Durbin and Burris Say Passage of Economic Recovery Bill Good for Illinois and Nation

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roland W. Burris (D-IL) said that Senate passage of President Obama's economic recovery plan will create or save millions of good-paying Americans jobs; provide tax relief for hardworking middle-class families; and make investments in our nation's long-term economic future. Both senators voted for the bill; it passed the Senate by a 61-37 vote margin.

"Today, Democrats and three Republicans in the Senate did the right thing for the American people and our struggling economy by passing President Obama's economic recovery plan. Our state of Illinois has been hit hard by the economic downturn - losing nearly 1,200 jobs a day last month alone," said Durbin. "We cannot walk away from this crisis or this challenge. The House and Senate must come together to stop the job losses and begin to rebuild our economy."

"The Senate's passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a tremendous victory as we work to set our economy back on track. However, we must be mindful of the work that lies ahead. Congress and the White House must come together now to gain consensus on the final version of the bill," said Burris. "It is crucial that our nation's leadership acts swiftly and wisely. From the plant worker in Normal, to the small business owner in Waukegan, the hardworking people of Illinois simply cannot afford to wait any longer for real, long-lasting relief."

What does this mean for Illinois?

Illinois's Infrastructure: The Senate economic recovery legislation will put Illinoisans immediately to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, make significant investments in water projects throughout the state and will enable the creation of a stronger and more efficient infrastructure for the 21st century economy.

* $945 million in highway, rail and port infrastructure funding
* $430 million in transit funding for investments in mass transit
* $80 million through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to address the backlog of drinking water infrastructure needs
* $180 million through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to address the backlog of clean water infrastructure needs

Education and Training: In order to compete in the 21st Century, we must have a well-educated workforce, capable of adapting to an ever-changing economic environment. Investing in education now will ensure that the next generation of Illinois's workers is ready and able to meet the challenge of global competition. In the near-term, millions of workers have seen their jobs disappear, and find themselves unable to match their skill sets with existing opportunities. Providing job training in new and expanding fields will help to lower the unemployment rate and help today's workers better compete against foreign competition.

* $1.3 billion through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to local school districts and public colleges and universities
* $586.5 million for Special Education Part B State Grants to help improve educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, raising the federal contribution to nearly 40 percent, the level established when the law was authorized more than 30 years ago
* $38 million in education technology funds to purchase up-to-date computers and software and provide professional development to ensure the technology is used effectively in the classroom
* $500 million for Title I Education for the Disadvantaged to help close the achievement gap and enable disadvantaged students to reach their potential
* $16.6 million in State Employment Service Grants to match unemployed individuals to job openings through state employment service agencies and allow Illinois to provide customized reemployment services
* $52.2 million in Dislocated Workers State Grants, particularly for grants that support immediate strategies for regions and communities to meet their need for skilled workers, as well as longer-term plans to build targeted industry clusters with better training and a more productive workforce
* $26.1 million for Department of Labor's Adult State Grants
* $62.8 million for Department of Labor's Youth State Grants
* $18.2 million for Vocational Rehabilitation to help individuals with disabilities prepare for and sustain gainful employment
* $217.5 million for an increase in the Pell grant by $400, so that more students can afford a college education

Illinois's Energy: The Senate bill would provide investments in areas critical to the development of clean, efficient, American energy, including modernizing energy transmission, research and development of renewable energy technologies, and modernizing and upgrading government buildings and vehicles.

* $16.9 million through the State Energy Program
* $145.2 million through the Weatherization Assistance Program

Housing Funding

* $222.6 million to enable local public housing agencies to address a backlog in capital needs - especially those improving energy efficiency in aging developments
* $94.8 million in HOME Funding to enable state and local government, in partnership with community-based organizations, to acquire, construct, and rehabilitate affordable housing and provide rental assistance to poor families
* $71.2 million through the Homelessness Prevention Fund to be used for prevention activities, which include: short or medium-term rental assistance, first and last month's rental payment, or utility payments. As such, most of this funding will go directly into the economy of local communities, as the funds will be used to pay housing and other associated costs in the private market

Protecting the Vulnerable in Illinois: The current economic crisis has affected all Illinoisans, but none more so than the most vulnerable among us. The spending proposed here will serve to lessen the blow of the current recession, providing immediate relief for children, the poor, and others who may find themselves struggling to put food on the table or a roof over their head.

* $3.3 million for National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance
* $3.8 million through the Emergency Food Assistance Program
* $645.5 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (formerly Food Stamps)
* $4.1 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, which provides grants to nonprofit and faith-based organizations at the local level to supplement their programs for emergency food and shelter to provide for the immediate needs of the homeless
* $73.8 million in Child Care and Development Block Grants to provide quality child care services for in low-income families who increasingly are unable to afford the high cost of day care
* $13.5 million for Head Start to allow additional children to participate in this program, which provides development, educational, health, nutritional, social and other activities that prepare children to succeed in school
* $9.4 million in Community Services Block Grants to local community action agencies for services to the growing numbers of low-income families hurt by the economic crisis, such as housing and mortgage counseling, jobs skills training, food pantry assistance, as well as benefits outreach and enrollment
* $2.3 million for Senior Meals Programs to help senior meals programs cope with steep increases in food and fuel costs. Many programs are reducing meal deliveries to seniors or closing meal sites

Law Enforcement in Illinois:

* $11.9 million in Violence Against Women Grants for victim services programs to improve the criminal justice system's response to violent crimes against women and to assist victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking who are in need of transitional housing, short-term housing assistance, and related support services
* $51 million in Byrne/JAG grants to support law enforcement efforts
* $4.8 million for crime victims compensation and assistance
* $2 million in Internet Crimes Against Children Grants to help law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative response to offenders who use the Internet, online communication systems, or other computer technology to sexually exploit children

Tax Relief for Illinois Families and Businesses: According to the Senate Committee on Finance, the following are examples of tax provisions in the legislation that will help Illinois businesses and families, create jobs and get Illinois's economy moving:

* Up to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for married couples for the Making Work Pay Tax Credit
* $300 to Social Security beneficiaries, SSI recipients, and disabled veterans
* $2,500 for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (an increase in the tax credit for higher education and allowing the credit for four full years)
* Extended and increased Homebuyer Tax Credit to both help aspiring homeowners and stabilize plummeting home prices
* Extended Bonus Depreciation and Small Business Expensing through 2009, allowing businesses that make capital investments to immediately deduct one-half the cost. Small businesses can immediately deduct 100 percent of the cost of these investments

Alternative Minimum Tax: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 would protect over 26 million working families across the nation from the Alternative Minimum Tax, representing thousands of dollars in additional income taxes. According to the Congressional Research Service, 1,021,000 Illinoisans would be protected from the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2009.

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