As the United States works to rebuild our economy from the worst downturn since the Great Depression, Zoe has been fighting to give Santa Clara families and businesses tools to grow their enterprises and put people back to work. Though the times may be challenging, Zoe knows the unbounded determination, spirit and ingenuity of the American people is the most powerful force in the world. Just as it has in the past, supporting that entrepreneurial spirit will be a key to returning our country to prosperity.

Zoe knows prosperity is more than a profit report. Prosperity begins with San Jose main street stores and Silicon Valley's global technology leaders alike thriving and creating opportunities for Valley families.

A Path to Recovery

When the financial crisis hit the country in the fall of 2008, Zoe joined her Democratic colleagues in fashioning a broad measure to counter the recession, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, credited with preventing a second Great Depression.

It made key investments in infrastructure projects to build new roads and bridges, saving and creating jobs in the process. Education funding to keep educators in the classrooms and avoid massive teacher layoffs was included. Small businesses were given access to affordable lending and tax credits so they could grow their ventures and put people in our community back to work. Middle class families were also benefitted, receiving tax breaks which helped them make ends meet during the fiscal storm and grow financially stronger.

It also provided the largest increase in science funding in the history of the United States, providing immediate jobs but also making sure that long term the economic benefits that basic science research provides would not be lost.

Our economy pulled back from the brink and a major depression was avoided. But even with strengthened growth and the creation of millions of new jobs, we have further to go.

Rebuilding the American Dream

Zoe knows more remains to be done to drive the kind of economic growth that not only puts Americans back to work, but creates future opportunities for our children to live the American Dream.

She has worked hard to address the housing market collapse to stop responsible Americans from losing their homes. Zoe has also fought to protect working American families and our economy from the unethical banking practices which began the financial crisis. But growing the American Dream in the future means a new path forward in an economy driven by innovation and ingenuity that creates new opportunities in the decades ahead.

A Stronger, Innovative Economy for the 21st Century

As Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, Zoe has worked with her colleagues to help our state through investments in infrastructure, transportation, and clean American energy programs that put people back to work in jobs that can't be sent overseas.

Zoe has also proposed legislation to ensure a free and open Internet that boosts U.S. ecommerce and has called for measures to increase U.S. innovation to compete in the global economy. She has authored legislation like the IDEA Act (H.R. 2161) to help American companies attract the best and brightest students, create American jobs, spur innovation, attract investment in America, and better protect U.S. and foreign workers.

Sometimes what a legislator stops from happening can be even more important than bills that are passed. Zoe was the leader in the effort to defeat the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which experts judged the single biggest legislative threat to a free Internet every seriously considered by Congress.

Instead, by focusing our efforts to help our economy innovate, grow and thrive, Zoe believes we can create opportunities for everyone to reach their full potential of the American Dream.

To learn more about the Zoe's work on issues to grow and strengthen our economy, please click on the news links below: