WASHINGTON – Last night, U.S. Representative Edolphus “Ed” Towns (D-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, joined a majority in the House of Representatives in support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1) -- approved by a vote of 244-188.  Developed with the Obama Administration, this bill will help transform the economy by making immediate investments to help make America more globally competitive and energy independent and by giving 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut.

“The House has taken an important first step to rebuild our troubled economy," said Chairman Towns.  "New Yorkers need a long-term plan for jobs and continued progress that includes strict accountability requirements to ensure hard-earned taxpayers dollars are spent wisely." 

In the last year, 2.6 million American jobs were lost, catapulting New York State's unemployment rate to a record 7.0 and leaving 671,500 New Yorkers without jobs.  As America struggles through this economic crisis, New Yorkers and many around the country grapple with unemployment levels not seen since the Great Depression.

“Passing this stimulus package means that in some of America's hardest hit neighborhoods, we can begin to make some improvements in infrastructure, roads and bridges," said Rep. Towns.  "I'd like to see progress on some of the over  $500 million shovel ready construction projects in my district like transforming Malcolm X Boulevard, fixing the lighting at Bayview Houses, updating the water treatment center in the 26th Ward, and maintaining the Brooklyn Bridge. To get this work done, Brooklyn needs this stimulus package,” said Towns.   

Towns pledged his commitment to securing funding for various Brooklyn projects while also enforcing strict accountability measures, as the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.  Towns concluded, "Government mismanagement and abuse have strangled our economy's lifeline for far too long. The answer is accountability, and the time is right now."

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