Appropriations Committee Approves $550 Billion to Create Jobs and Rebuild America

Press Release

Appropriations Committee approves $550 billion to create jobs and rebuild America

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04), a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, voted last night in support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, following an eight hour long Committee mark-up

"The economic recovery package needs to move quickly through Congress and get to President Obama's desk. This bill will only be effective in stimulating growth and delivering relief if the priorities of Minnesota families are central, which was my goal during this committee markup. We need to get America back to work and this package will do it by creating or saving three to four million jobs at a time when too many families are struggling," Congresswoman McCollum said.

The Appropriations Committee's work has resulted in unprecedented accountability and transparency measures in the legislation to ensure tax dollars are spent wisely - $550 billion is strategically targeted to priority investments; $275 billion in targeted tax cuts that together are intended to spur economic recovery by creating jobs and investing in America's infrastructure. Components of the plan include:

Clean, Efficient, American Energy:

• $32 billion to transform the nation's energy transmission, distribution, and production systems by allowing for a smarter and better grid and focusing investment in renewable technology.

• $16 billion to repair public housing and make key energy efficiency retrofits.

• $6 billion to weatherize modest-income homes.

Modernize Roads, Bridges, Transit and Waterways:

• $30 billion for highway construction;

• $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure with investments that lead to long term energy cost savings;

• $19 billion for clean water, flood control, and environmental restoration investments;

• $10 billion for transit and rail to reduce traffic congestion and gas consumption.

Lower Healthcare Costs:

• $20 billion for health information technology to prevent medical mistakes, provide better care to patients and introduce cost-saving efficiencies.

• $4.1 billion to provide for preventative care and to evaluate the most effective healthcare treatments.

Education for the 21st Century:

• $41 billion to local school districts through Title I ($13 billion), IDEA ($13 billion), a new School Modernization and Repair Program ($14 billion), and the Education Technology program ($1 billion).

• $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cutbacks to key services, including $39 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities distributed through existing state and federal formulas, $15 billion to states as bonus grants as a reward for meeting key performance measures, and $25 billion to states for other high priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education.

• $15.6 billion to increase the maximum Pell Grant by $500 (from $4,850 to $5,350).

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