WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following statement was issued today by Sonny Hall, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, in response to the economic stimulus package released today by President George W. Bush.
“By failing to include transportation investments in his economic stimulus package, the President has missed a chance to take bold action to bolster our sagging economy.
“You get the economy going again by putting people back to work. And one of the best ways to do this is to invest in our highway, transit, aviation, rail, port and maritime transportation system. By doing so, our nation will benefit and good jobs will be created in this anemic economy. Someone should tell the West Wing that 40,000 jobs are created for every billion dollars spent on our transportation system. That is real economic stimulus.
“The President’s plan not only falls short on job investment, but it doesn’t have even a shred of fairness and justice. More tax cuts for the wealthy will hardly help the millions of Americans – including hundreds of thousands of transportation workers – who are jobless.
“I urge Congress to pass a strong package of investments that provides serious relief for the unemployed including expanded and improved jobless benefits, health care assistance and investments in transportation.”
TTD represents 35 member unions in the transit, trucking, highway, aviation, rail, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit www.ttd.org