The Jobs Bill

Jobs. Wait...no, not Steve Jobs. I mean jobs, jobs.

That's been my focus for much of this year, as it has been for my committee, House Commerce & Economic Development.

We worked across party lines. We unanimously passed the Jobs Bill, S.288.

Its goal is straight-forward: create short-term and long-term jobs. It does so by investing $8.7 million of Federal stimulus funds on projects including:

- Broadband access for 12,000 Vermont homes and businesses

- More worker training programs

- Low-interest loans for qualifying businesses and farmers

- Investments in Farm-to-Plate and Farm-to-School

- Support for low-income Vermonters starting their own business

- Assistance for Vermont businesses affected by Champlain Bridge shut-down

- Investment in tourism