August 10, 2010

HOUSE PASSES BILL THAT SAVES 3300 EDUCATION JOBS IN WASHINGTON

Today Norm joined a majority in the House in passing H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act.  This bill includes $10 billion in funding to save teacher jobs; and $16.1 billion in health assistance to the states that, by reducing shortfalls, will help keep many others on the job, including public safety officers.  Specifically under the bill, Washington State is estimated to receive an additional $338 million in Medicaid match funding.  The bill will also allow the State of Washington to retain 3,300 education jobs. The legislation was fully paid for with offsetting budget reductions from other federal accounts. 

In supporting the legislation the congressman noted that the bill also helps local governments retain thousands of police officers, firefighters, nurses, and private-sector employees. "If all of those jobs were lost at this time in our fragile economy," he said, "the impact would extend far beyond the laid-off employees."

He said the bill was a fiscally-responsible way to prevent the chain reaction of layoffs and further reductions of services to families all across the nation.  And he noted that among the offsetting budget reductions that were approved to pay for the provisions in the bill was an end to the tax loopholes that some corporations use to send American jobs overseas. 

A complete summary of the legislation passed today in the House -- now ready for Presidential signature because it has been approved by the Senate-- is available here.

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