On the recordJanuary 26, 2010
Thank you, Representative Perriello, for bringing us together this evening for conversation and dialogue on what is an important part of the work we are doing right now. There can be no more important issue than jobs, job creation, job retention, and dealing with the Nation's economy. I am glad that we are talking about a bit of a reality check this evening, too, to review history, what brought us here. There is no mistaking that this administration and we in Congress this year have inherited, as freshmen, a very difficult task because some irresponsible behavior guided the decisionmaking; and where we found that we grew a deficit to record proportions, historically largest deficit, handed to this administration. That was just a year ago. So when we look at some of the stats that the stimulus package was responsible for, minimally, 2 million jobs, looking at a number of projections and assessments that have been done out there, I think it is reassuring to know that we have been able to speak to that gross number of at least, minimally, 2 million jobs that came about through sound stewardship and through investment at a time when our recession was bleeding this economy. And all telltale indicators suggest that that bleeding has stopped. But we have only placed a down payment upon the economy with the stimulus package.
