Carson: HIRE Act Has Benefited Workers, Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman André Carson released the following statement regarding a report from the U.S. Department of the Treasury showing that from February to May 2010, American businesses have hired an estimated 4.5 million new workers - each of whom had been unemployed for eight weeks or longer - showing the early success of a tax break program passed earlier this year by Congress.

Those businesses are now eligible to receive up to $8.5 billion in Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act tax exemptions and credits. If these workers remain on the job for the rest of the year, their employers will be eligible for an estimated $5.1 billion in payroll tax savings under the HIRE Act.

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"The goal of the HIRE Act was to give small businesses the help they needed to invest in new, well-paying jobs across the country, including thousands right here in Indiana.

"Yesterday's report from the Treasury Department shows tremendous early success and is welcome news for our economy. As our economic recovery continues, Congress must advance legislation like the HIRE Act to provide a needed boost to our job-creation efforts. Putting Americans back to work as quickly as possible is an issue of progress - not partisanship. I will continue to try and work with all my colleagues in the House to put more Hoosiers back to work, focusing our efforts on effective programs like the HIRE Act."

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