Washington, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington), the only North Carolina member of the House Ways and Means Committee, voted today in favor of the “Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010” and H.R. 3326, the 2010 Defense appropriations bill.
Both bills include important economic provisions aimed at creating jobs, extending unemployment benefits, and supporting small businesses.
“The year began with Congress acting to stabilize Wall Street and an economy which stood on the brink of a monetary collapse,” said Etheridge. “We avoided that crisis and now we must focus our efforts on Main Street to help create more opportunities for families to get back to work.”
Both bills extend provisions to help small businesses obtain loans so they can create jobs and expand our economy. Both bills extend federal COBRA subsidies for millions of American families at risk of losing health care coverage while also extending unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for millions of workers struggling to find employment. These provisions help jumpstart our economy, putting money right back into our local communities, and provide support to those in need.
The Jobs for Main Street Act includes $48 billion for ready-to-go construction and infrastructure projects and $27 billion to cash-strapped states struggling to keep police, teachers, and other public employees. Another $24 billion will go towards helping state governments defray the cost of Medicaid. The bill also makes significant investments in job training.
H.R. 3326 extends federal authorization for highway projects that create jobs in our communities, and prevents a cut in reimbursement rates for Medicare providers to make sure that beneficiaries can continue to see their physician. Additionally, millions of children and families will benefit from a $400 million investment in child nutrition.
The House had already passed the provisions in H.R. 3326 to give our military the tools it needs to meet threats and challenges worldwide. H.R. 3326 improves the military’s readiness by ensuring our troops have the equipment and armor they need and helps replace and repair equipment that has been used in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The National Guard and Reserve also receive increases in pay along with improved military housing and extended health care coverage.
“Our economy has begun to recover, but the unemployment rate is still much too high,” Etheridge said. “We won’t stop working until our economy is restored and small businesses are able to begin hiring again.”