January 9, 2009
January 9, 2009
Dear Friend,
Thank you for reading another edition of my weekly e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov.
In this week's Carson Courier:
Promoting Pay Equality
Creating Jobs and Supporting Hoosier Businesses
Beginning a New Congress
PROMOTING PAY EQUALITY
Forty-five years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women represent nearly half of the workforce and work alongside men in every industry, yet consistently receive less pay than their male coworkers. Across Indiana, women continue to receive wages at less than 80% of their male counterparts who are fulfilling the same responsibilities.
As our economy further declines into recession, millions of Americans are stretched beyond their means in just to trying make ends meet. Now more than ever, it is incredibly important that every American receive full compensation for their work.
Earlier today, I proudly voted for two pieces of legislation that seek to better protect women across the United States against gender based wage discrimination. By providing expanded legal recourse to victims of discrimination, The Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act will encourage equality in the workplace and help ensure that performance based pay equity becomes a mainstay of all American employers.
CREATING JOBS AND SUPPORTING HOOSIER BUSINESSES
Over the last eight years, Marion County has suffered its worst job losses in recent history with unemployment rising by over 250% since 2000. During that eight year period, nearly 20,000 Indianapolis residents lost their jobs and hundreds of businesses have closed or moved out of the city.
Reassuringly, as eight years of the Bush Administration's devastating economic policies come to an end, Washington seems to be coming together in a spirit of bipartisanship to overcome economic obstacles and bring unemployed Americans back to work. Congress, in cooperation with President-elect Obama, is developing legislation aimed at tackling the fundamental problems facing our economy while investing in many crucial infrastructure projects that were abandoned under the Bush Administration.
The critical infrastructure projects addressed in this package will not only create steady, high paying jobs for thousands of Hoosiers but will also help to rejuvenate our local neighborhoods with improved facilities and rehabilitated roads and highways.
Recently, businesses across Indianapolis have been prevented from hiring much needed employees because of an overwhelming tax burden. This proposed legislation will also seek to extend tax cuts to American businesses for each new job that they create, further guaranteeing that they have the workforce necessary to continue operations.
This legislation will also provide significant tax relief to lower- and middle-income Americans who are being squeezed by rising costs and falling wages. The money saved by these tax cuts will help Indianapolis families to cover the rising costs of essentials and will allow for further stimulation of the economy through increased spending and investment.
Over 2.6 million jobs were lost in 2008, the greatest single year losses since 1945. Further emphasizing our crisis in a speech this week, President-elect Obama warned of the potential for reaching double digit unemployment if immediate action is not taken. As Congress prepares for the Obama presidency, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that a package is implemented which will account for the needs of unemployed Hoosiers and struggling businesses across Indianapolis.
BEGINNING A NEW CONGRESS
On Tuesday, January 6, 2009 the 111th Congress was sworn into office and I began my second term representing Indiana's Seventh Congressional District. It has been one of my greatest honors to return to Congress as your Representative and I would like to thank you for your support and confidence.
Over the next two years, I will be devoting myself to rebuilding our local economy, improving Indianapolis neighborhoods, and building an America that we can all be proud to leave to future generations. As always, I encourage you to contact me with your thoughts and opinions so that I can better represent your interests in Washington.
Once again, thank you for reading the Carson Courier.
In this week's Carson Courier:
Promoting Pay Equality
Creating Jobs and Supporting Hoosier Businesses
Beginning a New Congress
PROMOTING PAY EQUALITY
Forty-five years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women represent nearly half of the workforce and work alongside men in every industry, yet consistently receive less pay than their male coworkers. Across Indiana, women continue to receive wages at less than 80% of their male counterparts who are fulfilling the same responsibilities.
As our economy further declines into recession, millions of Americans are stretched beyond their means in just to trying make ends meet. Now more than ever, it is incredibly important that every American receive full compensation for their work.
Earlier today, I proudly voted for two pieces of legislation that seek to better protect women across the United States against gender based wage discrimination. By providing expanded legal recourse to victims of discrimination, The Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act will encourage equality in the workplace and help ensure that performance based pay equity becomes a mainstay of all American employers.
CREATING JOBS AND SUPPORTING HOOSIER BUSINESSES
Over the last eight years, Marion County has suffered its worst job losses in recent history with unemployment rising by over 250% since 2000. During that eight year period, nearly 20,000 Indianapolis residents lost their jobs and hundreds of businesses have closed or moved out of the city.
Reassuringly, as eight years of the Bush Administration's devastating economic policies come to an end, Washington seems to be coming together in a spirit of bipartisanship to overcome economic obstacles and bring unemployed Americans back to work. Congress, in cooperation with President-elect Obama, is developing legislation aimed at tackling the fundamental problems facing our economy while investing in many crucial infrastructure projects that were abandoned under the Bush Administration.
The critical infrastructure projects addressed in this package will not only create steady, high paying jobs for thousands of Hoosiers but will also help to rejuvenate our local neighborhoods with improved facilities and rehabilitated roads and highways.
Recently, businesses across Indianapolis have been prevented from hiring much needed employees because of an overwhelming tax burden. This proposed legislation will also seek to extend tax cuts to American businesses for each new job that they create, further guaranteeing that they have the workforce necessary to continue operations.
This legislation will also provide significant tax relief to lower- and middle-income Americans who are being squeezed by rising costs and falling wages. The money saved by these tax cuts will help Indianapolis families to cover the rising costs of essentials and will allow for further stimulation of the economy through increased spending and investment.
Over 2.6 million jobs were lost in 2008, the greatest single year losses since 1945. Further emphasizing our crisis in a speech this week, President-elect Obama warned of the potential for reaching double digit unemployment if immediate action is not taken. As Congress prepares for the Obama presidency, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that a package is implemented which will account for the needs of unemployed Hoosiers and struggling businesses across Indianapolis.
BEGINNING A NEW CONGRESS
On Tuesday, January 6, 2009 the 111th Congress was sworn into office and I began my second term representing Indiana's Seventh Congressional District. It has been one of my greatest honors to return to Congress as your Representative and I would like to thank you for your support and confidence.
Over the next two years, I will be devoting myself to rebuilding our local economy, improving Indianapolis neighborhoods, and building an America that we can all be proud to leave to future generations. As always, I encourage you to contact me with your thoughts and opinions so that I can better represent your interests in Washington.
Once again, thank you for reading the Carson Courier.