Merkley Urges Obama to Include Mortgage Help, Energy Efficiency Programs in Jobs Agenda

Press Release

Next week, President Barack Obama plans to lay out an agenda to jumpstart the American economy and create jobs. Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley is urging him to use that opportunity to take aggressive action to keep families in their homes and to finance energy efficiency renovations to reduce energy use and get Americans back to work.

In a letter to Obama, Merkley applauded the President for focusing on job creation and offered his suggestions for how to help get the economy back on track.

Merkley wrote, "An unemployment rate above 9% is simply unacceptable and our slow rate of job creation means that it may be five years or more before we reach the pre-recession unemployment levels. We cannot allow that to happen; we must take concrete steps to create jobs now."

Merkley noted the dangers that continue to arise from a coming wave of foreclosures. With millions of homeowners at risk, the housing market is a continuing drag on the economy, stunting job growth and creating uncertainty in communities across the country. Merkley is pushing the Administration to implement programs that would help make mortgages more affordable and, thus, help prevent foreclosures.

Merkley is further urging the Administration to endorse programs that will help families and businesses make energy efficiency upgrades to buildings. Low interest loans can encourage improvements now, creating much-needed construction jobs and saving money over the long term in reduced energy use.

"Deficit reduction has dominated discussion in Washington, DC, over the past several months. While I agree we need to lower our deficit, the single best way we can manage our debt is to get Americans back to work. An aggressive push to create jobs is both sound policy and the right thing to do. I hope to have an opportunity to work with you and your team to pursue these and other job creation initiatives."

Merkley has been advocating for months for a stronger government response to the unemployment crisis, most recently leading 23 Senators in sending a letter to the Senate Republican leader urging that the new "super committee" make near-term job creation strategies a centerpiece of its efforts to reduce the nation's long-term deficits.

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