ATHENS, Ga., Nov. 2, 2011 - Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today joined farmers, ranchers, and area business leaders at the Athens Technical College to discuss the administration's strategy to strengthen the U.S. economy and to highlight what passage of the American Jobs Act will mean for Georgians. The purpose of the discussion is to get feedback on how the administration can work together to strengthen the economy in rural America and spur job creation. The meeting is part of a series of roundtables that are being held across the country this fall with senior Obama administration officials on behalf of the White House Rural Council.

"The American Jobs Act provides common-sense steps we can take right now to put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans, without adding a dime to the deficit," said Merrigan. "In Georgia, this Act will provide a tax cut for over 180,000 businesses, support the jobs of 12,800 teachers and first responders and immediately provide 11,800 construction workers a job improving highways and other critical infrastructure. Georgia families will receive a tax cut of around $1,330."

Merrigan also highlighted a major piece of President Obama's jobs agenda - the new trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama that were signed into law. In 2010, Georgia's agricultural exports totaled $1.8 billion, supporting more than 15,100 jobs on and off the farm. When implemented, these three agreements will increase U.S. farm exports by an additional $2.3 billion—supporting nearly 20,000 American jobs—by eliminating tariffs, removing barriers to trade and leveling the playing field for U.S. producers. Full details on the three trade agreements and comprehensive fact sheets on how the agreements will benefit Georgia are available at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/.

U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement Georgia Fact Sheet

U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Georgia Fact Sheet

U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Georgia Fact Sheet

The Obama Administration is calling on Congress to immediately pass the separate proposals in the American Jobs Act. The components that will create jobs and strengthen Georgia economy include:

Tax Cuts to Help America's Small Businesses Hire and Grow

• In Georgia, 180,000 firms will receive a payroll tax cut under the American Jobs Act.

Putting Workers Back on the Job While Rebuilding and Modernizing America

• At least $1,044,800,000 will be invested in Georgia for highway and transit modernization projects that could support a minimum of approximately 13,600 local jobs.
• The State and localities will receive $956,700,000 in funds to avoid and reverse layoffs now, and support up to 12,800 educator and first responder jobs.
• Georgia will receive $909,500,000 in funding for school infrastructure to support as many as 11,800 jobs.
• Georgia could receive about $543,000,000 to put construction workers on the job to revitalize and refurbish local communities, in addition to funds that would be available through a competitive application.

Pathways Back to Work for Americans Looking for Jobs

• Reforms to the unemployment insurance (UI) system could help put the 259,000 long-term unemployed workers in Georgia back to work.
• Extending unemployment insurance, could prevent 77,700 people looking for work in Georgia from losing their benefits in just the first 6 weeks.
• The President's Pathways Back to Work Fund could place 4,000 adults and 16,100 youths in jobs in Georgia.

Tax Relief for Every American Worker and Family

• If the payroll tax cut passed last December is expanded, a typical household in Georgia, with a median income of around $43,000, will receive a tax cut of around $1,330.

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.