[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 156 (Sunday, September 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            JOB CREATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7110, the 
Appropriations for Job Creation and Preservation, Infrastructure 
Investment, and Economic and Energy Assistance Act of 2008.
  There is no denying that our country is in the midst of a financial 
crisis. While those in the media continue to focus on the crisis on 
Wall Street, they have forgotten that American families have been 
struggling for months. The unemployment rate has been steadily 
increasing, reaching 6.1 percent this month, the highest level since 
1992. 84,000 Americans lost their jobs in August and 605,000 have lost 
their jobs this year. Employed Americans are continuing to struggle 
from increased energy and food costs, and decreasing wages. Many are at 
risk of losing their pensions due to bad decisions made by Wall Street. 
The legislation before us today would directly help those struggling on 
Main Street and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support it.
  H.R. 7110 would provide immediate assistance to those who need it 
most. It would extend unemployment benefits by 7 weeks for workers who 
have exhausted regular unemployment compensation. It would help provide 
healthcare to the growing number low-income children and families by 
providing a temporary increase in the Federal Medical Assistance 
Percentage (FMAP) for Medicaid health costs. It would provide $2.6 
billion for food stamps to address the rising food costs for seniors, 
people with disabilities and very poor families with children. It would 
also increase access to job training for youths and for workers who 
have lost their jobs to help them to find new employment.
  This legislation would help to grow our economy by providing tens of 
thousands of jobs by making a significant investment in our nation's 
infrastructure. H.R. 7110 would provide $12.8 billion to improving our 
nation's aging highways and bridges. It would contribute $12.5 billion 
for investment in our nation's water resource infrastructure, $3 
billion for repairing crumbling schools, $5.1 billion for expanding 
public transportation including Amtrak, and $1 billion for improving 
public housing.
  H.R. 7110 would also provide for our long term energy needs. This 
legislation would provide $500 million to accelerate the development of 
renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Additionally, it 
would invest $1 billion in advanced batteries.
  This legislation would provide some much needed relief to America's 
families as they struggle through these tough economic times. However 
there is much more that needs to be done to keep our economy strong in 
the long term. I look forward to working with my colleagues to find 
real solutions which will help to keep America's economy strong.

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