U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release Wednesday, January 30, 2008		CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630 Cody Wertz 303-350-0032
Sen. Salazar’s Statement on Senate Finance Committee Economic Stimulus Package WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the United States Senate Finance Committee passed a robust, bipartisan economic stimulus package that will help jump-start the American economy. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Salazar participated in today’s markup and released the following statement: “Our economy is on thin ice. All across America and Colorado, families are feeling squeezed. Today, the Senate Finance Committee passed a robust package that will provide quick, effective stimulus to our ailing economy. As such, it will offer some measure of relief to families who are struggling financially, and give the economy the shot in the arm it needs to get back on the right track. “In addition to putting money into the pockets of hard-working Coloradoans, this package provides targeted tax incentives for small businesses that are the engine of our economy. It also includes several important improvements over the House-passed bill, by extending unemployment benefits, expanding the tax rebate to senior citizens who pay Social Security and disabled veterans, and ensuring that only people with a valid Social Security number who lawfully file their taxes are eligible for a rebate. “It is my hope that, before the end of the week, we can pass this bill in the Senate and begin working with our House colleagues to come to swift agreement on how to give America’s economy the jump-start it needs.” Today’s $157 billion Senate Finance Committee package will now go to the full Senate for debate. Key points of the package: One-time tax rebates of $500 per individual, $1,000 per couple, and $300 per child for eligible tax filers (tax filers who owe taxes or have at least $3000 in income, up to certain income levels); Tax incentives that provide relief for small businesses and encourage them to invest and create jobs; Extension of federal unemployment insurance benefits for 13 weeks in all states through December 2008, and an additional 13 weeks of benefits in states meeting certain criteria for high unemployment; One-year extensions of energy-related tax incentives set to expire at the end of 2008, including tax credits to encourage renewable energy production and investment and to promote energy efficiency; Expansion of tax rebates to 20 million senior citizens that receive Social Security, but have no earned income (not included in the bill that passed the House of Representatives); Expansion of tax rebates to disabled veterans (not included in the bill that passed the House of Representatives); Requirement that all tax filers have a valid Social Security number in order to qualify for a tax rebate. ###