House Acts on Jobs Package Senate Help Needed, Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director United States Conference of Mayors
From: Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director
Under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives has passed two jobs related packages:
2. The House approved, by a narrow vote of 217-212, a $154 billion “Jobs for Main Street Act” that closely mirrors the spending patterns of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and of which $75 billion would be paid for by redirecting TARP funds. (see attachment)
As you know, mayors have been pushing hard in the White House and on Capitol Hill for a Jobs Package that includes targeted fiscal relief for local governments, as well as funding for many key categorical programs. A number the priorities contained in our A Call to Action: Targeted Fiscal Assistance and Jobs for Cities are contained in the House bill:
· Summer Youth ($500 million)
· School Construction ($4.1 billion)
· Small Business Access to Credit ($354 million)
The bill also provides funding for a number of other categorical programs intended to benefit local governments including:
· Fire fighter rehiring or hiring ($500 million)
· Public Housing Capital Fund repairs ($1 billion)
· National Housing Trust Fund – sent through the states ($1 billion)
In the transportation area, the bill does not contain the additional funding for TIGER grants requested by USCM. Instead, the House bill directs funding through more traditional mechanisms:
· Metropolitan Planning Organizations – for local governments ($8.1 billion)
· Mass transit agencies ($8.4 billion)
· Airports ($500 million)
· Amtrak ($800 million)
The House bill does not provide local governments with any general purpose targeted fiscal assistance, but does provide the states with $23.5 billion more in Medicaid assistance (FMAP) which amounts to general fiscal relief.
Senate Action in 2010
The Senate is not expected to consider this new jobs package until early 2010. And as our friend and champion Senator Mark Begich of Alaska recently told us in a conference call, there remain many former governors in the Senate who tend to default to the states when providing fiscal relief and infrastructure assistance.
We have been very clear in our advocacy that while ARRA is having a positive impact, the next jobs bill must be more focused on cities and metro areas if we are going to create more sustainable jobs, and quickly. Our friends on Capitol Hill have urged us to keep pressing this point, as is the Congressional Black Caucus and other key organizations.
Our incoming President Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz and I need you to take two important actions to help move our Jobs agenda forward:
2. Register for our 77th Winter Meeting on January 20-22, 2010 at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC. Senator Begich and others have told us that our meeting is perfectly timed this year for us to have an impact in Washington as Congress debates the bigger jobs package, and that we must be heard, in strong numbers. You can register for the meeting at usmayors.org, or by contacting Carol Edwards at (202) 293-7330. And, an updated agenda is available on our website.
Your USCM team in Washington stands ready to assist you in any way as this campaign for jobs moves forward. If you have any questions or receive any feedback, please contact me directly at tcochran@usmayors.org or my Chief of Staff Ed Somers at esomers@usmayors.org.
I wish you, your families and your cities a joyous holiday season and a wonderful new year.
Click below to view the Summary of the Jobs For Main Street Act of 2010: