On Wednesday, 10 August 2011, Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, announced the introduction of a budget outline which is aimed to create obs for some two million people. The “Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act,” as the plan has been titled, if passed will cost $227 billion and be implemented over a two year period and subsequently push the unemployment rate back by 1.3%. The Act if passed will be financed by separate legislation, the “Fairness in Taxation Act,” which was also introduced by Schakowsky, and would raise taxes for U.S. tax payers earning more than $1 million and $1 billion dollars. The secondary Act would also eliminate subsidies for big oil companies while closing loopholes for corporations that send American jobs overseas.
The two pending Acts could make a vital impact on the lives of children across the country, as unemployment rates continue to rise for young people—in excess of 20%–and child poverty rates have risen to detrimental numbers as they surpass 20%. If enacted, the legislation the 2.2 million jobs created by the Act will be heavily focused on rebuilding and strengthening communities, which will directly impact the lives of millions of children:
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