[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 24, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         THE RECESSION IS REAL

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, the recession is real.
  In my home State of North Carolina, we have 100 counties. All of them 
experienced an increase in unemployment during the month of January. 
Seventy-two of the 100 counties had a 10 percent or higher rate of 
unemployment. Across my district, 23 counties, we now have an average 
unemployment rate of 11.2 percent. The highest county is 15.6 percent. 
That is unacceptable.
  These numbers are staggering, and people are hurting. We must 
remember, Mr. Speaker, that we have met these challenges before, and we 
will meet this challenge now. North Carolina will benefit from about $6 
billion as part of the stimulus package, which will create or save 
105,000 much-needed jobs.
  I am further encouraged by the efforts to ease the credit squeeze 
afflicting small businesses by buying up to $15 billion of securities 
that are linked to small business. This is an important step, Mr. 
Speaker, in encouraging lenders to make more money available to 
entrepreneurs and small businesses.
  I encourage the President to continue with his economic recovery.

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