INVESTING IN AMERICA TODAY BRINGS BIG DIVIDENDS TOMORROW

The people of one small town in Nebraska are getting a real boost from a new project that will be good for the economy of the entire state and will work much the same way the economic stimulus program we recently approved in Congress works.

Monsanto Corporation, the seed corn giant, recently broke ground for a major expansion in the town of Waco in York County. I was pleased to be asked to speak at the ceremony because this is exactly what the country needs during this economic slowdown. After all the negative economic news we see today, it is so refreshing to see a company that is growing its facilities and an American community that is benefitting from it.

Good for the Entire Country
When a company expands operations, it is not just an investment in its corporation; it is also an investment in the country. A major project like this isn’t just good for Waco, it's good for York County, it's good for Nebraska and it's good for the country because it creates jobs, growth and economic development.

The economic stimulus plan passed by Congress last month works much the same way. Everyone knows about the rebate checks - the hallmark of the plan. The idea is that the extra money will be pumped into the economy by consumers and that activity will help turn things around.

Invest in America
Consumer activity is just part of the equation. The other part is to invest in America the same way Monsanto and others are doing - only instead of building private facilities that create jobs, we build public infrastructure that create jobs.

This is exactly what President Franklin D. Roosevelt did with the New Deal that pulled us out of the Great Depression, and what we're going through isn’t even close to the depression.
FDR created the W-P-A that poured 3 billion dollars into building public works projects. This provided employment, stabilized purchasing power, improved public welfare, and contributed to a revival of American industry.

Simply put, it was a major investment in our nation's future and it paid big dividends.
That was also the idea behind an amendment I introduced to the budget bill passed by Congress earlier this month. It dedicates 7 billion dollars in immediate funding to build infrastructure projects like roads, bridges and sewers that are set to go within the next 3 months and are just in need of funding.

There are an estimated $17.8 billion in projects that fit this description according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Infrastructure investment is critically important as so many states are currently struggling to find funding to make needed improvements in roads, bridges and other building projects.

Not only will this result in improved infrastructure, the Department of Transportation estimates that every $1 billion of infrastructure spending creates more than 40,000 jobs.

As you can see, this part of the economic stimulus plan is definitely an investment in America that will perk up the economy now when it needs it and will continue to yield long term economic benefits in the future.

###



	Column	March 31, 2008
INVESTING IN AMERICA TODAY BRINGS BIG DIVIDENDS TOMORROW The people of one small town in Nebraska are getting a real boost from a new project that will be good for the economy of the entire state and will work much the same way the economic stimulus program we recently approved in Congress works. Monsanto Corporation, the seed corn giant, recently broke ground for a major expansion in the town of Waco in York County. I was pleased to be asked to speak at the ceremony because this is exactly what the country needs during this economic slowdown. After all the negative economic news we see today, it is so refreshing to see a company that is growing its facilities and an American community that is benefitting from it. Good for the Entire Country When a company expands operations, it is not just an investment in its corporation; it is also an investment in the country. A major project like this isn’t just good for Waco, it's good for York County, it's good for Nebraska and it's good for the country because it creates jobs, growth and economic development. The economic stimulus plan passed by Congress last month works much the same way. Everyone knows about the rebate checks - the hallmark of the plan. The idea is that the extra money will be pumped into the economy by consumers and that activity will help turn things around. Invest in America Consumer activity is just part of the equation. The other part is to invest in America the same way Monsanto and others are doing - only instead of building private facilities that create jobs, we build public infrastructure that create jobs. This is exactly what President Franklin D. Roosevelt did with the New Deal that pulled us out of the Great Depression, and what we're going through isn’t even close to the depression. FDR created the W-P-A that poured 3 billion dollars into building public works projects. This provided employment, stabilized purchasing power, improved public welfare, and contributed to a revival of American industry. Simply put, it was a major investment in our nation's future and it paid big dividends. That was also the idea behind an amendment I introduced to the budget bill passed by Congress earlier this month. It dedicates 7 billion dollars in immediate funding to build infrastructure projects like roads, bridges and sewers that are set to go within the next 3 months and are just in need of funding. There are an estimated $17.8 billion in projects that fit this description according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Infrastructure investment is critically important as so many states are currently struggling to find funding to make needed improvements in roads, bridges and other building projects. Not only will this result in improved infrastructure, the Department of Transportation estimates that every $1 billion of infrastructure spending creates more than 40,000 jobs. As you can see, this part of the economic stimulus plan is definitely an investment in America that will perk up the economy now when it needs it and will continue to yield long term economic benefits in the future. ###