Kagen Votes to Take Our Country Back to the Basics
Washington, DC — Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. is taking our country and our economy back to the basics. Kagen supported the President’s economic initiative designed to put our economy back on track and lead us to long-term, sustainable prosperity.
“We need to get back to the basics in this country,” said Kagen. “That means investing in health care, education and energy independence. We are taking steps now to build a better future for all of us and this initiative makes those critical investments.”
Kagen voted for a package that will cut taxes for 95% of American workers; build our economy and create new jobs in the private sector through targeted investments and improvements in health care, clean energy, and education; cut expenditure in discretionary non-defense areas over 10 years; cut the deficit in half over four years; and end an era of fiscal recklessness by putting the costs for all programs and wars in the budget.
“President Obama has developed an economic initiative for our nation’s long-term growth and economic prosperity. His proposal is a fair and honest statement of where we are, where we need to go, and how to get there. It focuses on people – not profits, and it offers all of us a clear strategy as to how we will begin to rebuild our economy and restore confidence in our ability to work our way out of today’s economic downturn. Following a decade of false promises and misguided policies, President Obama offers all of us an opportunity to begin to heal our economy and put ourselves on a path to prosperity,” said Kagen.
By providing tax relief to middle-income families, generating jobs through investments in infrastructure and other crucial areas and increasing unemployment benefits for millions of Americans, this long term economic plan builds upon the groundwork established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It takes steps to decrease health care costs, enhance quality, and expand coverage to help the 47 million Americans who currently do not have health insurance. To move us towards energy independence, the initiative also increases our investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency by some 18 percent for 2010 and encourages energy independence over the long term.
“We cannot balance our budgets at home or in government until we establish meaningful reforms in health care. When we reduce costs for health care, we keep more money in your pockets, reduce taxes, and allow small businesses to create jobs. President Obama is rising to the challenge of addressing this important economic and social concern and I stand ready to help him in anyway I can,” said Dr. Kagen.
