Senator Boxer: Working to Create More Jobs

Statement

Dear Friend:

Job creation is my top priority in the U.S. Senate. That is why I supported the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R.1), which has already created and saved more than 2 million jobs.

That's a good start, but we still have much more work to do. That is why I am working every day to enact a jobs agenda in the weeks and months ahead.

As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), I'm working to make California the biggest job creator in our new clean energy economy and to create thousands of jobs rebuilding our roads, bridges, highways water and transit systems.

I have also worked with colleagues to introduce legislation to help small businesses get the loans and tax breaks they need to expand and to create millions of jobs across America.

On March 17, 2010, the Senate passed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act (H.R.2847), the first in a series of bills to create jobs. I was proud to stand with President Obama the next morning as he signed this bill into law. The 68-29 Senate vote was a breakthrough that should send a signal of hope to the families of America. I hope this is the start of a new day and that we will continue to put jobs over politics.

The HIRE Act will provide incentives for businesses to hire more workers, give tax breaks to strengthen small businesses, and make wise investments in rebuilding America's surface transportation infrastructure.

As Chairman of EPW, I led the successful effort to include key infrastructure investments in this bill. As a result, the HIRE Act will extend the current federal highway bill and the Build America Bonds program, thereby enabling California and other cash-strapped states to save or create well over a million jobs by moving forward with much-needed projects to build and repair our highways, roads, and bridges.

Although there have been encouraging signs of economic recovery over the past year, it is vital that Congress take further action. The HIRE Act is a good first step, but it is only the beginning of a broader agenda to create more jobs. You can count on me to keep working every day to save and create more jobs.

Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer, US Senator, California

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