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Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today introduced her first legislation – a package of seven bills designed to spur job growth in upstate New York and around the nation. New Jobs for New York fulfills Senator Clinton's pledge to make her plan for the upstate economy her first legislative effort.
"With a proud place in the economic history of our country, upstate New York deserves its place in the economic future of our country. My legislation is designed to help bring all of New York to the forefront of the 21st century economy," Senator Clinton said. Noting new statistics that show job growth upstate lagging behind the state as a whole and the nation, she added, "No parent should have to see a child leave his or her hometown simply because good jobs can't be found."
The bills in Senator Clinton's legislative package are supported by a bipartisan group of Senators from all over the country.
The seven components of Senator Clinton's New Jobs for New York plan are:
Small Business Jobs Credit: This initiative will focus on smaller communities by targeting approximately 100 cities and towns throughout the nation that are losing population and have low job growth rates and high poverty rates.
Technology Bonds: Localities will be allowed to use a new type of tax incentive, Technology Bonds, to expand high-speed Internet access in their communities.
Broadband Expansion Grant Initiative of 2001: Complements Tech Bonds by accelerating private-sector deployment of broadband networks in under-served rural communities. Right now many families have to make long distance calls to connect to Internet.
Broadband Rural Research Investment Act of 2001: Supports additional investments at the National Science Foundation for research in new broadband technology to increase services in remote and rural areas.
Technology Extension Act of 2001: Provides small and medium-sized businesses with a technology extension program that provides the latest technology to improve productivity and promote economic growth.
Entrepreneurial Incubators: Helps entrepreneurs who have good ideas but cannot afford lawyers and consultants to access the help they need with legal complexities such as preparing corporate charters, partnership agreements, contracts, patent and intellectual property rules, and basic marketing strategies.
Regional Skills Alliances: Brings businesses, schools, and community colleges together to help create effective programs to ensure workers have the training needed to compete in the new economy.
"As we all know, an historic shift has taken place in our economy. To succeed in the 21st century economy, businesses must be more innovative, creative and flexible; workers must have better education and training; and community leaders must bring all sectors - government, academia, business -- together to make their hometowns more hospitable to high tech industries," Senator Clinton said. "My New Jobs for New York plan will help bring more New Yorkers and more Americans online and into the 21st century economy by promoting entrepreneurship and innovation and by knocking down the most stubborn barriers to economic progress in our state and nation."
"We are facing an economic slowdown that could be devastating to places like Upstate New York if we do not act now to give them the tools to succeed in the new economy. I believe we can create new jobs in upstate New York if we start now with the right tax incentives and programs," Senator Clinton said. "I intend to fight for these measures with a bipartisan coalition in New York and in Congress."
Senator Clinton said her legislative plan is part of a long-term, overall approach to bringing more economic growth to Upstate New York and other regions of the country. "The fight for new jobs for New York will be a long one. I do not expect everything in this plan to pass in one year alone, or in the exact form in which it is introduced. And standing alone, no single plan will get the job done," Senator Clinton said. "We need a long-term partnership between people in government at all levels and people in businesses, labor unions, schools and universities and community groups across New York and across the country."
The thirteen Senators who have co-sponsored one or more of Senator Clinton's bills include: Max Baucus (D-MT), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Mark Dayton (D-MN), Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
Tomorrow morning, Senator Clinton will leave for a two-day, six city upstate New York tour to discuss her legislation with upstate New Yorkers. -----------taken from her office statement
I was never a Hillary fan but this is one of her notables.
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