries, such as health care and clean energy jobs.
• The package extends several American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) initiatives to help America’s small businesses create jobs, including: eliminating fees on Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, encouraging banks to lend to small businesses by raising to 90 percent (from 85 percent) the portion of a loan that the Small Business Administration will guarantee.  
• For those hardest hit by the economic crisis, the bill includes the following emergency relief for individuals and families:
• Unemployment Benefits -- Extends emergency unemployment benefits through June of 2010. 
• Help with Health Insurance for Unemployed Workers (COBRA) -- Extends through June 30, 2010 a key provision to strengthen COBRA to help maintain health coverage during this downturn. 
• Protecting Health Care Coverage for Millions through Medicaid (FMAP) -- Extends the provisions in the Recovery Act that provide the states with additional federal matching funds for Medicaid for six months – from December 31, 2010 to June 30, 2011.
  
• Child Tax Credit – Cuts taxes for 16 million families, by making the Child Tax Credit available to all low-income working families with children in 2010.  (Under the Recovery Act, families must earn at least $3,000 in order to begin to take advantage of the $1,000 Child Tax Credit.)

Cosponsored Bills
I am also a cosponsor of several other bills that would bring jobs now to our community.

These include the New Deal for a New Economy Act, which would use unused and returned TARP funds to establish a public works and public interest grant program administered by the Department of Labor for jobs like painting schools, cleaning up communities, restoring historical landmarks, running afterschool programs, and expanding social services.  Funds can also be used to preserve public service jobs through additional funding to the COPS Program, certain homeland security programs, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Public Works and Economic Development Grants; and preserve national parks and forests.

Along the same lines, I am also a cosponsor of the Put America Back to Work Act, which would invest in a variety of infrastructure and revitalization projects to paint and repair schools; clean up abandoned and vacant properties; expand emergency food programs; increase staffing in Head Start and other early childhood programs; and, renovate parks, playgrounds and other public spaces.

 I have also cosponsored the Community Regeneration Act, which would provide assistance to communities for turning vacant and abandoned properties into productive uses.