With the economy in recession, and many families hurting financially, it's critically important that we act to get our economy, and our country, back on the right track. The economic recovery package President Obama just signed into law, while not perfect, will help put us on that right track when we need it the most.
Having spent my career working to restore fiscal responsibility to the federal budget, it was difficult for me to vote in favor of a bill with such a hefty price tag. In fact, cost was one of the reasons I voted against the recent Wall Street bailout. But this package was much more carefully considered than the bailout legislation. It includes vital provisions to stimulate our economy, including funding for highway and bridge construction, wastewater treatment, high-speed rail, and rural broadband infrastructure. These projects will not only help jump start the economy, they are also investments in our economic future that will pay dividends for years to come.
In addition to individual and business tax breaks, the new law provides Wisconsin with more than a billion dollars for Medicaid, hundreds of millions of dollars for education and tens of millions of dollars for law enforcement, to give just a few examples. t also includes part of my E4 Initiative to help create jobs by supporting energy efficiency projects, and a provision I worked on with Sen. Herb Kohl to help Harley-Davidson by expanding a tax credit, originally written for purchasers of new cars and light-duty trucks, to also include motorcycles.
As the new administration begins to implement the economic recovery package in Wisconsin, creating or saving as many as 70,000 jobs in the state over the next two years, I stand ready to help Wisconsinites who have questions about how the package will work, what grant money will be available, or any other questions people may have. I encourage everyone to visit http://feingold.senate.gov/recovery for much more information on the economic recovery package at work in Wisconsin, and answers to many frequently asked questions about these recovery funds.
I agreed with a number of the concerns about the stimulus bill that were expressed when it was being drafted and debated. I am concerned about the debt we are piling on, and some of the spending and tax provisions could be better targeted toward stimulating the economy. But now that the economic recovery package has been signed into law, our focus must be on the challenges ahead, including getting our fiscal house in order and making sure that there is strong oversight of these taxpayer dollars. These funds must be spent wisely if they are to truly work for Wisconsin's families.
Having spent my career working to restore fiscal responsibility to the federal budget, it was difficult for me to vote in favor of a bill with such a hefty price tag. In fact, cost was one of the reasons I voted against the recent Wall Street bailout. But this package was much more carefully considered than the bailout legislation. It includes vital provisions to stimulate our economy, including funding for highway and bridge construction, wastewater treatment, high-speed rail, and rural broadband infrastructure. These projects will not only help jump start the economy, they are also investments in our economic future that will pay dividends for years to come.
In addition to individual and business tax breaks, the new law provides Wisconsin with more than a billion dollars for Medicaid, hundreds of millions of dollars for education and tens of millions of dollars for law enforcement, to give just a few examples. t also includes part of my E4 Initiative to help create jobs by supporting energy efficiency projects, and a provision I worked on with Sen. Herb Kohl to help Harley-Davidson by expanding a tax credit, originally written for purchasers of new cars and light-duty trucks, to also include motorcycles.
As the new administration begins to implement the economic recovery package in Wisconsin, creating or saving as many as 70,000 jobs in the state over the next two years, I stand ready to help Wisconsinites who have questions about how the package will work, what grant money will be available, or any other questions people may have. I encourage everyone to visit http://feingold.senate.gov/recovery for much more information on the economic recovery package at work in Wisconsin, and answers to many frequently asked questions about these recovery funds.
I agreed with a number of the concerns about the stimulus bill that were expressed when it was being drafted and debated. I am concerned about the debt we are piling on, and some of the spending and tax provisions could be better targeted toward stimulating the economy. But now that the economic recovery package has been signed into law, our focus must be on the challenges ahead, including getting our fiscal house in order and making sure that there is strong oversight of these taxpayer dollars. These funds must be spent wisely if they are to truly work for Wisconsin's families.
