Jobs
Jumpstarting the Economy
Congressman Tierney voted in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to jumpstart the economy, to create and save 3.5 million jobs, to provide 95% of workers a tax cut and to halt the recession and prevent it from slipping into a depression. ARRA, signed into law February 2009, provides billions of dollars for clean energy jobs, public schools, the rehabilitation of our decaying infrastructure and investing in the innovations that will lead our country forward. Seventy-five percent of this funding is invested within the first 18-months of the bill’s enactment.
The results of the Recovery Act are already being felt, including creating and saving 2 million new jobs. And, while the economy had contracted by 6.4% and Americans were facing nearly 800,000 job losses a month under President Bush, we saw a resurgence of economic growth, 5.9%, at the end of 2009 and job losses tapering off to 36,000 in February 2010. In March, 162,000 jobs were created and in April an additional 290,000 jobs were created – the largest one-month gain in jobs in the past three years. As our economy is recovering, Congressman Tierney believes that those who are unemployed should not be left in the cold and he has consistently voted to extend unemployment benefits as well as COBRA health insurance for those in need.
Creating New Jobs
Congressman Tierney backed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. This bill will create an estimated 300,000 jobs with tax incentives for businesses that hire unemployed Americans, provide tens of billions of dollars to rebuild infrastructure and strengthen small businesses with tax credits and accelerated write-offs to help employ more staff and grow businesses. President Obama signed this bill into law on March 18, 2010.
Developing A New, Green Workforce
The United States can create millions of American jobs in new, green industries including renewable energy, energy efficiency and modernizing the smart electrical grid. Congressman Tierney partnered with now Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in 2007 to introduce the Green Jobs Act. This Act was the first meaningful effort to address the growing labor demand in the clean energy sector while at the same time assisting those working to find long-term employment. To date, the Green Jobs Act has received $500 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Conference of Mayors has indicated that this would create 4.2 million jobs in clean and emerging industries.
Main Street Versus Wall Street
The Jobs for Main Street legislation, supported by Congressman Tierney, redirects TARP funds from Wall Street to Main Street to create and save jobs with targeted investment to bolster small business, to build and modernize highway and transit, and to hire and retain teachers, police and firefighters. It also provides emergency aid (unemployment benefits, help with health benefits) for the unemployed. The Jobs for Main Street Act passed the House on December 16, 2009.
Supporting Small Business and Our Infrastructure
Congressman Tierney backed the House-passed Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Act which would extend Build America Bonds (BABs) to help state and local governments finance the rebuilding of schools, public works projects and hospitals. It would also strengthen small businesses with tax incentives to spur investment and help for entrepreneurs who are starting a small business.
Summer Employment for Youth
Summer jobs help provide youth with skills they need to succeed in the workforce and help local employers fill summer vacancies. In an effort to add approximately 300,000 summer job opportunities for America’s young people, ages 16 to 21, Congressman Tierney was a strong advocate of the Disaster Relief and Summer Jobs Act. This legislation, which is fully paid for, is expected to create as many as 7,000 jobs in Massachusetts alone.
Investing in Our Workforce
The primary law that governs the benefits and services provided to job seekers is known as the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). John believes that it is imperative that workers have the education and training necessary to strengthen our workforce system and he is playing a leadership role in modernizing WIA. This critical legislation will help workers obtain highly skilled, well paying jobs.
Raising the Minimum Wage
Americans received their first pay raise in almost 10-years when the Democratic Majority passed the Minimum Wage Increase in July 2007. In 2006, the Republican Controlled Congress blocked the minimum wage legislation from coming to vote 11 times. Congressman Tierney was proud to support legation that gives our working families the much needed increase they deserve.
Equal Pay For Women
Congressman Tierney also supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which restored the rights of women and other workers to challenge unfair pay. This Act will help close the wage gap in the United States where women are earning 78 cents for every $1 a man makes. Wage disparity will cost a woman anywhere from $400,000 to $2 million over her lifetime in lost wages, according to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research.
