March 5, 2010

Jobs

Yesterday the House took additional action on H.R. 2847: the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act. This $15 billion measure is part of ongoing efforts to create jobs and stabilize the economy. It establishes a payroll tax exemption for each worker a business hires in 2010 who has been unemployed for at least 60 days and is estimated to create about 300,000 new jobs. It also includes tax cuts for small businesses and an extension of the Highway Trust Fund for infrastructure investment. In December the House passed the broader Jobs for Main Streets Act.

The Senate has not taken that bill up yet but both the House and the Senate are planning additional action to help spur job creation. I voted YES. H.R. 2847 passed and the entire vote is recorded below:

Keeping Students Safe

The House this week considered H.R. 4247: Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act. Last year, the Government Accountability Office found hundreds of instances where there were allegations of inappropriate restraint and seclusion being used in schools.

There are currently no federal laws that apply to the issue of when seclusion and restraint can be used in schools, and many states do not have laws addressing it either. H.R. 4247 closes that gap by establishing a series of minimum safety standards in schools, such as protections that already exist in places like hospitals and nursing homes. It permits use of restraint and seclusion only when there is an immediate danger of injury, and the measures must be administered by trained staff. It prohibits mechanical and chemical restraint and restraint that impairs breathing. It also requires states to develop policies for meeting the requirements of H.R. 4247.

I voted YES. H.R. 4247 passed and the entire vote is recorded below:

Just a Start

On Monday I joined Governor Deval Patrick at an announcement of federal stimulus funding for the Just-A-Start Corporation. This organization is receiving $160,000 for job training at their Cambridge YouthBuild site. The funds will be used for a training program in the construction trades with an emphasis on green jobs such as weatherization and renewable energy. People who have lost their jobs can learn a new skill and expand their future employment opportunities. Young people in particular will have access to this program and the job skills it offers.

What's Up Next

The House is expected to consider a resolution regarding Afghanistan as well as a number of suspension bills.