Lofgren Votes to Save American Jobs

August 10, 2010

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, which includes $10 billion in funding to save teacher jobs. The bill also includes $16.1 billion in health assistance to states. Estimates indicate that nearly 319,000 jobs will either be saved or created by these investments in state and local government. The bill, which costs of $26.1 billion, includes offsets of $27.5 billion, equaling $1.4 billion in deficit reduction over the next 10 years. The funding in the bill is supported by a majority of the nation’s Governors, including many Republican Governors, and by numerous organizations, including the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of Counties and the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations.

“As we approach the beginning of the school year, it’s essential that we ensure that our nation’s classrooms are properly staffed, “said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. “This legislation will help relieve some of the pressure local and state governments are feeling in this recession. In California alone, 16,000 teaching jobs will be saved by the funding contained in this measure. By closing tax loopholes that have promoted shipping jobs overseas, we not only pay for this bill, but actually help reduce on national deficit. This is a common sense and bipartisan approach to helping our communities and keep jobs here at home.”

Letter from Governor Schwarzenegger supporting the Education Jobs Fund.

Letter from the California State Legislature in support of H.R. 1586.

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren is serving her eighth term in Congress representing most of the City of San Jose and Santa Clara County. She is the Chair of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. She also serves as Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. She Chairs the House Administration Subcommittee on Elections and serves on the House Homeland Security Committee. Congresswoman Lofgren is Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation consisting of 34 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives from California.