John Kerry: “I thank Senator Murray for her work on this amendment. Today, almost 15 million Americans are unemployed, 9 million can…”

“I thank Senator Murray for her work on this amendment. Today, almost 15 million Americans are unemployed, 9 million can only find part-time work, and 25 percent of our Nation's teenagers and 42 percent of African-American teenagers are unemployed. Both the TANF Emergency Fund and the summer jobs program provide desperately needed jobs to our Nation's families who are the most vulnerable to our economic downturn. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, extending the TANF Emergency Fund will save more than 100,000 jobs. And providing up to $1.3 billion in funding for the summer jobs program will create 500,000 summer jobs. I promise my colleagues, provide these summer jobs, and it will save far more than that money in the criminal justice system and in other social services. This is money well invested.”