Healthcare finished, House Dems switch to jobs agenda
By Walter Alarkon - 03/22/10 07:54 PM ET
House Democrats are pivoting to a jobs agenda hours after sending President Barack Obama landmark healthcare legislation.
Democrats are planning votes as soon as Tuesday on an $18 billion bill that funds infrastructure projects and provides small-business tax breaks, as well as a disaster-relief measure that includes $600 million for a summer youth jobs program.
“Now we can have a sustained and focused effort on jobs,” said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).
The jobless rate for February was 9.7 percent, down slightly from a peak of 10.2 percent last fall. A majority of Americans said unemployment or the economy in general was the top problem the country faces, according to a Gallup poll taken this month. In the same poll, healthcare was cited as the country’s top problem by a fifth of respondents.
Many of the proposals to be considered this week were pushed in January by Obama during his State of the Union address, at which time he also said the economy would be his top priority in this midterm election year.
The $18 billion jobs bill includes $2 billion to exempt small businesses from the capital gains tax through 2011, a move Obama had called for in the address.
The bill also features spending provisions pushed for by liberal Democrats. It includes $2.5 billion for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families that Lee and the CBC pushed for. It also includes $7.5 billion to increase federal subsidies for Build America Bonds to provide state and local governments with low-cost financing for infrastructure projects, $2.4 billion for more low-income housing tax credits and $2.4 billion for public works bonds for areas hit hard by job losses.more...
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/88465-house-dems-switch-to-jobs-agenda
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