In his State of the Union Address, President Obama called on Congress to send him a new jobs bill to sign. He said it should be “our number-one focus in 2010.” The House of Representatives has already passed the NEA-supported Jobs for Main Street Act, which would save or create hundreds of thousands of education jobs, and provide a critical infusion of funds into struggling communities.
Now, it is the Senate’s turn.
The NEA urges the Senate to, at minimum, support the Jobs for Main Street Act as passed by the House. Some points to consider:
- Quick action is needed. State budget outlooks for 2010 and 2011 look bleak, and governors and state legislatures have already begun to grapple with this budget crisis. Take a look at how much funding your state will lose once the stimulus legislation expires, unless Congress provides more funding in a jobs bill.
- In addition to $4 billion for school construction, the bill includes an Education Jobs Fund — $23 billion that will help states retain or create an estimated 250,000 education jobs over the next two years. This fund will have an immediate impact. Take a look at how many education jobs the House-passed bill will save in your state.
- This important legislation represents a critical step in helping stimulate economic recovery. Public education is the best investment—both in the short term and long term—for our economy, our schools, and our students.
Your quick action will make a difference. Contact your senators today and urge them to pass a jobs package that includes, at a minimum, the investments in education provided in the House-passed bill.