Chellie Pingree: “I rise today in support of the underlying rule and to the bill itself. Madam Speaker, the vote we will take today is a…”

“I rise today in support of the underlying rule and to the bill itself. Madam Speaker, the vote we will take today is a vote for preserving jobs in America and a vote against sending them overseas. It will be a vote for keeping jobs in our country by saving the jobs of over 140,000 teachers, 700 them in my home State of Maine. Allowing for further cuts in teachers' jobs would be devastating, not only to our children but also to our local economies in Maine and across the country. The loss of 700 jobs in my State means 700 fewer paychecks being spent at a local grocery or hardware store on the goods and services that support our local economy. Local property taxpayers are already carrying too much of the burden, and local school districts have already made too many drastic cuts. Taxpayers need some relief, and schools need a helping hand. Madam Speaker, this bill is also fully paid for, in part by cracking down on corporations that have been claiming a tax credit for sending good-paying American jobs overseas. It is outrageous that these companies have been getting a tax credit while companies doing business in America are struggling to hire and retain workers.”