SHAHEEN: RECOVERY PACKAGE WILL BOOST ECONOMY, CREATE NEW HAMPSHIRE JOBS

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today voted in support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the economic recovery package. The Senate-passed legislation would bring at least $530 million in federal formula funding to New Hampshire that would help create good jobs, allow infrastructure and public works projects to be completed more quickly, provide middle class tax relief, and stimulate long-term economic growth.  The bill now goes to conference committee to be reconciled with the House-passed version.

 

Following passage, Shaheen released the following statement:

 

“I’ve said from the very beginning of this process that our top priority in getting our economy back on track must be to create and save jobs, and I believe the recovery package we have passed today achieves that goal. In New Hampshire and across America, workers are losing their jobs, losing their homes, and losing their health care.  Workers, families, and communities are hurting, and I’m happy that my colleagues in the Senate came together to provide some relief.

 

“This legislation involved compromises and difficult choices for everyone.  And while this bill alone won’t solve all the economic challenges we face, it will provide the economic boost we desperately need, through investments in our roads, highways and bridges; tax relief for middle class families and small businesses; and investments in clean energy and energy efficiency. These investments will not only create jobs in the short-term, they will also lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth.

 

“I look forward to continuing to work in the Senate to make sure this legislation is helping the people who need it most, and to find additional ways to further strengthen our economy.”

 

Below are examples of estimated benefits for New Hampshire as part of the federal formula funding included in the economic recovery package.  New Hampshire communities will be able to apply for additional tax relief and discretionary grant program funds as well.

 

Yesterday, Shaheen toured the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport access road construction project to discuss how local communities and critical infrastructure projects such as this may benefit from resources provided in the economic recovery package. 

 

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Under some of the major funding categories in the Senate-passed bill, New Hampshire is estimated to receive, for example:

 

• $132.4 million in highway funding;

 

• $59 million for local drinking and clean water infrastructure improvements;

 

• $16.9 million for investments in mass transit;

 

• $8.4 million in HOME Funding to enable public-private partnerships to acquire, construct, and rehabilitate affordable housing;

 

• $229 million in education funding to help the state, our local school districts, and our public colleges and universities;

 

• $18 million to help New Hampshire with Weatherization projects and State Energy programs; and

 

• $6 million to support law enforcement.

 *For additional information regarding funding and tax credits included in the economic recovery package, please click here to access a full summary of the bill.