>> Sign Up For My E-Newsletter
Shea-Porter Votes for Expanded Economic Stimulus Package Print
Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter voted on Thursday evening to pass an improved version of the economic stimulus package. This measure consists of the original bill passed by the House last week, plus an addition which Congresswoman Shea-Porter had sought to expand the individual tax rebates to include low-income senior citizens.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 380 to 34 after receiving approval from the Senate earlier on Thursday afternoon. It will now go to the President for his signature.

“Congress has passed an economic stimulus package to provide much needed aid to American families and small businesses,” said Congresswoman Shea-Porter. “I am also very glad that the stimulus will now include senior citizens and disabled veterans who depend upon social security. People on fixed incomes suffer greatly from the economic downturn and they need a rebate also.”

The broad-based stimulus package passed by Congress would provide a tax rebate to 130 million American families. The rebates of up to $600 per individual and $1,200 per married couple, plus an additional $300 per child, could be issued as early as May. More than 600,000 families in New Hampshire would receive an average rebate of $833. The revised measure would also provide rebates to anyone who receives at least $3,000 in Social Security income, self-employment income, or veterans’ disability payments.

Under the original version of the bill, which passed the House on January 29th, only individuals who earned at least $3,000 in income would have qualified for the tax rebate. This provision excluded Americans who depend upon Social Security income, such as senior citizens and disabled veterans. Responding to this concern, Congresswoman Shea-Porter wrote to Democratic leaders to ask that they broaden the bill. This provision was added by the Senate and was part of the revised stimulus package passed by the House.

In addition to the tax rebates for families, the legislation also includes $44 billion in tax cuts and incentives for businesses. It doubles the amount that small businesses can immediately write off their taxes for capital investments made in 2008, and it speeds up depreciation provisions, so that firms can write off an additional 50 percent for investments purchased in 2008.

For more information about the economic stimulus package, click here.

###
United States House of Representatives
Office of Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter
1508 Longworth House Office Building • Washington, DC 20515

Media Contact: Clark Pettig
(202) 225-5456 phone • (202) 225-5822 fax •
http://shea-porter.house.gov/