Middle class

As Vice President Biden Conducts Middle Class Task Force Meeting in Ohio, Brown Outlines Need for Robust National Manufacturing Policy

June 23, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - As Vice President Biden conducts a meeting of the Middle Class Task Force in Ohio today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) outlined the need for a robust national manufacturing policy. Brown, a longtime proponent of domestic manufacturing, outlined ways to strengthen the nation's manufacturing base and rebuild the middle class in a letter sent to Vice President Biden.

"Ohio and the middle class need a robust plan for manufacturing and economic recovery that will promote a high wage, productive, and sustainable economy," Brown said in a letter to Vice President Biden.    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- Denver — U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the Department's participation in new agency partnerships to foster job growth for a new green economy at Tuesday's meeting of the Middle-Class Task Force in Denver. Along with the Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, the Department of Education has committed to developing new policies, proposals and ideas to help America's middle class.    » read more »

At Middle Class Task Force Meeting, Vice President Biden Calls on the Council of Environmental Quality to Report Back in 90 Days on Ways to Expand Green Opportunities and Energy Savings for the Middle Class

May 26, 2009 -- Denver, Colorado - At today’s meeting of the White House Task Force on the Middle Class, Vice President Biden called on the Council for Environmental Quality to report back to the Task Force in 90 days with proposals that build on the foundation laid in the Recovery Act to expand green opportunities and energy savings for the middle class.

Such proposals could include, for example, expanding retrofitting of commercial buildings, making American homes more energy efficient, and developing better tools to help people find green jobs.    » read more »

Department of Labor Announces $500 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Green Job Training

DENVER, CO – As part of their commitment to developing new policies, proposals and ideas to help America’s middle class, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced new agency partnerships to foster job growth for a new green economy at today’s meeting of the Middle Class Task Force in Denver.    » read more »

Department of Labor Announces $500 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Green Job Training

May 26, 2009 -- DENVER, CO - As part of their commitment to developing new policies, proposals and ideas to help America's middle class, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced new agency partnerships to foster job growth for a new green economy at today's meeting of the Middle Class Task Force in Denver.    » read more »

February 27, 2009 -- Washington, DC – The White House Task Force on Middle Class Families, led by Vice President Joe Biden, is holding its inaugural meeting today in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania. The Task Force has a simple mandate: to find, highlight and implement solutions to the economic challenges facing the American middle class. With President Obama announcing last week more than $20 billion for investment in a cleaner, greener economy – including $500 million for green job training – the Task Force's first order of business is to evaluate what investing in green jobs will mean for middle class families.    » read more »

February 27th, 2009 -- The following op-ed appears in the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning:

Green jobs are a way to aid the middle class

Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Today, in Philadelphia, the White House Task Force on Middle Class Families is holding its inaugural meeting. Our charge is to assess current polices and develop new ones aimed at helping the middle class, the economic engine of this country.

The economic-recovery package that President Obama signed into law last week contains more than $20 billion for investment in a cleaner, greener economy, including $500 million for green job training. The task force's first order of business is to evaluate how investing in green jobs will help build a strong middle class.    » read more »

February 25th, 2009 -- Washington, DC – The Middle Class Task Force, led by Vice President Joe Biden, will hold its first official meeting on FRIDAY February 27th at 12:30 PM EDT at the William B. Irvine Auditorium on the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia. The focus of this meeting is on green jobs as a pathway to a strong middle class.

The Vice President will be joined by several cabinet members and members of the Task Force including:

* Secretary of the Department of Energy Steven Chu;
* Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood;
* Secretary of Education Arne Duncan;
* Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack;
* Secretary of Department of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan;    » read more »

June 12, 2008 -- Chicago, IL – Today, Senator Barack Obama will meet with Ryan and Jenny Micke of Appleton, WI, to discuss the economic challenges facing the middle class and how his tax plan will bring ease the strain that so many American families face.    » read more »

June 9, 2008 -- John McCain says he wants to cut taxes for middle class families. But the reality is Senator McCain would do even less for the middle class than President Bush, which is definitely not the change Americans are looking for.

McCain is masking a tax cut for the wealthy as a middle class tax break, saying that 100 million people have "something to do with capital gains." The truth is fewer than seven percent of families earning less than $100,000 received capital gains income in 2005. [CNN Live Feed, Town Hall (Charlotte, NC), 5/5/08; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 1/30/2006]    » read more »

In visit to Bucks County alternative energy manufacturer, Obama touts plan to create 5 million new green jobs

March 11, 2008 -- Fairless HIlls, PA - Senator Barack Obama today toured Gamesa Energy USA, a wind turbine manufacturer in Fairless Hills, and held a town hall meeting with workers where he pledged to end the special interest influence in Washington and strengthen the middle class.    » read more »

February 11, 2008 -- Washington, DC — Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement today in response to President Bush’s economic report released today:

“I am pleased that Democrats and Republicans have worked together to reach agreement on a short-term economic stimulus bill. Economists believe that this legislation will make a real difference in mitigating our current downturn. However, it is far from a panacea, and much more should be done to address our economy’s longer-term problems.    » read more »

February 5, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – On a conference call with Nevada reporters, Nevada Senator Harry Reid discussed how President Bush’s 2009 budget raises taxes for Nevada’s middle class.    » read more »

February 4, 2008 -- [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said that the budget President Bush delivered to Capitol Hill today proved yet again that the Bush Administration’s priorities are out of touch with needs of middle class Americans.    » read more »

12/18/2007 -- Today, Hillary Clinton outlined her economic blueprint for rebuilding the middle class, and talked with Iowa voters about the tangible impact that her economic plan would have on their lives. After seven years of a President who has ignored and denied the struggles facing America’s middle class, families in Iowa and across the country deserve a leader who puts their interests first. Hillary believes that the middle class is the backbone of our economy.    » read more »