Press Releases
Congresswoman Kaptur today voted for legislation thatwould freeze congressional salaries next year.
"For the first time in 35 years, Social Securityrecipients did not receive a cost-of-living increase this year," saidCongresswoman Kaptur. "Why should it beany different for members of Congress? With so many people experiencing so much pain due to the economy, thevote to forego a cost-of-living increase is the right thing to do."
Without legislative action such as today's vote, membersof Congress would receive an automatic, annual cost-of-living increase as aresult of legislation that was passed in 1989.
Since 2003, the "We the People" bookshelf program hasintroduced young readers to great literature and themes from Americanhistory. This year's theme is timed tocoincide with the commemoration of the Civil War, which began 150 years ago.
The Toledo area was one of 25 communities toreceive a total of $452 million in Recovery Act funding under the RetrofitRamp-Up initiative administered by the U. S. Department of Energy. The program will focus on partnershipsbetween communities and non-profit organizations on innovative programs toretrofit entire neighborhoods and towns. The local AEU will identify, evaluate, install, finance and manageenergy efficiency and renewable energy projects, primarily in public andcommercial buildings. Energy efficiencywill be made accessible to hundreds of thousands of homeowners andbusinesses.
"Our region is already recognized around the world as a leader on the solar, biofuels and alternative energy fronts," said Congresswoman Kaptur. "This is a transformative event as federal assistance will leverage private dollars many times over and further secure our competitive advantage in this high-growth sector of the economy.
"Over time, the solar field will pay for itself, not only injobs created and expertise gained locally, but also from the savings that ODOTwill realize in the cost of lighting the bridge. This project is a bright,shining example of what we can accomplish when working together-federal, state,and local, public sector and private sector.
"With leading-edge technology, the Skyway will now helplight the way to a new and brighter future for our regional economy."
The 2010 program also includes an $89.5 million project toimprove safety and reduce congestion at the I-75/I-475 interchange in central Toledo. The project willwiden I-475 to three lanes in each direction. Scheduled to begin this summer, the project is scheduled to be completedin 2013.
The "Fort to Port" project on U.S. Route 24 will involveconstruction of a four-lane, divided highway in Lucas and Henry counties thisyear. Due to open in the summer of 2012,the final three phases of the project will complete a vital link from the port of Toledoto Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Congresswoman Kaptur announced on Friday a $1 millionfederal award to the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky for the tub room and nurse callsystem project.
Funding came from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,Kaptur said.
Kaptur said the commercialization complex highlights thegrowing importance of the Universityof Toledo to regionaleconomic development. "This takes ourjoint efforts at job creation to new heights, building on our successes inalternative energy, biomedical research at the Health Sciences Campus, advancedmaterials research at the Collegeof Engineering, andtransportation research as well."
"Education is the key to getting a good-paying job,” said Congresswoman Kaptur. “Workers with bachelor’s degrees earn approximately 80 percent more on average than workers with only high school diplomas. “That’s why Congress acted to make higher education more affordable, especially in these tough economic times.”
Like rising health care costs, increases in college tuition are burdening American families across the country. Students who depend on federal grants and loans in order to advance their careers are struggling to make ends meet. And when students lack access to education or fail to graduate with a degree, our economy suffers.