Upton applauds House passage of stimulus package
Published 2:18 am Monday, February 4, 2008
By Staff
WASHINGTON – Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) applauded Jan. 29's overwhelming House passage of bipartisan economic stimulus legislation.
The economic growth plan includes rebates of $300 to $1,200 for 117 million American families, as well has $50 billion in tax relief for small businesses.
The Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act, H.R. 5140, passed the House by a vote of 385 to 35.
"Facing tremendous volatility and uncertainty in the financial sector over the last few weeks, I applaud the President and congressional leaders for putting politics aside to provide a much-needed boost to small businesses and working families across Michigan and the country," the congressman said.
"The House heeded the President's call during the State of the Union address and approved the stimulus package with wide bipartisan support and no add-ons.
"It's now up to the Senate to avoid the temptation to add unrelated pork barrel projects and promptly pass this package.
"We owe it to Michigan's hardworking families who are living from paycheck to paycheck, to get the job done.
"The bipartisan economic stimulus package is an important first step – Michigan has been enduring a one-state recession for some time, and we must do all we can to help stabilize small business, create jobs and provide further relief to working families," Upton added.
"It is now critical to make the tax cuts of 2001 permanent. Middle-class folks who are already struggling to get by cannot afford to be slapped with the marriage penalty, the death tax and a jump in their overall tax rate," he said.
"We still have much work left to do to protect working families across Michigan."