[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 3, 2009

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1, 
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
  We are all painfully aware that our nation is in a deep economic 
recession. The grim numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics begin 
to tell the story. For months the unemployment rate has been rising and 
in January nearly 600,000 jobs were lost. This is the highest number of 
jobs lost in a one-month period since 1974. It is estimated that if 
joblessness continues at the same rate, unemployment rates will be in 
the double digits by summer and the highest unemployment level since 
the Great Depression.
  Economists on both sides of the aisle agree that we need swift and 
robust action to counter this troubling downturn. By making needed 
investments in areas such as infrastructure, healthcare, and education 
H.R. 1 will address rising joblessness by creating jobs in areas where 
investment will make a long-term impact. In my home state of California 
it is expected that the measure will create or save close to 400,000 
jobs.
  As a healthcare advocate I am particularly pleased that the bill also 
provides $1 billion to restore state and local health department jobs 
that will be lost in the next year due to budget cuts. Not only will 
this funding keep thousands of people employed, it will also ensure 
that the public continues to receive critical prevention and wellness 
programs that these employees provide. Moreover, it is essential that 
we ensure the stability of our public health infrastructure which is 
critical to national and local responses to natural or man-made 
catastrophes.
  I am also gratified that the bill includes funding to address 
critical health care workforce shortages. At a time when millions of 
Americans are unemployed, there are well over 140,000 unfilled 
registered nursing jobs in our hospitals, nursing homes and community 
health centers. To address this need the bill includes $500 million for 
nurse training.
  The bill also allows governors to spend up to $10 billion for school 
modernization. The funding provided for school renovation and repair is 
essential to address the nation's crumbling education infrastructure. 
Our nation's students and teachers deserve to learn and work in 
buildings that are not crumbling around them.
  There is no dispute that economic conditions will get worse before 
they get better. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an 
important step forward in reversing the course of the current 
recession. It will provide a desperately needed boost to our ailing 
economy, and will provide American families with a needed social safety 
net as they weather the worst of this economic crisis.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes to stabilize our economy and assist 
Americans impacted by this crisis.

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