Mikulski Outlines Proposals to Give Families a Boost in Economic Stimulus Package

Press Release

"American families are depending on us to get the job done."

As the Senate prepares to consider its version of a stimulus package in the face of a looming economic crisis, Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) urged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to focus the legislation on a fix for families, not an increase in government bureaucracy. This is the third in a series of steps Senator Mikulski is taking to help families struggling with the unstable job and housing markets and the high costs of gas, energy and health care.

"The federal government cannot focus on bailing out the sharks - I want to focus on the minnows. The stimulus needs to focus on Main Street, not Wall Street. I'm here to help families," said Senator Mikulski. "The stimulus package must be timely and targeted to help struggling Americans meet their day-to-day needs."

In a letter to Senator Reid, Senator Mikulski made three recommendations to ensure the legislation looks out for American families: to invest in infrastructure that will boost commerce flow, to take steps to ensure health insurance for more people - such as tax credits for employers who offer it during these tough times, and to take immediate action to stem housing foreclosures.

"These three recommendations will give a real shot in the arm to our ailing economy. They will help the working-class deal with their daily fixed costs and also put our economy on more stable ground for the long-term," said Senator Mikulski. "We need to put partisanship aside and work together because American families are depending on us to get the job done."

Earlier this week, Senator Mikulski called for the Senate stimulus package to include relief for state budgets to avoid cuts to critical health and education programs, such as Medicaid, that help millions of Americans stay afloat. For more information, go to: http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=291443. The Senator also called on congressional leadership to include a targeted investment in transportation infrastructure in the stimulus as a means to help boost the economy. For more information, go to: http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=291405.

The text of her letter is below:

Dear Majority Leader Reid:

As the Senate works to jumpstart our troubled economy, we should remember who needs help the most: working-class Americans whose fixed costs are skyrocketing as their paychecks remain stagnant. Congress and the Administration need to forget about playing politics and focus on America's real needs by making sure the economy has good jobs with good wages and that families' fixed costs don't grow faster than their pay checks. We also need to work through existing programs to empower families to help themselves, not empower federal or state governments to create more bureaucracy.

First, we should invest in our nation's infrastructure. Spending a billion dollars on roads and highways creates 47,500 jobs and one dollar of infrastructure spending grows the economy by $1.59. In addition to boosting the economy, this investment will improve traffic and safety and speed the flow of commerce. And the money can be spent quickly. In my state alone, 32 projects are ready to go and money can be out the door in less than 90 days.

Second, we need to remember that when the economy slides, businesses cut back on benefits, and workers who lose their jobs also lose their health insurance. We need to reward good guy employers who offer health insurance during tough times by giving them a tax credit. We also need to pass the Children's Health Insurance Program to help children who otherwise would be uninsured, and we need to fill in the Medicare "Donut Hole" so seniors get the medicine they need to stay healthy and active. We also have to take care of the family members who look after loved ones with a chronic condition. Caring for family members is extremely expensive which is why I proposed a $3,000 caregivers tax credit. We should pass it immediately.

Finally, we need immediate action to stem housing foreclosures. Our economy is entering a real danger zone just as foreclosures are likely to dramatically increase. We need to find a way to give relief to those who really need it and prevent thousands of families from being thrown out of their homes when the economy is at its shakiest.

These three recommendations will give a real shot in the arm to our ailing economy. They will help the working-class deal with their daily fixed costs and also put our economy on more stable ground for the long-term. We need to put partisanship aside and work together because American families are depending on us to get the job done.

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