INDIANAPOLIS - As state and local budget reductions loom, Congressman André Carson will join his colleagues in the House and return to Washington next week to vote on a bill that will provide billions of dollars in aid to states to prevent massive job cuts-including the layoff of more than 140,000 teachers.

The aid package includes $10 billion to fill gaps in state education funding. According to the U.S. Department of Education Indiana's portion will save an estimated 3,000 Hoosier teaching jobs.

"As our economy continues to recover, we cannot allow our nation to digress in vital areas like education and public safety," said Congressman Carson. "With this critical funding we're putting our children first by keeping Hoosier educators where they are needed most - in the classroom."

The legislation will save or create 290,000 American jobs, which include teachers, police officers, firefighters and nurses. The bill is paid for, in part, by closing tax loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the bill will actually reduce deficits by $1.4 billion over the next decade.

The bill was approved by the Senate on Thursday, clearing the way for the House to reconvene next Tuesday to pass the final package.

"Massive budget cuts at the state and local levels-like many of those being considered across the nation- create more problems than they solve," said Carson. "Our communities are struggling to deal with social challenges already exacerbated by nearly two-and-a-half years of economic recession. Now is not the time to take police off our streets or remove teachers from our classrooms!"