All Pawtucket All The Time

Washington, DC – Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement this evening:

“The President’s message tonight renewed the plan set forth at his inauguration, a plan to rebuild our nation’s economy and America’s middle class.   We need to alleviate the pressures working families are experiencing in this economy.  They want to know they will be able to afford college for their kids, seek out new job opportunities, save for a comfortable retirement, and have access to health care that won’t bankrupt them.  Congress and the Administration are committed to working to ensure our nation prioritizes economic growth, environmental protections, exporting American products, fiscal responsibility, and transparency in government. 

“The fact of the matter is, this Congress has taken aggressive action to reverse years of tax cuts for the wealthy, bank deregulation and Bush-era policies that rewarded the Madoffs of the world.   The Recovery Act is still pumping billions into local economies and infrastructures.   Last night, the Governor spoke of job creation.  Rhode Island was the last state in the nation to begin distributing its share of the Recovery Act’s energy dollars.   These dollars will only be felt by local economies if they are spent, and in Rhode Island, the delay in utilizing these dollars is unconscionable given our state’s unemployment rate.  I encourage our Governor to begin his work on job creation by utilizing the federal funds that have been flowing to the state.

“That said, there is more work to be done in Washington beyond the Recovery Act. We are working to complete job creation legislation that will make targeted investments in infrastructure, school and housing construction.  Our nation’s workforce must be in a position to compete in a global economy, so federal investments and policies that support education at all levels, from pre-K through post-secondary, as well as workforce development, are essential. 

“All options to bolster our nation’s economic position should be on the table, including measures to encourage business expansion and a tax cut for the middle class.  In particular, we must pay special attention to small businesses.  With 96 percent of Rhode Island’s employers classified as small businesses, this sector is essential to our state’s economic future.  I introduced the GROW America’s Small Businesses Act, which would make funding available to entrepreneurs by allowing them to defer taxes for the explicit purposes of job creation and investment in their business. 

“The President also clearly made the inextricable link between health care and our economy.  Our small businesses know all too well how crippling the costs of health care are to their ability to compete and employ, and just this week Rhode Island’s insurers proposed rate hikes for employers.  Health care reform could produce up to four million jobs during the coming decade.  In Rhode Island, that’s between 1,000 and 1,600 new jobs per year.   I have worked for 16 years in Congress to improve our health care system, and I committed to continuing this work this year with my colleagues and the President.  

“Rhode Islanders are working hard to stay afloat, pay mortgages and find well-paying jobs.  Working with the President and Vice President and my colleagues in Congress, we must continue to fight to ensure our nation is a global economic leader, providing economic security and opportunity for all Americans.   I remain committed to working for Rhode Islanders to pass legislation and secure funding that will bring resources to our state to drive job creation, innovation, economic growth and opportunities for all generations.”