Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Chip Cravaack (MN-8) released the following statement following the bipartisan House vote on the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011, which would protect all workers from a tax increase in January, extend unemployment benefits to millions during the worst recession in recent history, and approve the Keystone XL Pipeline project to put tens of thousands of Americans to work immediately: 

“This bill is good for workers, Minnesota, and America.  This is yet another common sense, bipartisan House initiative that puts more money in working Americans’ pockets and gets government off their backs.  I call on Senator Harry Reid, whose one man filibuster has single-handedly blocked 27 House jobs bills from being considered in the Senate, to act on this measure immediately in the best interest of the American People,” said Rep. Cravaack. 

The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011 extends the payroll tax holiday without raiding the Social Security trust fund by freezing pay for government workers, including members of Congress, reforming programs that are riddled with waste, and reducing subsidies for the wealthy.  90 percent of these savings have also been proposed by President Obama. 

The bill also approves the Keystone XL Pipeline and halts the EPA's job-killing boiler MACT regulation, which hurts Minnesota schools and the economy by imposing excessive control and monitoring standards for 11 subcategories of boilers and process heaters. 

"The Keystone XL Pipeline project is poised to create 20,000 jobs and would provide a critical boost to the construction industry in Minnesota and the Midwest," said Glen Johnson, Business Manager of Operating Engineers Local 49.  "We applaud Rep. Cravaack's effort to move the project forward and create work opportunities for heavy equipment operators and other skilled tradespeople.” 

Operating Engineers Local 49 represents 12,000 men and women in Minnesota, North and South Dakota with contracts for highway/heavy and building contractors, well drillers, equipment repair shops, welding shops, sand and gravel suppliers, counties, municipalities, hospitals, school districts, cemeteries, and more. 

Recognizing that unemployment services should focus on helping Americans get back to work, the bill uses a two-step process to gradually reduce current maximum weeks of benefits and requires that recipients are actively seeking employment or utilizing job training or education program.

Rep. Cravaack serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee – where he is Vice Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee – the Homeland Security Committee, and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. The 8th Congressional District covers 18 counties in Northeast Minnesota.

Watch Rep. Cravaack's Floor statement here.

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