More Organizations and Businesses Respond to the American Jobs Act

Yesterday, President Obama sent The American Jobs Act to Congress and urged Congress to pass the bill right away to get the economy moving. Organizations and businesses continue to respond to the President’s call to put partisanship aside and do what is right for the American people. Here is what organizations around the country are saying about the American Jobs Act:

UNITE HERE, John W. Wilhelm, President

On behalf of UNITE HERE’s 250,000 members who work in the hotel, food service, gaming and manufacturing industries, I applaud the President’s vigorous and inspired push to put America back to work. We join him in calling for the Congress to act and to act now!

Public Transportation Association (APTA), William Millar, President

On behalf of the more than 1,500 members of the American Public Transportation Association I commend President Obama for his remarks last night that highlighted creating and supporting jobs through investing in transportation infrastructure. The $50 billion in direct funding proposed in the American Jobs Act will go a long way to jump start needed transportation investments.  Every $1 billion in public transportation investment supports or creates 36,000 jobs.  Also, for every $1 invested in public transportation, $4 is generated in economic returns.

International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Gregory J. Junemann, President

The President’s plan is needed now, more than ever, and we encourage all Americans and every member of Congress to get on board in pushing this plan into law. President Obama made a great speech in outlining his plan for the restoration of the nation’s economy. And he called on all of us—each and every one of us—to support him. We must answer his call with meaningful action. Reach out to every member of Congress and demand the swift passage of the American Jobs Act.

Fraternal Order of Police, Chuck Caterbury, National President

President Obama has presented us with a sound, no nonsense, blueprint for getting Americans back to work and jumpstarting the economy. We support and applaud this effort and will work to ensure its passage by Congress.

High-Speed Rail Authority, Thomas J. Umberg, Chairman Board of Directors

High-speed rail has a rightful place in any proposal to put Americans to work. California’s project is the largest infrastructure project underway in the nation, and it means literally tens of thousands of jobs in a time when we need them the most – construction and operation jobs that cannot be outsourced. While other states may shrink from this challenge, California is ready to put investments to work immediately, strengthening our economy now and for decades to come.

Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), Michael Casserly, Executive Director

The President’s plan will not only help stimulate the economy, provide badly needed jobs, put laid-off teachers back in our classrooms, and fix our aging schools, but more importantly it will begin to rebuild the nation’s capacity to deliver 21st century educational services that meet the new higher academic standard adopted by nearly all of the states.

National School Boards Association (NSBA), Anne Bryant, Executive Director

In the face of massive budget shortfalls and education layoffs at school districts across the country, this new funding would provide necessary aid to America's schools.

American Association of School Administrators (AASA), Dan Domenech, Executive Director

The American Jobs Act would devote $25 billion to the renovation of 35,000 schools and $30 billion to preventing the layoff of 280,000 teachers.  Keeping teachers in our classrooms is essential to meeting the educational needs of our students.  Creating jobs that will make much needed repairs to our schools is a win-win situation.  We urge Congress to move towards the immediate passage of the American Jobs Act.

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), Dr. Antonio Flores, President and CEO

President Obama’s proposal is a step in the right direction to tackle our nation’s unemployment rate.  I encourage Congress to improve it by adding a provision to provide workforce training funds to HSIs.  The integration of this initiative in the overall plan can accelerate the President’s goal of putting more Americans to work.

Coalition of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI)

CEFPI calls this “a plan to boost construction jobs nationwide by providing federal money to repair public schools is picking up support among unions, economists and liberal advocates with direct ties to the White House."

Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)

It is widely believe that this plan will include emergency funding for education jobs and school construction, an infrastructure bank, an extension of unemployment insurance, tax breaks for companies who hire unemployed workers, and an extension of the payroll tax cut.

American Association of Community Colleges

The $450 billion plan that President Obama unveiled Thursday night to try to stimulate job growth and the economy would provide $5 billion in funds to build and renovate facilities and other infrastructure at community colleges and tribal colleges.

National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities

President Obama unveiled a series of proposals to revive the stalling economy last night, among them a $30-billion spending proposal to repair and modernize buildings at elementary and secondary schools, including $5-billion to bolster the infrastructure at community colleges and tribal colleges. He had made community colleges a centerpiece of his higher-education agenda shortly after he was inaugurated, proposing a $12-billion program to rebuild community-college facilities, increase transfers to four-year colleges, and improve remedial education.

NASBE, Brenda Welburn, Executive Director

We support the president’s plan to keep teachers in classrooms and to put contractors to work renovating and modernizing those same classrooms, ensuring our students have safe and healthy places in which to learn.  When Congress passes this legislation, America wins with the immediate benefit of job creation and in the long-term with the preparation of our students for the higher education and the careers that await them.

Campaign for America’s Future, Robert Borosage, Co-Director

We support President’s call for immediate action on jobs. The crisis is clear; Washington must act. The President’s plan features elements that traditionally have received bipartisan support. Nothing should stop the Congress from acting immediately. If Republicans choose to obstruct action now, it will lay bare their apparent willingness to trade on the misery of unemployed families for potential partisan political gain. We urge the President to take his case to the American people and make it clear who is standing in the way.

African American Ministers in Action, Minister Leslie Watson Malachi, Director

President Obama laid out a common sense plan to help put Americans back to work. Without a doubt, Congress should step up to the plate and pass this legislation without delay.

Committee for Education Funding (CEF)

We applaud the $30 billion for school modernization to improve learning conditions for students in some 35,000 schools and expand capacity at community colleges, and the $30 billion to save some 280,000 jobs for teachers, counselors, librarians, custodians and other educators to ensure that students are not shortchanged by education program eliminations and unreasonable class sizes.

National PTA, Betsy Landers, President

National PTA applauds the President’s commitment to invest in education. Our economy is in crisis, and efforts to provide a high-quality education to every child are key to overcoming this crisis and ensuring competitiveness in an increasingly global economy.  Our children deserve enough teachers and school support personnel on hand, safe and comfortable school facilities, and the opportunity to graduate ready for college and career.

Johnson Controls, Mark F. Wagner

We are encouraged by the President’s call to include the retrofitting of America’s schools with energy efficiency upgrades in the proposed American Jobs Act.  Those of us already engaged in retrofitting buildings see the impact on job creation every day: there are new jobs in old buildings, including our nation’s schools. Most of the schools across the country were built long before energy efficiency was a concern. They are older, dated facilities and consume a great deal of energy.  A school’s largest operational expense is paying for energy and they are spending about 25-30% more than they should, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That money could and should be redirected for educational purposes. The additional good news is that money spent on energy efficiency upgrades has a payback based on reduce energy and operational costs after the work is completed.  As a leader in energy retrofits for public and private institutions, Johnson Controls has worked with school districts across the country to improve energy efficiency, enabling them to redirect savings for educational purposes, while at the same time putting people to work in local communities. Improving the energy efficiency of schools is one of the key investments we can make: it helps reduce energy costs, improves the school environment, creates local jobs and pays for itself.

The Window & Door Manufacturers Association, Michael P. O'Brien, President and CEO

The Window & Door Manufacturers Association has been a longtime proponent of improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s existing building stock, which consumes nearly forty percent of the nation’s energy.  At the same time, investing in energy efficient building upgrades helps create and preserve jobs in the severely depressed building industry.  The President’s school modernization proposal has the potential for both a positive impact on energy efficiency and job creation at a time when both are sorely needed and WDMA applauds such efforts.

US Green Building Council, Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council

The President’s proposal tonight will go a long way toward jump starting jobs across every sector of the building community, a sector especially hard hit by the struggling economy. Energy retrofits especially are a cornerstone to broader economic recovery in every sector, and nowhere will that be more important than in our homes, our neighborhoods and our schools.  In fact, there is a long list of school infrastructure improvements ready to go and awaiting funding. Not only could this mean great things for the economy and the millions of professionals in the building industry desperate to get back to work,  it means great things for the health and well being of our children.

Clean Economy Development Center, Jeffrey King, Executive Director

The President’s proposal to modernize 35,000 American schools will create family-supporting jobs and new public-private partnerships in communities all across the country. It is also a critical step toward making America’s future workforce more skilled and more competitive. The Clean Economy Development Center will do its part by helping local leaders to build the public-private partnerships required to modernize our schools, create jobs and grow America’s clean economy.

American Association of School Administrators, Dan Domenech, Executive Director

The American Jobs Act would devote $25 billion to the renovation of 35,000 schools and $30 billion to preventing the layoff of 280,000 teachers. Keeping teachers in our classrooms is essential to meeting the educational needs of our students. Creating jobs that will make much needed repairs to our schools is a win-win situation. We urge Congress to move towards the immediate passage of the American Jobs Act.

National Indian Education Association (NIEA)

The NIEA supports the President’s plan to invest $30 billion dollars in our public schools, community and tribal colleges. At present 63 of 183 (approximately one third) of federal schools for American Indians administered by the federal government’s Bureau of Indian Affairs are in poor condition, making it unsafe and difficult for Indian children to learn.  The NIEA supports this proposal because it will create jobs and economic development in rural and tribal communities where these BIA schools and tribal community colleges are located. The President’s proposal is a win-win for Indians because it will create jobs and economic development and will enable our Indian students to attend safe schools.

Future Educators Association/PDK International Family of Associations, Leilani Bell, President

After hearing President Obama’s speech last night, I felt inspired to continue my education and fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher. My goal is to teach in an urban school that is outfitted with cutting-edge technology like what the President described.  As a future teacher I realize the importance of not just being a quality teacher, but in having the tools and the environment that will inspire students to want to stay in school and to learn. It’s encouraging to know that the President recognizes this too.

Learning First Alliance, Cheryl Scott Williams, Executive Director of the Learning First Alliance

I fully support President Obama’s initiative and agree that every child deserves a great school and that we have a responsibility to one another to act as one nation and one people in support of ensuring a great education for all our students.   Modernizing aging school buildings and putting teachers back to work on behalf of America’s students are key to making that vision a reality.

Alliance for Excellent Education, Bob Wise, President of the Alliance for Excellent Education, and former governor of West Virginia

The nation’s schools are in need of an upgrade in order to provide students with a 21st century education. Technology is changing nearly every facet of life, and we must capitalize on the opportunities offered by technology to strengthen the nation’s schools. The President’s school modernization proposal would help schools develop the technological infrastructure to strengthen instruction and prepare our students for success in college and careers. This investment in schools today will pay large dividends in the future.

National Wildlife Federation, Larry Schweiger, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation

The President's plan to modernize America's schools and make them cleaner and safer for students though the American Jobs Act is also an opportunity for them to be greener and more energy efficient.  This will help student health and learning, support job creation and decrease the schools' environmental footprints.

Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)

In his September 8 address to the Joint Session of Congress, President Obama announced
his American Jobs Act, which includes a major investment in our nation’s education system. The President’s comments reiterated his commitment to the education system and his belief that education is a vital component of economic recovery in America. The President’s plan will invest $35 billion—some of which will be earmarked to prevent up to 280,000 teacher layoffs. ASBO International is pleased with this continued focus on keeping teachers in the classroom and bringing back into the classroom, those teachers who were laid off, as well as other staff critical to the successful operation of a school system.

Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), Dr. Conrad Giles, Chair

The jobs crisis exists throughout the entire country. No community, rural or urban, big or small, has been untouched. With such widespread need for new job opportunities and assistance, Congress should begin work on the President’s recommendations for improvements to our homes, schools, and roads without delay. These projects will both revitalize our communities and put Americans back to work. Long term recovery will require investments across varied industries and sectors. We appreciate the President’s endorsement of support to our teachers and health care providers. We urge Congress to consider as well the police and firefighters we depend on. Additionally, nonprofits, which provide vital services during recessions, are themselves suffering, and will continue to do so without Federal support.

Paralyzed Veterans, Homer S. Townsend, Jr., National Executive Director

I think most Americans would agree that veterans deserve a fair shot at the American Dream -- and at the heart of that dream is a good job at a good company or organization. We welcome the president making this one of his top priorities, especially with veterans unemployment being so high. Tackling unemployment is a complex problem, and no one has the perfect solution. So we need all leaders, and all sectors -- public and private -- to play their part to get this economy moving for everyone, and especially our unemployed veterans who have so many great skills to offer.

Find out more about the American Jobs Act