Lee, Congressional Progressive Caucus Hold Hearing on Job Creation
Contact: Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882
Congresswoman Lee urges extension of unemployment benefits for jobless workers
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) joined members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus at an ad hoc hearing to discuss America’s top priority: job creation. The hearing is in response to the secret meetings of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Supercommittee) over the last few months. The Supercommittee has been tasked with finding at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions over a ten-year period by November 23 of this year.
“I want to thank the witnesses for their insight,” said Congresswoman Lee. “It is critical that we publicly air the voices of Americans that support a plan that is balanced and helps creates jobs and grows the economy. For more than 300 days in the House majority, the GOP has refused to put forward a clear jobs plan.”
Congresswoman Lee raised the important issue of maintaining the current extension of unemployment benefits which are set to expire at the end of the year. She also urged the passage of her bill, H.R. 589, which would extend unemployment compensation for an additional fourteen weeks for the millions of Americans who have completely exhausted their benefits. Not only do unemployed workers need assistance for food and shelter month to month, but unemployed workers immediately spend the assistance received which stimulates the economy and contributes to job growth.
Members received testimony from Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, economist Dr. John Irons with the Economic Policy Institute, Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, and Dr. Rob Johnson of the Roosevelt Institute and Patriotic Millionaires. The experts discussed policy measures that will create jobs and invest in the future of working Americans and their families.
“I do not believe that another round of tax cuts for the wealthy will create the demand we need to restore growth and reignite the American Dream for millions of Americans,” said Congresswoman Lee. “A real solution would lift up the nearly 50 million Americans’ struggling in poverty by protecting our social safety net, continuing jobless benefits, and investing in education, public infrastructure projects, and job training.”
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