Middle-class aid first step to fixing broken economy

On Nov. 4 voters in New Hampshire and across the nation went to the polls and demanded a new direction. Tuesday, it was my honor to be sworn in as New Hampshire’s first-ever female senator, and I’m extremely proud that New Hampshire helped elect our next president, Barack Obama. I’m eager to join him and my new colleagues in the Senate to begin working for the change that voters demanded and the new direction that America needs.

There is much work to be done. Middle-class families are hurting under a deepening recession, the entire planet is struggling to confront the grave threat of global warming, and our military is over-extended in two brutal and costly wars. It is no exaggeration to say that this Congress and this president-elect face some of the greatest challenges in our nation’s history.

Our first task must be to get our economy back on track by putting middle-class families first again. As the recession continues, it has become clear that a new economic recovery package is necessary. It is crucial that this package focus investment in areas of the economy that will provide needed short-term relief and lay the foundation for long-term economic strength.

Investing in our nation’s aging infrastructure will both create needed jobs in the short term and foster economic development in the long term. In New Hampshire, public and private institutions have already identified “shovel-ready” capital projects such as investments in higher education, repairing and upgrading our road and bridges, investing in public school buildings, and improvements to water treatment plants. These investments along with a commitment to building a rural broadband network will create jobs and lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth.

The economic recovery package is also an opportunity to invest in new forms of clean energy and take better advantage of existing clean energy technologies. By making major investments now in renewable energy and energy efficiency, we can revitalize our economy, create millions of new green-collar jobs, curb greenhouse gas emissions and help repair our international standing all at the same time. In New Hampshire small businesses are already generating renewable energy from wood pellets, and research shows promising opportunities to create cellulosic ethanol produced from forest byproducts.

To build the green economy, we must also upgrade our inefficient and outdated energy transmission system. In New Hampshire, that means building a transmission system with the capacity to take full advantage of our state’s vast timber resources. This will create jobs and bring a new, clean energy industry to the state’s North Country.

To make the new green-collar economy a reality, we must train the workers that will build it. As unemployment rises, job retraining and apprenticeship programs have become more important now than ever. The good news for workers looking to join the green-collar economy is that most of these jobs involve skilled repair and maintenance capabilities, meaning they can never be outsourced.

Finally, an economic recovery package should assist states in dealing with a looming healthcare crisis. Under this recession, middle-class families are skipping medication and doctors’ appointments to save money. Ultimately, this will mean more visits to the emergency room and costly medical complications.

We can begin addressing this problem by increasing the rate at which the federal government reimburses states for Medicaid and by increasing funding for children’s healthcare through SCHIP. This will immediately help our most vulnerable fellow citizens afford the healthcare they need.

Putting our economy back on track with a new recovery package is necessary, but it is not enough. In November, Americans cried out for more, demanding a new way of doing business in Washington. I applaud President-elect Obama for leading the way with the most open and transparent transition process in our nation’s history. To resolve any of the great challenges we now face, we will need to continue that transparency, and we must end the partisan gridlock that has stymied progress for too long.

I am committed to working across the aisle to make Washington work for middle-class American families again.

There is no doubt we face monumental challenges, some of which will take years to overcome. The American people have led the way, demanding change and a new direction. When I took the oath of office as a Senator, my vow signified a solemn commitment to heed America’s cry for change, to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead, and to help lead our nation in the new direction we so desperately need.

Shaheen, beginning her first term in the Senate, is New Hampshire’s former governor.