[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2083]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
 CONGRESS WORKS FAST TO ADDRESS ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, BUT MORE WORK NEEDS 
                               TO BE DONE

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, today President Bush will sign our 
bipartisan economic stimulus legislation into law. Getting this bill 
done quickly is a victory for the American people that will inject 
confidence and consumer demands, promote economic growth and create 
jobs.
  130 million low- and middle-income Americans will receive tax rebates 
in the coming months. These rebates are welcome relief to many families 
who are struggling in this economy. Family incomes and home prices are 
down as health care and energy, food and education costs and mortgage 
foreclosures have climbed. Economists estimate that every dollar 
included in these rebate checks will lead to $1.26 in economic growth. 
The new law should also help create 500,000 new jobs by year's end.
  Mr. Speaker, this economic stimulus package is a good first start, 
but this Congress will take additional action to help American workers 
and help our economy recover. We will also develop a plan for 
additional assistance, which could include extension of unemployment 
benefits, food stamps, State and local assistance, and Medicaid.

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