On the recordSeptember 23, 2011
We have two problems in this economy: One is, we have a long-term deficit that requires long-term solutions. Second, we have an immediate crisis of high unemployment. We have 23 million Americans who are out of work full time or out of work part time, people looking for full-time work that don't have it--23 million Americans. Why can't we focus on policies that are going to put people back to work? The President's jobs plan will help us to do that. What does it do? We start to invest in infrastructure. It is disgraceful that the roads and bridges of this country, that the water and sewer systems in your town and mine are ancient and antiquated. They need repair. They need rebuilding. That is not just money thrown out the door. That's investing in our future where generations are going to benefit from it. Part of the solution is rebuilding our schools. Who among us has not been to a school in our neighborhood or our district that is in desperate need of repair? And we have folks in the construction industry who aren't building houses because of the housing crisis but can be rebuilding these schools and can be retrofitting our homes. We have to focus on putting people back to work. ____________________
