Rep. Lofgren Releases Statement on Final Passage of Economic Recovery Package
Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) today released the followingstatement in response to the final passage of H.R. 1, the AmericanRecovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Faced with the single greatest economic crisis this country hasseen in over a generation, Congress today passed a compromise economicrecovery package that will put Americans back to work. This package isfar from an economic cure all, but it is a strong move in the rightdirection. Less than a month into a new Obama Administration, Americahas begun moving down the road to recovery. It's not going to be aneasy journey. It took years of neglect and greed to get us here and itwill take time to get us out. But, it's a journey that we as Americanshave made before and can make again.
This package, which I expect will be making its way to thePresident's desk shortly, will help put more than 3.5 million Americansback to work and will give 95 percent of working Americans an immediatetax break. In California alone, it's estimated that this recoverypackage could generate nearly 400,000 new jobs. It provides forsubstantial investments in our national infrastructure, funding newroads, bridges, mass transit, energy efficient buildings, floodcontrol, water treatment, schools, and laboratories. It will focusresearch into the technologies that will power our new green economyand help lead our nation to energy independence. At home in California,we'll see laboratories expand, new high speed rail lines laid, roadsand levies repaired, schools upgraded, health care access expanded, andnew green collar jobs created.
We will turn this crisis into an opportunity. We'll putAmericans to work, emerging stronger and better prepared for future.This package is an invest in our future prosperity.