Congressman Jim Oberstar, DFL-Minn., says Congress must pass a second stimulus bill to fend off another round of economic crisis.
Oberstar says the first stimulus package created 8,500 construction jobs related to transportation projects in Minnesota in its first year. Across the nation, he says the measure created about 890,000 transportation-related jobs. Oberstar, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says the Senate must do its part to keep the momentum going.
"Contracts have been coming in 25 percent below final design and engineering estimates," Oberstar said. "We're getting one-fourth more jobs than projected. And the long term extension would provide six million new jobs over the next six years of this bill."
The House approved the so-called "Jobs for Main Street Act" in December.