Congressman Rick Larsen's Online Office

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) today praised House passage of a 2nd economic stimulus package – the Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act (H.R. 7110) -- to create jobs, strengthen our infrastructure by investing in roads, bridges and highways and help Americans hurt by the economic downturn.

“This economic stimulus package will create jobs, strengthen our infrastructure and help Americans hurt by rising unemployment and the high cost of food and fuel,” said Larsen.

Larsen, a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, praised the bill’s investments in our nation’s transportation and infrastructure needs. 

“This plan invests needed resources in our country’s aging highways, roads, bridges and other infrastructure to improve safety, reduce congestion and create approximately 11,000 jobs in Washington state.”

The bill would invest $230,944,035 in Washington state highways and create 11,000 good-paying construction jobs that cannot be outsourced to another country. The American construction industry is currently suffering the highest unemployment rate (8.2 percent) of any industrial sector.

Larsen also praised the bill’s help for families struggling with hunger and food insecurity. 

“Many of my constituents have been hit hard by the high cost of food, and more families and seniors are turning to food banks for help,” said Larsen.  “This economic recovery bill would help approximately 566,000 people in Washington state put food on the table to feed their families.”

Under current law, the amount of Food Stamp benefits available for families in need is based on out-of-date information that fails to take into account recent increases in food costs.  The economic recovery bill provides an additional $2.6 billion to address rising food costs, increasing benefits by five percent for seniors, people with disabilities and very poor families with children. 

The economic recovery bill will:

• Grow our economy and create jobs by investing in highways, roads and bridges;
• Extend unemployment benefits for an additional seven weeks for Washingtonians looking for work;
• Increase aid for hungry families; and
• Ensure Americans do not lose health coverage as a result of state budget crises.