Rep. Wasserman Schultz Votes to Save and Create Teacher and First Responder Jobs--While Reducing Deficit
Press Release
Today, Rep. Wasserman Schultz voted to save and create nearly 320,000 jobs, which includes saving the jobs of 160,000 teachers. The vote also prevented the layoffs of tens of thousands of police officers, firefighters, and nurses. The House returned from recess this week to take up the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act--emergency aid legislation that helps states keep teachers in our classrooms and first responders on duty.
Already in Florida, we can see the results: Broward County schools started calling hundreds of teachers today, asking them to come back into the classroom. Altogether, the legislation will create 9,200 teaching jobs in Florida, with over $550,000,000 dedicated to education jobs funding.
"Today we made sure that teachers across Florida and America will have a job as we begin the school year," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "With the passage of this bill, we'll ensure Florida teachers' jobs are saved and that our kids get the education they deserve. At the same time, we'll save Florida $784,000,000 in Medicaid funds."
The Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act is completely paid for. In fact, it reduces the deficit by $1.4 billion over 10 years--in part by closing a loophole that actually encourages corporations to ship American jobs overseas. Nationally, the bill provides $10 billion in funding to create or save 160,000 teacher positions and over 150,000 first responder jobs, all while remaining fiscally responsible and reducing the deficit.
"Even while our state and local governments are strapped for resources, Congressional Republicans have once again demonstrated that they stand with big corporations, and not the American people," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "Democrats passed this bill to keep jobs in America, supporting teachers, firefighters and middle class families."
The funding in the bill is supported by a majority of the nation's Governors, including many Republican Governors, and by numerous organizations, including the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of Counties and the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations.
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