House Passes Bill to Save West Virginia Teacher Jobs

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (W.Va.) announced today he voted in favor of H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, which will provide funding to the State of West Virginia to avoid education and Medicaid budget shortfalls and keep teachers, police officers and firefighters on the job. The bill includes $54,657,667 for West Virginia to save approximately 1,100 teacher jobs statewide, and $81,000,000 in federal Medicaid assistance.

"Weighing the costs of not shoring up medical aid to people, not preventing teacher layoffs and endangering public services and safety, each would have far graver costs, than the price of this bill. Collectively, the costs of not acting would have had far reaching effects on communities and families," said Rahall.

The Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act (H.R. 1586), which passed the House 247 to 161, is estimated to save 443 teacher jobs in the Third Congressional District of West Virginia; schools in the District will receive approximately $21.6 million. According to updated estimates from the Department of Education, the $10 billion education funding in the bill is expected to save more than 160,000 teaching jobs nationwide including the 1,100 jobs in West Virginia. The Medicaid funds in this legislation will save and create 158,000 nationwide jobs, including preventing the layoff of police officers and firefighters.

"Failure to pass this bill could have forced states to lay off more workers and cut more services -- actions that could have further slowed our economic recovery," said Rahall. "I am standing with our families to support this fiscally responsible legislation that saves jobs and 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."

The funding in the bill is supported by a majority of the nation's Governors, including W.Va. Governor, Joe Manchin, and by numerous organizations, including the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of Counties and the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations.

This legislation will now be sent to the President for his signature.

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