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Alaskan Congressman Don Young voted yes today on H.R. 5140, Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008. This bill seeks to provide economic stimulus through recovery rebates to individuals, incentives for business investment, and an increase in conforming and Federal Housing Administration loan limits.

"I voted in favor of this bill," said Rep. Young, "but make no mistake about it I do not think it is the answer to our needs. It is a quick fix; a short term solution. We do need to stimulate our economy, and with energy prices sky high and temperatures below zero in parts of Alaska, I know that my constituents can use this rebate to help heat their homes and care for their families. But why don’t we start thinking long-term? Why not put this money back into infrastructure projects that are already on the books, but do not have the proper funding yet?

"Let’s create jobs that will stimulate our economy - the answer to a robust economy is jobs for the American people. For example, if we were to explore in ANWR, not only would we be working to become energy independent, but we would also create over a million new jobs in all 50 states, not just Alaska. This would pump trillions of dollars into our economy. These are the types of long-term solutions we need to start looking into to keep our Nation strong.

"The one big concern I had with this bill was that senior citizens who live solely on pensions and Social Security are not eligible for this rebate, as it’s not considered earned income. However, I have been assured that the Senate will take care of this oversight, and when the Conference Report comes back to the House, it will be sure to include these seniors.

"I hope that this package gives us the little boost we are looking for. But I beg of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, let’s start looking into the future and planning how we can keep good American jobs in America for American citizens."

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