What the American Jobs Act Means for You

Recently the President outlined his bold vision for job creation in America. The American Jobs Act he sent to Congress would immediately improve our economy and create jobs without adding a cent to the deficit.

The bill cuts taxes for companies that hire new workers and cuts payroll taxes in half for employers, providing broad tax relief to all businesses.  In Florida, this would benefit more than 400,000 businesses.

In August, jobs continued to be created in the health care and other industries but we need to pick up the pace of job growth. It will be our small businesses that lead the way to getting this economy finally back on track. After all, that’s what small businesses do best – they create new jobs. 

The American Jobs Act gives small businesses increased access to the capital they need to expand their business and hire more workers. Since most Americans get their first job through a small business, and with 60 to 80 percent of new jobs coming from them, we must make sure that small businesses have the support they need to be able to expand or launch new ventures.

The legislation also places special emphasis on getting unemployed Americans back to work – from veterans, to teachers, to construction workers and first responders – while at the same time putting more money back into the pockets of working and middle class Americans.

The President’s plan draws on the best ideas of both parties and the most innovative states. The American Jobs Act helps those currently unemployed by proposing the most sweeping reforms to the unemployment insurance system in 40 years, allowing employers to hire workers as apprentices to provide real world, on-the-job training. This innovative program could help as many as 498,000 long-term unemployed workers in Florida get back to work.

 

Last month I met with a South Florida mom who commutes frequently and a local construction worker.  We talked about the road improvement projects going on in our community and how they would help cut down on traffic congestion, shorten our commutes and save people time and money that could be better spent. These projects improve our community while creating jobs, which is why the American Jobs Act invests $50 billion toward construction projects.

Our economy is heading in the right direction, but we still have one in nine Americans out of work, and we must do everything we can to get them back on the job. This plan builds on previous Democratic legislation that puts our country back on the path to prosperity by investing in American jobs. After nine months in the majority, my colleagues from the other side of the aisle still have no jobs agenda.  It is time for Congress to pass this legislation now.

I began this year by joining my Democratic colleagues in measuring every proposal by whether it creates jobs, strengthens the middle class, and reduces the deficit – and I am eager to work with my colleagues across the aisle to achieve those goals. The American Jobs Act measures up to those standards and Members of Congress from both parties need to come together and pass this legislation as soon as possible.