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DeLauro Highlights Job Creation, Benefit to Conn. of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

February 2, 2009

New Haven, CT – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3), joined by William Villano, Executive Director, Workforce Alliance; Nick Perna, senior economist with Perna Associates; and David Kooris, Connecticut Director, Regional Plan Association, focused on the job creation and benefits to Connecticut included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was recently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. Developed with the Obama Administration, this job creation package will rebuild America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; give 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and invest quickly in the economy.

"With our economy is in crisis, businesses are in the red and families are on the brink, we have an obligation to act quickly and boldly to restore our great promise," said DeLauro. "To confront these dire challenges, we have an urgent responsibility to invest wisely and target limited resources to the proven initiatives we know will create jobs, support economic growth, and provide critical relief."

The House of Representatives' $825 billion Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act is of the scale and breadth necessary to begin tackling the economic chaos that President Barack Obama has inherited from former President George W. Bush. The various spending programs and tax cuts contained in the plan will help communities across the entire nation.

This will result in 45,960 jobs saved or created by the end of 2010 and will reduce unemployment by 1.9%, according to economist Mark Zandi. Additionally, the bill provided significant funding to help the state with its budget crisis – a total allocation of $6.08 billion – 11.88 % – is set aside to balance the state budget, according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress.

Added DeLauro, "Just two weeks ago President Barack Obama was sworn in with a call for ‘action, bold and swift.' Last week the House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs. This is a critical time for Connecticut and our country. It is about helping a middle class hit hard by job stagnant wages, rising health care costs and a financial market in crisis.

What the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act means for Connecticut:

Tax Relief

We will provide direct tax relief to 95 percent of American workers, and spur investment and job growth for American Businesses.

Estimated taxpayers benefited by "Making Work Pay Credit" by State (Amount, Number of Recipients)

Connecticut $1.7 billion, 1,217,000

Estimated Number of children helped by Child Tax Credit (House provision)(Amount, Number of Recipients)

Connecticut $74 million, 119,000

Estimates of Jobless Workers Benefiting from Selected Unemployment Insurance Provisions American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 (Total Recipients benefiting for a $25 increase a week)

Connecticut 277,766

Earned Income Tax Credit – Connecticut will receive $30.1 million in increases

Connecticut Food Stamp Benefit

Increase in Food Stamp Benefits = $152 Participants Receiving = 238,000 128,000 Households will received benefit of provision Food Stamp Administration $2.4 million

INFRASTRUCTURE:

Connecticut would receive approximately $391.35 million for highways and bridges in the House bill

Connecticut would receive approximately $85.11 million for transit capital and approximately $53.46 million for fixed guideway modernization in the House bill

Connecticut would receive approximately $71.11 million for the clean water state revolving fund in the House bill

JUSTICE

Connecticut would receive approximately $31.3 million through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant to avoid layoffs of police officers and other key law enforcement personnel.

EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES

To enable more children to learn in 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries to help our kids compete with any worker in the world, this package provides:

Connecticut Title 1

2009 & 2010= $48.6 million per year $97 million total

CT IDEA

2009 = $68 million & 2010 = $78 milion $146 million total

CT School Construction

K-12 $117 million total

Universities & Colleges $58 million total

CT PELL GRANTS (Aid available) Recipients $51, 992 Average Award $3, 287 $170.9 million total

CT Education Technology Grants $7 million total

CT HEAD START $4.6 million total

CT Child Care (Development Block Grant) $13.68 million total

CT Community Services Block Grant $12 million total

LIHEAP $20 million total

HEALTH

Connecticut would receive approximately $1.2 billion in federal funding for state Medicaid Costs under House Bill over Nine Quarters

Providing Health Insurance for Unemployed Workers – COBRA (A recent Families USA report found that in Connecticut, COBRA payments would cost 30% of average unemployment benefits ($1,383 a month in 2008), and family coverage would cost $1,166, or 84.3% of unemployment income for family coverage. COBRA would cost $415, or 30 percent of that, for an individual.

A 65% subsidy for COBRA premiums for up to 12 months for people who were involuntarily separated from their jobs between 9/1/08 and 12/31/09;

Recognizing that not all workers are eligible for COBRA, the bill also provides states the temporary option of offering coverage to unemployed workers through their Medicaid programs, with the federal government matching 100 percent of the costs of benefits and administration Connecticut would receive approximately$4.6 million from the Preventive Health and Public Services Block Grant, which provides needed resources to state and local public health departments to address prevention and wellness at the local level