House Passes Important Funding Bills
August 10, 2010
Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed two important bills which will strengthen our economy and improve our border security. Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) returned from California to DC in order to vote for both bills during a special session of Congress.
The Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act will save and create almost 320,000 jobs nationwide, including 160,000 teaching jobs. California will receive over $1.2 billion in funding for education, which will help prevent 16,500 teacher layoffs.
“Saving a teaching job does more than just keep one more person off the unemployment rolls,” said Congressman Thompson. “Each teaching job that we can save will help improve the education of our children, and strengthen the future of our country. Our past successes have been built on the strong educational foundation our country has always provided, and we cannot let these tough economic times weaken that foundation. Our district is expected to be able to save 243 teaching jobs as a result of this legislation. And our firefighters and cops are the men and women who keep our families and homes safe.”
The bill includes $10 billion in funding to save teacher jobs; and $16.1 billion in health assistance to the states that will help keep police officers and firefighters on the job. According to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, the Medicaid funds will save and create 158,000 jobs, including preventing the layoff of police officers and firefighters. More than half these jobs will be in the private sector.
The bill is completely paid for. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill actually reduces the deficit by $1.4 billion over 10 years by cutting $17.7 billion in spending and closing $9.8 billion worth of corporate tax loopholes. The bill now goes to the President for his signature.
Congress also passed H.R. 6080, the 2010 Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Bill. It provides a total of $600 million to help address the threat of increased violence along the Southwest Border by strengthening border security and enforcement efforts, and it is fully paid for. The cost is met by increasing, over five years, the cost for two visas which permit foreign workers to come and work in the United States. The Border Security bill must now be approved by the Senate before it can be signed into law by the President.
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The Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act will save and create almost 320,000 jobs nationwide, including 160,000 teaching jobs. California will receive over $1.2 billion in funding for education, which will help prevent 16,500 teacher layoffs.
“Saving a teaching job does more than just keep one more person off the unemployment rolls,” said Congressman Thompson. “Each teaching job that we can save will help improve the education of our children, and strengthen the future of our country. Our past successes have been built on the strong educational foundation our country has always provided, and we cannot let these tough economic times weaken that foundation. Our district is expected to be able to save 243 teaching jobs as a result of this legislation. And our firefighters and cops are the men and women who keep our families and homes safe.”
The bill includes $10 billion in funding to save teacher jobs; and $16.1 billion in health assistance to the states that will help keep police officers and firefighters on the job. According to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, the Medicaid funds will save and create 158,000 jobs, including preventing the layoff of police officers and firefighters. More than half these jobs will be in the private sector.
The bill is completely paid for. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill actually reduces the deficit by $1.4 billion over 10 years by cutting $17.7 billion in spending and closing $9.8 billion worth of corporate tax loopholes. The bill now goes to the President for his signature.
Congress also passed H.R. 6080, the 2010 Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Bill. It provides a total of $600 million to help address the threat of increased violence along the Southwest Border by strengthening border security and enforcement efforts, and it is fully paid for. The cost is met by increasing, over five years, the cost for two visas which permit foreign workers to come and work in the United States. The Border Security bill must now be approved by the Senate before it can be signed into law by the President.
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Issues:Health CareJobs & Economy