Press Releases

Congresswoman Kaptur, a member of the House Trade Working Group, made a statement on the House floor in response to the U.S. Chamber ofCommerce's recently released report that claims U.S. free trade agreements havesupported more than 5 million jobs.

Her effort in the House of Representatives netted 62signatories. Activist groups then wagedan on-line petition drive that obtained approximately 140,000 signatures. On Wednesday, Kaptur joined representativesof MoveOn.org and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee at the JusticeDepartment to present the letter and the petitions together.

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.

"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.