John Yarmuth: “In my district of Louisville, Kentucky, my mayor faces a $20 million shortage in his budget. He's trying to exact…”

“In my district of Louisville, Kentucky, my mayor faces a $20 million shortage in his budget. He's trying to exact concessions from firefighters and police officers and sanitation workers. My school district, one of the 20 largest school districts in the country, has a $32 million deficit they're facing this year. He's looking at the prospect of laying off teachers and important staff and thereby jeopardizing the education of the children in my district. In my State of Kentucky, the governor is facing an almost $500 million deficit this year, and vital human services are having to be cut. These are not because our State or our school district or our city is being mismanaged. In fact, they are being managed extremely well. The economy has just come to that situation in which everyone is suffering, and unfortunately, we in the Federal Government are the last resort. This is a kitchen sink approach, I concede. We don't know for sure that it will work, but it is the only plan on the table right now. I think the best minds available have come to the conclusion that this is what can help us begin the road to recovery and providing jobs and a higher standard of living for our citizens. That's why I strongly support this and urge my colleagues on both sides to vote for it.”