[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
was created in the first month of President Obama's term after what was 
reported to be the worst recession since the Great Depression. Just 1 
year ago, our Nation was headed towards an economic collapse with the 
loss of about 600,000 jobs a month. State and local budget cutbacks 
were putting teachers' jobs and students' educations in jeopardy. There 
was no doubt that our economy was in grave need to immediately begin to 
save and create jobs and lay a foundation for the long-term economic 
recovery.
  This month marks the 1-year anniversary of the passage of the 
Recovery Act which has jump-started our economy by saving and creating 
as many as 2.4 million jobs and providing $120 billion in tax cuts for 
95 percent of working families as well as businesses across the 
country. The act has loaned nearly $20 billion to small businesses to 
expand and create jobs, funded more than 12,500 transportation projects 
nationwide and kept police officers and firefighters on the job. It has 
funded more than 300,000 educational jobs, keeping teachers in their 
classrooms.
  Mr. Speaker, I say let's continue the work.

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