Issue Position: Economy & Jobs

Issue Position

Only one year ago, the U.S. economy was on the brink of collapse and the threat of a second Great Depression was looming. In response to this economic emergency, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5) in February 2009 without a single Republican vote in the House.

As of the end of 2009, the Recovery Act saved or created over 41,000 jobs in Minnesota, including over 8,000 jobs in education, according to the President's Council of Economic Advisers. It kept over 66,000 Minnesotans out of poverty. And many Recovery Act investments in new infrastructure and clean energy are just starting to break ground.

Due to this unprecedented federal commitment America's economy has moved from crisis to recovery. Yet, the pace of recovery is too slow, especially for working families. Minnesota's unemployment rate remains stubbornly high at 7.4 percent and the national average is 9.7 percent. Our neighbors who have jobs are facing pay cuts and reduced hours while those who are unemployed struggle to find new opportunities and wonder how they will survive after their unemployment insurance runs out.

That's why I strongly support measures that will create jobs in Minnesota and extend emergency benefits such as unemployment insurance and the COBRA health insurance subsidy, and why I voted for the Jobs for Main Street Act (H.R. 2847) last December. I encourage the Senate to pass jobs legislation immediately that includes the benefit extensions so our hurting families can make ends meet and provide their children a better future.

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