Americans United for Change Hails Passage of Bipartisan HIRE Act in the Senate
Americans United for Change Hails Passage of Bipartisan HIRE Act in the Senate, Paving the Way for Over a Million Jobs
Thanks to Senator Harry Reid’s Leadership, 13 Republicans Break Away from Huddle of Corporate Lobbyists and GOP Leaders Scheming to Kill Bill
“GOP Leaders Lay Out Plan to Block Reid’s Jobs Bill” – Roll Call, 2/17/10
“Senate GOP Staff Meet With Lobbyists on Jobs Bill” – Huffington Post, 2/18/10
Washington D.C. – Americans United for Change acting Executive Director Tom McMahon issued the following statement following today’s passage of the bipartisan HIRE Act in the Senate – legislation expected to quickly clear the U.S. House this week:
“Desperately needed legislation to create or save over a million jobs will soon be on the President’s desk thanks to the leadership of Majority Leader Reid and the 13 Republicans he convinced to break from the huddle of corporate lobbyists to do the right thing on behalf of the struggling out-of-work families they represent. It is our hope that this bipartisan effort wasn’t the last for the foreseeable future, as the Senate will soon take up more important measures to help turn the economy around, from extending unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits, to delivering tax relief for individuals and businesses, to reining in reckless and greedy behavior on Wall Street with sweeping financial regulatory reform. Today’s passage of the HIRE Act comes on the heels of a welcome new CBO report finding that the President’s economic recovery plan led to 2.1 million jobs in last three months of 2009 and will lead to many more this year – 2.1 million jobs that wouldn’t exist today if the Republican leadership had had their way and defeated it. The Republican leadership in both halls of Congress should consider fewer back room sessions with Wall Street lobbyists and more face time with their constituents hurting badly in the recession their failed policies left behind.”
-30-