Congresswoman Lee Supports Economic Stimulus Package
For Immediate Release
January 28, 2009
Contact: Nicole Y. Williams
(202) 225-2661
Washington, DC –Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. She released this statement:
“The economic policies of the previous administration have left our nation’s economy in shambles. Today, more people are living in poverty, more people are living without health insurance, and more people are unemployed than they were eight years ago - and it’s only getting worse.
“I applaud President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, the leadership, and Chairman Obey for crafting this robust economic stimulus package. I’m pleased that it includes funding for a number of important initiatives that I fought for, including extending unemployment benefits, expanding the food stamp program, and providing increased Medicaid funding to states.
“It puts our nation on the path to recovery by including $4 billion in job training programs, including $500 million for green jobs and $1.2 billion for youth training programs. It funds a range of transportation and infrastructure projects to rebuild our roads, modernize our schools, rehabilitate our housing stock and prevent foreclosures. It is truly a sizable commitment to putting our nation back on the right track.
“Given the magnitude of the economic crisis, this bill could and should be much bigger – over $1 trillion at least. And I believe it should have been enacted a year ago when my colleagues and I in the Progressive Caucus first called for a new stimulus package to jumpstart our economy. Instead the previous Administration refused to take action, letting our economy collapse before choosing to bailout their friends in the banking industry.
“By itself, this bill cannot end the economic crisis we are currently facing, but it’s a good start.”
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