Standing Up for the Middle Class

Dear Friends,

This week, the House can pass a tax cut for all Americans and prevent a tax increase on middle class families in these difficult times. The Senate has already approved the bill, the President has said he will sign it, and I am committed to voting for it.

With the Bush tax cuts expiring at the end of 2012, we must protect our fragile economy and the millions of Americans who can’t afford to lose part of their paychecks. Without this legislation, a typical middle class family of four would see their taxes rise by $2,200.

Those at the very top of the income scale have benefited the most from the Bush-era policies, and we can’t afford extra breaks for those who don’t need them. That’s why the bill I support allows tax cuts to expire on income over $250,000, saving nearly $1 trillion. This provision still ensures a tax cut for everyone on income up to $250,000.

It’s mystifying that the Republican Party wants to obstruct this outcome. Their preferred alternative is to make 25 million Americans at the lowest end of the income ladder pay an average of $1000 more, but give an average tax cut of $160,000 to those making more than $1 million.

We should applaud the successes of those at the top, while remembering that it was a robust middle class that made us the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world and ensured everyone had a chance to live the American Dream. We cannot allow middle class tax cuts to expire due to an effort to give extra help to the wealthiest two percent of Americans.

I want to know what you think about this issue. Please like me on Facebook and leave your comments on my wall, tweet them to me, or get in touch via email.

Sincerely,

Jim Langevin

Building a Skilled Workforce in RI

I continued my Rhode Island Skilled Economy (RISE) Tour in Providence last Friday with adult students and staff from the Genesis Center’s job training program. I kicked off the RISE tour earlier this year to address ways to improve our state’s workforce development. As I visit businesses throughout my District, I repeatedly hear about struggles to find qualified workers to fill available positions, even in a time of high unemployment. We need to support targeted efforts like the Genesis Center’s Health Care Careers training to ensure we have a workforce that can spur growth in our state. No one program or person can reverse the impact of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, but better collaboration between industries and educators is a critical part of giving our workers and businesses the opportunity to reach their potential.

Protecting the Economic Value of RI’s Rivers

We have taken a major step toward supporting the vital benefits of our state’s waterways with House passage of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act. I was proud to introduce this bill as a result of work with advocates and local officials in Rhode Island. Our state’s economy relies on the health of our waters, and the bipartisan support that this bill received is a testament to the value of the Wood and Pawcatuck rivers and the need for protections to preserve them.

Save the date

TESTING STUDENTS’ CYBER SKILLS
Open to RI High Schoolers
Registration for the RI Cyber Foundations Competition is open from August 1, 2012 through October 15.

Did You Know...?

FORECLOSURE REVIEW
Borrowers who believe they were harmed during the mortgage foreclosure process in 2009 or 2010 have until September 30 to request an independent review and potentially receive compensation. ››

FAST FACT
Thanks to health care reform, being a women is no longer a pre-existing condition. After years of gender discrimination by insurance companies, women have access to free preventive services starting today. ››

In Other News

CREATING QUALITY JOBS IN RHODE ISLAND
Rep. Langevin brought Rep Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking House Democrat, to RI to highlight vital national security work that is creating jobs in Quonset and career and technical education programs that train a skilled workforce. ››

BOOSTING AGRICULTURE TO IMPROVE RI’S ECONOMY
Rep. Langevin met with representatives of the RI Center for Agriculture Promotion and Education to discuss a federal grant coming to the state and address how further growth in the industry is a key to economic recovery. ››

WORKING WITH OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA
As co-chair of the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus, Rep. Langevin was one of a group of lawmakers to work with the U.S. Olympic Committee to ensure that future Team USA uniforms will be manufactured domestically. ››

APPLAUDING STEP TOWARD RI OFFSHORE WIND FARM
Rep. Langevin praised the latest move by the U.S. Interior Department toward building the farm, a project Langevin has advocated to create jobs and boost the economy while making our energy supply cleaner and more stable. ››

INCREASING SPINAL CORD INJURY RESEARCH
The House passed Rep. Langevin’s amendment to boost support for a Defense Department program created to help the many troops who suffer spinal cord injuries in combat. ››

RECOGNIZING A COMMITMENT TO THOSE IN NEED
Rep. Langevin and Trent Theroux, who has dedicated himself to raising spinal cord injury awareness after an accident nearly paralyzed him, met about their efforts to improve treatment, including Theroux’s 13 mile swim to Block Island. ››

ADDRESSING MAJOR CYBER THREATS
In an op-ed published in Roll Call, Rep. Langevin describes protections required for vital computer networks to prevent serious damage to our economic and national security. ››