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Klobuchar Votes for Economic Recovery Plan that Will Create Jobs, Provide Relief to Middle-Class Families and Get our Economy Moving

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will invest in infrastructure, high-speed Internet and renewable energy, creating jobs throughout Minnesota

February 17, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar voted in support of the final American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which will provide $787 billion to jumpstart the economy and help families who are hurting as a result of this economic crisis.  This important legislation will create or save 3.5 million jobs, provide tax relief to working families, provide aid to struggling communities and lay the foundation for long-term economic prosperity.

This week, a House and Senate conference committee produced a final bill that reconciles the differences between the bill passed by the Senate and the bill passed by the House. The reconciled bill is expected to pass Congress and then will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.

“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will jumpstart our economy in the near term while also building the foundation for longer-term prosperity,” said Klobuchar.  “It will create millions of jobs and make critical investments in our roads, bridges and highways, in renewable, homegrown sources of energy and in our high-speed Internet infrastructure.”

Klobuchar played a leading role in changing the original Senate Medicaid formula (FMAP) by leading the charge against an amendment that was narrowly defeated and would have cost the state $203 million.  She ultimately worked to provide an additional $90 million more to Minnesota over the original Senate Finance Committee formula.

Last week, it was reported that the U.S. economy lost another 598,000 jobs in January and unemployment jumped to 7.6 percent.  President Obama has urged Congress to take quick action to jumpstart the economy and put Americans back to work.  Klobuchar cited the immediate need for action as a reason for her support.

“Millions of Americans have already lost their jobs, their homes or their retirement savings.  Some have lost all three,” said Klobuchar.  “At this time of economic crisis, we can’t afford endless debates and delays -- our economy needs a jumpstart and Main Street needs immediate relief.”

In the Senate, Klobuchar worked with both Democratic and Republican colleagues to improve the legislation by strengthening support for transportation, high-speed Internet and police funding.

“It’s not a perfect bill from my perspective, but we literally can’t afford to wait any longer to take action.  And this bill will give our economy the jolt it needs.”

The White House estimates that the bill will create 66,000 jobs in Minnesota and a recent analysis of the recovery bill by Moody’s Economy.com concluded that the economic recovery bill could create as many as 91,000 jobs in Minnesota by 2010.

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