Sentaor Cardin on the Stmulus

Senator Cardin responded today about his view of the stimulus. More and more its like the blind leading the blind. (Please note - I did not edit his response, what you see is what I got. Maybe he should hirer a staffer to proof read.)

Dear Mr. Wolfe:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ( H.R. 1 ) . Over the past few months, I have heard from thousand s of Maryland ers who are struggling in this economic climate, but are also worried about significant new federal spending . I share your concerns about our economy; it is my top priority in the United States Senate.

Our economy is hurting and President Obama asked Congress to support the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act . I agree with President Obama that there is no miracle that will solve our problems overnight, but if we do not act quickly, this recession could continue for years . America could lose its competitive edge that has served as the foundation for our strength and standing in the world . I am committed to working in a bipartisan manner to find ef fective legislative solutions that benefit working individuals and families. These solutions must be timely, temporary, and guarantee greater transparency and accountability so that consumers, homeowners, investors and taxpayers are adequately protected. Additionally, we must improve the current regulatory system so that we can help stabilize the financial markets and increase the availability of credit to families and small businesses.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would provide needed tax relief for individuals and families. The bill include s a $25 0 one-time payment distrib uted to Social S ecurity ben eficiaries, disabled veterans, SSI beneficiaries, and retired rail-road workers; an alternative minimum tax patch for 2009; a temporary suspension of federal income tax on the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits; and an expansion of the homeowner tax credit to $8 ,000 .

I also sponsored a provision in the bill that would provide relief to our nation's small businesses. It is essential that surety bonding capacity be available for small business contractors once funds are made available to rebuild our nations' infrastructure. My provision increase s the current statutory limits under the Surety Bond Guarantee Program from $2 million to $5 million . This will allow small businesses to compete for a greater share of federal contracts and ensure that the government better spreads it s ' work among minority owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and disadvantaged small businesses.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 would provide important investments in health information technology. These investments will quickly grow jobs in the health care sector and eventually improve the quality of health care for every American. The bill would also expand health insurance coverage through COBRA and Medicaid programs to individuals who lose their jobs and are uninsured. It also include s a temporary increase in the Medicaid federal matching funds, several unemployment benefits , and supplemental grant extensions for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to assist states struggling to meet the growing needs of newly unemployed workers.

On a local level, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would provide at least $2.5 billion for Maryland . A portion of t his money would put Marylanders immediately to work rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges , and transit systems - creating a stronger and more efficient infrastructure for the 21st century economy. Funds will be distributed throughout Maryland for infrastructure , science, education, training, energy, and will help protect our most vulnerable citizens by providing immediate relief for the poor, the young , and the elderly.

Representative David Obey introduced H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on January 26 , 2009. The House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Conference Report by a vote of 246-183 on February 13, 2009, and it was forwarded to the Senate . I voted for H.R. 1 , and the Senate passed it by a vote of 60-38 that evening. On February 17, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and it became Public L aw : 111-5 .

I appreciate your contacting me about this most serious and difficult issue. I ask that you continue to keep me informed of your views on efforts to improve the economy. With your help, we can work together in pursuit of bipartisan solutions to improve the lives of working families and our country as a whole. Please visit my website at http://cardin.senate.gov to sign up for my e-newsletter.