Dear Chairman Rogers:
Yesterday the President laid out a plan to address our nation's dismal jobs situation. The proposals the President outlined deserve our serious and immediate consideration. We can work together as a committee and, as a first step, I urge you to schedule hearings on the American Jobs Act as soon as possible.
The President explained last night: "The purpose of the American Jobs Act is simple: to put more people back to work and more money in the pockets of those who are working. It will create more jobs for construction workers, more jobs for teachers, more jobs for veterans, and more jobs for the long-term unemployed. It will provide a jolt to an economy that has stalled, and give companies confidence that if they invest and hire, there will be customers for their products and services."
The President's plan would put millions of Americans back to work, including up to 280,000 teachers laid off by state-budget cuts. The Act would keep cops, firefighters and other first responders on the job, find work for veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, and make immediate investments in the National Infrastructure Bank to put many construction workers on the job to repair crumbling bridges, roads, rails, airports, waterways and to modernize more than 35,000 public schools.
Mr. Chairman, we remain in an economic crisis that has left millions of our neighbors jobless. Now is the time to act quickly. The committee should promptly show the American people that Congress can work together to grow the economy and create jobs.
Sincerely,
Norm Dicks
Ranking Member
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
