January 28, 2009 06:53 PM UTC

Lamborn: "Let Colorado Eat Cake"

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #2: Reps. Diana DeGette’s and Jared Polis’ statements on House passage of the stimulus bill, with a breakdown estimate of Colorado’s take, below the fold.

UPDATE: House passes stimulus with no Republican crossovers:

A GOP alternative, comprised almost entirely of tax cuts, was defeated, 266-170, moments before the final vote.

On the final vote, the legislation drew the support of all but 11 Democrats while all Republicans opposed it.

The White House-backed legislation includes an estimated $544 billion in federal spending and $275 billion in tax cuts for individuals and businesses.

Following yesterday’s announcement of over $800 million in devastating expected cuts to the state budget, all eyes turn today to the one remaining hope for avoiding disaster: President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package, which is focused on the emergency stabilization of state budgets.

Rep. Doug Lamborn however, possibly alone in the Colorado delegation, sees no problem with allowing the state he putatively represents to twist in the wind. As the Rocky Mountain News reports:

Colorado’s state budget woes will be fresh on lawmakers’ minds today as the U.S. House of Representatives considers a massive economic recovery package that could mean $2.9 billion to the state over the next two fiscal years.

Still, with President Barack Obama pushing to win bipartisan support for the $825 billion stimulus package, Republicans are questioning the $990 million set aside for Colorado’s government and other pieces of the package.

“Even though there are some worthwhile projects in the total package, there is a lot of it that will not stimulate jobs in the short term and will absolutely drive up the deficit in the long run,” Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, said Tuesday, after he joined GOP colleagues in a private meeting with Obama.

Today’s House vote is the first test of the new president’s lobbying skills, though the overall stimulus package is expected to undergo changes as it winds its way through the Senate, likely requiring negotiations well into February.

But the first action comes with a backdrop of grim economic news nationwide, and a day after Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter unveiled a state spending plan that will require $823 million in cuts.

If the federal government closes some of that gap, “You’re in effect allowing the states to do deficit spending,” Lamborn argued, calling for a stimulus package more narrowly focused on targeted tax cuts and a more modest set of infrastructure spending to create new jobs.

But Democrats like Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, say voting against the recovery package would amount to “destruction of state government services.”

“I’d be scared to think what the state would have to do absent this package in Congress,” Polis said.

Doug Lamborn’s not scared. Representing an area of Colorado that has willingly subjected itself to nutty Grover Norquist-inspired “starve the beast” curtailment of the public sector for decades leading to a massive crisis, in our judgment one of the most intellectually feeble members of Congress from either party–Lamborn is bound by his simpleton ideology to see your pain as his opportunity.

What a relief that his squeaky little voice got even squeakier last November.

DeGETTE SUPPORTS AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT

Wednesday January 28, 2009

WASHINGTON  – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Committee, today joined a majority in the House of Representatives in support of critical legislation to create and save 3 to 4 million American jobs.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was approved by a vote of 244 to 188.  Developed with the Obama Administration, this job creation package will rebuild America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; give 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and invest quickly in the economy.

“The House has taken the first step in delivering a plan to implement President Obama’s vision to get the economy back on track.  Action on this economic recovery package will create American jobs now, lay a foundation for long-term growth through clean energy, innovation and education, with strict accountability measures to ensure that taxpayers dollar are spent wisely and effectively,” said DeGette. “Passage of this economic package will mean real change by rebuilding America’s roads and bridges and providing a tax cut to 95 percent of American workers.  Now Congress must come together to act and finish the job of sending this job creation and economic recovery package to President Obama.”

This jobs and economic recovery plan contains targeted efforts in:

·    Transforming Our Economy With Clean, Efficient, American Energy and Innovation and Technology that will create more than 1 million  jobs;

·    Lowering Health Care Costs by funding aggressive adoption of health information technology, which will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and Broadening Coverage by helping those who cannot afford health care in these tough times.;

·    Modernizing Roads, Bridges, Transit and Waterways to create 1.5 million American jobs;

·    Education for the 21st Century, including an increased Pell Grant for over 108,000 students here in Colorado and a higher education tax credit for an additional 36,000 students in our state so that they can stay in college despite these tough times;

·    Tax Cuts of up to $1,000 to Make Work Pay for 1.7 million families here in Colorado and more than $20 billion for American businesses, large and small, to spur job creation;

·    Helping Workers Hurt by the Economy, including 167,000 of Coloradoans that are out of work, those who have lost their health care, and seniors; and

·    Saving the Jobs of Teachers and Police Officers.

The Recovery Plan has unprecedented accountability measures built in-providing strong oversight, an historic degree of public transparency, and including no earmarks.

“America is facing an economic crisis greater than any since the Great Depression, with a staggering 2.6 million American jobs lost in the last year and an unemployment rate in Colorado that has climbed to 6.1 percent,” concluded DeGette.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 28, 2009

Contact: Lara Cottingham

(202) 225-5693 or Lara.Cottingham@mail.house.gov

Polis Statement on Passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) issued the following statement today on the passage of H.R.1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The bill, which will help make America more globally competitive and create/protect 3 to 4 million jobs nationwide, passed the house by a vote of 244 to 188.

“The time has come to set aside partisanship and invest in America to get our economy going again.  This bill will immediately help prevent further job loss in hard-hit places like Adams County, by keeping hard-working Coloradans in their jobs so they can support their families and contribute to the economy.”

“It also lays the foundation for a stellar 21st Century Education System.  It builds green high-tech schools, reaches out to at-risk and disabled children, and increases aid to college students and their families.  Without it, we risk losing precious ground in our fight to close the gap in education and ensure that the next generation is well-equipped to compete and thrive in this globalized economy.  I am proud to take part in this measure to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure – both physical and human – and renew confidence in our economy.”

Video of Polis’ recent floor speeches in support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are available here:

1/28/2009 Floor Speech: https://polis.house.gov/1282009…

1/27/2009 Colloquy with Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller: https://polis.house.gov/1272009…

Estimated Funding Allocations for Colorado under the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

Education:

State Stabilization Fund: $990,116,000

Title I: $126,218,000

IDEA: $174,718,000

Modernization, Renovation, and Repair:

K-12: $136,267,000                      

Higher Education:$90,650,000

Educational Technology Grants:  $10,606,963

Child Care and Development Block Grants: $24,312,304

Head Start: $$8,147,127

Pell Grants: $361,591,900 for 108,084 Colorado recipients ($3,345 average per recipient)

Transportation:

Highways and Bridges: $412,851,201

Transit Capital: $94,995,496

Urban Formula: $85,304,463

Rural Formula: $9,691,033

Fixed Guideway Modernization: $11,269,972

Clean Water State Revolving Fund: $46,432,782

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $35,200,000

***Proposed “Ready to Go” Highway and Bridge Projects in CO-2***

Approximately $10 million for improvements to I-70 between Denver and Vail

o   $11 million for the SH 52 Bridge replacement along Boulder Creek and replacement of the Upper Big Thompson Bridges on US 34

o   $25 million for a new interchange at SH 52 and SH 119

o   $50 million for full reconstruction of US 36 between Table Mesa Rd. and 88th

o   $16 million for various surface updates and repairs district wide

Energy and Environment:

Weatherization Assistance Program: $208,250,335

State Energy Program: $54,922,075

Health Care:

State Medicaid: $855,635

Elderly Nutrition Services: $2.7 million

Preventative Health Services: $3.8 million

Social Services:

Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG): $43,111,106

Neighborhood Stabilization Program: $56,707.196

Community Development Block Grant: $10,596,207

Community Services Block Grant: $8,865,352

Low Income Energy Assistance: $15,626,828

Supplemental Security Income (SSI): 58,600 Colorado residents would  benefit from $33.4 million in additional funding

Employment and Job Training:

Estimated jobs saved or created by 2010: 70,470

Job Training Programs:

Adult : $4,840,770

Youth: $11,994,919

Dislocated Worker: $8,401,683

Employment Services: $7,288,325

Improved Unemployment Insurance:

o   173,464 Colorado recipients would benefit from the $25 per-week benefit increase

o   35,701 Colorado recipients would benefit from the continuation of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program (April-December 2009)

Tax Credits:

An estimated 36,000 new Coloradan families would benefit from an increase in the maximum Hope Credit (from $1,800 to $2,500)

An estimated 1,767,000 individuals in Colorado could benefit from the Making Work Pay Credit (Up to $500 for single workers earning up to $100,000 and married couples earning up to $200,000)

An estimated 433,000 Coloradans could benefit from Child Tax Credit Expansion

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