Titus Statement On The Anniversary Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act

Statement

Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada's Third District released the following statement today on the anniversary of the signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is tomorrow, February 17.

"From the largest package of tax breaks in history to critical investments in education, transportation, and health care, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has provided important funds at a time when Nevada's families are struggling to make ends meet.

"In Congressional District Three alone, 375,000 people have seen more money in their paychecks due to the Making Work Pay tax credit. As of the end of last year, 25,000 people in Nevada had taken advantage of the first-time homebuyer tax credit, giving a boost to our struggling housing market. And with the state facing budget shortfalls, $397 million from the Recovery Act saved about 1,100 teacher jobs in Nevada last year.

"With Nevada's unemployment the second highest in the country, it is critical we continue to make job creation a top priority. While we work to bring good jobs to Southern Nevada, the Recovery Act has provided vital assistance to families by extending unemployment benefits to help people ride out this economic storm. For many families, that can make the difference between losing a home to foreclosure and getting back on their feet.

"With an economy that is so dependent on tourism and travel, getting Nevada back on track will mean turning our national economy around as well. And thanks in no small part to the Recovery Act, our national economy is growing at the fastest rate in over two years. We went from losing more than 700,000 jobs the month before the Recovery Act was signed to creating jobs for the first time in two years. We know the Recovery Act is working because Republicans who voted against it and criticized it are taking credit for its impact in their home districts. Putting money in people's pockets in Georgia or Iowa will mean they have money to spend on a trip to Las Vegas.

"Now I know this is little comfort to those who still are out of work and struggling to get by. That is why our work is far from over. The Recovery Act was an important step that helped prevent this recession from turning into a depression, but more must be done. I will continue to make job creation the number one priority and work every day to put Nevadans back to work."

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