On the recordMarch 2, 2010
We now return to the urgent legislation to create jobs and extend vital safety net and tax provisions. This urgent legislation would prevent millions of Americans from falling through the safety net. It would extend vital programs that expired Sunday. It would put cash into the hands of Americans who would spend it quickly, boosting economic demand. It would extend critical programs and tax incentives that create jobs. Let me be specific. Just today, we received detailed estimates from the National Economic Council on what would happen if we fail to act. Unless we act, a half million workers who lose their jobs nationwide, including nearly 1,600 in Montana, would be ineligible for help paying for their health insurance under COBRA. Unless we act, the average doctor in America would stand to lose more than $16,600 in payments for Medicare. The average doctor in Montana would lose about $13,000. Unless we act, nearly 40 million Medicare beneficiaries and nearly 9 million TRICARE beneficiaries nationwide would be affected. That includes nearly 144,000 Montanans with Medicare and nearly 33,000 Montanans with TRICARE. Unless we act, 400,000 Americans would be ineligible for expanded unemployment insurance benefits. This is urgent legislation. We must extend this legislation, and soon.
