Providing for Consideration of Conference Report on H.R.1, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1, AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009 -- (House of Representatives - February 13, 2009)

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Mr. POLIS of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. I want to thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Obey, Chairman Miller, and all of my colleagues for doing what this crisis demands and for doing what the American people have asked us to do.

This is no ordinary economic downturn. It is a rapid meltdown that threatens the very foundations of our capitalist system. The Bush administration took a record budget surplus and left us the largest deficit in U.S. history. Our national debt has doubled, and the amount we owe to foreign countries has tripled. Five million Americans no longer have health insurance, and 7.6 million families have fallen into poverty. The laundry list of mistakes from the previous administration's failed policies has left us no choice but to take swift and decisive action to tackle these challenges head on.

This landmark legislation represents a new chapter and a new direction for our great Nation. By creating 3.5 million jobs and by investing in our infrastructure--physical and human--we are taking immediate action to restore growth and prosperity to the American people. Americans understand that a healthy environment goes hand in hand with a healthy economy.

This bill gives States and renewable energy producers the tools they need to green our energy infrastructure. It promotes a green workforce, spurs green innovation and invests heavily in our public lands. It does this while creating new and long-lasting jobs that will make our country the economic, scientific and environmental leader that it once was and once again will be.

Madam Speaker, we can and will regain the world's confidence in our economy. We will retain our global competitiveness, and we will, indeed, save capitalism and free enterprise with one of the largest tax cuts ever.

With its robust commitment to our education system, this legislation invests in our children's future and paves the way for generations of success. Education is the only meaningful, long-term investment we can make to stimulate the American economy, and there is no better way to remain the world's leader in innovation.

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Mr. POLIS of Colorado. I applaud President Obama and my colleagues in both Chambers for working hard to ensure that education from early childhood through college is an important part of the recovery package.

Again, I applaud the tireless efforts of all those involved in the crafting and in the negotiation of this historic legislation.

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