Strip the Nails from the Stimulus Coffin « It’s Getting Hot In Here

*** UPDATE: Check out the amendment here via TalkingPointsMemo.com ***

The U.S. Capitol The Senate version of the stimulus bill was already heading in the wrong direction when “nuclear happy” representatives snuck in $50 billion in loan guarantees for dirty energy projects, but the upcoming Nelson/Collins amendment is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

In addition to lavishly cutting spending on essential projects, it is expected to maintain tax cuts intact, essentially inverting the cuts-spending ratio established in the house bill.
Among the initiatives that are slated to be cut are:

$1 billion for the National Science Foundation
$400 million for research and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases
$850 million for Amtrak
$400 million for climate change research

In urging congress to move faster and to preserve the initial purpose of the stimulus bill, President Obama said:

“I’ve heard criticisms of this plan that echo the very same failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis, the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems, that we can ignore the fundamental challenges like energy independence and the high cost of health care and still expect our economy and our country to thrive,” he said.

“I reject that theory,” Mr. Obama continued, “and so did the American people when they went to the polls in November and voted resoundingly for change. So I urge members of Congress to act without delay.”

We finally have a President in office who is willing to stand up for what is right. Now it’s time to get our representatives to join us in making progress.

Call your Senators TODAY and tell them to reject the Nelson/Collins amendment (Senate Switchboard: 202-224-3121).

About Tommaso

Tommaso Boggia is the Climate Advocacy Associate at Campus Progress, the Center for American Progress youth outreach program, and the PowerShift 09 Media and Communications Committee co-chair. Prior to joining the Center, Tommaso was the Sustainability Event Coordinator for his alma mater, UC Santa Cruz, where he received a degree in Sociology with an emphasis in environmental justice. He led numerous climate change campaigns on his campus, including one to offset 100% of UC Santa Cruz’s energy use and others implementing energy efficiency programs saving UC Santa Cruz over $30,000 in utility costs. Tommaso has worked extensively with student groups, including the California Public Interest Research Group, the Alliance to Save Energy's Green Campus Program, and the California Student Sustainability Coalition. When he's not working to make the world a greener place, Tommaso can be found riding around town on his Gary Fischer bicycle that gets infinity miles per gallon.