Washington, D.C. - Rep. Berman today joined a majority in the House of Representatives in support of critical legislation to create and save 3.5 million American jobs that will be signed into law next week.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was approved by a vote of 246-183.  President Obama’s job creation package passed by Congress will rebuild America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; give 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and invest quickly in the economy.

“Today, Congress is delivering on President Obama’s historic plan to start to get the American economy back on track,” said Rep. Berman.  “No mission is more critical to the American people, and the President and Congress got this done just three weeks after his inauguration.”

“This economic recovery plan will create American jobs now, provide one of the largest tax cuts in American history, including for 95% of American workers, and lay a foundation for long-term growth through clean energy, innovation and education,” said Rep. Berman.  “The legislation also has unprecedented accountability and transparency measures to help ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and effectively—including no earmarked projects and a new recovery.gov website allowing Americans to track the investments.”

“America is facing an economic crisis greater than any since the Great Depression, with a staggering 3.6 million American jobs lost in the last 13 months and an unemployment rate here in California that has climbed to 9.3 percent,” said Rep. Berman. “As the President works to address the mortgage foreclosure crisis and get credit flowing in our financial system, this plan will begin to turn our economy around and bring jobs, relief and hope for Californians.”

This jobs and economic recovery plan contains strategic efforts:

• Creating or saving 396,000 jobs here in California over the next two years;
• Providing a Making Work Pay tax cut of up to $800 for 12,420,000 workers and their families, designed to start paying out immediately into workers’ paychecks, as well as tax cuts to spur businesses large and small;
• Transforming Our Economy With Clean, Efficient, American Energy and Innovation and Technology that will create more than 1 million  jobs;
• Lowering Health Care Costs and improving care by computerizing medical records, which will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and helping those who cannot afford health care in these tough times;
• Modernizing Roads and Bridges to create jobs with an extra 2,569,568,320 here in California along with other critical infrastructure like high-speed rail, the boldest investment since the creation of the interstate highway system a half century ago;
• Education for the 21st Century, modernizing schools and making college more affordable with improved Pell Grants for the 744,236 Pell Grant recipients here in California and a higher education tax credit for 522,000 students in our state;
• Helping Workers Hurt by the Economy, including 1,731,800 Californians that are out of work, those who have lost their health care, and seniors; and
• Saving the Jobs of teachers, police officers, health care workers, and protecting the vital services they provide.

“It will take time to turn this economy around, but we are confident that this package will make our economy stronger and more resilient,” said Rep. Berman. “This jobs and recovery plan will create or save an estimated 396,000 jobs in California by the end of 2010, according to the White House.  Americans have always come together in the face of challenges and we will once again with the swift and bold leadership of President Obama.”

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