Reports
Growing Support for the American Recovery & Reinvestment Bill
01/22/2009
Next week, the House will vote on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, working from priorities shared with President Barack Obama.
The plan will create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, jumpstart our economy, and transform it for the 21st century.
Unprecedented accountability and transparency measures are built in to help ensure tax dollars are spent wisely. $550 billion is strategically targeted to priority investments; $275 billion in targeted tax cuts will also help spur economic recovery.
The plan continues to gain support from a wide range of organizations:
Phil Bond, Technology Association of America
“By putting together an economic stimulus proposal that recognizes the need to transform our economy through science and technology and create jobs for all Americans, the U.S. House of Representatives today has exercised true leadership…Technology and innovation have built the America we know today and will continue to provide the foundations of a strong, competitive and prosperous economy.” [1/15/09]
William Novelli, AARP
“On behalf of AARP’s 40 million members, we write to commend you and your committees for developing a wide-ranging legislative recovery package, the scope of which reflects the gravity of this economic crisis…We are very pleased that the legislation includes funding for Medicaid, health information technology, health care effectiveness research, nurse and primary care training, and affordable health insurance via Medicaid and subsidized COBRA for those who lost health coverage along with jobs.” [Letter to Chairmen and Ranking Members, 1/22/09]
Edward Coyle, Alliance for Retired Americans
“It gives me great hope today to see that the House recovery package includes an additional Supplemental Security Income payment for low-income older and disabled recipients, as well as health care assistance through COBRA and Medicaid for older workers who have become temporarily unemployed. …[T]hese funds are – fairly - going to hard-working people who have played by the rules and been dealt a difficult hand. … I cannot think of a better use of recovery funds, and seniors and older workers are grateful that the U.S. House agrees.” [1/15/09]
David Warren, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
“On behalf of the millions of students at our nation’s private colleges and universities, I write to thank you for the unprecedented funding for student aid you have included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act…Together these proposals mean that low-income students and families on the brink of stopping or dropping out of their higher education plans can stay in, and that unemployed workers can choose retraining for a new job.” [Letter to Speaker Pelosi, 1/16/09]
John Horsley, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
“Transportation investment is a sure bet for rebuilding the nation’s economy now and into the future. We applaud the House leadership for including in the draft bill $30 billion for highway and bridge construction projects and urge Congress to move quickly to deliver a bill to President-elect Obama. State Departments of Transportation, working with local governments, are ready to deliver hundreds of thousands of jobs and long term benefits through smart investment in transportation projects. This is the time to restore hope to America and build the foundation for a better tomorrow.” [1/15/09]
Anna Aurilio, Environment America
“This economic recovery proposal will not only help keep the lights on across America but will make them greener. Investments in clean energy and energy efficiency will put Americans to work in good jobs building a new clean energy economy.” [1/15/09]
Sierra Club
“These initiatives [in the House recovery package] are a win-win for a strong economy and a healthier environment. By focusing on critical investments in repair and modernization of infrastructure, and boosting production of renewable energy, they will create good jobs here in America and reduce our dependence on dirtier energy sources like oil and coal.” [1/15/09]
Healthcare Leadership Council
“The package … contains important provisions to benefit the health and well-being of the American people. We applaud you and your colleagues for including funding for health information technology in your proposal. The advancement of HIT holds enormous potential to improve patient safety make our healthcare system more efficient and encourage the use of evidence-based medicine. … We are also strongly supportive of your decision to direct funding to prevention and wellness programs. As you know, approximately 75 cents of every healthcare dollar is spent to treat chronic disease. … We believe this economic stimulus measure embodies both wisdom and vision by focusing so strongly on healthcare.” [Letter to Speaker Pelosi, 1/21/09]
Families USA
“On behalf of the Families USA, the national voice of health care consumers, we strongly endorse the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The economic crisis is inextricably linked to the nation’s health care crisis, and urgent action is desperately needed. Investing in health care will help the nation get back to its feet and is central to economic recovery…. By providing $87 billion to states to help pay for extra Medicaid costs, the bill will enable states to continue to provide Medicaid for needy families… The bill will also assist the 3.5 million people who have already fallen into the ranks of the unemployed during this recession. … By providing a strong subsidy, this legislation will help the unemployed retain their health coverage during this recession until they secure coverage through a subsequent employer.” [Letter to Chairmen and Ranking Members, 1/21/09]
Committee on Education Funding
“The economic recovery package invests more than $122 billion in our nation’s teachers and students, and strengthens our schools, colleges, and libraries. The package would retrain displaced and unemployed workers, create new jobs by modernizing the country’s classrooms, and increase America’s competitiveness in the global economy. It will also provide much needed relief to states, colleges, and schools who are facing historic budget shortfalls and prevent draconian cuts to critical education programs.” [1/16/09]
Chip Barclay, American Association of Airport Executives
“Airport executives are encouraged that Congress is on track to approve economic stimulus legislation that provides billions of dollars in additional funding to airports for key security, safety, and capacity projects. Direct federal funding along with the elimination of the negative tax treatment of airport private activity bonds will ensure that construction begins quickly on hundreds of thoroughly vetted, highly beneficial airport construction projects across the country. The end result will be the creation of tens of thousands of high-paying jobs and an enhanced air transportation system.” [1/15/09]
Gerald McEntee, AFSCME
“The economic recovery plan proposed by the House leadership will protect and create jobs and help states and cities cope with the strain on their budgets. Their bill sends a clear message of support for the vital public services – such as health care, education and law enforcement – Americans rely on during an economic crisis.” [1/16/09]
Nancy Duff Campbell, National Women’s Law Center
“The package provides much-needed investments in physical infrastructure, and invests in services that build human capital, including health care, education, child care, Head Start, job training, and child support. In addition to protecting these and other essential services from cuts at the state and local level, these investments will preserve and create jobs in fields where women are currently employed.” [1/15/09]
National Education Association
“We are very pleased that the proposed package includes the investments in education, health care, and other areas necessary to jump-start the economy, create jobs, and help struggling families and communities…We believe the proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment bill offers a sound approach to addressing the urgent economic needs across the country.” [Letter to Chairman Obey, 1/16/09]